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12 April 2016 at 11:00 am #136308
I’ve done this myself, so will pass on my experience…
If you’re in the UK, you can go up to 15m^2 without planning permission, and there are different rules for roof height depending on where the building is going to be located (2.5m or 4m depending on how far from a boundary you are). It’s called Permitted Development. If you’re going outside those limits, you technically need planning permission.
I laid a concrete slab for the foundation (around 12″ thick, if memory serves); I blogged about it here: http://whatgeorgemade.com/workshop-build-delivery-and-foundations/
Although it’s the much stronger option, you probably don’t need a solid slab, and could maybe get by with using large concrete patio-style slabs. Just make sure they’re solid and level – if one of them breaks with your shop on top, you’re in trouble. I don’t know if breeze blocks can substitute for slabs but if they can, they may make life easier.
The clay content of the ground won’t help – it just makes digging harder!
Hope this helps. I’m happy to answer any question I can.
George.
14 March 2016 at 11:30 am #135614I was also at the signing and the topic of woodworking clubs/guilds came up following a question during the Q&A. A gentleman mentioned that he has been cutting dovetails for a while but still can’t get close to the standard Paul produced in around 3 minutes during his demonstration. He asked if there was anything he could do to improve.
Paul said that, in the US, there are a woodworking clubs/guilds who meet up every so often and discuss problems exactly like the one mentioned. Other members can offer advice, do a demo, discuss technique, and generally help each other out in becoming better woodworkers. There’s normally a bucket of doughnuts (each?) at the event as well, which I interpret as a requirement!
It’s a really great concept but I’m not sure how to get it off the ground. Venue in particular is a tricky one to figure out. Certainly do-able though, if a member had a suitable size workshop or somewhere could be hired.
Does anyone in the US have any input on setting one up, or have any experience as a member of something like this?
15 February 2016 at 11:53 pm #134810Congrats on building your bench!
I used poly (water-based) on my bench so have some long-term insight. I used it because I had a fair amount left over after finishing the floor in my workshop.
Glue obviously still cures on the bench top but doesn’t stick to the poly very strongly so you can flick it off easily. That, and the fact that mugs of tea don’t leave rings on the bench top, are about the only benefits of poly.
Although hard, it won’t stand up to a saw teeth or chisels. I’ll post a photo of my bench top tomorrow – there are plenty of saw tooth and chisel impressions, as well as full saw kerfs. This is still my first bench and I have made plenty of mistakes using it!
The biggest problem with poly is that it’s smooth and slippy. Timber will skate over the bench top even when held down with a holdfast.
I’ll probably re-flatten and re-finish the bench top once more before I build another one (I didn’t pick my timber wisely and the whole bench is too light and unstable) and I think I’ll use a different finish next time.
With that said, you may not have the same problems I do with the finish. You can certainly rough up the surface with some course sandpaper to give it some tooth if needs be. Just don’t be under the impression that it’ll protect your bench from edge tools.
What matters is that you’ve now got a bench you can use. If the poly does bother you after a while, plane it off and use something else.
Get cracking!
George.
12 January 2016 at 10:39 am #133848As already mentioned, superglue will do the trick just fine, although I normally use regular PVA in situations like that. I feel like I get a stronger bond.
Drizzle some in from the top and let gravity do it’s work while holding the split open a bit. Add a clamp with only light pressure once it has wicked through, or even just tape, then leave to cure overnight.5 January 2016 at 5:23 pm #133648Hi Eddy,
I bought some from the US a while ago as I couldn’t find them in the UK. Which size are you after? I may have a spare… somewhere.
George.
18 December 2015 at 12:12 am #133236Hi Dario,
What were they delivering for £420? If you sent them the cut list, are they cutting all the components, or did they figure out you’d need a plank of a certain size and will just deliver that/those plank(s) rough sawn?
If it’s the former, I’m not surprised it’s so expensive. They will have waste to account for, as well as a fair bit of machining time. If it’s the latter, the price is staggeringly high.
Can you mill the components from full-size boards (12′ long, 12″ wide, 1″ thick) yourself? Can you afford to buy in bulk? Do you have space to store a stack? If so, you can go to eBay for a better deal. Buying 10cu.ft. from here will set you back almost £400 delivered but will give you enough stock to make a fair few tool cabinets:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/27mm-Waney-Edge-Oak-Timber-Boards-Kiln-Dried-Oak-Planks-/262160682217This is another place to get sawn boards if you can mill them – Paul mentioned them during one of the projects: http://www.scawtonsawmill.co.uk/
If you have space, always keep your eye out for good deals at auction (physical and online), as well as Preloved and Gumtree. I did that for a while and have more than enough for my needs; I was (and am still hoping to) sell some off at some point but I’m slowly making my way through the stacks.
George.
25 November 2015 at 9:21 am #132710I also can’t hang it on the wall in my shop. I’m going to build a simple cabinet like Paul has for his, then rest the tool cabinet on top.
The alternative is to extend the carcase, making it much taller so you can add cupboards at the bottom. Have a look at this for an idea: http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/32396/tool-chest-with-an-arts-crafts-legacy
23 September 2015 at 4:17 pm #130782I use this one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003CSNV2Q
I’m not certain as to the accuracy but the readings I’ve had make sense. The main thing is that it’s fairly consistent which is great as I use it to measure change over time. Once the readings stop moving (to within 0.5% or so), I know the timber is roughly in equilibrium with the atmosphere. Paul has advocated using bathroom scales to achieve the same.
If you’re using it to compare timber in the shop and house, something like that will be fine.
George.
31 August 2015 at 5:12 pm #129961I do all my resawing on my band saw. I would not be without it. Even in a small shop, it transformed my woodworking.
Machines go back will before a lot of people think. Even in the third century there were water powered sawmills.
George.
26 August 2015 at 2:42 pm #129783Hi Max,
I have a similar size shop in Leicestershire; 3x5m external dimensions but slightly smaller inside due to insulation in the walls. I also work my day job (computer programmer) in there, so can’t use all the space for woodwork and have to be careful with dust. Here are my thoughts…
Raising the roof would be nice but I’d say it’s not a huge priority. I’m 6’2″ and only have a couple inches under the purlins. I manage ok but doing larger assemblies can be tricky. Put your bench so it runs the same way as the rafters. You’d also have raking light from the window that way (I think).
I have a 14″ band saw and a 10×6″ planer/thicknesser for milling. I’m as careful as I can be with dust (extractor and air filter) but still wrap my computer in a bin bag when using the stationary tools, and open up some windows to change the air when I’m done. I’m hoping to get a more powerful extractor and have it outside to free up a bit more floor space and help improve air quality inside the shop.
Timber storage is outside but I still have some inside, which I’m hoping to use soon to free up the space.
As others have said, organisation will help no end. Clear everything out. If no-one here can take the tools you want to shift, put them on eBay with a 99p starting bid and state collection only. Someone will buy them, move them, and use them. Take anything else you don’t need to the charity shop or tip. Be ruthless.
Do you work with mainly hand or power tools? You said you’d work in the home shop if you had a couple of doors to make, so would you use chisels or a floor-standing morticing machine to to them?
I’d do a video of my shop but there’s barely room to move at the moment as I have two band saws (got a new one and waiting for the old one to sell), the coffee table awaiting finish, P/T, dog bed (she’s allowed in my shop!), timber, my desk, and a big-ass fan (was 37 degrees in here during peak summer) all taking up floor space.
Hope this helps.
George.
1 May 2015 at 5:36 pm #126910[quote quote=126908]hi George how long before you are offering the latest project in kit form lol
[/quote]
I know you were joking, but I have timber to make the table – including 24″ wide, live-edge boards for the top!
George.
1 May 2015 at 11:22 am #126905Sorry for the delay in getting this together. I’ve had an injured knee, a sick child, and work commitments keeping me from getting things sorted out. Also managed to pick up a lot more timber that needed collecting and storing. I think I need to admit to some sort of problem!
With the bank holiday weekend I should be able to get some pieces ready in the next few days.
George.
1 May 2015 at 11:16 am #126904Sorry to hear about your injury and your stones!
Some interesting discussion on machines here. I think it was Paul who said that while hand tools are still dangerous (as evidenced in this thread!), unlike when using a machine you’ll generally stop the cut before you hit bone.
I’ve put a very deep cut in my thumb before by simply trying to remove a brad point from a drill index (the rubbery type). The bit stayed put but my thumb slid along the length. Quite specialist!
I think machines are only really much quicker when making batches and you’ve got a lot of tasks that need to be repeated, or a cut that would be very time consuming (but not impossible) using hand tools. Resawing hard and wide boards, or making a lot of long rips. Thickness planers are useful for getting a lot of components to the same thickness quickly. Even with the setup time, you’ll finish way ahead of a hand tool user if you’re dimensioning components for several of the same project. There’s a big cost in terms of money, space, dust (oh, the dust!), and risk of limb or digit loss though.
For one-off projects like we do, power tools don’t offer much advantage. I get far more pleasure using a sharp #4 or #4 1/2 and a sharp set of chisels than I do running the thickness planer, bandsaw or (for really big, rough stock) circular saw.
George.
22 April 2015 at 9:31 am #126641I built mine from a kit a couple of years ago – it’s 3x5m (10×16′). There are some details here:
George.
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