A workshop is born

[brianw]

Thanks to everyone for the positive comments.
I had to ease back on the work over the winter as it was just too cold and I was struggling with tennis elbow which was pretty unpleasant.
However, spring has finally arrived and I'm back working on the workshop.
I've fitted insulation in the roof.

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I've fitted the chimney for the wood burning stove which will be needed next winter.

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And I'm now in the process of installing wooden cladding over the insulation.

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I've still got a way to go, but hopefully I should be at least partially operational by the time summer arrives.
The best part is going to be when I start installing workbenches and equipment.
Watch this space.

[Bob Tascione]

Wow Brian that's looking more and more like a beautiful traditional clockmakers/watchmakers shop. I can only imagine what it's going to feel like actually working in there when It's all setup.
Looks like you're getting very close now!

Bob

[brianw]

Hi Bob,
Yes it is progressing well and I am itching to start using it.
The internal roof cladding is now finished and the floor screeding is currently drying out so I can't do anything more inside for two weeks while it sets hard.
I'm waiting for the delivery of the fascia and soffit board materials which should arrive on Wednesday. In the meantime I am going to start digging a hole outside the building
to locate the electricity and water main which run nearby so that I can get them connected.
As soon as the floor is ready I will be painting it with a hard wearing two-part resin, then the wood burning stove is going in.
There is still plenty to do and it is now two years since I took that first picture when the whole project was just a dream.
I'll post some more photographs when the facia board is in place and the stove is installed.
Brian

[brianw]

I haven't posted anything for a while, but I have been working on the shop.

Roof lining

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The internal roof lining is in place and the floor insulation is installed.

Floor insulation

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The fascia and soffit boards are installed.

Installation of fascia and soffit

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I can't add any more photographs for some reason, so I will upload this submission and start a new one.

[brianw]

The electricity and water supply is connected.

Services connection

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The floor screeding is complete and the floor painted.

New floor

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The walls are painted and the skirting boards fixed in place.

Painted walls

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More painted walls

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Well, that is as far as I have got.
The floor is painted with an industrial epoxy two part paint designed to be hard wearing.
I've sealed around the bottom of the skirting so that springs that fly off into the unknown cannot hide under the skirting.
I'm very pleased with how everything is working out. The next step is to install the wood burning stove, then guttering and drainage.
As you can see, the wiring and plumbing still has to go in. I'll start with putting in a consumer unit then move on to lights and power outlets.
All the wiring is going to go into surface-mounted trunking so that I can change the installation to fit in with whatever equipment is
in place.
This build has been a long slog, but I'm sure it will be worth it. If I had realised what was involved before I started I might never have begun.
I'm looking forward to posting the photograph with the first clock in it.
Regards to all, Brian

[brianw]

The electricity is connected up and the lighting installed.
I've used LED lights which look like ordinary strip lights. They are really bright and don't consume much power. I wanted to have as much light as possible and am very pleased with them.
The wood burning stove is in although I haven't lit it yet as we are having a bit of a heat wave here at the moment.

Mains consumer unit

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Strip lighting

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As you can see I have started moving some of my junk into the new workshop. I had to move it out of the spare bedroom as we had some friends staying.
There is a load more spread around the house that I have yet to move.
As you can see I have a boxford lathe. I agonised about buying this instead of a myford 7 and finally chose this one as it is in very good condition and in my opinion is better than a myford super 7 with gearbox.
I am interested in making tools for clockmaking and want to use the boxford for that.
I think Myfords are rather over priced for what they are. This lathe has induction hardened ways and power cross feed and is in very good condition with hardly any backlash and it probably cost half of
what I would have had to pay for an equivalent Myford.
Having said that,I do have a small Myford speed 10 which I am hoping to set up as a dedicated wheel cutting lathe. These are really solid, good quality little lathes.

Lathe plus junk

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I am now working on constructing some fitted desks to go along the front windows.
I'll download some more pictures when that is completed.

[Bob Tascione]

Wow Brian what an incredible shop!
You've done such a beautiful job on everything. It's seems to be perfectly situated for capturing natural sunlight. There's no better or more soothing lighting in my opinion for doing watch work than the spectrum that natural sunlight covers. Maybe our eyes have evolved to take advantage of all that natural light has to offer.
Are you also going to be moving some benches in there or will you be building everything into the shop?

Bob

[brianw]

As you may have guessed, I'm building my own units.
I looked into buying some office furniture, but that made it look like an office. I then looked for workshop/garage furniture and that was either
way too expensive or I just didn't like it.
By designing and building my own units I get exactly what I want. There is a desk type area beneath the front windows where you can sit, and the
rest is drawers and cupboards for storage.

The main carcase

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I have now fitted the drawers without fronts which will be fitted next. The doors, which you can see stacked up under the drill, will be next
followed by a solid beech worktop.

Drawers installed

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This is taking a lot longer than buying some furniture, and it means that I have got to wait longer before I can get back to my clocks, but I think
that taking the extra time now to get it right will pay off in the end.

[rgmt79]

Looking really great Brian, it will be a real pleasure to work in there when it's all done...wow, what a journey to get this far:-)

Richard

[brianw]

Hi Richard.
Thanks for your response.
Unfortunately I have to stop work on the shop for the next couple of months. I still have to take time to make a living and we are going away for a month mid September.
I do have a milling machine on order which should arrive soon and I will post a photograph when it arrives.
I will get back to furnishing the workshop when we return in mid October and will hopefully get it operational by Christmas.
It has been a long slog to have got this far, but I really think it is going to be worth the wait.
Regards, Brian

[willofiam]

VERY nice Brian.....still waiting for you to come over and build mine cant wait for the final set up.

[Phil McCabe]

Hello Brian,
Perfect, Perfect, Perfect shop!
I would write much more but I'm drooling on my keyboard and don't want to short my computer out.
You sure do excellent work! Thanks for the inspirational photos.

Best,
Phil

[brianw]

Hi Everyone.
I'm back on track and here are some recent photos.

Outside is finished.

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As you can see, I have added an outside light and some security cameras. I don't like the cameras, but we have had things stolen in the past
and I don't feel too comfortable about leaving valuable equipment out in the garden when we are not around.

Desks finished

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The desks and cupboards are finished and ready to go.

New (second hand) milling machine

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The new milling machine is in it's new home. Neither the lathe nor the milling machine are wired in yet. They are both three phase
and I need to get an inverter for them to work. I'm going to just get one inverter for the two as they will never be used at the
same time.

Sink and cupboard space.

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I have finished plumbing in the sink. Hidden under the sink is a water heater which is nice. You can also see the wiring for the internet
which is up and running. I've connected a second router to the one in the main house and have activated the wireless facility. I've also fitted
some hard wired ethernet sockets above the desks so that I don't have to rely on wireless for any fixed peripherals I may use in the future.
I have also installed an extractor fan above the draining board which I finished wiring in today. That isn't shown in these photographs.
The next stage is to get another worktop installed for some of the smaller machines and to get that three phase inverter installed.
I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel..........
Regards, Brian

[jim1228]

Outstanding!

Jim

[willofiam]

Very nice!!! inspiring...

[brianw]

Time to upload some more pictures.
I've included some of my woodwork shed where I have been constructing the desks and the bench for the clockshop.
Some of the pictures show the main bench under construction. I've made it in two halves which are jointed together as it
is too big to transport between the two shops.

Woodwork shed

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Bench Construction

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Bench Constuction

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Bench Construction

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[brianw]

The bench is now in place and ready for the final construction.

Final construction

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The following pictures show the completed bench and also the inverter, extractor fan,
three phase wiring loom and some of my equipment.

Completed bench and wiring.

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Extractor, inverter and some clocks

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The rest

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You may have noticed that the clock on the wall looks rather modern. Well, it's one of those clocks that are synchronised by a radio
time signal. I guess we all have to have some reference point.
Since these pictures were taken I have rebuilt my myford speed 10 which is on the bench in the middle, and have serviced and repainted
the milling machine and large lathe.
I have been spending some time familiarising myself with the machinery and am finally, after three years, at long last in my own workshop.
It has been a long slog, but I think it is going to be worth it.
There is still some space next to the sink where there are a couple of old tables and a pillar drill where I can install more benches or maybe machines.
I don't want to plan what I am going to put there. I want to start using the workshop and let it evolve from now on. I'm not sure what direction my
endeavours are going to go so I want to leave some space for the unplanned.
I'll let you all know what happens, so watch this space .......

[jim1228]

Awesome shop!
You are one talented guy Brian.

Jim

[willofiam]

Very nice Brian, no matter how much bench space you create it always seems to fill up...my biggest problem is finding a open spot on a bench when I need it. Have fun.

[Phil McCabe]

You have just built the shop of my dreams Brian!
The only thing I would do differently is put my bed in there too!
Amazing work space.
Thanks for posting. I'm motivated now!

Best, Phil