Tell me what you DON't like about your shop/lathe

[Tim Leiter]

I'll join in "my shop is too small." It is not attached to the house and I have too many tools for the space, 16' X 20'. I have a jet mini I converted to vs, a HF 95607 that I added a handwheel to, (it works great for pens). I have a Shopsmith 10e for use as a 12" disc sander, too small a table saw, horizontal boring and drill press and is nice for the larger lathe length. I also have a 1952 Craftsman "old arn" 10" table saw, Grizzly 14" band saw, Craftsman drill press, Rikon 4" belt and 6" disc sander, dust collector ontop of a large plastic barrel with 4" runs to each tool area, large shelf unit for wood blanks and cupboards covering most of the wall space, pegboard where I can, 20 gal air compressor, Porter Cable nailer air compressor, Century MIG welder, Craftsman double decker tool chest, two tool grinders, Wolverine sharpening set up and many, many hand and power tools. It has no AC and might as well say no heat in the winter. I love it in there even though it is cramped and I love all my tools............Tim.

[Jeff Nicol]

Matt, Your shop has such character and charm! Is it any more organized since the last time I was there? I think your bride still has a list of things to do on and in the house before you get a new shop, but maybe some of your big stuff will sell for the big bucks to get the nice new shop!

Jeff

Lol, man, I don't know where to start!

My shop building was built almost 100 years ago, so basically everything having do with the structure needs help. It has carriage doors that look like they belong on a haunted house, and the cement slab undulates in the shape of a 'W'. If I had the money I would bulldoze it, pour a new slab, and build a new, slightly bigger one.

I like both my lathes, but neither have VFDs, which would be great. My big lathe is underpowered for what I like to turn on it, and it doesn't have a usable taper in the headstock shaft. The NOVA 1622-44 lathe is fun, but the design of the drive system leaves something to be desired. I'm fairly pleased with it though.

Hutch

[Jeff Holoboski]

My shop is 12x14 it's small but came with the purchase of the house-will be adding on in the near future.I put a new roof on two years ago and my brother in law added electric and lighting last summer which feels like luxury items...my new G0658 lathe which I love sits on a 36" tall bench which puts the head stock at about 50" which is too high for my 5'10 frame so I am building a new lathe bench for it.Oh and I'm adding insulation to the roof and putting in a small wall ac next week.So some things I hate but soon will be in love with my upgrades...

[ed hoxter]

its not a powermatic !! ed

[Ian James Webster]

All the sawdust!!!!!!!!
and the fact that I have to leave it every day to go to work.

[Rex Guinn]

My shop is small 24 x 9 1/2, but it is ok by me if I want to use the table saw it's done in the garage or rolled outside on the driveway.
But for turning it's great. The dust collection is in the atic above the shop but have not run the ducting yet.
I am happy with it. has a window air conditioner and gas heat in the winter. My better half says I don't keep it clean and things put away so this week we spent a whole day cleaning and another whole day on the garage. JUST HAVE TO KEEP IT THAT WAY NOW. She will not help me again.

Love my PM and my Rikon 18" bandsaw.

[Scott Hackler]

Even though I earmarked and framed in a 15x30 section of our three car garage for my wood shop, it's too small. One of the reasons is that I need wood storage (expecially 4x8 sheets of plywood and such) and more room to have a dedicated location for various tools (planer, jointer..they are stored and moved to sit on top of the table saw as needed.). It is fully insulated and heated/cooled, so I do have that and LOVE that aspect. If I was only doing turnings, it would be just about right. But I still do quite a bit of flat work and there is just enough room to store (on it's side)4x8 sheets of plywood (but then I can't get to whats behind it) and still have room to run them through the table saw. I have thought, seriously, about adding on (doubling).

I would also like to have plumbed dust collection at all the stationary machines and if my attension wasn't drawn to the lathe so much I would have bought the PVC and started running that!

My neighbor is a cabinent maker and has a 40x60 wood shop with a small single car garage framed up for a jeep and motorcycle..in the corner of this shop. ALL the permanent tools in their own place and says he desparately needs more space. 1) a spray room with elevated floor and exhast pulling down into the floor and out and 2) storage for lumber. He was thinking about adding a 40x40 section on the rear. I guess everyone thinks their shop isn't large enough.

[Richard Jones]

What I don't like about my shop is that it is water in it right now....................

[Ryan Mooney]

and the fact that I have to leave it every day to go to work.

Mostly this.. the rest I could work on more if it wasn't for this

Space of course (large 2 car, but when is it ever really big enough )
I'd like to add a VS mini or midi at some point for small stuff.
I should add a chip deflector curtain around the lathe.. that would help some.
To hot for the last couple of weeks (much over 90 and it starts getting to much for me anymore).