Ita been a while

A lot has happened to me and my family in the past year and a half since my last post.  For anyone that doesn't know me, we lost my father to cancer about 14 months ago. As a child, he exposed me to using both my mind and my hands to solve problems, and is the reason that I do what I do today.  He was a great man, and I couldn't have asked for a better father, teacher or friend.

Obviously, It took time to get my butt back in gear (generally, and especially in the shop), but I think I've finally gotten back into the swing of things.  In the past few months, I've made some incredible headway in my shop.  Unfortunately, I neglected to take everybody else along for the ride.  So, let's play ketchup. Catsup? Catch up?  Yeah, catch up...

My shop (the building itself) has been occupying most of my free time lately, but its nearing completion. With the exception of one 2' section between two overhead doors, everything has been insulated, drywalled and painted.  When its all finished, the bottom 2 - 4 feet of the walls will be covered in wainscoting made from laminate floor, and the tops will have 4 rows of french cleats.  Everything else will be trimmed in 2 ½ x ¾ douglas fir.  I wanted the ceiling to be somewhat flexible (so that I can add/modify stuff up there), so I ended up ripping 4' x 8' sheets of melamine coated hardboard into large ceiling tiles, and suspending them on the bottom flanges of the wood I-beam ceiling joists.

My immediate goal is to finish the trim and cleats on the back walls.  Once that is complete,  I'll be setting my phase converter back up and running EMT and 14 gauge THHN out to where all the 3 phase machines will sit.  This includes a Hermle horizontal mill, a Delta Rockwell radial drill press, a Logan model 200 engine lathe (currently single phase, but will be converting), and (drum roll, please) my new table saw...

In the midst of removing some surface rust from the table

I just picked 'er up Wednesday.  It's a 1950 Delta Rockwell 10" cabinet saw with a 3HP motor - which should run circles around the Delta contractor saw I've been running for the last few years.  This thing also has a Biesemeyer style fence (branded Powermatic) with a 52" rip capacity.  She's missing the front door and the motor cover, but luckily there's a company in California (www.bellplasticsfabrication.com) that makes plastic reproductions of these parts.

To make the most of the saw and fence, I plan on making an extension table with a router lift, sitting on copious cabinets.  It'll probably end up being 4' x 8' or so.  I'll probably also end up making a 4' x 4' or 4' x 6' outfeed/assembly table on locking casters - complete with cabinets underneath.  Obviously, this is still all up in the air until I start building.

With any luck, a new to me 60-gallon compressor will be the next addition.  I traded a small MIG welder for this compressor with a friend of mine.  I should be picking it up in the next few days and will be placing it under the steps.  I ran the electric for the compressor before the drywall went up, so it should just be a matter of plugging it in.  Also under these steps live the idler for the phase converter (10 hp) and the dust collector.  I wanted to keep all the noisy stuff out of the way and behind a wall.

Also on the horizon will be moving my dad's tools into my shop.  A few of the smaller power and hand tools have already migrated, but there are still a lifetimes worth in his old shop.  There is also a truckload of stationary machinery that will be finding its way here.  These include a 6" jointer, 14" bandsaw, wood lathe, hollow chisel mortiser, contractor's saw, miter box, and a drum sander.

This seems like enough for now.  I'll be sure to provide regular content in the future.  Please leave questions in the comments section, and let me know what you'd like to see more of.  I really would like to share what I do with anyone that can learn from me.