I am looking for ideas for how to design and build a desk/bench/storage
cabinet for a Sherline/Taig lathe/mill (metalworking tools but this
would work for small wood working tools also) that will reside in a
living room.

I have seen the examples shown at the Sherline site (www.sherline.com)
but I am still
looking for ideas.

I am trying to have a functional workspace when open and an attractive
piece of furniture when it is closed.

Any suggestions, comments, links AND ESPECIALLY PICTURES are
appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

TMT

rec.crafts.metalworking

AAvK

Too_Many_Tools wrote:
I am looking for ideas for how to design and build a desk/bench/storage
cabinet for a Sherline/Taig lathe/mill (metalworking tools but this
would work for small wood working tools also) that will reside in a
living room.

I have seen the examples shown at the Sherline site (www.sherline.com)
but I am still
looking for ideas.

I am trying to have a functional workspace when open and an attractive
piece of furniture when it is closed.

Any suggestions, comments, links AND ESPECIALLY PICTURES are
appreciated.

Modify this:
http://www.capitolmuseum.ca.gov/virt...s/link331.html

R

The AAvK entity posted thusly:

rec.crafts.metalworking

Dunno about the Sherline, but the Taig can be had set up for
wood-turning, and can even be easily switched. While this does not
make "Machining" on-topic, the fact that at least a few woodworkers
have small lathes in similar situations, does.

"Too_Many_Tools" wrote:

I am looking for ideas for how to design and build a desk/bench/storage
cabinet for a Sherline/Taig lathe/mill (metalworking tools but this
would work for small wood working tools also) that will reside in a
living room.

I have seen the examples shown at the Sherline site (www.sherline.com)
but I am still
looking for ideas.

I am trying to have a functional workspace when open and an attractive
piece of furniture when it is closed.

Any suggestions, comments, links AND ESPECIALLY PICTURES are
appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

TMT

Look at foldout desks, bars, and spring loaded sewing machine platforms.

"Dunno about the Sherline, but the Taig can be had set up for
wood-turning, and can even be easily switched. While this does not
make "Machining" on-topic, the fact that at least a few woodworkers
have small lathes in similar situations, does. "

You will note that I made the subject on topic by mentioning that this
could be used for woodworking also.

A wood lathe, carving, model building, doll houses, etc....they all
need a work area and storage if done in shared living quarters with
others.

Any recommendations for the furniture needed to make this happen?

TMT

"rec.crafts.metalworking


AAvK "

Thanks for the response but I am looking for ideas as to what to buy or
build for the furniture to hold the tools (which can also do wood
turning and routing).

Any suggestions as to what would work well for work surface and storage
in a home living area?

TMT

"Look at foldout desks, bars, and spring loaded sewing machine
platforms. "

I also considering sewing machine cabinets and armoires....any links or
pictures to look at?

TMT

Any more suggestions?

Does anyone do any woodworking in their living quarters? If so, I would
think the same requirements would apply.

Any suggestions for workbenchs that would live covetly in a living room
so the SO is happy?

TMT

"Too_Many_Tools" wrote...
Any more suggestions?

Does anyone do any woodworking in their living quarters? If so, I would
think the same requirements would apply.

A drop-front desk or a cylinder desk could easily be made to house a baby
lathe.



Any suggestions for workbenchs that would live covetly in a living room
so the SO is happy?


A sofa table with a removable "fancy top" and work top under would work -
like the hay they used to make gaming tables for the parlor. Looks like a
fancy table, but the top lifts off and there's the workbench. Make it with
stout turned farmhouse legs and it will be plenty solid enough.


--
Timothy Juvenal
www.rude-tone.com/work.htm

On 27 May 2006 09:53:35 -0700, "Too_Many_Tools"
wrote:

Any more suggestions?

I don't know if you've done any machining with that lathe yet, but I
hope you know how much of a mess it'd make in a living room. When I
got my midi (wood) lathe, I kept it in a breezeway that was about 4' x
6' and that worked pretty well for chip containment, but when I bought
my house and put it and my larger lathe in the shop, it was such a
mess on everything that I ended up needing a separate room dedicated
to turning, just so I could clean adequately without moving everything
around every time I looked at the lathe.

I know that's not encouraging, I just have a vision of the
coolant-covered swarf either stuck to the carpet or gouging up
hardwood floors. Not to mention sitting down on nice curly razors
stuck into the upholstry from time to time.

If you need to do it (and that's just how it is sometimes)- how about
making a good-sized armoire with doors that lock open at 90* with a
flip-up "ceiling" extension and one of those plastic mats they make
for rolling computer chairs on carpet to protect the floor from the
shavings? You could attach a bit of plastic to the edge of the flip
up part so it would hang down and make a cover behind you. With
coolant, they're a mess- without coolant, they're even worse!
Anywhere a chip can get out, it will get out- and that includes stuck
in the treads of your boots. If you're not sure what I'm describing,
let me know and I'll e-mail you a drawing off-list.

Alternately, if you've got enough room in the living room and can
modify the building yourself, the best solution may be to frame up a
closet in one corner, and put a door with some weather stripping on
it.

Does anyone do any woodworking in their living quarters? If so, I would
think the same requirements would apply.

I used to- but it's really not the same as metalworking. Worst case
senario, I usually would hang plastic from floor to ceiling to make a
temporary work area, and put a box fan in the window to blow dust
outside. The difference is that sawdust and wood shavings are fairly
soft, and not very likely to wreck the floors or furniture. Though I
haven't seen your place- for all I know, you have wooden walls and
concrete floors. If that's the case, just put a dropcloth over the
furniture and have at it.

Any suggestions for workbenchs that would live covetly in a living room
so the SO is happy?

As another poster suggested- a false top should work nicely for that
one. Make a nice demi-lune workbench, and your wife can call it a
sideboard.

Thanks for the response...it is appreciated.

I am more than a bit surprised that there is so little interest in this
subject....doesn't anyone do any craft type work in the living area of
their homes? Whether it is metal/wood working, craving, modeling, etc.
I would think there would be an interest in the challenge of designing
furniture to meet the challenge.

the points you raise are good ones. I especially like the part...

"how about making a good-sized armoire with doors that lock open at 90*
with a flip-up "ceiling" extension and one of those plastic mats they
make for rolling computer chairs on carpet to protect the floor from
the shavings? You could attach a bit of plastic to the edge of the
flip up part so it would hang down and make a cover behind you. "

....very good approach towards containment.

With housing getting more and more expensive and the houses getting
smaller and smaller, I would think more people will be forced to doing
shopwork in the living room...it sure beats what is on television these
days.

TMT

Too_Many_Tools wrote:

I am more than a bit surprised that there is so little interest in this
subject....doesn't anyone do any craft type work in the living area of
their homes? Whether it is metal/wood working, craving, modeling, etc.
I would think there would be an interest in the challenge of designing
furniture to meet the challenge.

I don't think that there is little interest. There are conflicting
interests. SWMBO being conflict numero uno. I have a hard enough time
persuading that a TV can in fact go in the living room. Broaching the
subject of bringing work into the living space would translate as, "I'd
like to start filling the house with dust and if you wouldn't mind
cleaning it up after me, that would be great."

If you don't have a SWMBO, well, hell, keep the motorcycle in the
living room.

I posted the Wooton desk as an example of something that could easily
be adapted to housing a small shop for craftwork and the like. A huge
amount of storage in an unusual piece of finished furniture. You may
also want to Google jeweler's desk as there are some interesting
examples of that type.
http://www.thesecurityexchange.com/i...729 4&Refr=GB

You'd have to incorporate an efficient dust collection system into the
desk to make its place in a living area feasible.

R

When I was much younger I kept a 1978 Harley Low Rider in my living room . .
.. the first wife was not the domestic goddess type . . .There were some
problems though . . . After a couple hours of riding the "cooling" down
period tended to make the living room a tad bit warm . . . Also the carb
tended to drip a few drops of fuel on the carpet . . . did you know that
will melt right through to the padding . . . also oil will penetrate an old
copy of Popular Mechanics eventually and that also is rough on the carpet .
.. . . But you know ten plus years later when I sold it still looked brand
new . . .




"RicodJour" wrote in message
oups.com...
Too_Many_Tools wrote:

I am more than a bit surprised that there is so little interest in this
subject....doesn't anyone do any craft type work in the living area of
their homes? Whether it is metal/wood working, craving, modeling, etc.
I would think there would be an interest in the challenge of designing
furniture to meet the challenge.

I don't think that there is little interest. There are conflicting
interests. SWMBO being conflict numero uno. I have a hard enough time
persuading that a TV can in fact go in the living room. Broaching the
subject of bringing work into the living space would translate as, "I'd
like to start filling the house with dust and if you wouldn't mind
cleaning it up after me, that would be great."

If you don't have a SWMBO, well, hell, keep the motorcycle in the
living room.

I posted the Wooton desk as an example of something that could easily
be adapted to housing a small shop for craftwork and the like. A huge
amount of storage in an unusual piece of finished furniture. You may
also want to Google jeweler's desk as there are some interesting
examples of that type.

http://www.thesecurityexchange.com/i...729 4&Refr=GB

You'd have to incorporate an efficient dust collection system into the
desk to make its place in a living area feasible.

R

On 28 May 2006 09:46:58 -0700, "Too_Many_Tools"
wrote:

I am more than a bit surprised that there is so little interest in this
subject....doesn't anyone do any craft type work in the living area of
their homes?

I thought it was a troll. Where do you fix your motorbike? In the
bedroom?

"When I was much younger I kept a 1978 Harley Low Rider in my living
room . .
.. the first wife was not the domestic goddess type . . .There were some

problems though . . . After a couple hours of riding the "cooling" down

period tended to make the living room a tad bit warm . . . Also the
carb
tended to drip a few drops of fuel on the carpet . . . did you know
that
will melt right through to the padding . . . also oil will penetrate an
old
copy of Popular Mechanics eventually and that also is rough on the
carpet .
.. . . But you know ten plus years later when I sold it still looked
brand
new . . . "

The house or the Hog? ;)

TMT

"I am more than a bit surprised that there is so little interest in
this
subject....doesn't anyone do any craft type work in the living area of
their homes?


I thought it was a troll. Where do you fix your motorbike? In the
bedroom? "

Nope, no troll....trying to get ideas before I build the furniture
needed to be able to do work while watching television, listening to
radio, etc.

Where do I fix my motorbike? Anywhere I want to. ;)

TMT

Too_Many_Tools wrote:

"When I was much younger I kept a 1978 Harley Low Rider in my living
room . .
. the first wife was not the domestic goddess type . . .There were some

problems though . . . After a couple hours of riding the "cooling" down

period tended to make the living room a tad bit warm . . . Also the
carb
tended to drip a few drops of fuel on the carpet . . . did you know
that
will melt right through to the padding . . . also oil will penetrate an
old
copy of Popular Mechanics eventually and that also is rough on the
carpet .
. . . But you know ten plus years later when I sold it still looked
brand
new . . . "

The house or the Hog? ;)

TMT
Or the wife?

RicodJour wrote:
Snip
I don't think that there is little interest. There are conflicting
interests. SWMBO being conflict numero uno. I have a hard enough time
persuading that a TV can in fact go in the living room. Broaching the
subject of bringing work into the living space would translate as, "I'd
like to start filling the house with dust and if you wouldn't mind
cleaning it up after me, that would be great."

If you don't have a SWMBO, well, hell, keep the motorcycle in the
living room.
End Snip

Yup!

Truth is it's a struggle convincing SWMBO to let me keep machines in
the garage. I'd be better off putting a bullet in my head before I go
recommending the living room.

I am actually in the process right now partitioning off an area of my
living quarters for woodworking and airbrushing. I live in an
apartment and there's no other choice.

I have a 5x6 foot area walled off, floor to ceiling. I'm obviously
limited to small projects and use only hand tools, except for a drill.

Sawdust, shavings, paint spray and vapors were the reason for walling
off this area. I have a small doorway with a threshold that prevents
dust and shavings from blowing out along the floor. I use rubber mats
which not only protects the hardwood floor, but also keeps dust from
moving around too much.

There is a window that opens to the outside, which I feed the exit hose
from a small airbrushing spary booth through. I am planning to put a
fan in this window to run at low speed out the window, creating
negative pressure, drawing air in from the rest of my apartment -
hopefully :-)

I'm considering putting a small air filter in this area as well.

When I need to make cuts on larger pieces of lumber, weather permitting
I bring it outside to the parking lot.

Some day I'll have a real shop :-)

Before I inherited my fathers house a few years ago when he passed on, I
lived in a 1-bedroom apartment for almost 15 years.

During thos e days, I started to get interested in woodworking again with
the initial project being a large corner desk for my PC and all it's
goodies.

During the construction of that desk, I had to buy all the various tools i'd
be needing, including the usual Biscuit joiner, routers, sanders, dovetail
jig, etc including a table saw. I ended up buying a Dewalt DW744 contracter
model so I could put it in teh bedroom closet in between projects and haul
it out to the dining room when I needed to use it.

It worked out quite well.

I ended up building the original corner desk, another desk to sit beside it,
another even larger main desk, as well as a roll around tool chest for all
my hand tools.

Everything was made out of Oak, and the finish was brushed on. No spray
painting.

Never got a single complaint from any of the neighbors about the noise. I
just used common sense to use the more noisey tools during the daytime or
early evening and not for prolonged amounts of time.

Sawdust? not a real problem, used a shop vac after every use as well as just
happening to have light brown carpeting....


"Guess who" wrote in message
news
On 28 May 2006 09:46:58 -0700, "Too_Many_Tools"
wrote:

I am more than a bit surprised that there is so little interest in this
subject....doesn't anyone do any craft type work in the living area of
their homes?

I thought it was a troll. Where do you fix your motorbike? In the
bedroom?

On Sun, 28 May 2006 20:11:01 -0400, "Upscale"
wrote:

Maybe most, like me, have found out that making or building or fixing stuff
in the living room can often be fraught with disaster.

Snip

Lesson 3.
Well, I haven't actually experienced Lesson 3 yet, at least not a major
lesson. I know it's there waiting, ready to spring out and grab me by the
short hairs. But, I have come to one inescapable conclusion. The pain one
occasionally experiences doing fixit stuff anywhere such as hitting your
thumb with the hammer or stapling your hand to your current project, is only
one type of pain. Often more painful is the sudden realization of what
you've done wrong and the accompanying realization that it's going to hurt
your wallet even more.

Here's your Lesson 3 for you, free of charge--

Last year I decided I could no longer abide the sight of my
avacado-colored refrigerator, and as it still runs pretty well and I'd
rather buy tools, I decided to just paint the thing with some enamel
appliance paint.

Of course, rather than doing the sane thing and taking it outside on
the hand truck, I decided I could probably spray that sucker right
where it was. So I proceded to mask the area carefully, making a tent
of plastic all around it and prepping the fridge for paint, and
started in. The mess was fine- there was surprisingly little cleanup,
but I didn't account for any ventilation in my superb master plan, and
ended up with a head that swam for days. About halfway through the
job (in a rather addled state), I wised up a little and made a
cardboard vent shaft to the window and put a fan in it- and there is
now a perfectly round white spot on the screen I see every time I look
out the window.

Less of a disaster than it could have been, but still a PITA. It was
one of those jobs where I kicked myself the whole time, and wished I
could just quit- but I couldn't. That's the real danger I've run
into- when you start something in a living area, and get tired or hit
a snag, you have to keep at it even past the point of sanity, just so
that you can use the space again.

On the bright side, the fridge looked (and continues to look)
brand-new.

On 28 May 2006 18:58:13 -0700, wrote:

I am actually in the process right now partitioning off an area of my
living quarters for woodworking and airbrushing. I live in an
apartment and there's no other choice.

Snip

I'm considering putting a small air filter in this area as well.

I got one of those shop-vac air cleaners for my birthday this year,
and recommend it highly- it's perfect for a small area. I keep mine
in my turnery (about 10' x 10') and it'll clear the air of heavy dust
as quickly as I can make it. Works pretty well for drywall sanding
and concrete dust as well. Definately worth $100, and very portable.
They make better filters, to be sure, but it's a godsend if you want
to move it around or are limited in your mounting options.

Prometheus wrote:
I got one of those shop-vac air cleaners... it'll clear the air of heavy dust

Beware - heavy dust is *not* the main problem. The super-fine stuff
you can smell but not see is *deadly*, long-term, and it gets through
all but the very best filters. And even those, a bit.

I use the house vac system since it's mounted in my workshop,
and after using the thickness sander in there even for five minutes,
the air becomes positively hazardous even though it *looks clear*.

Since I live in a temperate climate and use no heating or humidifier,
I fitted an external vent for the vac's exhaust - such a relief!

On Mon, 29 May 2006 16:47:54 +1000, Clifford Heath
wrote:

Prometheus wrote:
I got one of those shop-vac air cleaners... it'll clear the air of heavy dust

Beware - heavy dust is *not* the main problem. The super-fine stuff
you can smell but not see is *deadly*, long-term, and it gets through
all but the very best filters. And even those, a bit.

Point noted and taken- my suggestion was more oriented towards the
cleanliness aspect of working in a living space. I don't suggest the
shop vac thing will help with health issues, it just keeps the place
from looking like you haven't dusted anything in 20 years. The reason
I pointed out the concrete and drywall dust is that I have it mainly
for remodeling jobs where it's not acceptable to leave a layer of dust
over everything in the client's house, and a window is not immediately
availible. If you're woodworking in your own home, that'd make
yourself or your family the client, and it does a nice job in that
regard. YMMV.

I use the house vac system since it's mounted in my workshop,
and after using the thickness sander in there even for five minutes,
the air becomes positively hazardous even though it *looks clear*.

Since I live in a temperate climate and use no heating or humidifier,
I fitted an external vent for the vac's exhaust - such a relief!

Sounds like it works, but perhaps a respirator is in order if you're
having that many problems with the fine dust. It still has to go by
you to get sucked outside, after all.

Prometheus wrote:
Sounds like it works, but perhaps a respirator is in order if you're
having that many problems with the fine dust. It still has to go by
you to get sucked outside, after all.

No, the hose runs from the machine to my workshop air inlets,
to the vac, then outside. Very little dust makes its way into
the air inside the shop. A little dust builds up in piles on
surfaces, but only what gets directly deposited there - it
doesn't settle from the air.