As more and more folks are making use of the shop, we’re continuing to find ways to improve our space and tools. Here’s the latest:
1) A new “Turner’s Corner”. Unlike most tools in the shop, which you might use a few minutes at a time, one spends hefty chunks of time sitting (or standing) at the lathe to get that bowl or spindle just right. So, we set up a somewhat segregated corner for the turner to get into the zone. In between passes on the piece, you can sit back and gaze out the window onto lovely Clark Ave…
A nice feature of the lathe, too, is that it is a duplicator. That is, once you make that first perfect leg, you can set the machine up to duplicate it exactly! Furthermore, you really don’t even have to make the first one… You can cut out your profile in a plywood template and the lathe will follow the template as it turns your stock. But that’s cheating…
2)Finishing Room. While we don’t do any solvant-based spraying the shop, you still need that sawdust free space and a slight reprieve from the noxious oders of some brush-on or wipe-on finishes (hey, lacquer, I’m talkin’ to you). So, we’ve created a walled-off room with a fan venting to the outside. It comes complete with a turn-table…
3) And finally, we are happy to welcome the newest member of our family. She’s a great big bear…. a Grizzly to be precise:
This 19″ Bandsaw is a beast. Generally, if you want to be able to “resaw” wood (that is, create thinner stock out of thicker stock – without wasting a bunch of wood by planing it all into sawdust) you’ll need a bandsaw with a larger wheel (the 19″ stands for the wheel size that the blade rides on) and a hefty clearance. This bear should do well.
That’s it for now. Come visit to see the changes in person!