[Chataigner]

Today I made a start on the workshop at my new house.

The workshop is to be in part of this barn (10m by 8m50) which is attached to the end of the house.

Here is the inside of the part I plan to turn into the workshop (4m50 by 8m50) with loads of removals overflow still in there.

Not a huge amount done, but I got the plinth for the combination machine fitted and installed the machine. It is on a plinth as it is far too low for me - seems to be designed for dwarves !

Next job is to make a temporary bench, then start insulating and fitting an OSB dry lining and ceiling. I also plan to make a large widow in the wall in the left (south wall) to improve the light.

 

[Kenbo]

Very nice. Every guy needs a shop and this one is going to be awesome. Plenty big as well. Looking forward to your follow up pictures.

 

[ctwiggs1]

French houses - so damn cool.

 

[BernieL]

I don't own what we call a Shopsmith machine, but I assume your combination machine is just like a Shopsmith. Very nice barn and perfect for a workshop. My workshop is under my attached barn and is a nice easy walk in the winter when we have lots of snow on the ground.

Your idea of building a workbench before all other things needed is very good. A workbench is the center of any workshop. Maybe you have room to put it in the center so you can work on all sides - or if you have to put it on a wall, I would wait until the south window is in place and put it under the window. That is what I did and I love looking out the window while working. Last week I saw a black bear walk right past it... always very exciting.

Good luck - share pictures with us - and if you have questions, you know you can ask.

 

[Chataigner]

No work done in the last couple of days, but some materials bought and shipped :

Hope to start building the workbench and a staircase to access the first floor during next week.

 

[Chataigner]

Work bench taking shape

Today another big step forward, my workbench is taking shape. The design is a copy of the one I had at Forge du Gravier and which worked really well for me. It consists of a simple but very solid base made in basic construction timber, then painstakingly leveled by hand planing to take a pair of torsion box work areas. These are in 19mm mdf top and bottom with 55mm spacers glued and screwed, so very rigid. These are then bolted to the base and a final layer of mdf glued on top to cover all the fixings. This is the stage you see in the picture below.

The next step is to fit a 20mm oak lipping all round the two boxes to protect the edges of the mdf and to make it look nice too.
After that I will make three lift out trays that fit between the two torsion boxes either open side up for tool storage or closed side up for a complete worksurface. The photos below show the one at the previous workshop.

Another big advantage of the design is that you can clamp in the middle of the benchtop...

 

[rrbrown]

Today another big step forward, my workbench is taking shape. The design is a copy of the one I had at Forge du Gravier and which worked really well for me. It consists of a simple but very solid base made in basic construction timber, then painstakingly leveled by hand planing to take a pair of torsion box work areas. These are in 19mm mdf top and bottom with 55mm spacers glued and screwed, so very rigid. These are then bolted to the base and a final layer of mdf glued on top to cover all the fixings. This is the stage you see in the picture below.

The next step is to fit a 20mm oak lipping all round the two boxes to protect the edges of the mdf and to make it look nice too.
After that I will make three lift out trays that fit between the two torsion boxes either open side up for tool storage or closed side up for a complete worksurface. The photos below show the one at the previous workshop.

Another big advantage of the design is that you can clamp in the middle of the benchtop...

That is pretty cool. My only concern is the MDF getting damaged. I know you protected the edge but wouldn't the top still be a week spot for damage?

JMO

Again I like that design for clamping in the middle. :thumbsup:

 

[Chataigner]

That is pretty cool. My only concern is the MDF getting damaged. I know you protected the edge but wouldn't the top still be a week spot for damage?

JMO

Again I like that design for clamping in the middle. :thumbsup:

I suppose you are right, but I used the last one for several years without a problem The mdf was also toughened up by several coats of clear varnish.

 

[rockydecor4]

That is a cool workshop. I envy you for having such a great place like that. My workshop has limited space.

 

[nbo10]

Nice workshop and house! How old is the structure?

 

[Chris Curl]

cool design. kind of like the new fangled bench

 

[ryan50hrl]

Was that house on house hunters international??? Or a similar show?? I swear i've seen that exact house on TV....

 

[Chataigner]

Nice workshop and house! How old is the structure?

We believe it dates from 1834. That makes it quite modern for these parts, the one I sold before moving here dated from 1640 !

 

[mn pete]

Very cool. Looks like it's coming along nicely, and how cool is that to work in a building with so much history.

 

[Chataigner]

A bit more progress

A bit more progress these last few days...

I've mainly finished the bench, there are a few tidying jobs to do, but I can use it.

As you can see in the background, I've also built and fitted out the first top cupboards. The sides are plain chipboard for economy, with doors in 16mm MDF lipped with oak. Hinges are standard kitchen furniture stuff.

Further back still, is the first stage of dry lining the wall and the first joist that will support the mezanine. The dry lining is using the french system of galvanised steel "studs" which take the insulation in channels between the uprights. For normal domestic use, this would then be covered with plasterboard, but I will use waterproof chipboard to enable me to hang heavy things anywhere on it.

Plan is to fit more cupboards a bit like kitchen units, top and bottom. The bottom ones will correspond with the workbench height so that long work can be supported easily between bench and cupboards. I will also fit the chop saw and bench drill along that back wall somewhere.

 

[nbo10]

It's looking nice. How many square feet is your space?

 

[Chataigner]

It's looking nice. How many square feet is your space?

Just under 500 sq ft. at ground level plus 600 sq ft. of existing first floor above the store for garden machinery etc. to the side. When the mezanine that I'm building is finished there will be the 500 sq ft ground floor plus appx 1000 sq ft at first floor level.

 

[Chataigner]

Workshop build, more WIP photos

This thread has been a bit quiet for a while 'cos most of what I've been doing has been building work around house and garden rather than getting on with the workshop. However, these last couple of weeks I've made some serious progress. Overall size around 9m by 5m, plus the same again on the mezanine which is still under construction, you can see some of the joists in this shot.

Here is an overview seen from the double garage doors end :

The left hand side is still very much under construction, where the band saw is now will be a wood fired stove and the BS will move to the rhs which is currently full of stacked up construction materials.

Closer in is the bench and cupboards. I hate dust on everything, so tools are stored in drawers or cupboards built fitted kitchen style, but with very basic materials to keep the cost down.

Moticer is temporarily on the end of the workbench, it will have its own home later.

Sharpening station on the end of the back wall, a wet grinder plus scary sharp kit in a drawer below :

The glass plate can be used in situ for quick top ups, or can be lifted out for longer sessions and also to give access to the tools and materials in the bottom of the drawer.

Chop saw with extended support shares a bench with the sander, by arranging the saw on an angle I was able to house both in a bit under 2m of bench top. Doors to follow... Cyclone next to it, with the extractor on the mez above. Decent filters next on the list !

That's the good bit, then this is the civil engineering end with half built staircase to the mezanine and big blank wall where the window is about to go in.

 

[mobilepaul]

I'll say it again, that is a very nice workshop. And the house is very nice as well!

Paul

 

[ryan50hrl]

Awesome progress.