Shop Essentials
There are some items that are required in every shop. Here’s a list of the must-haves.
By:
Club Member Tom Klenck
Online Rating:
   (8.5/10) There are some items that are required in every shop. Here’s a list of the must-haves: Bench: You can make a bench out of anything from scrap lumber to milled hardwood. If it’s fastened to a wall, the wall becomes a structural part of the bench, which translates to more space underneath for storage. Free-standing benches need to be designed to prevent racking and should be heavy enough to stay put. Tool and materials storage: Wall-mounted storage, such as shelves and perforated board with hooks, keep tools and supplies on the wall and handy yet out of the way. A rolling chest houses mechanics’ tools and woodworking hand tools. Under-the-bench shelving holds heavier power tools.
Air-filtering system: This may not seem like a must, but it can make a real difference in a woodworking shop. These units, usually mounted on a ceiling, continually pull air through and remove fine particles that coat everything, including your lungs. It’s the next-best-thing to dust collection. Lighting: Natural light is ideal, but you might not always have enough. Fluorescent utility lighting (double tubes and a sheet-metal reflector) is cheap and easy to install. Over the bench, plan for some lamps that can be focused on the work. Clamp-on floodlights are an inexpensive, versatile solution, and halogen desk lamps work well for small jobs. Power: In addition to a circuit for lighting, you’ll need to run power for tools — at the very least, one 20-amp circuit for portable tools and battery chargers. If you have a few benchtop tools, consider adding more circuits —you may be working with a friend sometime and need to run several tools at once. If you own or expect to buy heavy stationary machinery, dedicate a circuit for each. And remember, for machines that can run on either 110 or 220 volts, 220 is better. You can use lighter-gauge wire and a breaker at half the amperage. Fire extinguisher: All shops need one that’s rated ABC. Have it checked regularly. Club member Tom Klenck is an avid woodworker and former magazine editor who lives in Hamilton, New York.
|