Steve Dell Woodturning
My workshop a guided tour
My workshop is the back portion of the garage, 8m long and just over 2m deep, plenty long enough, though could do with a little extra depth at times !
It's separated from the rest of the garage by a stud wall with a connecting door. A floating floor of 50mm thick polystyrene batts toped with T&G chipboard with the flat roof similarly insulated, though clad with 4mm ply to finish.
Heating is by an oil storage radiator that is effective once going and a 1/2m square under carpet heated mat fixed under a sheet of hardboard just in front of the lathe, brilliant for keeping the feet warm and uses about the same power as a light bulb, highly recommended.
Lighting is three fluorescent tubes and an angle poise lamp over the lathe, as for plug sockets at present I have 12 doubles, though could do with a few more.
I have to own up to the fact that these pictures have been taken just after the annual spring clean, my workshop is only ever this tidy for about one week per year !!
The hardware
I treated myself to a new Record CL4 1hp variable speed lathe soon after it was released (and at that time still made in the UK, I understand they are now made in China as it seems most things are these days) It's now about 7 years old and still giving good service.
Shortly afterwards I also purchased a Record bandsaw & dust extractor both of which have proved reliable. As most of my timber comes from a local tree surgeon, much of it tends to be in large lumps and in need of retrimming before it can go on the lathe. So I have an electric chainsaw, which means I can use it in the workshop in all weathers plus to a degree contain the mess it makes.
The bandsaw has an 8" depth of cut and is also used for the trimming of blanks. The dust extractor is sited on the other side of the stud wall and ducted through the wall via two blast gates to both the lathe and bandsaw and switched on & off from just above the lathe.
As dust tends to be a major problem in any workshop that cuts and finishes wood, I also have a microclean air filter positioned above the lathe and wear a battery powered respirator helmet when sanding, both really necessary pieces of kit.
One half of the workshop. Lathe to right Bandsaw to left, ducting & switch to dust extractor overhead, two bench grinders in the distance.
The other half. Mostly storage of part turned items drying & waiting to be returned and some big lumps on the floor waiting for 1st turning.
Lathe with vase ready for 2nd turning
Dust extractor sited on the other side of stud wall. My guess is that noise in the workshop is reduced by about 70% and I don't have to wear ear defenders.
Reproduction of material from any of these pages without written permission is strictly prohibited Copyright 2006
www.stevedellwoodturning.com Wooden bowls Platters & Vases all handcrafted in Kent by woodturning artist Steve Dell
