Workshop Idea Book
Improve Your Shop with Ideas Gleaned from Visits to
Shops of Hundreds of Woodworkers
Available in Hard-cover or Soft-cover
By Andy Rae
A workshop is always a work in
progress as skills grow and new tools are added. Now
you can benefit from the ingenuity of fellow
woodworkers and see how they've solved common shop
problems like storing tools, lumber, and clamps and
organizing work areas. No matter the size of your
shop or its location, The Workshop Idea Book will
show you inventive ways to improve it.
Introduction: The
workshop is an evolving space. Even when fitted with
the best of tools, supplies, and setups, it still
requires attention as your needs and skills develop.
That's where this book comes in. Its filled with all
sorts of clever ideas that will help you improve
your shop. Whether you're new to the craft or a
lifelong, grizzled veteran, there are solutions here
for every type of woodworker and for practically
every aspect of woodworking. From shop layout
strategies and important safety systems, to smart
tool and workstation assemblies, handy storage
schemes, and innovative benches and worktables,
you're sure to find ideas that not only improve your
shop, but make your woodworking more rewarding.
I've organized this book into
chapters that let you incorporate new ideas in a
logical and sequential manner. For example, the
first chapter starts with basic shop layout, and
discusses the pros and cons of different types of
shops. If you're just starting out, use this section
as a guide for equipping your space with all the
essentials to build a solid foundation on which to
grow a great shop. On the flip side, if you've been
in your shop for awhile and are simply looking for
some inspiration, you can use the ideas in this
section to fill in the gaps or to revamp some of
your existing systems to make them even better.
The following chapter presents
strategies for keeping the shop clean, and for
making it a safer working environment. While having
a tidy shop nears the top of most woodworkers
wish-lists, corralling and containing shop sawdust
is a priority for everyone in terms of safeguarding
your health. In addition to these dust-busting
schemes, you'll find specific safety precautions and
setups that make machine work and your shop in
general a friendlier, safer place to do great work.
Workstations are covered next,
from work holders, such as sawhorses and clamping
gear, to tool supports for the tablesaw, bandsaw,
drill press and other essential machines. Mobile and
multipurpose stations are included that increase
your shops versatility. If you want better workflow,
easier stock management, and quality cuts, here's
the place to look. There are also ingenious ideas
for adding or fine-tuning other important work
areas, including better sharpening, sanding,
veneering and finishing arrangements.
Keeping track of everything
you've got is only possible if you incorporate
intelligent storage schemes into the shop. In this
next section you'll discover ways to stack and store
lumber so you can access it without having to pull
apart an entire pile. Well thought-out tool storage
is discussed, with dozens of ideas for keeping your
prized hand tools and accessories neatly organized
and within easy reach. Places for clamps and
clamping gear are also offered, allowing you to
acquire a decent collection while making it serenely
accessible during those frantic glue-ups. There are
even novel designs for stashing hardware, so you can
stock all the myriad fasteners and furniture
hardware that the crafting of wooden things demands.
Storing sanding and finishing supplies make up the
final part of this section, letting you stockpile
your gear in a logical manner so your work flows as
smoothly and reliably as your last coat of finish.
Finally, every shop needs a
decent bench. This last section not only provides
some solid options in this area, it shows you ways
of creating additional work surfaces, with work
counters and special-purpose benches that let you
tackle a broader range of woodworking. You'll even
find worktables that make final assembly easier, so
all your careful machine and benchwork comes
together in a harmonious and peaceful whole.
So get ready to dig into a
shopfull of inspiring ideas, gathered from
woodworking shops all over the country. Some are
original; some are borrowed from centuries-old ideas
and incorporated into today's modern woodshop. All
have the unique trait of making your shop the best
it can be.
--Andy Rae
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Chapter 1: What Makes a Good Shop?
Basement, Garage or Outbuilding?
Laying Out Your Shop
Shop Floors
Getting Good Light
Using Compressed Air
Controlling Your Shops Climate
Doors and Other Forms of Egress
Chapter 2: The Clean and Safe Shop
Keeping a Clean Shop
Body Armor
Safety Jigs
Making Machines Safer
Chapter 3: Clever Workstations
Work Supports
Auxiliary Tables
Mobile Workstations
Multipurpose Setups
Sharpening Stations
Sanding Centers
Vacuum Veneering Setups
Finishing Areas
Chapter 4: Storage Solutions
Stashing Wood
Storing Tools
Clamping Gear
Hardware and Supplies
Sanding and Finishing Supplies
Chapter 5: Benches and Worktables
Workbenches
Assembly Tables
Hard-cover, 160 pages with
over 300 color photos and drawings
Soft-cover, 176 pages with
357 color photos and 8 drawings
Hard-cover ISBN:
978-1-56158-695-0
Soft-cover ISBN: 978-1-56158-875-6 |
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