Doing a lot with little space

[formariz 11,865]

Having a shop with only 400 Square feet of space and low ceiling presents many challenges when doing sometimes even a relatively small project. Of that area there is very little available floor space, and even the ceiling area is pretty much taken with storage areas. Unfortunately small projects here don't happen very often. Organization, planning, and cleanness are an absolute must if things are to done without a trip to the insane asylum. With most projects big or small, sheet goods are the essential and indispensable materials to deal with and the most difficult to manage. Many of them are extremely expensive and must be handled with the utmost care so damage will not occur. Some are even prefinished such as the specialty plywood I use for cabinet interiors (Garnica) and drawer construction (Baltic birch). Many times these sheets of material are also 10 and 12 feet in length so there is usage efficiency with very little or no waste. Not only one needs to be careful handling them in shop but very important in transporting them. There is absolutely no way I can bring something like that in the shop and maneuver it onto the table saw. I am also a one man operation and there would not be room for two of us anyway.

 

So to overcome all of those difficulties to start with my van is modified with a platform which also acts as a large tool box. That platform is made to safely transport sheet material. It also has a easily removable "second floor" to it if needed so as to carry unusual sheets such as 1/4" sheets or plastic laminate. The platform is at the table saw height. I merely backup van to out feed table and slide sheet already onto table saw. I never have to lift a whole sheet.  After drawings for a project are completed a cutting sheet or "stock bill" is made for every single piece of material to be used having all dimensions of it and whatever machining is necessary on it. Every piece will have a number and it will be marked as such when cut. Only cut pieces make it onto shop floor, never a whole sheet. Sometimes pieces are cut slightly oversize so as to afterwards make a more precise cut such as in the case of expensive veneers that will have to be matched and have a flawless cut edge. Sequence of events such as additional machining, preparation, and assembly are also carefully planned and adhered to.

Platform in van at table saw height,in this case transporting doors. Drawers are 5 feet long.

Plywood sheet ( prefinished in this case)  directly from van onto saw for cutting

 

Each sheet cut as soon as it is moved onto saw

Each component is numbered

Each sheet layed to scale out for maximum yield

Cutting list for each sheet used and each piece marked.

After ripping much cross cutting to be done

Much other machining to do also

Drawer material ready for machining. Drawers have an insane amount of precision work

Either offset tongues.

Or dovetailed or finger jointed

Its a long process to this point

Eventually the whole place will look like this

ready to leave so next phase of same project can begin.

[SylvanLakeWH 24,230]

Wow! Great choreography!!!

 

Time for you to start a tv show: “This Small Shop”…!

[Pullstart 59,826]

Meanwhile… I just swept a pile of rubbish over to another spot to wheel another project in.  Where did I put that shovel this time?  

[formariz 11,865]

 

2 hours ago, Pullstart said:

Meanwhile… I just swept a pile of rubbish over to another spot to wheel another project in.  Where did I put that shovel this time?  

Don't feel bad about that. I actually use a snow shovel quite often.