Hi from Asheville

AgingHippie

New User
Greg
I’ve moved from a large hobby shop with pretty much everything, to an oversized one car garage. And probably moving into a condo. I’m trying to figure out the minimum setup to still be able to build the occasional project.
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
Do you have room for one of those big old entertainment center cabinets? It seems to me that could be altered to hold a fold down bench and a whole lot of hand tools. Which, by the way, are quiet and easy to clean up after.
 

Hmerkle

Board of Directors, Development Director
Hank
Staff member
Corporate Member
Welcome Greg,
We are glad you found us.
I look forward to your journey and research into you minimalist shop and what you come-up with as an end result...
 

NYTransplant

Tim
Corporate Member
Welcome Greg!

Is your profile photo an end grain cutting board? I've seen piano keys done and it looks so cool. I may try one this year as my brother is a musician and it would make a great gift.

Tim
 

AgingHippie

New User
Greg
Hi Tim. Almost, but edge grain not end grain. I made it for my mom, who is also a piano player.

The black keys are ebony, and the white keys are maple. The spacers between keys are black dyed veneer.

I used epoxy, which I normally would not. It’s proved brittle over the past ten years or so, and I’ve reglued it twice. The last time I put Domino loose tenons in the broken joints, which I now wished I’d done at the start.

A trick for cutting the white keys around the black keys:
I cut them in a “U” shape on the router table. That gives a square inside corner. Then I cut off one leg of the “U” leaving the final shape. I can draw this if the words don’t make sense.

Good luck!

-Greg
 

Bill J

Bill
User
Welcome! I have slowly increased the size of my shops over the years and will say that the big thing for a small, multi use shop is to put everything on wheels. Will you have the whole garage or still need to park a car in it? What power tools are you considering?
 

NYTransplant

Tim
Corporate Member
Hi Tim. Almost, but edge grain not end grain. I made it for my mom, who is also a piano player.

The black keys are ebony, and the white keys are maple. The spacers between keys are black dyed veneer.

I used epoxy, which I normally would not. It’s proved brittle over the past ten years or so, and I’ve reglued it twice. The last time I put Domino loose tenons in the broken joints, which I now wished I’d done at the start.

A trick for cutting the white keys around the black keys:
I cut them in a “U” shape on the router table. That gives a square inside corner. Then I cut off one leg of the “U” leaving the final shape. I can draw this if the words don’t make sense.

Good luck!

-Greg
Thanks for the tips Greg! I'll attempt this one soon. I've got to stock up on some maple and walnut first.

Cheers!
 

AgingHippie

New User
Greg
Welcome! I have slowly increased the size of my shops over the years and will say that the big thing for a small, multi use shop is to put everything on wheels. Will you have the whole garage or still need to park a car in it? What power tools are you considering?
If we move into a condo, I won’t have a garage at all. Understood about wheels; the remaining machine in my current garage is on a Bora roller base.

Here’s what I think I should keep:

  • Track saw and track
  • Festool MFT table
  • Domino 500
  • Router
  • Drill(s) and Woodpeckers drilling guide
  • Jigsaw (uncertain, but added benefit of also cutting metal)
  • Sander (Rotex 90 for versatility)
  • Shop vac

All of this can fold up and go in a closet or the corner of the second bedroom.

What am I missing?

-Greg
 

AgingHippie

New User
Greg
If we move into a condo, I won’t have a garage at all. Understood about wheels; the remaining machine in my current garage is on a Bora roller base.

Here’s what I think I should keep:

  • Track saw and track
  • Festool MFT table
  • Domino 500
  • Router
  • Drill(s) and Woodpeckers drilling guide
  • Jigsaw (uncertain, but added benefit of also cutting metal)
  • Sander (Rotex 90 for versatility)
  • Shop vac

All of this can fold up and go in a closet or the corner of the second bedroom.

What am I missing?

-Greg
Ah, I forgot an air compressor. I need that to winterize our camper. So that means I could keep one or more nailers. I’m guessing that a brad nailer or a finish nailer would be the most versatile?
 

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