More diy...

[John Rumm]

Something to sit on:

Might do another (I made templates for all the cut outs), but it is nice have some workshop space back!

[Bob Eager]

That makes me feel guilty - but woodworking is not my strong point.

Our last bench collapsed while I was sitting on it (the end came away from the seat, I and two sons followed the seat down and smashed it). It was a cheap one from CPC and lasted two years.

I spent a fortune and got one from GWR Benches - 35mm wood (oak) and cast iron ends. Hopefully that won't break...

[John Rumm]

Yup they do some substantial looking benches ;-) having fallen through / destroyed a number of chairs and benches in my time, I can see the attraction.

Mine was a bit cheaper (if you ignore the time spent making it[1]), although western red cedar is not that cheap in smallish quantities. There is probably about £150 quids worth in one bench.

[1] Probably about 3 whole days if one added up the time - although much of that was simply preparing and planing up the sawn lumber. (although I just noticed I bought the wood almost a year ago to the day - so the getting round to it phase took a while!

[nospam]

Nice job (again) but you're a bad man because you led me to "Jay's" website - I've already lost an hour to it and more will follow ;-) In particular, there are some good ideas about workshop layout. I've been wondering about bricking-up (with window) one of the garage doors and building a stud wall down the middle of the double garage to separate woodwork and metalwork, but I like his "island" so will have to re-think. Maybe a stud wall inside one door and keep the other for light and ventilation. Also, get a smaller metal lathe and ditch the unused machines (surface grinder and powered hacksaw) to make more space. What's the next project?

[newshound]

Thank goodness my wife does not come here, or I would have to make one.

[GB]

I couldn't make one, even if ordered by my wife to do so.

[Bob Eager]

Same here. That's why I've ordered one (but not from John!)

[newshound]

Oh I certainly would not have had the skill or patience to do such a nice job as John!

[John Rumm]

To be fair, its actually quite a straight forward build... (which I over complicated a little!). If you start with off the shelf prepared timber, its just a bunch of 15 degree cuts.

No clever joinery, just glue and screws. The detail on the back could be simplified, but even as it is would be doable with a jigsaw. Just stick the printout on the wood and cut along the lines ;-)

[John Rumm]

Just build yourself a "shop" like Keith's - then you can have plenty of space for both :

;-)

Yup, but its hard getting rid of tools unless you have already "upgraded" them to bigger and better - but that tends to make the problem worse!

Another bench... possibly an outside table.

Finish painting the woodwork at the front of the house.

Insulate and clad the outside of the house

Install a shower in our bathroom.

More lounge furniture to go with the large bookcase (AV units, CD storage, shelves etc).

build a wooden clock (wood mechanism, not casework!):

Build a games room, and a garden "garage", and swmbo wants a "summer house".

Enclosed shelter / seating area on the patio

Erm... I am sure there is other stuff, but I have a feeling the above might keep me going for a week or two!

[nospam]

Ha! That's a little OTT. I had a quick look at parts of some of his videos and it seems as if people send him tools - I'd quite like to set-up a similar arrangement! Thanks for yet another channel on which to while away the hours.

The metal lathe weighs between 1.5 and 2 tonnes so I don't think bigger is in the plan, smaller and "just as good" might well be.

You seem to have a much better supply of tuits than me. Full retirement and improved focus beckon :-)

[Mike Tomlinson]

En el artículo , John Rumm escribió:

That's lovely, John. Well done, and thanks for posting the pics.

[John Rumm]

Most of the online folks doing machining etc seem to get a decent trade of tools in and out - basically sharing out unused stuff etc.

I have plenty more where that came from ;-)

Well some of those have been on the list for years, so don't get too excited!

[dennis]

It looks good but where do you get cedar for that price?

[John Rumm]

That was from:

(keep in mind this was a year ago, so I don't know how much the price has moved since)

I bought :

Western Red Cedar:

4" x 2" x 8' 12 off 6" x 1" x 8' 8 off

(enough for 2 benches)

American white oak: [1]

6" x 1.25" x 8' 2 off

Total came to £295 + VAT

[1] already used some of that for:

[GB]

Bloody 'eck!

This reminds me of my woodwork teacher at school, who said: "You be careful with that wood, boy. It doesn't grow on trees."

[John Rumm]

Yup, its one of the more frustrating things about making stuff - the cost of the basic raw material is silly! Especially if you want something other than bog standard construction grade softwood.

Even a sheet of decent 3/4" ply can be over £40 these days. What I really need is some spare trees and a chainsaw mill ;-)

Reclaiming timber from old furniture etc can work, but you can also spend lots of time cutting it up and gluing it back together to make the shape you want.

[GB]

My former next door neighbour had time on her hands, so she used to get woollens from the charity shop, unravel them, and knit something else.

Do I mean unravel? I mean the inverse of knitting. :)

[S Viemeister]

My mother did that with our cardigans as we grew - she'd rip out a couple of old ones and the new one would be striped or patterned. We were poor, but well-dressed.

[Bob Eager]

SWMBO says 'unpick'.