Overview of the shop

As a young adult a major goal was always a big shop, but the navy and a young family put things off. As time went on and financial needs changed I was able to construct and outfit a large shop. I use about 45' by 40' of a 2400 square foot building to house an assortment of new and old tools I've accumulated over the years. This includes a uniplane, an old Oliver upright mortiser, a 1936 Delta/Rockwell lathe, two table saws, two large bandsaws, and two router tables. Having two of each bigger machine provides the ability to set up various machines for different purposes.

Panel Saw

Bandsaws and Unisaw

Table saws. One set for ripping and one for cross cut. Extension on one saw has router table set up.

Drum sander, oscillating sander, drill press

Lumber storage

Old Oliver Mortiser

My effective "Vacuum system"

Pipe smoking and thinking spot

The shop is too large to effectively heat in the winter (I live in Eastern Washington) and do a great deal of flat work in the winter so I constructed a lathe room within the shop that is easily heated. This room houses the Delta lathe as well as a large Powermatic and provides a space to continue tinkering during the cold months.

Lathe Room

Lathe

You can view Ray's woodworking projects in his Show Us Your Woodworking column in our November 2020 issue of Wood News Online.