My Basement Lair

Here is the new and improved workshop in the basement. It's a sweet setup. It includes a nice workbench, pegboards for tools, a mini lathe, grinding and sanding center, the press table (drill and arbor flavors), the CNC mill rebuild (subject of an upcoming instructable!), computing center, and of course, the movie screen (old 21 inch monitor and the OLD CNC computer.) The welding machine and compound miter saw live in the garage for safety reasons.

The slides show the old shop, the construction of the new shop and bench, and the current shop in use. What an improvement! Heck - if I can put this together, anyone can put a small shop together to make the finest things around. I know it, and you know it!

MeGusta says: Feb 18, 2013. 2:24 PM

Did you take panoramics with an iPhone?

Betelgeus3 says: Mar 5, 2011. 11:55 AM

I have a similar press by Ryobi. I have this issue that nobody else seems to have. Does the table ever get "stuck" on the teeth when you're adjusting it? I've tried everything and I'm just about to have to get rid of the tooth/gear system all together and just tighten it to where I need it.

xrobevansx says: Jun 17, 2009. 6:16 PM

I looked at that same lathe but I think I am going to get the Harbor Freight version. It's basically identical for 150 bucks less (I can drive to harbor freight in 10 minutes!)
http://www.grizzly.com/products/G8688
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=93799

TheGeekFather says: Dec 13, 2008. 2:18 AM

I was looking for 4 things when We were looking to buy our house after I left the army. 1 was a big yard so our child and future child could have a nice place to play, A garage so I could have a place to tinker around, a basement so I could have a bigger place to tinker around if we didn't have a garage, and last but not least a dishwasher. Well I got a dishwasher. Got the big yard. Didn't get a garage or basement. Why? The price was REALLY good. This was 8 years ago mind you. I envy all of you. Nice workspace

Hands Without Shadows says: Dec 4, 2008. 3:37 PM

I like it. I'm moving towards something similar but taking my time. I'm at the hand tools and lathe stage now. I could be a little further along but I went overkill on the lathe (is there such thing) and bought a 10x18. Next up is a homebrew CNC mini mill or a nice tool chest.

bgraham111 (author) in reply to Hands Without ShadowsDec 4, 2008. 4:56 PM

10X18 ... ooohhh.... not overkill. Not overkill at all. I didn't have the room or the budget for anything bigger - yet. But some day.... Sounds good!

stevebuck says: Dec 4, 2008. 11:53 AM

Your setup looks great, I like it a lot. One thing that I have noticed increase the life of my benchtop is to cover it with a piece of masonite with countersunk screws. It makes it mostly one solid piece, very dense, and if you ruin it, you can usually just flip it over and use the other side. My dad has had the same piece of masonite on his workbench since I was 3 (I'm over 30 now) and has no thought of replacing it. He is very rough on his workbench too.