I'm going to be setting up a decent little workshop here at home.

Michael1962 · April 21, 2024

Hi,

I was pretty sure that I had posted some photos up here on the other thread that I started about Timelab tools.

Here's the link.

Michael1962 · April 29, 2024

Saturday morning 27/4

Saturdaymorning.jpeg.c1597ead661b6ffc0bf15c6736b79408.jpeg

Sunday evening 28/4

Monday evening 29/4

Floor has a drain in the middle so I am hoping that there is very little fall on it, if any.

Room is about 2.5 x 2.5 metres square. Can only use about 1/2 of one wall on the right of the pictures which has a sliding glass door in it. And only about 3/4 of the wall to the left of the pictures as it has the door to the house in it.

Progress.

Edited April 29, 2024 by Michael1962

Michael1962 · May 4, 2024

Removed a couple of mm of grout from every tile joint on the floor and regrouted it this morning. Final clean up tomorrow and then I am going to start moving things in from where I have them in the garage.

Just have to work out the layout of the room once I start moving things in. Garage just didn't work out.

So if you are setting something up, don't consider your garage. Not really a viable option.

Michael1962 · May 5, 2024

Moved in. Now working out the best place to have things so moving around the room makes sense. The wooden movement testing rig may end up being suspended from the roof with some pulleys and ropes that I salvaged from some alfresco blinds that we replaced.

I always seem to salvage things from things we scrap thinking, "I have an idea what I can use these for." I hope I'm not the only one that does that. My wife hates me for it. "What are you going to do with all this crap?"

Anyway, here you go. If anyone has suggestions for workflow around a room, speak up. All Ideas are appreciated.

The bench on wheels will carry either a laptop or my Samsung table for using with the little camera that is on the tripod for photos while dismantling etc.

The small bar fridge in the corners going to have water etc in it and I might move the coffee maker from the kitchen out there as I am the only one that uses it.

I want to get an ultrasonic cleaner so I may set up some sort of cleaning rig in front of the glass of the sliding door. Where the grandmother clock is currently standing.

I'm hoping that I will be able to transition my working area, which is the table that the stool is sitting in front of, fairly easily between clocks and watches. I'll be doing my best to make sure that tools for each are separatedwhen stored. Logistics.

I'll have a bit of wall space for being able to hang clocks if I find some that I wish to keep or hopefully at some time to be able to hang customer clocks for monitoring after servicing/repairs.

The clock on the left in the blue pillow slip and the grandmother clock are earmarked for Jarryd and his wife, Sara. He helped me move the benches in today. And then went on to tell me that ticking clocks drive him nuts. Who doesn't like the rhythmic ticking of a clock?

I have a green pad for adding to the bench for a working surface. It is not a cutting mat or one of the Bergeon mats. It is actually a green desk writing mat. Was really cheap and will do exactly what I want, I think.

I also have to get the sparkies back that put our new stove in to put some power points on the walls behind the benches.

Hopefully this is all going to go well. I'm excited about it. It'll beat having to live out in the garage doing it.

The other thing I have to do is cut a circle or square of plastic to go over the bouncing watch or clock part black hole in the middle of the floor. I would pretty much guarantee that anything that sproings off the bench would end up going straight down that drain.

I think I have been on this forum about 4 years and still yet to really strike a blow. That's a bit sad isn't it.

Signed up to Mark's watch course and have yet to buy the movement for working on. Have most of the tools I think I will need so now all just a matter of will.

I have to make a crank handle for my Joe Collins spring winder as well and some spring retaining tubes as I can't find where I can buy them. I will be salvaging (here I go again) the aluminium tubing from my old hang glider which I have to scrap as I can't fly anymore and it is too old to sell. All the aluminium tubing is aircraft grade so I am hoping it will be suitable for the winder.

I have also been making a bushing tool and I have just worked out that it will work well with my Dremel stand. So another thing that I can turn into a working tool.

Don't know if you guys have ever seen the ad about the guy that buys himself a new 4WD and the son says "We're going to need a bigger boat."

So Liz is looking at all the stuff we have to get rid of and says "We're going to need a bigger bin." Really difficult to work out how big a Dempster bin we need. Sigh.

tomh207 · May 5, 2024

@Michael1962 a suggestion Michael, if I had the space I would think about planning it kinda like a kitchen on the principal of a working triangle, though for this application maybe a square. A kitchen after all is a workshop for making food. I would like to have a workbench, cleaning/polishing bench, testing bench and a machining bench.

Tom

Neverenoughwatches · May 5, 2024

2 hours ago, tomh207 said:

@Michael1962 a suggestion Michael, if I had the space I would think about planning it kinda like a kitchen on the principal of a working triangle, though for this application maybe a square. A kitchen after all is a workshop for making food. I would like to have a workbench, cleaning/polishing bench, testing bench and a machining bench.

Tom

Tbh thats how i would do it. Being a joiner and setting up a few workshops in my time. I would have full worktops all the way around instead of seperate benches, but still a station for each process. Dedicated disassembly/assembly (clean area ) cleaning, repair , polishing and lathework.

Edited May 5, 2024 by Neverenoughwatches

Michael1962 · May 5, 2024

I'll be honest that benchtop all the way around was something I really wanted to do. At the moment, it is not a possibility due to some upcoming expenditure that Liz and I have to go through.

I already had these benches, so that will have to do for now. I'll work the rest out somehow.

Hey, it took me 4 years to get to this. What's another couple of months?

tomh207 · May 6, 2024

@Michael1962 the advantage you have this way Michael is you can try things out and plan better how you want it to be long term. I was thinking as well you need to consider storage, maybe tools at the workbench, a metal cabinet at the cleaning station for chemicals, tools and materials at the polishing/machining bench and spare parts at the test station.

Tom

Neverenoughwatches · May 6, 2024

18 hours ago, Michael1962 said:

I'll be honest that benchtop all the way around was something I really wanted to do. At the moment, it is not a possibility due to some upcoming expenditure that Liz and I have to go through.

I already had these benches, so that will have to do for now. I'll work the rest out somehow.

Hey, it took me 4 years to get to this. What's another couple of months?

This will give you time to figure out where you want things, should also give you a feel for the height that suits you. I'm jealous, i wanted to start my new watchroom but it might be put on hold for now.

Michael1962 · May 7, 2024

My second iteration.

Cleaning to be underneath the towel rails. That makes sense.

Moved the fridge and the maching/printing table around to the right. Changed the lathe to be used over the end of the bench. Not much room in front of the 3D printer, but you don't have to stand there while it is doing its thing. I may swap the fridge and the machining/printing bench yet. Not sure.

And the 'doing' area.

The power that was brought in for tha spa was 30A I think, so there will be more power than I need.

I will have to check how level the benches are as well as find a spot for the movement testing rig to go. The tiles do have a fall toward the drain so I will have to work something out to be able to level the rig easily no matter where I put it. I'm also going to cut some slots in the bottom for pendulum clearance and some squares in the top section to be able to better see the movement.

I'm getting more excited now.

Edited May 7, 2024 by Michael1962

Neverenoughwatches · May 7, 2024

18 minutes ago, Michael1962 said:

My second iteration.

Cleaning to be underneath the towel rails. That makes sense.

Moved the fridge and the maching/printing table around to the right. Changed the lathe to be used over the end of the bench. Not much room in front of the 3D printer, but you don't have to stand there while it is doing its thing. I may swap the fridge and the machining/printing bench yet. Not sure.

And the 'doing' area.

The power that was brought in for tha spa was 30A I think, so there will be more power than I need.

I will have to check how level the benches are as well as find a spot for the movement testing rig to go. The tiles do have a fall toward the drain so I will have to work something out to be able to level the rig easily no matter where I put it. I'm also going to cut some slots in the bottom for pendulum clearance and some squares in the top section to be able to better see the movement.

I'm getting more excited now.

Looking good Michael

Michael1962 · May 7, 2024

On 5/6/2024 at 2:16 AM, Neverenoughwatches said:

Tbh thats how i would do it. Being a joiner and setting up a few workshops in my time. I would have full worktops all the way around instead of seperate benches, but still a station for each process. Dedicated disassembly/assembly (clean area ) cleaning, repair , polishing and lathework.

Aren't corners of rooms a bugger though as it is really difficult to use the space underneath the intersection of the two benchtops. Lazy Susans are an idea I suppose. Somewhere to be able to put tools/soldering iron/testing machines that aren't needed on the bench top all the time.

It is a bit tight in there, but at least I won't have to move great distances to get to another area. I need to get hold of another chair to have at the cleaning bench. I'll stand all the time at the lathe and I already have the stool for the workbench.

Need to get the power sorted now and move the LED lights for over the workbench.

There are four downlight in the ceiling that are currently halogen bulbs. Really quite bright so that's good. Ceiling fan as well. What else could one hope for?

Edited May 7, 2024 by Michael1962

Neverenoughwatches · May 7, 2024

17 minutes ago, Michael1962 said:

Aren't corners of rooms a bugger though as it is really difficult to use the space underneath the intersection of the two benchtops. Lazy Susans are an idea I suppose. Somewhere to be able to put tools/soldering iron/testing machines that aren't needed on the bench top all the time.

If you are having counter tops ( i think thats the amercan term ) and some cupboards underneath where you dont require working legroom then that corner doesn't have to be a difficult access void. Lazy susans , we ( kitchen fitters ) call them cabinet carousels or you could just have two adjacent doors with a corner post fixed to one of them, though it does make for a long reach to get to the very corner. But a carousel is a good access solution, also there are sliding steel baskets available but these are bloody expensive and typically problematic, i really think they are a crap idea. What i like about fully fitted worktops, very tidy looking, no loss of space, and sidewards pinged parts are hopefully going to stay worktop side and not end up crunched on the floor.

Edited May 7, 2024 by Neverenoughwatches

Michael1962 · May 11, 2024

Well today was the day that we loaded the last stuff that we are getting rid of into a big skip that we hired to get rid of the spa bits.

I pulled down my hanglider from storage in our garage and out with the spanners. The sail and some stuff that is not salvageable is all in the skip. The aluminium tubing and stainless brackets have all been reclaimed and have been stored.

Why? I have been struggling to find the tubes that were demonstrated with the Joe Collins winder on YT anywhere, so I presume that they were made to suit.

I haven't really been able to find any tube that I could use. I now have a plethora of tubing that is not just plain aluminium, but is aircraft grade aluminium and is a fair bit tougher.

Different diameters as well so that is a bonus. Doesn't cover all the diameters of a set of spring C clamps, but beggars can't be choosers.

I have already worked out what I am going to use some of the stainless for. I will attach it to my clock movement testing rig so I can then use the light gauge pulleys and ropes that I salvaged to set up a way for the clock movement rig to be pulled up to the ceiling when not required. I also have to route out some holes in the side panels of the rig so that pendulums can swing and so that I can see into the movements from the side.

I really must take some other photos.

Michael1962 · July 28, 2024

Slowly getting things done. Blue pillowslips are back on both of the clocks. They are 2 of my keepers. I also have a cuckoo clock which needs a lot of work, but it was my mum and dad's, so it's a keeper as well. It will probably go to the right of these two on the wall.

I just did some looking up and the mantel clock on the right has a Winterhalder & Hofmeier movement.

That clock would weigh twice what the tall clock weighs.

There is also a number stamped in the top right corner of the rear plate. Very hard to get a photo of it. I'll check it again tomorrow and write it down.

Edited July 28, 2024 by Michael1962

Michael1962 · July 29, 2024

I go into hospital on the 5th August for a procedure. Be in there for one or two days then home. I will havew a laptop and screen at home from work, but as I am taking leave for a 2 week period, I am going to do my best to get all of this sorted out so I can start doing something and not just keep thinking about it.

watchweasol · July 30, 2024

Hi Michael. You are getting along nicely with the workshop I you are like me it will go through several reshuffles befor you are satisfied and even then you will change things. Yes Winterhalder. Hofmeister. Jusu done one overhaul and a bushing, very nice clock. Good luck with the workshop.

Michael1962 · August 3, 2024

Spent more time in the workshop today. Organiser drawers installed, lighting up on the ceiling. Siliconed the screw, spring, part catcher bench backstop. Have worked out what I can do with my clock rig to get it out of the way.

Joe Collins spring winder completed. Just have to work out some clips to hold the ratchet when I am not using it. I'll probably hit it with some black paint to tidy it up as well.

Neverenoughwatches · August 3, 2024

25 minutes ago, Michael1962 said:

Spent more time in the workshop today. Organiser drawers installed, lighting up on the ceiling. Siliconed the screw, spring, part catcher bench backstop. Have worked out what I can do with my clock rig to get it out of the way.

Joe Collins spring winder completed. Just have to work out some clips to hold the ratchet when I am not using it. I'll probably hit it with some black paint to tidy it up as well.

Looking good Michael