Fixing cheap combination squares

Fixing cheap combination squares

My plywood order arrived earlier in the week and I hope to get a few hours this weekend to start on the bench. In the meantime I have been trying to educate myself on some of the basic techniques, for example, how to cut things square. To show the level of my naivety, it had...

My plywood order arrived earlier in the week and I hope to get a few hours this weekend to start...

marking & measuring
Workbench mitre saw station

Workbench mitre saw station

This is how I plan to accommodate the mitre saw. I currently have an el-cheapo sliding compound mitre saw (an evolution rage 3, which I got for the bargain price of £35 (!) from screwfix a couple of years ago when it was on sale) .  This will fit but not be level with the surrounding bench....

This is how I plan to accommodate the mitre saw. I currently have an el-cheapo sliding compound mitre saw (an...

plywood workbench
Pylwood Workbench Design

Pylwood Workbench Design

I have set myself the slightly pointless goal of trying to construct my workbench using just 5 pieces of 8’x’4 plywood and some screws/glue, and here is the design: Now I have finished the drawing I can see that there are a some issues that could have been resolved easier/cheaper by...

I have set myself the slightly pointless goal of trying to construct my workbench using just 5 pieces of 8’...

plywood workbench
Evolution Foosball table installed

Evolution Foosball table installed

The table arrived on Monday. It does fit nicely in the corner and, despite being quite heavy, is relatively easy to move around – it folds flat in situ and can be rolled around on the wheels at one end. Having said that it would be a lot more convenient if I could just stand it...

The table arrived on Monday. It does fit nicely in the corner and, despite being quite heavy, is relatively easy...

workshop fitting-out
Workshop interior - cabinets and benches

Workshop interior - cabinets and benches

I popped to Ikea yesterday and spent £360 on the frames, doors , hinges etc and £80 on the worktop counter for the bench. This was a bit more than I had hoped to spend, so to compensate I am going to try and create the workbench and shelving from three pieces of 8’x4′ plywood...

I popped to Ikea yesterday and spent £360 on the frames, doors , hinges etc and £80 on the worktop counter...

workshop design
Workshop - Interior design

Workshop - Interior design

Here are my first thoughts on the layout – given limits of time and cash I am planning a combination of ikea cabinets and a hand-made workbench. I would like to make this a dual purpose entertainment and (small) project space, but this plan tends to favour the latter activity. Unless you count a bench as...

Here are my first thoughts on the layout – given limits of time and cash I am planning a combination of...

workshop construction
Climbing Rose - Mme Alfred Carrère

Climbing Rose - Mme Alfred Carrère

I briefly thought about having a clematis and rose together on the new trellis on the front of the shed, but have now decided to keep it simple with a white rose. I plan to use Mme Alfred Carrère – introduced by Joseph Scwarz in France in 1879. This is a climber that has a tinge...

I briefly thought about having a clematis and rose together on the new trellis on the front of the shed,...

workshop fitting-out
Wire Trellis Installation

Wire Trellis Installation

a narrowly avoided fiasco re. the trellis.  My original plan was to suspend the wires vertically from the overhanging roof, perhaps using pad-eyes,  but I decided it would be too hard to get the wires tight and tidy. The tensioned wire trellis kits from s3i [https://www.s3i.co.uk] looked a much better option,...

a narrowly avoided fiasco re. the trellis.  My original plan was to suspend the wires vertically from the overhanging roof,...

workshop fitting-out
outstanding workshop jobs - trim

outstanding workshop jobs - trim

One of the little jobs I had forgotten about was to fit some trim between the soffits and the walls. I used oak trim from B&Q, glued and screwed them to the wall and then filled the countersunk screw holes.   I stained the wood with a mahogany stain and then varnished it, and...

One of the little jobs I had forgotten about was to fit some trim between the soffits and the walls....

workshop cladding
Building a workshop - things I wish I'd known before starting

Building a workshop - things I wish I'd known before starting

Design In terms of the overall design my main regret is that I did not make it a bit bigger.  No doubt I’d still be saying it was too small, even if I had, but making it a couple of feet wider would have made a big difference to the usability of the space...

Design In terms of the overall design my main regret is that I did not make it a bit bigger....

overview