Why I Oughta...

Bench via WoodsmithPlans.com In March of this year, I posted a photo of a wall-hung workbench that I came across on Instagram .  The photo above is of that same bench, but comes from the source of the plans:  Woodsmith Plans .  They're offering a plan for sale for the bench plus the tool holder above and the little shelf for hand tools on the very top for $10 .  I think I've settled on going with this direction for both a bench in my shop in the basement, but also for a garden bench that I'm now planning in the garage. This whole thing started with this initial wall-hung workbench with curves that I found online at the WoodArchivis t.  But, in looking at the space constraints that I have in my shop, coupled with some concerns about the rigidity of the curved superstructure, I've kind of drifted away from my initial plan.  In the shop, my plan calls for hanging the bench on concrete walls, which requires cleats or ledgers (as in this design above)....

As I've posted about here on the blog, I'm working on my home shop.  It is going in the basement and may or may not have a window and a wall-hung bench .  I'm planning on closing up all the available space with a wall and door, but also planning on filling the joist space above the wall to ensure that the dust from the shop stays in the shop and doesn't carry out into the rest of the basement space. One concern about that is pressure.  Meaning, if I stuff the joist cavaties and seal the door with an external steel door, it is going to be a pressurized space.  The walls will be like a balloon everytime I close/open the door. When I was on the train home one afternoon recently, I saw this air filter/vent in the stairwell coming down on the Metra cars and it gave me an idea.  What about making something like this on the inside of the wall:  a spot where I can place an air filter.  And on the outside - drywall side - of the new wall, I cut a whole ...

This winter break, I've embarked on a few projects to get my shop up and running in the new house.  The first project is a mitre saw stand.  I figure that if I get my saw up off the floor onto a stand, I can then begin to make a few other tables/benches to host the other tools and what-have-yous that I've collected over the years.  I have two Christmas's worth of tools to unpack and set up and actually use. I'm using this plan from the Home Depot with a few modifications including the addition of this Kreg Precision Trak and Stop Kit , so that will require me to use a thicker fence than what is spec'd in the plans.  I also think I'm going to add a dust shroud and dust collection near the end.  But, the first few steps in the plans - which focus on the legs and the base pieces, I'm going straight by the plans.  In the photo above, you can see the four legs that I put together with 2x4's and a 2x6.  The plans call pocket screws, so that's what I ...