Setting up shop with a $1000(updated with dust collector I built and another light)

Ok I'm almost done still have to get some more extension cords, do the fan and make a work rest for the porta band. That and clean and organize everything. It's a disaster area right now but the majority is done :









Parts from craftsman , I don' know what they're for




 
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Wen mounting your bandsaw make sure its far enough away from the wall so you can cut from 3 foot stock.
I made that mistake and could not cut knives out of a 3' bar.
 
The one piece from Crafstman is a fence. It slides in the groove of the table on the disc sander side. It will allow you to sand angles. No idea what the other piece is.
 
bigern26 said:
Wen mounting your bandsaw make sure its far enough away from the wall so you can cut from 3 foot stock.
I made that mistake and could not cut knives out of a 3' bar.
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It's mounted to the table so I can always pull the table out to cut longer , it's a total jerry rig setup but it's firm and stable so it works . I might add a foot switch later on but I have a cheap plastic clamp that works just fine right now . I bought a circular saw today, wish I had done that a week ago then I would've been done 6 days ago ... sigh .Question on the craftsman , how much of the top belt guard can I cut off and still have good tracking and where should I cut exactly? Now to clean and organize and then start grinding FINALLY!!!.
 
You could pull it away from the wall some and turn the other table 90 degrees so its against the wall where you originally had your drill press. Looks like a good little work space tho! Keep us updated.
 
cbr900son said:
You could pull it away from the wall some and turn the other table 90 degrees so its against the wall where you originally had your drill press. Looks like a good little work space tho! Keep us updated.
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I took the idea from another poster in this thread to keep all the dirty stuff on one side hence the porta-band on that side , I was going to put it on the right side of a table .I'll see how this works for awhile and change it if it's not good. I'll do a write up of the costs once I'm done organizing and setup hopefully later today, thanks to everyone that contributed to this thread and getting this done.
 
I got half way through organizing then decided I had to grind something I'd been waiting to long to try my grinder. I'll finish up tomorrow, man that thing moves metal fast!







Scrap piece of D2 from an earlier attempt


I fix and finish this little baby tomorrow, first try at grinding.
 
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So the total costs are probably around $1400, here's a rough break down:

Craftsman 2x42 grinder + shipping and mods( adjustment knob , pyroceram platen)= $230
Belts, disc abrasives and belt cleaner= $180
General 14" Floor Drill Press= $360
Drill Press Vice, drill bits, drum sander kit= $100
Makita Porta-band , rubber wheel covers and 3 blades= $115
Angle Grinder ,4 cut-off and grinding discs= $50
Shop Lights , daylight bulbs= $25 ( pricing error got me half of the shop lights due to scanner code of practice )
20" box fan , furnace filters = $30
Ipod Dock Speakers= $20
Work tables wood, sheet metal, screws,nuts,bolts,washers=$180
Bubble Jig Kit=$75
Etch-O-Matic =$90

Including things I bought since starting knife making then it's more like around $2000 :

1/4 Sheet Palm Sander, tonnes of different sand paper=$80
Files, Diamond Files, Dental pick set=$100
Precision File Guide=$40
Steel (1084,154CM, CPM 154, CPM D2, S35VN,CPM3V) $200ish
Handle Material - G-10, Micarta, Stabilized Burl (dang expensive) , Fasteners( Loveless bolts, Corby bolts,Mosaic tubes, thong tubes)= $200ish

I'm set with steel , handle materials, fasteners and belts for awhile .I'll post the final shop pics once I'm done organizing.
Now I just gotta start making some Knives:)
 
Please let me know how that box fan filter works. I'm putting my shop together in the garage and I need to keep as much dust off my Harley as possible.
 
Haha funny how it all adds up... just last night I was going over receipts and I have spent ~$1500 on knifemaking stuff since may... and I have very little to show for it all! Could be more in the next few weeks when the waterjet cutters get back to me on my GIB CAD quote..
 
Here's some more pics, it's already a mess .







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duffy99 said:
where does it attach?
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look in the instruction manual. mine had it right in there.

be really careful with that iPhone, or whatever it is. getting a whole bunch of metal grindings in there would be anything but good. try putting it in a gallon ziplock bag.
 
If I recall, it attaches to the left side of where the Platen screws in. I believe it is a larger alan bolt that goes with it.

+1 on your iPhone. Keep it away from all the dust
 
Wow, what a great job with limited space and funds.
I'm really impressed. Makes my workbench look like a mudslide.

-Daizee
 
jawilder said:
The bottom piece is a work rest for your belt.
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It is the only work rest I use on my 2X42. The large work rest gets in my way when using a grinding guide to hold the blade.

And speaking of grinding guides, They are not "guides" for me as much as they are "handles" to help hold onto the blades. With the "handle" sticking out I have a better sense of the angle I am grinding at.

- Paul Meske, Wisconsin
 
I agree with Tait about using a solid core door for a workbench. When I was setting up my woodworking shop, I looked with envy at those $2,500 rock maple workbenches that come with your own private Swede to install them. Then I found a free solid core door on Craigsist. Amazingly, the door was absolutely flat- no warp, twist, or cup, and it weighted about 90 pounds. I made a box from four jointed-edge 2x6's and five sets of 2x6 cross-braces, screwed-and-glued the box to the underside of the door, lag-bolted and glued some 4x4 legs on it, and wheels I got at a garage sale. Total expense for the strongest workbench I have ever had: about $25.
 
Well I built a dust collector today and I got another light for over the grinder, it's a big ass compact fluorescent. The dust collector is a 120 cfm bathroom fan in a box with furnace filters, I suck at carpentry but can wire stuff no problem. Hopefully this will cut down on some of the dust. After hitting micarta on a belt grinder I realized I needed more dust control. I have a fan with filters by the grinder and wear a half mask 3m respirator and run the shop vac next to the grinder when I did the handle but still got dust everywhere. The Dust box is pretty ghetto and cost me about $60 to make. I'll have to get some better fitting filters but hopefully this will work ok , any thoughts?









 
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