My work shop

Dale P.

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Aug 28, 2016
Messages
30
Hello, new to the forums and thought I would post a few pictures of my work shop. I use to race RC boats and over the years bought tools so I could make my own parts. Now I'm performing home inspections and appreciate a good flashlight and am thinking of using my tools to make or at least modify some flashlights in the future.

I have a manual lathe, as well as a really nice CNC lathe with a good amount of tooling. Also just up graded my milling machine to a Grizzly g0704 and am in the process of converting it to CNC. i already have a small CNC mill, but it's not large enough for the stuff I want to do and will be selling it shortly.

A lot of the tooling and smaller power tools are stored away in the cabinets, but you can see the machines in the pictures. The room is 20'X22' so there is a good amount of space to move around.

Let me know your thoughts.

Dale P.

IMG_7716_zpstpppbxpe.jpg
IMG_7715_zpsxywi801d.jpg
IMG_7714_zps69rk4zj5.jpg
20151119_214035_zpsdp9m5pdq.jpg
IMG_7718_zps2h0adm9n.jpg
 

blah9

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 10, 2011
Messages
2,105
Wow! That is a dream shop! This is really incredible. Great work setting that up and thank you for sharing. :) Welcome to the forums! It will be really cool to see what you build.
 

Dale P.

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Aug 28, 2016
Messages
30
Recently finished the control box for the CNC mill conversion. Runs off 240vac and has a phase converter for the spindle motor. Just have to install the new ball screws and motors, but don't have any free time right now. Both the CNC lathe and mill will be running off Mach 4 software. What's really holding me back from making cool stuff is the lack of a good CAD software and the knowledge of how to use it. I hope to take a class down the road to learn how to use CAD.

20160306_233201_resized_zps4udbdxya.jpg


20160306_231613_resized_1_zpsnqczokg3.jpg


Here is a little light I made for my old X2 milling machine.

DSC02798_zps9h6uplfb.jpg
 
Last edited:

Icarus

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 1, 2003
Messages
3,495
Location
Belgium
Great workshop! Very nice machinery. Nice photos too! :twothumbs
 

Str8stroke

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 27, 2013
Messages
5,032
Location
On The Black Pearl
Impressive rig. I would love to see some of your old RC boat gear. I know, I love all kinds of things and seeing other hobbies.
Can you make us some parts? Or you planning on making some lights?
I could live there.
 

Icarus

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 1, 2003
Messages
3,495
Location
Belgium
You should tell us more about the light you made for your mill (last photo).
 

Poppy

Flashaholic
Joined
Dec 20, 2012
Messages
8,365
Location
Northern New Jersey
I'm jealous!

Beautiful.

I had a couple of friends who were machinists. Give them a piece of steel, and they could make anything.

I don't know anything about the equipment that you mentioned, but it looks like you need another set of wrenches on that peg-board. :rolleyes: You know, it seems that you always need a second one when tightening something down. :whistle:

Oh... did I say that I was jealous?

I look forward to seeing some of the mods you come up with.

Have fun!
 
Last edited:

Dale P.

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Aug 28, 2016
Messages
30
Yes, quite often you need two sets of wrenches, I have a second set in the craftsman tool box. I should have bought two identical sets and hung them together on the same pegs.

I recently started a home inspection business which is keeping me super busy. Hopefully things settle down a bit soon and I can get back into the shop and start fooling around with some mods. Going to start off by trying to convert some of my cheap flashlights to work with 18650 cells.

I recently bought a Fenix TK35 UE 2000 and a Klarus XT 11 along with a hand full of Nitecore NL189 3400ma batteries. So far I'm supper happy with the gear!

As for the spindle light for the milling machine I made it years ago out of aluminum and epoxied a bunch of super bright LED's into it. I turned the body on my manual lathe and used a dividing head to accurately drill the holes for the LED's. I used an old phone charger to power it all up. It worked quite well but I no longer have it as I sold the milling machine so I could afford the new one.

Dale P.
 

saypat

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 12, 2011
Messages
424
I shared your 'workshop' with several friends. I won't repeat what they had to say :tsk:
 

U2v5

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Aug 4, 2016
Messages
168
Great shop! [emoji41][emoji123]🏼

All I can say is I need to take some organization lessons from your shop and put them to use in mine... [emoji106]🏼🤓
 

Poppy

Flashaholic
Joined
Dec 20, 2012
Messages
8,365
Location
Northern New Jersey
Yes, quite often you need two sets of wrenches, I have a second set in the craftsman tool box. I should have bought two identical sets and hung them together on the same pegs.

I recently started a home inspection business which is keeping me super busy. Hopefully things settle down a bit soon and I can get back into the shop and start fooling around with some mods. Going to start off by trying to convert some of my cheap flashlights to work with 18650 cells.

<SNIP>
Dale P.
Sorry Dale, I disagree.
You should have one set of wrenches, and another set of GearWrench wrenches that can be set on top of the first.
OK.. so that's just my opinion. :)

3C lights convert to a single 18650 light with the addition of a spacer.

Do you have the ability to shorten the tube, and then re-thread the tube with the same threads that were on the original?
If so... the home depot Defiant 3C 850 lumen triple led would be a great light to shorten the tube. It is only $9.88. I have two of them, and use a spacer and an 18650.

Congrats on your new business. I'm glad to hear that you are super busy! :)
 

alphazeta

Enlightened
Joined
Mar 22, 2007
Messages
292
Location
NYC
How do you keep it so tidy? I don't know which is more impressive -> your awesome workshop or how there is not a speck of dust in place...
 

TexasLumens

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Sep 11, 2012
Messages
92
Location
Amarillo, TX
I love a clean shop!!! Things just work better when the shop is clean and fresh. It's worth the time spent. Although I sometimes think I spend about as much time cleaning as making parts. TL
 

the Kwan

Newly Enlightened
Joined
May 4, 2016
Messages
36
Just sickening, I am so envious :) Hope that you are putting it to good use.
 
Top