Wishlist
(The items linked here are probably the lowest available price, but due to the quantity of data I've been digging through I cannot do exhaustive searches on everything so this is not currently certain.)
Please note that articles with * are items Adam has and can eventually long-term loan to the space.
Where possible, tools are emphasised over materials. The idea is to increase the range of our abilities, via either new avenues or extending capabilities of current equipment.
David has been contacted for advice about resin equipment and what we should look for as a basic loadout; he's offered to drop in one day to discuss it. He's also suggested a casting workshop at some point this year.
| Item | Type | Description | Rationale / Notes | Price | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planer / Thicknesser | Woodworking Machine | Machine for turning rough stock into joinable uniform planks | With a supply of pallets, this will provide us with as much lumber as we need for most purposes. Which machine is the best choice really depends how much budget we can throw at it... there are options either side, but cheaper you have very mixed reviews, or lose the planer / jointer capabilities. With this one we will need to buy or make a stand/trolley as well. | £346 | https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-cpt1000-254mm-10-planer-thicknesser/ |
| Table vice | Utility | Flush vice for planing and general heavy duty holding | We currently have but one vice, which can cause queues and logistical blockages, especially as it's right next to the power tool bench. This particular model has a dog too, allowing large sheets to be clamped horizontally using the bench itself. | £53.99 | https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/52pd-175mm-wood-workers-vice/ |
| Bench vice | Utility | Mountable vice and small anvil for metalwork & friends | For holding workpieces for on-table operations. This model also has a small anvil plate for light whacking tasks. [* smaller version] | £28.79 | https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-100mm-bench-vice-cvr100b/ |
| Angle gauge / inclinometer | Measuring | Calipers for angles. | Dead handy for attaching to saw blades or tables (eg drill press, sander, bandsaw) to make sure that it actually really IS 90 / 45 degrees, not just 'roughly'. Much time and hair is saved. | £16.59 | https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tacklife-Protractor-Portable-Pocket-Size-Inclinometer/dp/B072KGHZY9/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1516207657&sr=8-4&keywords=digital+angle+gauge |
| Depth gauge | Measuring | Calipers for depth. | For making sure that the table saw or router really IS set for exactly X mm. Calipers with depth gauges aren't ideal for this as both the body and needle are too narrow; a gauge rides the highest points of the router bit / saw blade and spans the recess it emerges from. | £16.99 | https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trimmer-Router-Digital-Measuring-40141500/dp/B0713TZRP6/ref=sr_1_3?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1516207783&sr=1-3&keywords=digital+depth+gauge |
| Engineers Calipers | Measuring | High calibre calipers. | Useful for many tasks involving measurement, especially try-test work - in particular the earwigs are invaluable for hollow objects. * | £14.39 | https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/et153-3-piece-spring-caliper-set/ |
| Bolt Cutters | Tool | Cutters for bolts and similar devices | We lack anything more than tinsnips. * | £12.99 | https://www.screwfix.com/p/forge-steel-bolt-cutters-30/3489c |
| Carving Chisels | Woodworking | Detailed chisels for more than just straightforward wood removal | For hand carving, lathe work, and detailing. Better quality tools are certainly available, but price escalates quickly. | £21.99 | https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VonHaus-12pc-Chisel-Set-Precision-Wood-Carving-Sharpening-Stone-Storage-Pouch/272756351795 |
| Face shield | Utility | For use when grinding etc | The goggles, they do nothing! | £6.99 | https://www.screwfix.com/p/face-shield-clear/6540d |
| Lab coats or overalls | Utility | Protective clothing | Useful for painting, resin work, ousting Amy, and other messy activities. | £10-15 | Sources various depending on type. I have a contact who can embroider our logo on them if desired. |
| Magnet | Utility | Magnet | Useful for finding/clearing nails from the workshop floor | £5.39 apparently | https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/37-67-90KG-Recovery-Magnet-Hook-Strong-Sea-Fishing-Diving-Treasure-Hunting-NEW/311921068962 |
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| Fubar | Tool | Multipurpose demolition tool | Exceptionally useful for breaking pallets down. Also effective against the undead. | £30ish | Example: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STANLEY-STA155099-FatMax-Fubar-Utility-Bar-XL/352233983943 |
| Pallet Buster | Tool | Pallet prybar | Lifts pallet boards with minimal splintering | £25.99 | https://www.screwfix.com/p/roughneck-pallet-buster-demolition-bar-1100mm/6765x |
| Fine toothed sawblade | Woodworking | Fine blade for work requiring such things. | The mitre saw blade is good for most purposes, but quite coarse as a result, and some projects require better. Many alternative blades are available. | £17.59 | https://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-tct-saw-blade-254-x-30mm-80t/4260v |
| Countersunk pilot drill bits | Woodworking | Drill bits | With countersinks. Attached! Saves so much time. | £7.89 | https://www.amazon.co.uk/Yakamoz-Countersink-Woodworking-Chamfer-3-10mm/dp/B01HCHRMOU/ |
| Titanium step drills | Tool | Drill bits with multiple steps for incrementally larger holes. | Useful for basically any material, and by nature will also deburr the holes. [* One is available] | £8.99 | https://www.amazon.co.uk/Zacro-Titanium-Drill-Automatic-Center/dp/B01J590QVE/ |
| Coping / fret saw | Tool | Deep throated saw for fiddly cutting tasks | Currently we have no detail work saw aside from the jewelers saw, which is too detailed! * | £10/15ish | Eg: https://www.screwfix.com/p/bahco-301-ph-coping-saw/4659d or https://www.screwfix.com/p/bahco-fret-saw-5-130mm/5581k |
| Rasp and file set | Tool | For subtractive handwork, especially on woods and metals | Since we have none to speak of, other than Adam's 2 knackered old woodrasps, and one veteran square edge metal file. With fishing on Ebay or Amazon prime only offers this will be cheaper than Draper purport. It's a lovely set. * | £20-60 | https://www.drapertools.com/product/44961/200mm-Soft-Grip-Engineers-File-and-Rasp-Set-(8-Piece) |
| Tap and die set | Tool | For making threaded holes and threaded things what goes in those holes | Prices vary wildly depending where you ask versus what quality. [ * midrange set ] | £10-50 | https://www.screwfix.com/p/hss-steel-tap-and-die-set-51pc/12834 |
| Total | £tree.fiddy | ||||
In progress...
Materials ; Improvement
Eg for building the 'rafter' shelving, laying more carpet, etc. Things that will actually be part of the structure.
- Ply.
Materials / Consumables.
Assuming we have spare change in the grant, what house stock do we want to soak it up with? This is also useful as a bargaining tool so we can 'haggle down' if needed, by removing things that we didn't really need in the first place.
- Filament; any in particular? - Lumber; any specifics? Plywood, CLS, planks ? - Laser ply, acrylic and friends
To research / add:
Another / better soldering station? A sewing machine has been suggested in the past. One could be rescued from freecycle mayhaps.
Screen printing equipment. Digital and/or oldschool? This is a beast I am unfamiliar with.
A dehumidifier might help in the workshop. Unsure though, given the scale of the problem.
A 'better' front door camera. Jon, opine please?
Long-term consumables may be worth investing in. In particular, paints, wood dyes and finishes spring to mind. On a related note, also paintbrushes.
The grinder is currently pretty useless. We could expand it with a range of wheels to allow cleaning, abrading, sharpening and polishing - we also need to fit a guard and mount the thing though, it likes to go for a walk and spit firey sparks about the place. https://www.machinemart.co.uk/c/grinding--polishing-wheels/?p=1&c=30&s=pricelowhigh
Our stationary is a touch lacking, but I'm not sure it's worth putting on the wishlist. Specifically, rulers/squares, protractor, curve ruler set, a detail sharpie or two, and some mechanical pencils would fill a hole. We're also missing rubbers according to Amy.
Misc shared consumables; glues, tapes, screw, nails, wire and so forth. Again not sure it's worth listing.
Resin paraphrenalia. Aside from a load of pots and mixers, we'd need scales, gloves, and sheet foam to make the moulds from. Long-term consumables here are things like dyes, mould release agents, of which only a small amount is used per cast. Also plaster of paris and a ton of bandages / rags / paper would be a sensible stock item. They're cheap and used for exomoulds and mean much less resin actually needs to be used per item. We would also need expendable paintbrushes here too.
Simplify3D was suggested as a potential purchase a while ago, but my research so far suggests that slic3r Prusa edition is probably better, and of course, free. Simplify3D seem to be coasting on reputation and not actively developing or bugfixing. Citation: http://www.akeric.com/blog/?p=4164
Speaking of of 3D printers, we currently have 4, of which only 2 (mostly) work. Fixing the current ones would provide an increased bandwidth for reasonable quality prints, so buying another average printer wouldn't benefit us that much. It may be worth investing in a machine that allows something otherwise new, eg a huge print bed, or multiple extruders.
In terms of building infrastructure, is this grant usable for construction materials? If so we could design & cost up a drop ceiling for the main area.
Things that would be very nice but we can probably build or bodge:
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-4-inch-cross-vice-ccv4c/ £47.98 , solid cross vice. Adam is currently brewing something out of scraps and dreams for the drill press but it won't be as sturdy!
https://www.screwfix.com/p/triton-tsps450-450w-oscillating-spindle-sander-240v/1417k £120 , Bobbin sander. Wonderful for anything non-flat, but we could in theory make our own.
The 'Magic Money Wand' Section
If the banking fairy rains upon us:
Overhaul the workshop roof; remove the polystyrene and start again. Off of the top of my head,
A lathe - can the floor support this? They are also bloody big. Update: I've found a few small options, £200ish for wood, £600+ for metal. Do we really want a metalworking lathe? Cost aside, swarf is a bloody nightmare. For wood, this is likely the best candidate
Better bandsaw, with a deeper throat and more welly.
Soundproof the presentation area
A serious 3d printer. Ideas are welcome!
