Advice Please.small home workshop setup

[AndyMetalGearSolid]

Hi All.
As You May or may not no, I am learning well hopefully learning the types of welding i,e. Mig Tig Stick, currently im on Mig, I feel im talking in advance here, but my ultimate goal is to set up my own small workshop welding & fabricating etc.
Apart from mig tig stick weld machines, tanks -gas etc so far i will jot down what i think i would need:
Chopsaw
Angle grinder
tungstan sharpener for tig
pipe bender
thinking maybe something to cut sheet steel/alloy around 3-5mm (would i need a laser cutter?
drills /hand tools etc
I would be working from max voltage of around 250mark (for the time being)
Its just to pursue a home hobby interest really, working upto max of around 5-6mm (for time being)wall thickness steel
I really woul apprieciate Your contribution with regards to anythings i have missed, Thank You for reading.

 

[troppo]

Other than tools, the one thing you need most of is experience. Unless you can afford to employ experienced staffyou`ll be lrft in free fall

 

[triumph]

Workshop

HI Would add to list a good vice ,my own workshop for bikes is basic lost with out it ,hacksaw and good bimetal blades eclipse are good, maybe a lathe always handy but pricey maybe ebay or tool auctions at farms for gear .Box section to make a bench , hope that elps a bit reg c

 

[AndyMetalGearSolid]

Other than tools, the one thing you need most of is experience. Unless you can afford to employ experienced staffyou`ll be lrft in free fall

Hi Tropo, I agree, but im thinking about jut for myself really for the time being, learning the basic ropes/skills etc, Maybe good few yrs from now would i only even think about professional standard of work & employing,.
Thanks for the Advice though Cheers.

 

[AndyMetalGearSolid]

HI Would add to list a good vice ,my own workshop for bikes is basic lost with out it ,hacksaw and good bimetal blades eclipse are good, maybe a lathe always handy but pricey maybe ebay or tool auctions at farms for gear .Box section to make a bench , hope that elps a bit reg c

Triumph Hi, Cheers for that, forgot to put that one in, Thanks for recommending tools/brands too. im really just looking at the basics/bare minimum of tools/equipment neccercery (excuse spelling) to do the job/projects at hand as they say. Nice1 Thanks.

 

[Ragnarok]

Hi All.
As You May or may not no, I am learning well hopefully learning the types of welding i,e. Mig Tig Stick, currently im on Mig, I feel im talking in advance here, but my ultimate goal is to set up my own small workshop welding & fabricating etc.
Apart from mig tig stick weld machines, tanks -gas etc so far i will jot down what i think i would need:
Chopsaw
Angle grinder
tungstan sharpener for tig
pipe bender
thinking maybe something to cut sheet steel/alloy around 3-5mm (would i need a laser cutter?
drills /hand tools etc
I would be working from max voltage of around 250mark (for the time being)
Its just to pursue a home hobby interest really, working upto max of around 5-6mm (for time being)wall thickness steel
I really woul apprieciate Your contribution with regards to anythings i have missed, Thank You for reading.

don't bother with a tungsten grinder for a tig, they're really expensive and hardly any tig welders i know of use them, a bench grinder with a dedicated wheel for tig tungstens if fine.

as for chop saw, a cold cut one is the best imo the others make a lot of mess, sparks dust, ect

plasma cutter not laser.

and many other things, if i were you, i'd make a little workshop, start making stuff, research what equipment is available, and decide what you need based on your experiences making things, as others have said you need experience, with experience you'll know what tools you need, so if you're serious, and can afford it get the basics, and start making stuff no point going and buying £1000s worth of equipment all at once and finding out you don't need most of it, buy it as you need it, plus it's good to start out with the basics, it means you have to work out how do things by hand and all that.

 

[Davek0974]

I would go for a mitre bandsaw rather than a chop saw, also a pillar drill is useful when you have to drill loads of holes for railings etc.

 

[Ragnarok]

i've got an ajax power hacksaw that i use all the time bit slower than the other options but you can get really nice industrial ones quite cheap

 

[Robotstar5]

When buying hand tools (well any tools) it's best to pay a bit more for quality which will last, but then you can't blame your tools for bad workmanship!

...and don't forget the kettle.

 

[nodeward]

i got a band saw recently, the type that that can be used horizontally or vertically (clarke and a load of other companies make half decent ones) it is great and you can just set it up to cut and leave it alone and do something else and it is not noisy as hell
also make a decent bench with a thick top for welding on and bashing metal.
another thing that many people forget is storage you dont want your tools all over the place getting covered in grinding dust, oh and a decent pillar drill

 

[KemppiFrog]

Second the pillar drill, even a cheap one is way better than a hand drill. Also gives you vertical holes and the drills last much longer.
KF

 

[astro_al]

No offence, but from your question, I think the thing you need most of is information. Maybe you could find someone who works locally and ask for a week of work experience or similar. You need to see how stuff is made before you go equipping a 'workshop'.

Anyway... You don't need a tungsten grinder. Learn how to grind tungstens on a wheel and have a dedicated cheapo bench grinder for just that task (nothing else!).

Although, before that, I'd question the need for a tig welder. And an arc welder. Its all just more expense and more stuff to learn how to use. Totally unnecessary until you actually NEED it.

Laser cutter?!? You need to do a LOT more reading!

Why do you need a pipe bender???

The voltage statement is just plain worrying. I guess you mean you'll be running from a UK domestic single phase supply.

Basics. Learn how to use these and you'll be up and running:

Mig welder, 0.8mm wire and 'medium' gas (from whichever supplier) - not mini bottles.
Pillar drill. If you can find one, get one with lower speeds. If not, don't worry.
Bench. Solid.
Shelves. Important.
4.5" and 9" angle grinders.
Safety gear.
Chop saw / band saw of your choice.
Vice and clamps.
Hand tools, inc hacksaw.

After that it depends what tyou're making, but you can make a LOT of stuff with that gear.

Good luck.

READ.

Al.

 

[s410man]

welder, 0.8mm wire and 'medium' gas (from whichever supplier) - not mini bottles.
Pillar drill. If you can find one, get one with lower speeds. If not, don't worry.
Bench. Solid.
Shelves. Important.
4.5" and 9" angle grinders.
Safety gear.
Chop saw / band saw of your choice.
Vice and clamps.
Hand tools, inc hacksaw.
READ.

Al.

good set of drills
hammers
files

i would also buy a few selection packs of bolts and washers etc as they are very useful when you start making stuff

with this lot you should be able to make nearly everything you would normally want if you know how to use the tools and are willing to do a lot of work by hand

 

[tab]

Loads of safety glasses dotted around place!

 

[bigtip]

al's list is about right in my opinion.

but just to embellish...

an old but good pillar drill can be found easy enough for £50 - well worth it and they're probably worth that in scrap anyway.

a good 115mm angle grinder, makita, dewalt, bosch (only the blue coloured bosch, not their green models), plus other makes -£50

i would love a power hacksaw or bandsaw but i've never found one for the right price in the right place at the right time so if you can't find one get a decent second hand metal chop saw. maybe £80 for a good s/h one or the same price thereabouts for a cheap 'performance power' one new. little bit of advice (as you sound like a complete 'newbie') don't buy power tools that have the words 'performance' or 'power' in the name.

a plasma is another option for general cutting and can be had for less than £200. not a good quality one but my logic goes like this: a decent screwdriver for £5 versus a cheap screwdriver for £2, no contest, get the good one. on the other hand a decent plasma for £800 v. a cheap one for £200...

vice - can't give you a price but that doesnt matter, it's essential.

similarly essential is the bench and shelves. if you watch on ebay you can get dexion shelving (old, but the best) 6 uprights and 10 shelves (enough to get you started) for£50ish.
a bench could be got for the same money but like all heavy items it's all about the geography.

and i assume from your posts that you already have a welder.

so don't go spending loads just yet. spend a grand on the basics and you'll be off to a good start. all you need then is some skills

 

[s410man]

al's list is about right in my opinion.

but just to embellish...

an old but good pillar drill can be found easy enough for £50 - well worth it and they're probably worth that in scrap anyway.

a good 115mm angle grinder, makita, dewalt, bosch (only the blue coloured bosch, not their green models), plus other makes -£50

i would love a power hacksaw or bandsaw but i've never found one for the right price in the right place at the right time so if you can't find one get a decent second hand metal chop saw. maybe £80 for a good s/h one or the same price thereabouts for a cheap 'performance power' one new. little bit of advice (as you sound like a complete 'newbie') don't buy power tools that have the words 'performance' or 'power' in the name.

a plasma is another option for general cutting and can be had for less than £200. not a good quality one but my logic goes like this: a decent screwdriver for £5 versus a cheap screwdriver for £2, no contest, get the good one. on the other hand a decent plasma for £800 v. a cheap one for £200...

vice - can't give you a price but that doesnt matter, it's essential.

similarly essential is the bench and shelves. if you watch on ebay you can get dexion shelving (old, but the best) 6 uprights and 10 shelves (enough to get you started) for£50ish.
a bench could be got for the same money but like all heavy items it's all about the geography.

and i assume from your posts that you already have a welder.

so don't go spending loads just yet. spend a grand on the basics and you'll be off to a good start. all you need then is some skills

before spending a grand i would try and get some expeience as suggested

you may find out you dont like it but if you do like it you may then know of some cheap kit for sale

 

[chunkolini]

Kettle and cafetier, decent coffee can give a chance to think about the current ballsup and rectify it rather then wreck it.
Decent stereo.
Lots of mole grips and clamps.

 

[Wedg1e]

Kettle and cafetiere

Can I come and work for you? I had a filter coffee machine in our site cabin down at Gosport in the first few weeks of this year, everyone thought I was mad but after 4 weeks nobody was drinking Nescafe any more... even better was when we moved the cabin to the Navy base at Pompey and were sat around in the sun swigging Taylors' finest while the nurses of HMS Argus went about their business....

Oh yeah... tools and that I lost count of what I've spent some time ago but I find that tools (from a spanner to a lathe) accumulate to fill any space available. I hadn't the first idea how to use a lathe, mill or TIG set until I went out and bought them, then I just had to read up and try things out. Plus as an electronics tech I can't stand to see perfectly good kit beng scrapped for want of a simple component so I have amassed more welding sets than I can ever use.
I'm only a hobbyist but I reckon that if push came to shove and the industry I'm in fell apart tomorrow, I could probably get by with the few bits of kit I have.

 

[harvey639]

set of clamps, and a good air comp, floor standing drill press and a mag drill