Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revision Previous revision
Next revision		 Previous revision
equipment:metalshop:expansion2026 [2026/04/10 09:19] – robert.simpson190equipment:metalshop:expansion2026 [2026/04/23 18:34] (current) – robert.simpson190
Line 7: Line 7:
 We have decided to split the workshop into 2 parts: We have decided to split the workshop into 2 parts:
  
-** Machining ** (old woodshop): Lathe, Mill, CNC, Pillar Drill etc.+** Machine shop ** (old woodshop): Lathe, Mill, CNC, Pillar Drill etc.
  
-** Fabriation ** (existing metalshop): Welding, Grinding, sheet-metal work. Basically anything doesn't involve flamable materials, including oil.+** General metalshop ** (existing metalshop): Welding, Grinding, sheet-metal work. Basically anything doesn't involve flamable materials, including oil.
  
-The frabrication area has an enclosed space for welding. The intention is that this will only be for welding.+The general workshop area has an enclosed space for welding. The intention is that this will only be for welding.
  
 ==== Immediate tasks ==== ==== Immediate tasks ====
Line 19: Line 19:
   * <del>Paint machine room floor.</del> Done.   * <del>Paint machine room floor.</del> Done.
   * <del>Move CNC into position.</del> Done   * <del>Move CNC into position.</del> Done
-  * Move lathe into position. Expected week of 12-April-2026 +  * <del>Move lathe into position.</del> Done 16-April-2026. Note the lathe now has the new access system. 
-  * Move curtain to new position. +  * Decide on how to build partition next to lathe. 
-  * Investigate if we can use the existing spare extractor for the fabrication area. Install if ok. +  * Build partition. 
-  * Remove any junk from frabrication area. +  * Install curtain in new position. 
-  * Clean fabrication area walls. Remove rawl plugs & fill. +  * Make & install shadow boards 
-  * Paint fabrication area walls +  * Make list of required handtools 
-  * Paint fabrication area floor+  * Investigate if we can use the existing spare extractor for the general/fabrication area. Install if ok. 
 +  * Remove any junk from general/frabrication area. 
 +  * Clean general/fabrication area walls. Remove rawl plugs & fill. 
 +  * Paint general/fabrication area walls 
 +  * Paint general/fabrication area floor
   * Decide on what consumables we should have available   * Decide on what consumables we should have available
   * Update floor plan, including positions for shadow board, hack rack and parts storage   * Update floor plan, including positions for shadow board, hack rack and parts storage
Line 46: Line 50:
   * We need to ensure there is access to the extractor fan connected to the Laser Cutter.   * We need to ensure there is access to the extractor fan connected to the Laser Cutter.
   * Extractor fans can only vent to the rear of the building. No cutting holes in the front.   * Extractor fans can only vent to the rear of the building. No cutting holes in the front.
 +  * Opening between machine shop and general/fabrication area to be a minimum of 1.2m.
  
 [[https://wiki.bristolhackspace.org/resources/install_standard]] [[https://wiki.bristolhackspace.org/resources/install_standard]]
Line 83: Line 88:
   * Milling machine e.g. [[https://www.chesterhobbystore.com/shop/metalworking-machines/mills/626-turret-mill/| 626 Turret Mill - Metalworking Milling Machine]]   * Milling machine e.g. [[https://www.chesterhobbystore.com/shop/metalworking-machines/mills/626-turret-mill/| 626 Turret Mill - Metalworking Milling Machine]]
   * Pillar drill + float-lock vise    * Pillar drill + float-lock vise 
-  * Sheet metal bender+  * Sheet metal bender e.g. [[https://www.amazon.co.uk/Industrial-W-2420A-Removable-Fingers-Fabrication/dp/B0DCPBCCXQ| Amazon]] [[https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-cbpf1-box--pan-folder/ | MachineMart]] [[https://www.warco.co.uk/sheet-metal-fabrication-machinery-metalwork/303435-24-box-and-pan-folder.html | Warco]]
   * Guillotine (sheet metal cutter)   * Guillotine (sheet metal cutter)
   * Induction heater and/or Electric kiln. Rejected 13-01-2026 due to safety concerns.   * Induction heater and/or Electric kiln. Rejected 13-01-2026 due to safety concerns.
Line 91: Line 96:
   * Heavy-duty metal fabrication workbench.   * Heavy-duty metal fabrication workbench.
   * Standing belt sander to use with metal   * Standing belt sander to use with metal
 +
 +=== Handtools ===
 +  * Files
 +  * Tap & dies
 +  * Reamers
 +  * Deburring tool
 +  * Riveter
 +  * Wirelock tool
 +  * Others? (please add here)
 +
 +=== Consumables ===
 +  * Nuts & bolts. Sizes? Head types? Materials?
 +  * Rivets
 +  * Rivnuts
 +  * Locking wire
  
 === Decisions === === Decisions ===
  
-  * The metal CNC will be in the metalshop. RHS of old woodshop. Now in (approximate) position. +  * The metal CNC will be in the metalshop. RHS of old woodshop. Now in (approximate) position. Done. 
-  * We will move the lathe into the old woodshop. Probably against LHS wall (looking in from the front), just inside the old woodshop.+  * We will move the lathe into the old woodshop. Probably against LHS wall (looking in from the front), just inside the old woodshop. Done.
   * The welding area will stay where it is. (13-01-2026)   * The welding area will stay where it is. (13-01-2026)
-  * Plan is to split the workshop into 3 areas: Engineering workshop (old woodshop) for 'clean' operations, welding & grinding area for the most dirty, and the remaining area for those in-between.+  * Plan is to split the workshop into 3 areas: Machineshop (old woodshop) for 'clean' operations, welding & grinding area for the most dirty, and the remaining area for those in-between.
  
 === Questions === === Questions ===
   - Grinding. There is a wide range of use-cases to consider. Some may have stricter contraints (ventilation, hotworks area) than others (also see 4 below).   - Grinding. There is a wide range of use-cases to consider. Some may have stricter contraints (ventilation, hotworks area) than others (also see 4 below).
     * Categories     * Categories
-    ** Hand tools. Under consideration.+    ** Hand tools. Under consideration. (See above)
     ** Tool sharpening. TBD     ** Tool sharpening. TBD
     ** 'Sword-making'. Hotworks area only.     ** 'Sword-making'. Hotworks area only.
-    *(2026-04-09) Current plan is to allow grinding anywhere in the frabrication area, with intensive operations being confined to the welding (aka hotworks) area.+    *(2026-04-09) Current plan is to allow grinding anywhere in the general/frabrication area, with intensive operations being confined to the welding (aka hotworks) area.
   - Extraction for Lathe and (proposed) Mill. Intensive operations using cutting oil or coolant may create a lot of fumes. Do we need to plan for an extraction system?   - Extraction for Lathe and (proposed) Mill. Intensive operations using cutting oil or coolant may create a lot of fumes. Do we need to plan for an extraction system?
     * Assume not for now. We want to keep open the possibility of short production runs which might require the use of a coolant system.     * Assume not for now. We want to keep open the possibility of short production runs which might require the use of a coolant system.
Line 113: Line 133:
     * Pillar Drill     * Pillar Drill
   - General 'hotworks' safety requirements. Would like to get these formalized. Proposal:   - General 'hotworks' safety requirements. Would like to get these formalized. Proposal:
-      * Level 1: No special requirements. Assumes no fire or fume hazards.  +      * Level 1: No special requirements. Assumes no fire or fume hazards. (Machine shop) 
-      * Level 2: Keep away from flamable liquids and materials. Operations that generate occasional sparks. e.g. drilling, hand-filing.  +      * Level 2: Keep away from flamable liquids and materials. Operations that generate occasional sparks. e.g. drilling, hand-filing. (General/fabrication area) 
-      * Level 3: Needs extraction. E.g. general grinding, use of coolant on the lathe. +      * Level 3: Needs extraction. E.g. general grinding, use of coolant on the lathe. Plan is to install the existing extractor so these operations can be done in the general area within reach of the extractor. 
-      * Level 4: Needs to be enclosed. Hotworks e.g. intense grinding. Any (fully) enclosed space will need its own fire sensor. +      * Level 4: Needs to be enclosed. Hotworks e.g. intense grinding. Any (fully) enclosed space will need its own fire sensor. (TBD. Hoping we can do all grinding in the general/fabrication area)
       * Level 5: Needs to be next to the shutter. Currently only welding is in this cateogry.       * Level 5: Needs to be next to the shutter. Currently only welding is in this cateogry.
-  - Curtain. We originally agreed to keep the plastic curtain, possibly moving it towards the front of the building, but do we really need it? We will likely need a separate enclosed area for grinding (where the lathe is now), so it seems there is no need for the curtain. Update (2026-04-09): Think we need a larger fabrication area where we can do all forms of grinding including use of hand-held grinders. So the plan for now is to keep the curtain but move it to just in front of the duct to the laser room. +  - Curtain. Did consider removing it but as of 2026-04-09 we think we need a larger fabrication area where we can do all forms of grinding including use of hand-held grinders. So the plan for now is to keep the curtain but move it to just in front of the duct to the laser room. We currently plan to build a partition wall on the LHS (looking in from the front). 
-  - Smaller machines. There appears to be interest in supplementing full-size machines with smaller benchtop machines for model-making etc. A small lathe and mill has been suggested. Do we have support for this approach?+  - Smaller machines. There appears to be interest in supplementing full-size machines with smaller benchtop machines for model-making etc. A small lathe and mill has been suggested. Do we have support for this approach? Update (22-04-2026): Currently plan to have a workbench by the door to the woodshop. The original plan was for a workbench 2m x 1m but this looks to be too large, so will aim for 160cm x 80cm (same size as the CNC table). 
 +  - Workbenches. These will be in the middle of the machine shop and the general fabrication area. What size do we want? We will have limited space, particularly in the machine shop if we opt for the larger machines. So the current plan is to have 3 small workbenches 80cm square fabricated from square section steel, with holes so that we can bolt them together to form a larger surface area. 
 +  - Parition wall. We want to build a partition wall in place of the curtain between the lathe and the general/fabrication area. The idea is that we can then attach bins for consumables such as nuts & bolts, or maybe smaller hack-rack items. Since these items might be quite heavy in total, the partition wall needs to be strong. The options so far are: Breeze block, metal frame + plywood or timber frame + plywood. 
  
 === Floorplan === === Floorplan ===
Line 128: Line 150:
   - Move the welding area to the far end of the old woodshop, making use of the extractor. [[https://bristolhackspace.discourse.group/t/metal-workshop-expansion-planning/3925/53]].   - Move the welding area to the far end of the old woodshop, making use of the extractor. [[https://bristolhackspace.discourse.group/t/metal-workshop-expansion-planning/3925/53]].
     * Rejected for welding. Still a possibility for some types of grinding.     * Rejected for welding. Still a possibility for some types of grinding.
 +
 +
  • equipment/metalshop/expansion2026.1775812793
  • Last modified: 5 weeks ago
  • by robert.simpson190