8 Steps for Organising your Workspace

Whether you are just starting out in a new workshop or you are organising an existing workshop, follow these steps for a clean, organised workspace. You will be able to find things quicker and get the job done with less frustration. If you do the job properly you will be thanking yourself for years to come.

Step 1 Clean Out

Pull everything out. It’s a big job but if you want to give your workshop a thorough revamp, you need to start with a clean slate. Sort through all of your gear and decide what you are going to keep, donate and throw out. Only keep what you think you will use so you can maximise the space available. Order a skip bin if you have a lot of junk to get rid of so you aren’t storing anything while you wait for your wheelie bin to be emptied.

Step 2 Spruce Up

If the walls and ceiling are metal, wash them down. If you have plaster walls and ceiling, fill any cracks and holes and give it a fresh coat of paint. Either use a roller if it’s a small area or for a quicker job on larger workshops, use an air powered sprayer.

Step 3 Flooring

If your floors are rough and a trip hazard, think about replacing them now. Remember you may not do another big clean out of your workshop for ten years (or ever) so think about your much older self. You don’t want to stop using your workshop when you are in your 70’s or 80’s because it is too hazardous. If your flooring is in good condition, look at getting a rubber mat or old carpet if you need some cushioning for long days in the workshop.

Step 4 Lighting

Decide if you have adequate lighting in the workshop. If not organise for an electrician to install a new light fitting otherwise replace the globe in your current fitting to see if that makes a difference. For safety and ease of working particularly when it’s fine close-up work, you need good lighting in your work area. Use task lighting if natural and overhead lights aren’t adequate.

Step 5 Workbench

Have a look at your workbench and decide if you need to modify your existing one by changing the height or adding a shelf underneath for storage. If you are buying a new workbench, look at the type of projects you will be working on and find one that best matches the tools you will be using most.

Non slip mats are available to keep your project in place while you are working on it.

Step 6 Storage

To maximise your available space and to make it easy to find things when you need them, sort out your storage. Decide what you need easy, regular access to and what you don’t so those items can go at the back or up high.

Get your stock up off the floor with a woodrack storage system. Store tools neatly under the bench or on the wall so they aren’t damaged and can be found easily.

Step 7 Safety First

If you are storing chemicals in your workshop, make sure they are kept away from any heat sources. If you don’t already have one or it’s out of date, buy a new fire extinguisher to keep in case of an emergency.

Step 8 Keep it Clean

After all your hard work getting your workshop to where it is, you want to be able to keep it clean easily. If you are working with wood, chances are your workshop is regularly filled with dust and shavings. If you have had enough of the dust and you want to work in a healthier environment, invest in a dust extractor or air filter.

Choosing your Router Bits

A workshop wall can be covered with one hundred router bits with different profiles, shank sizes and tip types. To the untrained eye one router bit can look the same as the bit next to it. So how do you determine which router bit you need for your job?

Half Inch V Quarter Inch

The ¼ and ½ inch size you see on router bits refers to the shank size which is the cylinder that fits into the router collet. The ½ inch shank has four times the mass of ¼ inch shanks and provides greater stability when in use. The extra mass reduces vibrations and offers a solid cut. However, when you need to route a very thin profile, the ¼ inch is far more practical.

Profiles

There are 10 basic profiles that can be used singularly or in combination to achieve most basic and complex routing projects.

Beading Bit - provides a rounded shape to the edge of the stock with a square shoulder on the top and bottom edges of the roundover.

Chamfer Bit - a 45-degree angled cut on the square edge of a piece of stock.

Cove Bit - applies a concave, rounded profile on the stock.

Dado Straight Cutting Bit - a variety of straight cutting bits can be used to cut a square in the middle of a stock.

Dovetail Bit - this profile has a flat bottom with angled sides which are wider at the base.

Rabbet Bit - a right angle cut, like a dado on the edge of a piece of stock.

Round Nose Bit - similar to the cove bit, except the cut is made in the middle of a piece of stock.

Roundover Bit - creates a rounded profile on the square edge of a piece of stock.

V-Groove Bit - as the name suggests a V shape cut in the centre of the stock.

Ogee Bit - a compound S shaped profile.

Speed of your Router

Some router motors allow you to choose the speed to match the type of wood you are routing. A bit that is running too high an RPM can burn the wood while if it spins too slow it can leave a ragged rough cut. Remember, the general rule is the larger the bit, the slower the router speed.

Timbecon stock some of the highest quality router bit and accessories available.

Mouter Plunge Router Bits - If you have a recess that needs routing out then this is the ideal profile. Designed for maximum stock removal and chip injection, they can clear out any material. If you have multiple hinges to do, pair the bit with a bearing guide for perfect repetition. These bits are available in several different shank sizes and cutting diametres.

CMT Router Bits - CMT Orange Tools are one of the preferred brands. Timbecon carries an extensive range of different router bits designed for different jobs. From Chamfer router bits to cabinet making and small arch door and box joint sets.

Torquata Router Bits - Quality made bits available in the shapes and sizes you need to get the job done. Made especially for Timbecon, Torquata even has Australia’s first triple-bladed bit for heavy duty applications. Torquata is available in jointing bits, mould and trim bits and router bit sets.

Milescraft - If it’s signmaking router bits you’re looking for, the Signpro can make professional horizontal and vertical signs.

Accessories

Router Bit Tidies - keep all of your bits in the one place and not get damaged with a tidy. Available for ½ inch and ¼ inch bits.

Bit Sharpener - a double-sided stainless steel sharpener with coarse 300 grit diamond grade for the edge and fine coarse 600 grit diamond grade for honing the primary edge.

Router Bit Lock Rings, Screws and Washers - high quality long life hardware that can be used on Torquata, CMT, Carbitool and other brands of router bits.

Planning your Woodworking Project

To achieve the best outcome from every woodworking project, you need to spend some time on planning and preparation. We all want to go out and choose our perfect piece of wood and get cutting but a little effort in the early stages can pay off in the long run.

Planning

Start by asking yourself what you want to achieve from your project and the function of the piece? Knowing what the end product needs to do, allows you to move forward and start sketching it out. If you are looking for some ideas or inspiration, check out these sites.

Instructables Woodworking Projects for Beginners

Popular Woodworking Magazine

Minwax

Popular Mechanics

The Family Handyman

Before you finalise your design or sketches, check if your design can’t be improved with an addition here or a modification there. Again you can turn to the internet for advice and pictures to make sure you are completely happy with your piece long term. Once your design is finalised, you will be able to confirm the materials you will be using. You will need to know if you will be making a solid wood project or a veneer project. Price the materials you need to ensure they are within budget.

The Right Tools and Materials

There is nothing worse than getting into your project and being forced to stop because you don’t have the right tools on hand. Different tools, cutters and methods are needed depending on your materials. Decide early on what router bits, saw blades or cutters you will need to complete the project and order them now. If you don’t want to buy any new tools, then you have the option of changing your design now before you buy any materials.

Similarly to your tools, you will want to check if you need to buy more glue, fillers, sealers and finishes. There is nothing more frustrating than getting everything ready to glue only to find it has gone hard. Having everything on hand means you aren’t wasting time on multiple orders or trips to the hardware store.

Your Project

Once you have all the wood, tools and other materials on hand, you can get started. As part of your planning and information for next time, keep notes on any difficulties or tricks you come across, so you know for similar projects you undertake in the future. Every piece of information can help. It’s hard to remember the time-saving tricks you discover so write it down in a notebook or on your computer for easy reference.

Remember to take a photo of your finished piece and share it with the online woodworking community on your favourite forum or blog. Fellow woodworkers may be looking for the inspiration your piece provides.

All that is left to do is enjoy your piece and start planning your next project.

The Best in Table Top Routers

If you are someone who uses a router regularly, it’s wise to invest in a table top. A table makes the job easier, safer and more accurate. With a router table, it won’t take you long to master working with long, narrow or small stock, edge trimming, grooves, dadoes, slots, dovetail and box joinery. The projects are endless .

Choosing your Table Top Router

A table top router should last many years, so it’s important you choose a good quality table offering accuracy and stability. Timbecon did plenty of research before deciding which brands to stock. We looked at each model and checked to see if the tables were:

Good design - the table needs to be able to handle large workpieces and be comfortable for the average person to use.

Sturdy - the table needs to be strong and able to withstand years of use before showing signs of wear and tear.

Precision - if the table doesn’t offer perfect accuracy every time it didn’t make the cut.

In the end, we decided to stock the Baladonia and Kreg brands because they met our requirements and offer customers good value for money. Below we’ve listed a few of the table top routers and accessories we stock.

24x16in MDF/Phenolic Router Table Kit

Not everyone is looking for a heavy cast-iron table top router. Made from 32mm-thick HMR (High Moisture Resistant) and 2mm black PVC edge banding, you can expect a long life from your table if it is kept in a workshop, not exposed to humidity long-term. The stand is a heavy-duty L-angle steel powder-coated in burnt ochre with plenty of bracing.

This table top is also available in a huge 32x24in size with the posts made from heavy tubular steel with thick steel braces.

27x16in Cast-Iron Table Kit

If it’s cast-iron you want, then you will find plenty in this Baladonia benchtop router table. The table is cast then precision CNC-machined multiple times, so it’s dead flat and also has stress-relieving and strengthening ribs on the underside of the table for maximum strength.

27x16in Deluxe Cast Iron Router Table Kit

If you are looking for the Rolls Royce in router tables, look no further. This Baladonia kit has had every component and accessory bolted on including a lift, dust collection box, Super Flat Fence, two horizontal and two vertical featherboards and a fence flip stop.

Kreg Benchtop Router Table

If you need an industrial grade table top with full-size capabilities plus portability, you can’t go past this table. Made from an edge-banded, vibration and noise resistant MDF it features an Easy-Slide™ Micro-Dot skin. The high-pressure laminate allows your work pieces to slide across the surface easily.

Accessories

There are a few accessories to consider when you are buying a table top router.

Router Table Dust Collection Box

Keep your workshop clean and healthy with a dust collection box that picks up around 98% of all dust because the collection point is right next to the bit and underneath the table. This dust collection box has been designed to mount to the underside of the Baladonia MDF table or the bottom of your home-made table top.

Right Angle Fixture

If you are using a Baladonia Router Table Fence and you do a lot of fine vertical routing then it makes sense to invest in a right angle fixer, to make life easier. Produced from heavy-duty extruded aluminium, the right-angle fixture runs in the t-slot on the top of the fence via a matching precision-milled UHMW t-profile.

Table Switch

If you are building a table rather than buying one then a remote switch is a must. This one can be mounted on an MDF Top Router Table. Rated up to 10 amps.

Extension Support Frame

If you have a Baladonia 32x24in table top then an extension is a great accessory to have if you work with end-grain or panel product like MDF or chipboard. The extender gives you an extra 500mm of support.

Mitre Guide

The solid mitre guide that comes with all Baladonia deluxe router table stands is now available to buy separately. The mitre bar is the standard-size 3/4 x 3/8in (19 x 9.5mm) and has a good quality protractor.

Standard Fence

This Kreg fence is made of anodized aluminum and features a table saw-style T-square adjustment system. The fence can be easily adjusted with one hand and locks firmly in place with dual locks.

What to Look for in a Table Saw

Buying a table saw can be a big decision. Firstly, a table is a sizeable investment compared to most of your other tools in the workshop. Table saws have a long life, so you will want to happy with your choice because there is a good chance you will have it for the rest of your life. They also take up a fair amount of space in your workshop, so you want your table to be a hard-working unit that you enjoy using.

There are many brands on the market, but Timbecon chooses to stock Sherwood table saws. The UK-based company is well-known for its high quality cutting tools and machines. They invest heavily in R&D and provide tools for drilling, milling, sawing, threading, countersinking and reaming.

1. Power

Before you make your purchase, think about your requirements for power. A hobbyist with small project pieces won’t need the same level of power that a commercial workshop will need. For example, a 2-inch thick piece of hardwood should be fine on a 1.5 to 2 horsepower table saw but if the hardwood is any thicker, then a 3.5 to 5 horsepower motor is required.

2. Safety Features

Look at the safety features available on the table saw before you purchase. Being able to operate the on/off switch with your knee, hip or foot allows you to keep both hands on your piece which may save a finger but also save your work from unfortunate slips.

Being able to adjust the height of your table saw is not just important for short or tall people. An easily adjustable table allows you to change the height with every project. Working at the ideal height means you are less at risk of back, neck and repetitive strain injuries.

If you haven’t used a table saw regularly, then the safest option is to go with one that has a left blade tilt rather than right. Bevel and angle cuts require the saw to be angled from its usual 90-degree position.

A No-Volt Release (NVR) switch makes sure your table saw doesn’t automatically startup when the power is restored following an outage. A serious injury could occur if you were working or leaning against your table saw and it started without warning.

Kickback can cause injuries but you can minimise these with a table saw that uses a riving knife instead of a splitter as the splitter can be removed from the machine. The 10in Standard Cabinet Saw boasts a quick release riving knife system.

3. Dust Collection

Having a table saw that collects the dust isn’t just a nice feature for keeping the workshop clean. Dust extractors reduce the quantity of sawdust in the air which helps with air quality. The less wood dust in the air, the less you are breathing in. The Sherwood models have different dust extractors depending on the type of saw.

The Sherwood 10in Contractor Saw has a dust port built into the top part of the base to ensure maximum dust extraction.

The Sherwood 10in Hybrid Saw provides a 4in dust outlet at the rear of the cabinet base.

The Sherwood 10in Standard Cabinet Saw has a 4in dust outlet built into the rear of the cabinet base.

4. Portability

If you need to move your table saw from job to job, you may need one that can be easily transported in the back of a ute or trailer. The 10in Worksite Saw makes it easy to move your saw table around or when it’s not in use, fold up the stand and store out of the way so you have more room in a tight workshop.

5. Easy to Use

If you are a hobbyist who is only going to use your table saw on the odd occasion, you are at risk of not becoming familiar with it, simply because you don’t use it enough. Even if you do use it regularly then stop, it's easy to forget how to use it between projects. Before you purchase your table saw, check that you are going to be able to change the blades easy enough, calibrate your machine and use it to complete your projects.

Choosing the Right Vice

Make the right choice in a vice and it will soon become your second set of strong, sturdy hands. Depending on the type of work you do, you may need just one vice or various purpose-built vices.

Choose the Correct Vice for Your Workshop

To ensure your vice becomes a valued piece of equipment in your workshop that lasts the distance, you need to choose one that best meets your needs. A machinist will choose a different vice to a woodworker. If it’s general household work that you need a vice for, then you will need a basic, all-round vice.

Quick Action Bench Vice

The Quick Action Bench Vice is a good all-rounder. Thousands of these vices appear in home workshops and schools throughout Australia. The handles are made from a solid 17mm steel bar, so they don’t bend. The peg is height adjustable to allow for it to be used in conjunction with bench dogs to clamp work above the benchtop. The cast iron jaws are tapered to allow you to clamp anything that is slightly out of square. Both jaws have holes pre-cast so you can attach wooden sub-faces to prevent timber from being marked. Jigs can also be fixed to hold odd-shaped material. The vice is available in three sizes – 175mm, 230mm and 265mm.

Front Vice Screws

This vice type is most commonly used for woodworking jobs. The solid cast iron plate is mounted underneath the bench so that the edge of the bench acts as one clamping face and another jaw is mounted on the vice front. Timber is ideal for use in the clamp jaws to protect the gripped item.

The clamp uses three posts (two guides and a screw) for smooth adjustment and even clamping pressure. The brackets are made from solid cast iron with a powder coating to ensure a long-life.

The Baladonia vice is available in two sizes – small and large. The small vice has a clamping capacity of 210mm while the large can clamp up to 330mm (both sizes are minus the wooden jaw thickness).

Cross Slide Vice

Another Baladonia vice made of solid cast iron construction, the cross slide vice is ideal for fine adjustment when making mortice joints and positioning work for drilling with pin-point accuracy. Designed to hold pieces up to 100mm wide, it has a sliding mechanism and adjusts in both directions to ensure parallelism with an integral stop for production work. The jaw faces can be replaced with wooden faces to ensure the jaws don’t mar your piece.

Shoulder Vice

The shoulder vice provides flexibility for clamping out of square and tapered pieces. The threaded section and adjustment knuckle are morticed into the vice shoulder while the pivoting jaw mount is located on the ball-end.

Tail Vice

The tail vice and mount kit reduce sagging over time with the weight of the material. Many tail vices are sold without a mount kit but the extra mounting brackets are good for reducing the sagging. A tail vice is ideal for holding narrow boards horizontally and clamping wide or long pieces with an open end holding it in place while working on it. The vice screw is made from bright steel bar with a deep-cut thread for positive clamping pressure. It has a maximum travel of 330mm.