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2023 Year end project/shop assessment

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Dan Dubeau

Ultra Member
Day late....But as I sit here sipping on a glass, reflecting on another year gone by and all the projects I completed, and some I didn't, I thought this might be a good spot to yack about our shop wins, and losses from 2023.

I completed a lot of shop infrastructure projects this year. It seemed to be the theme of 2023. I managed to finally get every machine tool in my shop running (down to the wire with the shaper.....), got my blacksmith shop started, but didn't really touch some long standing projects I thought I'd get to and really wanted to like my sawmill project.

I'm looking forward to 2024. Armed with a much better laid out and functional shop with machines that work I should have a more productive year than last.

How about you?
 
Started the basement finishing project....got it gutted, fixed builder shit, framed, electrical, plumbing, most of the insulating is done. Spring will be floor leveling then drywall, but in the meantime I've got a bunch of little detail work to finish up first over the winter.

Not a lot of big things in the garage, built a stand for my mill, but other than that it was mostly just vehicle maintenance type things going on. Also, though I did buy a fair number of tools, it wasn't the big budget purchases of the year...that went to some PA equipment improvements, added a couple channels of Shure SLX-D wireless, an extra set of QSC powered speakers for small breakouts or monitor usage, and a bunch of other PA infrastructure type stuff.
 
Very busy shop in 2023.

Added @jcdammeyer ‘s ELS to my lathe

Upgraded my 3018 CNC to brushless dc spindle

Built new CNC controller (twice!)

Acquired a 1930s 12” Craftsman bandsaw, cleaned it up, added a variable speed dc treadmill motor.

A whole pile of piping fabrication to make the prototype for a very long-term project, needed to secure patent #3.

And many, many hours learning to use a New Hermes engraving machine.
 
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New L.E.D. lighting in the shop , replaced the breaker in the house panel that feeds the garage .

It was a busy year , I built some engines , fixed a few more and helped some people solve problems .

Other than what I had just mentioned , not a lot of home or shop improvements in 2023 . I didn`t spend much money on property upgrades in 2023 because my wallet took a beating the two years prior , 2022 saw a shed built and 2021 both roofs re-shingled , new eavestroughs all round a deck build and refurbish .
 
Bought six lathes (Myford clone, Clausing, Myford clone, two Taigs and Busy Bee. Sold four lathes (South Bend, Myford clone, Clausing and a Taig),
Sold one mill (LC-30 round column) and bought one mill (Weiss VM32)
Repaired the Busy Bee lathe,
did a bunch of house renovations and cleared more stuff out of the shop.
 
To much yard/house work, not enough shop time. lol
Also upgraded to LED lights, the difference is like going from dawn to full daylight.
Bought the SHARP milling machine, sold the KBC mill.
Bought a new 5x8 utility trailer to haul dirt and gravel for yard work. Built a tailgate for it.
Bought a new compressor, the old ones tank rusted out just before christmas.
Started building new plate bumpers for the truck. Bought the templates from flatland4x4 and had the pieces waterjet cut. MTF
Bought an old Craftsman power hacksaw as a project for the winter.
Added a new welding/dirty workshop with retractable roof.

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It's been an expensive year but most are buy once(ish) items.

All the best for the new year everyone.
 
Finally got my print NC up and running and a few projects done with it (including some Christmas gifts)

Re-sloped the flat section of the garage/shop roof from flat to 1/12, more of a task than it sounds bringing everything up a 20ft extension ladder on my shoulder or via rope, fun times !
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Seems like a few of us upgraded to LED lighting. I need to order some more for around the mills and shaper/lathe, it's a bit dark under the overhead cabinets...... Money well spent IMO

Anybody want to be brave and make some strong predictions about completed projects and upgrades for 2024?

After recently being confronted by some posts on other forums from way back in 2010 about how I'd get my "shaper going shortly" I find the permanence of internet forum posts amusing......:D
 
YotaBota said:
Looks like your building a model airplane wing, was leakage an issue?
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I did have a leak and some rotten decking that I patched up 2 years prior, that and before I bought the house the prior owner 're-roofed' the flat section, looked good, little did I know they had just rolled another layer of roll roofing directly on top of the old roll roofing....over the years it's been coming off in 5/10ft pieces.

Figured if I was going to redo it I would put at least some slope to it, took a week of evenings and 1 weekend to strip, rip trusses, frame, sheet and roof by myself, all during one of the smokey weeks when there was no flying .... Cost way more than expected
 
The latter part of 2023 held almost no shop fun time for me, had some ongoing health issues that seem to get in the way but bigger and more exciting than that I was preparing for a move!

I'm in a new location and have built a new shop. All tools and machinery are still in old garage and I'm trying to finish up the new one so I can start moving stuff into the new space.

I was afraid to ask opinions here on the forum on how to do things properly on the build cuz I know how we all like to spend each other's money. I didn't need any help in figuring out how to spend money on the build, as it is kind of crazy with the price of everything now.

I'm now looking forward to getting my space up and running in 2024.
 
Made a slough of new friends on CHMW Forum and met a few in person.

Learned a half dozen books worth of new things - mostly machining but some other stuff too.

Enjoyed helping a lot of guys with their machines and their problems.

Helped other members spend a kings ransom of cash on new tools N stuff. WAAAY too much fun!

Tilled, fertilized, planted, killed weeds, harvested, and ploughed under the stubble of a record crop of Soybeans.

Rearranged a few big machines in the shop so I have a metal working center now with lathe, knee mill, surface grinder, and various bench tools all adjacent - band saw is still elsewhere.

Helped move two of my kids from old to new homes - both closer to us now.

Buried a few close friends and associates and the last of my dad's siblings. Only my mom left in hers. I'm the oldest descendent so I guess I'm probably next after her.

Made a spindle motor based tool post grinder that I'm not happy with. Upgrade planned for 2024..

Added carbide insert parting methods to my HSS parting tool kit and very happy so far. Will be building on that by making an insert tooling holder for deeper parting in 2024.

Agreed to be a moderator for CHMW and enjoyed the opportunity to volunteer and serve an amazing group of people.

Made a surface grinder balance system and balancing arbors that works great. More work to do in 2024.

Did my first YouTube video and hated it almost as much as watching YouTube myself.

Moved both our moms to long term care with Dementia.

Bought a 3ph motor and VFD for my lathe - and planned most of the wiring and control system changes. Hopefully installed in early 2024.

Had a stroke, got my drivers license yanked, and lost central vision in my left eye. Still learning to cope but got my drivers license back.

Had planned to finish making a mill tramming fixture idea I started in 2022, but never got to it. Maybe it will happen in 2024.

Made a cart for my Ripper & tucked it away for the winter.

Temporarily repaired the boat trailer bunkers so my son could take it north for his vaca and damn near crushed myself when it uncoupled from the truck with me under it. Wife's turn to save me for a change. Gunna put the boat in the pond come spring so I can do a proper repair without putting my life in jeopardy.

Built most of a really nice 6Br that will get finished in 2024.

Completed a year long evaluation of corrosion protection products and determined that VCI bricks work best in enclosed spaces, fluid film is best outdoors, and WD40 corrosion specialist is best indoors used sparingly cuz its soooooo expensive.

Cleaned up a dozen huge trees that fell because the side winds of a tornado passed through. Thank God the twister itself missed us. Still more wreckage to deal with but have enough firewood to last a few years.

Finally got started with Fusion 3D with the help of a dozen amazing members. Lots more to learn. 2024 should be very interesting. Might even get a 3D printer..... Still on the fence about that one....... Sorry guys..... LOL!

Yes, 2023 was a very good year. 2024 is already looking great!
 
That is a tough post to follow, but my modest efforts; like others, replaced 30 worn out 4 foot fluorescent bulbs with new LED bulbs and fixtures, (a quantum improvement in lighting). Full overhaul of a couple pieces of equipment from the wood working side of the shop (1950's era scroll saw and a newly acquired 1960's era Canadian made Rockwell/Beaver wood lathe), gave my older and perfectly decent Taiwanese wood lathe to my sister-in-law. Rented a genie boom and did some limbing of some large maples that were encroaching on the overhead electrical wires, helped a neighbour with his addition, and kept vehicles and various pieces of yard equipment in good repair. Did maple syrup in the spring and harvested the garden in the fall. For this year, really really need and want to build cabinets to improve shop functionality and aesthetics. (Bought the high capacity full extension drawer slides years ago-lol.)
 
I spent a few minutes thinking "I didn't do so much this year". Then went back and looked at my shop diary, and, oh, I guess I did a fair bit.

I got the new smithy up and operating properly, including the power hammers and induction forge. I'm now a 3-fuel setup, depending on current burn restrictions and what I'm working on. That's pretty liberating. I'm looking forward to having enough time in the shop over the spring and summer to get a go on the architectural iron work that's captured my fancy.

Added a 2x72 belt ginder, a new firepot (from Newman Pattern and Forge), a 42"x42" acorn table that still needs a good flattening,

Got some rear-mounded forks for my tractor, which has been magic getting annoying things (like a pallet of stones) moved around the property.

Added the neighbor's property to mine to avoid noise complaints from the forge. Also to add a beautiful mature vegetable garden to our patch. There is more maintenance to do now. I still haven't properly sorted through the over-full tool shed.

I got the TouchDRO going on the mill, with the additive Z knee/spindle working well. And moved the old DRO head to the lathe. Wrapped up tidying up the electronic gearing on the lathe into a tidy bundle as well.

Broke my compound slide and made a new one.

Built a cheese melting machine, including doing the element design.

And at the end of the year quit my job so I can keep working on all the above full-time!

2023 was a very good year for me, personally. May 2024 keep it up and give more more opportunities to share the goodness.
 
whydontu said:
Some of you people have way too much energy. Have you considered Ritalin?
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I dunno about that. The amount of help and advice I see you giving others might warrant a double dose even without the other stuff you did last year!
 
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