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Jaxom · Senior Member

I mentioned over in the pistol forum that I don't have a work shop set up. And that means ANY workshop at this moment. Some of my heavy tools and mechanic's stuff is in the garage and the rest of my tools are in rubber maid totes in the basement.

The basement was up until june last year a 2 bedroom apartment. Due to code changes we were basically forced to remove it. So now I have this HUGE empty room that I can build whatever size ship I chose to do so.

I like to be very organize when I do certain things, such as like in a work shop. So I can see having an area for wood working and a wood workers bench, then a seperate general work table/bench. But when it comes to gunsmithing or working on ag's. Other then a table, that's pretty much it as far as knowing what tools and such I'll need or want to have.

So I'd like to get a general consensious of what makes for a good ag shop for maintaining, moding and tweaking ag's. Since this is a rather broad and subjective topic, I'd say it's best to break it down into three different catagories.

The first would be the small beginner or apartment dweller type shop. Something that you can set up in your living room or dining room for an afternoon or while watching your favorite baseball, football, ect games. When you're done for the day, all get's packed up and put away in a closet or something.

Then there's a dedicated medium sized shop. Such as I'm thinking of building. I probably have alot of the tools that I'll need for such a thing, since many tools are multi purpose. Such as say having a dremel.. Nobody has budget to buy a dremel just for ag gunsmithing then another for wood working and then another for metal work...that's just plain stupid.

Then there's the BIG shop with the heavy duty tools. Probably something like what Joe has now accumulated with his lathe and drill press and other more specific tools for making parts for ag's.

To start out with even the smallest of these "workshops", I would assume there's a certain select group of tools that those of you who've been doing this for some time would concider "must have". Even if they do duplicate something you might use elsewhere these tools are so critical to even basic maintence of an ag, that you don't mind the added expense of having two of them. What would you add to this group?

Thanks,

jax

kanyon · Silver Status Member

Why don't yer use the area for flat mates/boarders and stuff the code
make some $ till/if they fined out. what are they going to do in the first isntance ? wave there finger at yer / growl a bit.
Going by your posts I would have thought that would have been a better
use for the space than a air gun workshop.

Sorry I know that not what yer asked or hear....but I would have thought in your situration useing a potental money makeing space would take priority over a air gun work shop.

Sorry for being blunt.

Alstone · Moderator & Site Supporter

90% of the tools you need for airgun repair/mods are hand tools, and as for the space all you need is a bench, chair and radio also the cost is not to much.

But to go the extra 10% costs a lot of money and as Kanyon say’s I would have though in your position you would be better off making some instant money out of the space.

Just one last thought, if you think you will make money out of it then forget it. It takes years to build up a business repairing or making and selling air gun custom parts. And if you do come up with a good idea and start making and selling it, before long someone else will copy it. That’s why I put all my ideas on the web and let any one who want’s to copy them, I even supply the drawings, because there is no big money in it, and the little money isn't worth the hassle. Neutral

Al

Jaxom · Senior Member

OOOOPS, I don't think I worded this correctly. I'm not thinking of building this work shop now!!!! I'm just saying down the road, in the future, when I have a job and I've got my bills caught up and all that jazz. Hard to justify spending money on a workshop at this time. This post was ment more for informative purposes.

I just thought it was perantent to ask, since I had mentioned in another forum, I was working on my pistol while laying on my futon, because I hadn't an area set up to work on it at.

At this time, I have no plans on setting up an ag accessory/parts buisness. I do have an idea for a part, but I'm not even concidering doing anything about that until I get my driver's license back AND a job.

Kanyon, We had no choice about removing the apartment. The city came in to do an inspection, they seen it, measured it, and said, "The cielings are too low for this to be legal...remove it or we'll fine you!"

Loosing that apartment nearly broke my mother's heart. Since she bought the building in 1983 we've probably spent well over $50,000 in fixing it up...(some tenants don't respect other's property). Then in a heartbeat one afternoon it was ripped out. Not only did she loose out on the money invested in repairs and updates, we lost easily as much in equity in the building at the same time.

To add insult to injury, when it comes time to sell this house, we cannot include my bedroom as a bedroom either. It's a converted attic, and the cieling fell 2" shy of what's concidered legal height. We went from a 3 bedroom with garden level "in-law" unit to a 2 bedroom house at the stroke of a pen.

Amigo · Veteran Member

Check with your CPA. Sounds like the law change & subsequent devaluation qualifies as long term capital loss on that 50,000 investment, and deductable on the federal return, against your mother's income.

BTW, Army and Marines are hiring just about anything that is still warm and wearing clothes.

Amigo

Jaxom · Senior Member

What income? She don't have any.

Military is out...age wise.

Alstone · Moderator & Site Supporter

Please stay on topic guys!

Al

dummyracer36 · Senior Member

for home workshop space, i have 3 distinct and separate shops.
i have my mechanical shop set up in the garage
i have my wood shop set up in the basement
and have a large shed that i use as a paint booth.

nothing worse than getting saw dust in a cylinder head or motor oil on a piece of maple.

kanyon · Silver Status Member

Yer a work shop has to be my next project....the misses & me went our own ways about a year ago Faq-U

...left her with the hourse till the kids are gone then we will sort it out, anyways its not the right time to sell at the monent....I managed to scrap up enough coin to buy a single bed room flat..not what I wanted but I diddn't want a morgage Rolling Eyes

.
So anyway I only have a carport I intend to build a new one in front of the exsisting one then close the old one in giveing a work shop of
3.5m X 6m then i can get my gear home Very Happy

Jaxom · Senior Member

Part of my delema is that I don't want to spend a ton of cash on a shop in this house. I don't plan on staying here any longer then is nessary. But I do need someplace to get and keep organized my tools. If anything else it'll help me keep the building maintained and all.

More specifically I was wondering about ag workshops. I do realize most of the tools are going to be hand tools like screw drivers, allen wrenches and such. But are there any ag specific tools that you find your self using for either maintaining or mod/tuning your ag(s)?

Here are a few examples of what I'm talking about. To work on ags with valve, one site on the net recommened having some "micro" ring plyers for compressing rings on valve bodies. Another person mentioned that he made a tool the help him compress his main spring in a springer ag rifle. And I was helped personally by a few people on how to make a tool to hold a die so I can thread my barrel since I don't have or can't afford a lathe at this time.

So, when I say ag specific, really think on it. It doesn't nessarily mean a store bought tool, could be one of your own creation!

yourdaddyjoe · Supporting Member

Most of your jigs and holders you have to make your self for specific jobs...

I can not afford the mill just yet so I orderd the attachment for my lathe to do some simple milling. Even so... I have to make the mount for it to fit my lathe. I am hoping with in a few months to afford the stand alone mill out right... Too much of what I want to do... I can't do with out it...

BTW... DR36.. Disco brakes can be made with the attachment...

A good gunsmithing vice is a must... I still lack a "Good" one since I am more geard toward making the parts, not doing builds except my own and a few locals...

Don't forget a good Dremel set... Foot Switchs are great...

kanyon · Silver Status Member

fritz · Silver Status Member

Kanyon, start working on guns under the carport.

I swear the neighbors will leave you alone.

dummyracer36 · Senior Member

i cant say that i have an AG specific tool at all.
the spring compressor i use is actually for compressing the spring on a motorcycle rear shock.
drill presses, lathes, mills, welders, grinders, ect ect ect were all purchased for working on bikes.
all my wood working tools were purchased for my "other" hobby, building high end custom speaker cabinets.

i am of the train of thought.... you can never have too many tools

wait... i stand corrected.... there IS one item i purchased for the express purpose of workin on AGs, a lamp with a large magnifying lens (my eyes aint what they used to be)

yourdaddyjoe · Supporting Member