Let's Build and Equip a Metalworking Shed:
I was lucky to be born in an era when craftwork at schools and colleges was still fashionable; and I have been doing metalwork as a hobby practically ever since. Many years later I was lucky again when the schools and colleges stopped doing craft and I was able to buy some really good quality equipment for very little outlay.
Let's rewind back to my school days, which, as mentioned above, were in the so called good old days, when we were still taught craft, alongside academic subjects. Although I did very well at school I cannot say it was something that I particularly enjoyed. Aspects I did enjoy were the woodworking and metalworking lessons.
Fast forward to the middle 70's and I had already been a soldier in the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers, (REME), for 15 years when I was posted as one of 11 soldiers to a civilian establishment with hundreds of employees.
Having so many employees there were a lot of retirements, certainly 1 or 2 every month. It did not take 11 young soldiers very long to realise that in many cases shortly after the collection for a going away present we were having another collection for a wreath.
As you can probably imagine 11 young soldiers soon developed a gallows humour about it and started running a book. From our observations of the people concerned we used to estimate their future lifespan. "I know, it's a bit sick isn't it! But you have to remember that over 40 years ago we were young and immortal."
Fast forward to just a few years ago and I was surprised to hear that the government had carried out a survey, (costing how many £millions I wonder?), and they had determined that pensioners with no interest in life didn't last long. Now why didn't they ask us? In the 2½-years we were in that posting we had achieved a very high success rate in forecasting the future, or perhaps the lack of it.
That experience was indelibly printed in my brain, and I was determined that it was not going to happen to me! I would go into my retirement with two very well equipped workshops. One for my woodworking and one for my metal working interests. These would keep me alive! Hopefully beyond my 3-score years plus 10. So far it appears to be working as at the current time I am nearly 5-years past that milestone.
My book describes 'Bug’s Hut'; the woodworking shed, where I intended to, and still do, spend part of my twilight years. It will discuss selected tools and their usefulness or otherwise, including if appropriate, the 'Generic Safe Working Practices' and 'Generic Safe Systems of Work' related to each machine.
My book contains the following Chapters: Prologue - Health and Safety - Bug's Hut - Electricity Supply - Finished Workshop - Electricity & Electrically Powered Tools - Phase Converter - Work Bench - Engineers Vice - Parts Washer - Tool Cabinet - Measuring & Marking - Surface plate & hand scrapers etc. - Hand Tools - Spanner and Sockets - Drill Bits - Files & Rasps etc. - Hand Saws – Clamps - Bench Press - Hydraulic Power Press - Tube Bender - Metal Bender - Oxy Acetylene Welder - Electric Arc Welder - MIG Welder - TIG Welder - Electric Hand Drills - Hand Held Angle Grinders - Jigsaws & Sabre Saws – Routers - Belt, Rotary & Orbital Sanders - Bench Mounted Pillar Drills - Bench Mounted Grindstones - Disc Sanders - Sliding Compound Mitre Saws - Belt Linisher - Metal Lathes - Mechanical Hacksaw - Polishing Spindle - Shaping Machines - Narrow Bandsaw - Air Compressors - Air Tools – Reamers - Roller Support Stands - Tips & Hints - Epilogue: Most Chapters consist of; - An Introduction - My tools – Main/description uses - Generic Safe Working Practice and a Summary.
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