DoESLiverpool
Rearranging the CNC room
I'm looking for feedback on a proposal to improve the usability of the small room where our CNC milling machine lives.
This applies mainly to the non-CNC part -- specifically the 2 benches that host the drill press and other tools.
There is so much clutter on these that they are, for practical purposes, unusable. Tools that are rarely used stay out all the time -- these include a grinding machine, belt sander, band saw and scrollsaw. Availble space below the main bench is largely taken up with wood.
Proposal
- Remove the smaller bench completely. This will free up the full length of the main bench including the storage space below.
- Get rid of material below the main bench. Save any that is useful (maybe move to the main shelving unit).
- Keep the drill press on the main bench -- it is used regularly.
- Move the other machines below the main bench. They are all relatively small and can be moved to the main bench as and when required.
Feedback
Please let me know what you think about this as soon as possible.
We would hope to complete this over the next two weeks.
I'd agree with Jackie that the bandsaw is used a similar amount to the drill press.
The belt sander, when it was working, seemed to get used fairly often (judging by the layers of dust often over everything in that room). Maybe something to bear in mind when choosing locations for things, but until #1303 is fixed it might as well be out of the way and we can re-jig things when it's operational.
Thanks for the comments. I think the best approach might be to organise the room as described and then decide on the best layout of the main (remaining) bench, including what tools have a permanent or semi-permanent presence on it. It's a very small space so we are limited in what we can achieve. But any improvements we make that improve access will be useful immediately. And as you said, we can always re-jig things as we go forward.
Have made a start on this at this evening's maker night. The small bench and the cupboard below it are out of the CNC room now. Some of the smaller tools have been put below the main bench. However, the main bench needs another day or evening working on it to finish the task. Much of the wood below the bench has been moved alongside the laser cutter stock on the large shelf unit opposite the toilets. There are also some machines such as the Roland etching machine that need a proper long-term home.
@magman2112 and I went down to Eagle Labs to get the workbench from there. We've dismantled it and the pieces are currently in the Events Room. @magman2112 is planning to start putting it together again tonight but wants to hear from other community members about their requirements first.
We've using the desk tops (currently in the main space) for shelves as part of this project. Sanna might have some sheet material so we could ask her first.
We finally got round to re-assembling one of the benches from Eagle Labs on Thursday. This has been installed in the room and has allowed us to clear a lot of equipment off the floor.
Next steps are to re-assemble the second bench from Eagle Labs, but I plan to shorten this one to fit on the back wall of the room.
One development from last Thursday’s Maker night was the suggestion by Elliot that we make a new bench for the CNC machine that is on lockable castors, so that we can store the CNC machine against that wall when not in use, but move it out so that we can run longer pieces of material through the machine more easily. An extension to this would be to make the promised enclosure for the CNC machine at the same time. This would make the machine both safer and quieter.
I have found some timber at home to start making this new CNC bench, though we will need some timber to make the legs. The table top currently used for the CNC machine is good enough to use as the top of the new CNC bench as well.
On the other benches, we will agree where the drill press and vice need to be installed and these will be fixed down to the relevant benches, along with any additional support material as needed.
