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work bench lay out

my emp kit is scheduled for oct and just getting the garage set up and would like to see what some of you have done for work benches such as tool positioning grinder, vice, band saw, drill press etc.
 
I would wait until you get started building ... wouldn't mount anything permanently just yet ... you'll develop "your" system pretty quick.

I built 6 of those EAA benches and they have been great!

If you're building an "A" model, the EAA benches are exactly the right height to put the plane on the mains and just tilt it up and slide the benches out from under.
 
With each kit, I've needed to reconfigure the shop. Give yourself a LOT of flexibility for changes.

Dave
RV-3B, working on cowling stuff
 
Benches

With each kit, I've needed to reconfigure the shop. Give yourself a LOT of flexibility for changes.

Dave
RV-3B, working on cowling stuff

Same here. Two EAA benches. The remainder of the materials were used to make a smaller 3x4 bench where the electric bench tools are mounted. The EAA benches move as needed. Usually in an "L" shaped layout but sometimes 4x5 or or 2x10 depending on need. No wheels on mine. I don't move them so much they need wheels.
 
Adaptable

my emp kit is scheduled for oct and just getting the garage set up and would like to see what some of you have done for work benches such as tool positioning grinder, vice, band saw, drill press etc.

Along the East wall of my garage is a table with a small belt sander (very handy), a small band saw (essential), a small drill press (essential), a vise (essential) and a bench grinder (essential).

Along the back (South) wall is a long bench with storage above and below. I think it's essential to have a large number of storage trays (small and medium) for the kit parts (rivets, fasteners, and misc). I have about 3 1/2 feet of storage trays lined up and labeled, making location and access of parts easy. I had to expand storage as I added parts for the fuse/wing. It's easy to underestimate how much storage you will need. I also have cabinet storage for all the tools. In my three-car garage I have assemblies stored on racks on the wall and on attachments I made on the wall. The aft fuselage is on a lift system above my wife's car. The mid fuselage is on sawhorses in the center of my garage, and the wings are currently in cradles I built from plans I found on the net and I added casters (credit, Mouse). Most of my work is done on two EAA benches on casters the 2' x 5' surfaces are oak plywood that has held up well throughout the build but it does have its share of pilot holes, divots and some overspray where I got in a hurry. The EAA benches have moved a lot during the build, and I sometimes use companion benches for odd jobs to support the build.

Have fun and make it your own!


https://flickr.com/photos/bk1bennett/albums/72157714205958133
 
In my case, I put the band saw, drill press and grinder on small tables with wheels. This has been extremely useful during the build and in my IMHO is the way to go.

PS my grinder table has a drill press mounted on the bottom and rotates when needed...:D

Here's a poor photo of the two small tables. The grinder table flips over so the drill press can be used.
 

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I built two EAA tables with nothing bolted to them, and have been happy to have the flat surfaces for the bigger skins and flight controls.

I've got a small table with a 24" square top built to bar top height with a tabletop drill press and belt sander bolted to it. It's on casters so i can spin it in any direction as needed.

Also have a grinder with 3m wheels on it that isn't bolted to anything. It creates so much aluminum dust that when I want to use it, I just carry it out to the back patio and set it on a board screwed on top of al old BBQ grill cabinet. I just carry it back in when I'm done or if it looks like it's going to rain. Not having that thing n the shop saves a bunch of mess and cleanup.
 
Another requirement

I built two EAA tables with nothing bolted to them, and have been happy to have the flat surfaces for the bigger skins and flight controls.

I've got a small table with a 24" square top built to bar top height with a tabletop drill press and belt sander bolted to it. It's on casters so i can spin it in any direction as needed.

Also have a grinder with 3m wheels on it that isn't bolted to anything. It creates so much aluminum dust that when I want to use it, I just carry it out to the back patio and set it on a board screwed on top of al old BBQ grill cabinet. I just carry it back in when I'm done or if it looks like it's going to rain. Not having that thing n the shop saves a bunch of mess and cleanup.

I keep a shop vac handy and am constantly using it to rid the area of dust and aluminum chips.
 
If you are right handed, mount your vise to the right END of the bench so parts can hang over.
Hang your hack saw on the right end of your bench below the vise... you will use the vise each
time you use the hack saw.

Do not mount a grinder or buffer on your work bench. They make too big of a mess.
Mount on a stand alone base. It will also give you room to pass big parts past the wheel
bench.JPG
 
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..As long as we are talking about workspaces...

A little off topic, but by far the best thing I ever did....Go to your local dollar store and get small plastics tubs, like the size that would hold a standard wrench..get lots of them (I used black for SAE and white ones for metric)...label them by size (SAE or MM) and sort every tool and accessory by SIZE, and not TYPE....i.e.....I have a tub labeled 3/8...which holds short and deep sockets, nut driver, crows foot, open and closed end wrench, ratcheting wrench, allen socket, etc....ALL in 3/8. If you sort tools by size and not by type, you will spend far less time searching for tools than you ever dreamed possible. Just my 0.02. Good luck.
 
Something like this

Screenshot_20220823-181733.jpg
 

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