Your Rocket work shop

[davalf]

So what does everyone use for a rocket work shop? And what are your main tools of the trade? I just got my hands on a bench top drill press and next I want a bench top sanding station and a hand held orbital sander.

 

[The EGE]

I have a 4' by 6' glass-topped desk, plus a bench vise I can sue it my dad's workshop.

My main tools:

X-acto knife set. I use a wide blade for scraping, a narrow blade for cutting, and the razor saw for cutting tubes and balsa.

Craftsman pliers. Snips, general pliers/wire stripper, and needlenose

Dental snips. Can cut everything from thin balsa to 1/32" aluminium.

Drill with a 3/8" chuck. I use it to sand parts, turn balsa nose cones and transitions, cut small parts like launch lugs, and of course drill holes.

Sanding blocks - I tacked 60, 120, 180, and 240-grit paper to some of my old building blocks

Adhesives - wood glue and CA. Epoxy clay for fillets and instant nose weight.

A set of plastic clamps

and a bunch of wooden skewers for spreading glue.

 

[Gillard]

work places are:

kitchen table,
living room floor,
lab at work
boot of car
local schools workshop,

tools are all the normal stuff and the local workshop has just got a laser cutter

 

[Pem Tech]

The basics....
Table saw, band saw, miter saw, belt sander, hand sander, dremel tool, and drill press The belt sander has been a much used tool, much more than I first expected. I use it to cut/shape rounded fins or other ply parts, touching up CR's, and with the sanding cylinders I can ream out CR's and other strange and wonderful things. The strangest was when urethane glue dribbled from the NC into the motor tube of my Screamin' Green Max. Used one of the cylinders to grind out the cured glue.
Non-power tools include razor saws and hobby knives, along with two different sizes of aluminum angle for drawing alignment lines on BT's.
What I would really like is a small hobby vise with a magnifying lens. The extra hand and improved vision would be very welcome.

 

[stickershock23]

The basics....
Table saw, band saw, miter saw, belt sander, hand sander, dremel tool, and drill press The belt sander has been a much used tool, much more than I first expected. I use it to cut/shape rounded fins or other ply parts, touching up CR's, and with the sanding cylinders I can ream out CR's and other strange and wonderful things. The strangest was when urethane glue dribbled from the NC into the motor tube of my Screamin' Green Max. Used one of the cylinders to grind out the cured glue.
Non-power tools include razor saws and hobby knives, along with two different sizes of aluminum angle for drawing alignment lines on BT's.
What I would really like is a small hobby vise with a magnifying lens. The extra hand and improved vision would be very welcome.

Nice set up layne..

I have a two car garage... FULL to the max.. drill press band saw miter saw table saw scroll saw. belt sander disk sander spindle sander, two lathes one wood one metal. upright air compressor. then hand tools... to many to list. I have a K550 snap on rollaway with top box. full to overflowing. plus all the wood tools. jig saw sawzall wormdrive skll saw, biskit jointer, belt sanders, orbital sanders two or 3 makita's a couple dremmel tools. then air powered tools. impacts, ratchets drills grinders etc etc etc etc.. spray guns. and more.. then there are all the machine shop tools. I wont go into those.

then I have my decal shop.... oh nevermind. I am a tool junkie.. just ask my snapon dealer.. LOL "Heck I got tools that fix tools, and 20 rolls of duct tape.. cause ifyou can't fix it duct it...." arrrr arrrr arrrhhg

But I will say this, I have room for more... but them the motorcycle would have to go outside... and that aint happening LOL

 

[Bone Daddy]

Since you asked how they look, here it is. Nothing sanitized, exactly as it was when I read your post.

My main work area is in an extra bedroom. My band saw (which by the way was a cheap one from Northern Tool. Usable only for rough cuts. Next time it's that real nice one from Sears. Hmmm, maybe I'll put my old one up on ebay.) and new bench grinder is in the garage. I also have a chop saw in the garage.

I use my drill press all the time. It makes a decent light duty milling machine to boot.

I highly recommend a Dremel Tool.

My advice? Don't buy the cheapest thing you can find. You really do get what you pay for.

(That bowl of cereal? It was my snack before taking the pix. Really.)

 

[sandmantoy]

I have a two car garage and no cars in it, to many rockets but no heat ether I do have a machine shop in the back yard and access to it 24-7 I am sure I could get crazy but am restrained by funds lol! Most of my non rocket friends think that's a good thing. Behind that is a large industrial area mostly empty of industry so it makes a good test field for spur of the moment launches. I don't put up anything larger than a G though.

 

[AKPilot]

Here's mine . . . .

Hobby Area

 

[dixontj93060]

I love my workshop--1.5 car garage (without a car). Lately I've also spilled over into the basement with my L3 build in progress.

Not too many tools really. Mostly a hand tool guy. I'd say the most valued tool right now is the Craftsman 3D sander--makes quick work of smoothing those large airframes.

 

[stickershock23]

Dude, thats way to clean, that can't be a real rocket shop... LOL J/K
you wanna come over and clean mine up?

 

[kandsrockets]

Dude, thats way to clean, that can't be a real rocket shop... LOL J/K
you wanna come over and clean mine up?

No kidding...LOL I just cleaned up two 5 gallon buckets full of sawdust off my floor and it is still not even close to being that clean..

 

[sandmantoy]

I would have to clean up some of my rocket shop just so you can see there is rockets in there. I went and tried today to get a few shots of it but the batteries died in the camera lol. Plus it's only in the teens here for temp and I don't really work on stuff in there in the winter. I was tempted to sweep some of the saw dust up too lol! I will get a few pictures up in a couple of day's.

 

[troj]

I'm still trying to figure out where to put the 24" x 12' tubes.... :confused2:

-Kevin

 

[davalf]

These are all impressive. I can never decide, more tools or rocket stuff.

I'm still trying to figure out where to put the 24" x 12' tubes.... :confused2:

-Kevin

I would suggest in your master bedroom.

 

[troj]

I would suggest in your master bedroom.

I just use my friend's livingroom, when he's deployed to the desert....

(yes, I really did do that. Specifically, in the form of a 24" diameter Redstone)

-Kevin

 

[davalf]

I just use my friend's livingroom, when he's deployed to the desert....

Thats what friends are for.

Dave

 

[troj]

Thats what friends are for.

You bet, especially when you leave them with keys to your house....

-Kevin