5 Indispensable Shop Tools You Can Make Yourself

Workshop

On Jeremy Fielding’s YouTube channel, he runs through five work-a-day shop tools that he made himself. These stands, filters, jigs and guides save time, space, and make the work go easier and safer. Here is the video tour of the tools followed by each of them broken out and explained.

YouTube player

5-in-1 Revolving Work Station

shopTools_1Jeremy modified this Lazy Susan tool stand from an article in Shop Notes magazine. It allows you to house up to five tools on a mobile, revolving circular work table. A PVC pipe in the center routes all of the power cables to a power strip mounted inside the bottom of the stand. The stand also includes drawers below each tool.

Drawer-Mounted Table Saw

shopTools_2This is a great way to store a small table saw in a shop where space is at a premium. The shelf mechanism allows the saw to slide under the workbench when not in use and then for it to be pulled out, up, and securely locked into place. The entire workbench is fitted with retracting casters so that it can be moved out of place if Jeremy needs the space.

Homemade Moxon Vise

shopTools_3You can find tons of projects online for building one of these Moxon vises. This one that Jeremy made is cut from plywood and has a 6″ jaw.

Shop Vac Cyclone

shopTools_4This type of shop vac cyclone has proven to be a popular project among makers. For Jeremy’s, he used a cheap shop vac, an old vacuum cleaner, a Spackle bucket, hosing, and some scrap wood for the caster-stand.

Machine Flip-Table

shopTools_5This mobile table and tool stand suspends a machine, such as a router table, upside down so that you can use the reverse side as a work surface when you’re not using the tool. When you’re ready to deploy the tool, linkages on the side of the cart allow the top to flip. Another great space-saver for small work spaces.

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Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. His free weekly-ish maker tips newsletter can be found at garstipsandtools.com.

View more articles by Gareth Branwyn

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