Thread: workshop hire in Sydney

Is this what you want?


https://www.woodworkforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=72904



Chipman

Unfortunately not - he's miles away. I'm in Sydney Metro area.

Anyone else know of anyone ????????

I was thinking about setting a workshop up.

The idea.

Rent a factory bay about 1000m2. Gear it up with the following machines.

2 x Rip saws (Probably American style cabinet saws)
1 x Sliding panel saw (Probably a full panel Felder)
2 x Dedicated compound miter saws (Dewalt/makita 355mm x 2) + full bench which has accurate stops up to 3m long
2 x jointer (1 x 300mm + 1 x 400mm)
2 x thicknesser (up to 500mm)
2 x drill press
2 x drum sanders up to 1000mm wide
2 x Band-saw (one with 1/4 inch blade and another with 1 - 2 inch blade)
2 - 3 x Vicmar lathes
other bits a pieces that is fixed to the floor

and 100 benches with vices and storage underneath.

The idea is that it is open 7 days a week, 8am to 8pm with lunch or kitchen area.

You pay $80 - $100/week and you hire a bench which is lockable for your own personal stuff (3 - 6 months hire at a time). Come and go as you please. You supply your own hand tools and personal power tools thats not bolted to the floor. Maybe even little rooms of 20 - 40m2 for professionals, like graduates of Sturt who are just starting out and don't have full workshop facilities.

I am responsible for keeping the blades sharp - no recycled timber, unless you supply your own blades.

Great social place to gather and meet new people. One of the biggest problem in Sydney is space. Woodworkers need a lot of space, machinery these days are relatively cheap, and high end machinery (Felder) is even cheaper, but not everyone can afford the space of 50 - 80m2 to house a workshop in Sydney.

OHS has been raised as an issue, but I am sure that it could be overcome with the proper paperwork.

Locations I was thinking about was Alexander, Marrickville (close to Annagote), Auburn, Wethrille Park.

What does every one think?

Originally Posted by dlim2986

What does every one think?

Personally, I think the idea is great.

BUT

I recommend you contact DIY Dan via PM to ask him about his experience. He tried exactly the same (including the Felder slider), but has since given it up.
Granted, he lopped part of his finger off and it gave him the spooks, but the sake of research, drop him a Private Message and ask him all about it.

Originally Posted by phuture

Unfortunately not - he's miles away. I'm in Sydney Metro area.

Anyone else know of anyone ????????

I wouldn't have thought that Mt Kuring Gai was that far out of Sydney metro...

It depends where abouts in Sydney metro you are, Phuture. Hornsby is a hell of a distance from Emu Plains....but they are both still classified as Sydney metro.

I think another way of saying Sydney metro is "inner Sydney", South of Bridge, West to up to Ashfield, South to Maroubra.

Greater Sydney in my vocab means North up to Hornsby, West to Blue Mountains and South to Cronulla.

South of the Bridge, gasp

Originally Posted by dlim2986

I was thinking about setting a workshop up.

The idea.

Rent a factory bay about 1000m2. Gear it up with the following machines.

2 x Rip saws (Probably American style cabinet saws)
1 x Sliding panel saw (Probably a full panel Felder)
2 x Dedicated compound miter saws (Dewalt/makita 355mm x 2) + full bench which has accurate stops up to 3m long
2 x jointer (1 x 300mm + 1 x 400mm)
2 x thicknesser (up to 500mm)
2 x drill press
2 x drum sanders up to 1000mm wide
2 x Band-saw (one with 1/4 inch blade and another with 1 - 2 inch blade)
2 - 3 x Vicmar lathes
other bits a pieces that is fixed to the floor

and 100 benches with vices and storage underneath.

The idea is that it is open 7 days a week, 8am to 8pm with lunch or kitchen area.

You pay $80 - $100/week and you hire a bench which is lockable for your own personal stuff (3 - 6 months hire at a time). Come and go as you please. You supply your own hand tools and personal power tools thats not bolted to the floor. Maybe even little rooms of 20 - 40m2 for professionals, like graduates of Sturt who are just starting out and don't have full workshop facilities.

I am responsible for keeping the blades sharp - no recycled timber, unless you supply your own blades.

Great social place to gather and meet new people. One of the biggest problem in Sydney is space. Woodworkers need a lot of space, machinery these days are relatively cheap, and high end machinery (Felder) is even cheaper, but not everyone can afford the space of 50 - 80m2 to house a workshop in Sydney.

OHS has been raised as an issue, but I am sure that it could be overcome with the proper paperwork.

Locations I was thinking about was Alexander, Marrickville (close to Annagote), Auburn, Wethrille Park.

What does every one think?

Its a great idea, hope it comes to fruition! I have heard about something simliar in the US, more open-ended than just woodwork though: http://techshop.ws/
Bit of a hijack: I am putting a proposal together with a workmate, for a much less ambitious version (100 benches!!) at the uni where I work. Due to decreases in funding, there is a big drive is to bring in income, or at least be self-supporting. We intend to open the sculpture workshop to public users, for a cost, on a similar basis as you are proposing. Manning/supervision for WH&S is the major obstacle I think.

Good luck,

ANDREW!!!!!!!!


Ray

Originally Posted by dlim2986

I was thinking about setting a workshop up.

The idea.

Rent a factory bay about 1000m2. Gear it up with the following machines.

2 x Rip saws (Probably American style cabinet saws)
1 x Sliding panel saw (Probably a full panel Felder)
2 x Dedicated compound miter saws (Dewalt/makita 355mm x 2) + full bench which has accurate stops up to 3m long
2 x jointer (1 x 300mm + 1 x 400mm)
2 x thicknesser (up to 500mm)
2 x drill press
2 x drum sanders up to 1000mm wide
2 x Band-saw (one with 1/4 inch blade and another with 1 - 2 inch blade)
2 - 3 x Vicmar lathes
other bits a pieces that is fixed to the floor

and 100 benches with vices and storage underneath.

The idea is that it is open 7 days a week, 8am to 8pm with lunch or kitchen area.

You pay $80 - $100/week and you hire a bench which is lockable for your own personal stuff (3 - 6 months hire at a time). Come and go as you please. You supply your own hand tools and personal power tools thats not bolted to the floor. Maybe even little rooms of 20 - 40m2 for professionals, like graduates of Sturt who are just starting out and don't have full workshop facilities.

I am responsible for keeping the blades sharp - no recycled timber, unless you supply your own blades.

Great social place to gather and meet new people. One of the biggest problem in Sydney is space. Woodworkers need a lot of space, machinery these days are relatively cheap, and high end machinery (Felder) is even cheaper, but not everyone can afford the space of 50 - 80m2 to house a workshop in Sydney.

OHS has been raised as an issue, but I am sure that it could be overcome with the proper paperwork.

Locations I was thinking about was Alexander, Marrickville (close to Annagote), Auburn, Wethrille Park.

What does every one think?

I think it's a great idea and I'd definately be in. Having recently moved here from canada and living in an apartment I have neither the space or capital to start my own shop would love to have access to one on a part time basis. If this gets off the ground or if anyone knows of another venture or wood working club that I could get some shop time in central Sydney, please let me know.

Thanks

Originally Posted by phuture

Hello,
Does anyone know of any workshops I can 'rent space' in around Sydney? They're hard to find...

Cheers

Hi there, did you receive any responses?

My husband and I are currently located in central Sydney and finding it near impossible to find a suitable & affordable space close by. Much to our disappointment we are in the process of searching for a place to move to further out of Sydney as there is more of a chance finding space/workshop that way.

I am still hopeful and getting desperate. If anyone out there has space anywhere in/near central Sydney and willing to share (rent negotiable) please let me know as soon as possible.

Did anyone else in this thread have luck??

Originally Posted by dlim2986

I was thinking about setting a workshop up.

The idea.

Rent a factory bay about 1000m2. Gear it up with the following machines.

2 x Rip saws (Probably American style cabinet saws)
1 x Sliding panel saw (Probably a full panel Felder)
2 x Dedicated compound miter saws (Dewalt/makita 355mm x 2) + full bench which has accurate stops up to 3m long
2 x jointer (1 x 300mm + 1 x 400mm)
2 x thicknesser (up to 500mm)
2 x drill press
2 x drum sanders up to 1000mm wide
2 x Band-saw (one with 1/4 inch blade and another with 1 - 2 inch blade)
2 - 3 x Vicmar lathes
other bits a pieces that is fixed to the floor

and 100 benches with vices and storage underneath.

The idea is that it is open 7 days a week, 8am to 8pm with lunch or kitchen area.

You pay $80 - $100/week and you hire a bench which is lockable for your own personal stuff (3 - 6 months hire at a time). Come and go as you please. You supply your own hand tools and personal power tools thats not bolted to the floor. Maybe even little rooms of 20 - 40m2 for professionals, like graduates of Sturt who are just starting out and don't have full workshop facilities.

I am responsible for keeping the blades sharp - no recycled timber, unless you supply your own blades.

Great social place to gather and meet new people. One of the biggest problem in Sydney is space. Woodworkers need a lot of space, machinery these days are relatively cheap, and high end machinery (Felder) is even cheaper, but not everyone can afford the space of 50 - 80m2 to house a workshop in Sydney.

OHS has been raised as an issue, but I am sure that it could be overcome with the proper paperwork.

Locations I was thinking about was Alexander, Marrickville (close to Annagote), Auburn, Wethrille Park.

What does every one think?

Hi there, how did you go with your venture?? I am very interested in access to the workshop particularly if located in the inner west area.

Keen to hear from you.

Re the share workshop idea.A lot harder than it at first appears.
I was in a shared industrial site in the early 80s,there were 8 all up in a large space.
We had pretty well all the gear and a range of skills.
I left after a few accidents and a few near misses.
We were all tenants in common on the lease.
Some were in a commercial way employing staff, some of whome were injured after I left.I also taught at the u do it thing at Roselle back in '02 were the guy who started got screwed by his accountant mate who moved it to Sydenham and went broke.
If you are going to do this give the legal and money side a lot of thought.
Insurance plus workers comp insurance needs looking at.

For a pure hobby set up a men's shed type set up may well be the go.
One equipped with real gear not toys for making toys.
Watch this forum one may be happening in the inner west as we speak!

I personally have a 250 mtr shed in the inner west, used to have a couple of mates share it but now am moving from pure woodwork to more car/metal work interest.
Keeping about 30m for a few 12' Wadkin machines to do wooden frames and patterns.
H

We currently have a space in our workshop of lease.

Contact me for info, if your keen.
If your good enough it even comes with commission work! (sub-contracted)

we are in Gosford, 30 minutes from Hornsby. 60mins train to central.

Regards,

Steve Thomas