The Well Equipped Gunshop.

[DB]

What equipment do YOU consider nessessary and usefull to YOUR gunshop?

[Michael]

oxy/acetylene set. knife belt sander and bandsaw. I have a drill press but I only use it when macking locks.

[Keb]

Bifocals, good lights, sharp scrapers, chisels & files & a couple good vises. I also like a radio turned on.

[Bob Roller]

For me,a fairly well equipped shop is a wide variety of hand tools,files,rasps,saws
and a full compliment of precision measuring tools,inside and outside micrometers
and dial and vernier calipers (no they are NOT the same thing). Machinery for me
at present is 4 lathes,one of which is modified and dedicated to making screws and
turning the back side of lock tumblers,one vertical milling machine,one heavy drill
press with rotary table,one each horizontal and vertical metal cutting bandsaws,two
bench grinders,assorted polishers and other odds and ends like a Hardinge spin fixture
for 5C collets, an assortment of small,seldom used tools and three bench vises. This
stuff is an accumulation of 50 years and doesn't come over night.
The radio is nice if combined with a CD/tape player and I use mine a lot.

Bob Roller

[keweenaw]

One shouldn't forget that absolute necessity, a very good, heavy, sturdy work bench.  I have a versa vice on one end and a machinists vise on the other.  A good drill press is a necessity if you're going to make locks and a bigger rather than smaller drill press vice is also a necessity.  I also use my lathe and vertical mill on a regular basis and would be limited in the types of things I do without them, but then I'm a from scratch gunsmith for many projects rather than an assembler.  A large drawer full of good files and rasps  and another larger one stuffed full of chisels and gouges.  Some good gunsmith's screw drivers with nary a hardware store one to be found.  I also use a heat treating furnace on a regular enough basis to justify having it.  A bench or stand grinder is good to have.  I've found I can get along just fine with propane and mapp gas torches and the use of oxy/acet wouldn't justify the tank rental costs.  I use an adjustable pipe stand to support the end of longrifles along with a vise. Great light and of course the optivisors for old eyes. 

Tom

[pathfinder]

Band saw,2 bench grinders,1 polisher,Worksharp 2000,Drill press,and something for background noise. I like T.V series's,Son's of Anarchy,Deadwood,Rome,ect......

That Worksharp really improved my carving skill's!,along with all you guy's!

And window's,lot's and lot's of window's! my new shop will have a least 1-2 wal's of window's.

[WadePatton]

climate control
light
work surfaces with vises/holding fixtures
tools/tool storage
tunes

and

funding.

self-funded is a great concept, but is a quite the leap from un-funded, and can lead to paperwork hassles.  i've been chasing this notion for too long.