In addition to the usual suspects of table saw, bandsaw, chopsaw, planer, jointer, and shaper table, there are a few more go-to spots in David Welter’s shop: a sharpening corner, air compressor, and horizontal mortiser.

Sharpening station

On an old machine base, Welter constructed a sturdy, versatile sharpening corner complete with a grinder with a shopmade tool rest, anvil, and vise. On the wall above he stores extras of tools he frequently needs there: hammers, brushes, punches, a dedicated wrench for changing vise position, etc.

Horizontal boring machine

The school shop had two Davis & Wells horizontal boring machines, sans an x-y-z table. Welter acquired one and uses it frequently for mortising and horizontal drilling. He marks out the mortise, sets the location of the mortise to the bit, manually moves the workpiece back and forth by eye, taking deeper cuts with each pass.

Air compressor on the move

Rather than hoisting a heavy compressor around the shop, Welter put it on wheels and rolls it where needed.

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