Woodworkers/access to woodworking tools help

I have a couple of small jobs I need help with:

1:
I've got this drum machine with some wooden side panels similar the one's pictured below (though the wood panels remain parallel with the surface of the drum machine on mine):

The problem is that I can't use the dust/protective cover in conjunction with the panels as the plastic overhangs the drum machine:

To make everything work I need 6.5mm trimmed off the top of the wooden panel (i.e. the surface parallel to the top of the drum machine).

2:
I need to replace the broken base of an office chest of drawers with an mdf base, which I have but it needs a channel cut into it with a router (for the thin rear panel to slot in). The diagram below isn't to scale but hopefully makes clears what is needed:

I'm London based, so hopefully help is relatively local. It's not complex stuff at all but I don't have the equipment. I imagine it would take sub 30mins?

Lemme know if you or someone you know can help out with this and costings.

Cheers

Anyone?

I know a guy in Stoke newington, will pm details later.

Spacemakers?

I'm no woodworker, but I have a router with a couple of bits, we can have a go at it.
Depending on details of the side panels, I'd be tempted to suggest that you should try to replicate them with the correct constraints to fit your cover, and keep the original panels as they are.
We can arrange something on a saturday, you can get wood supply at Witthen timber in Peckham and make them up at mine after. Unless I miss something crucial, I can't see it being too difficult...
Whitten are not the cheaper suppliers, but as Charco mentioned once, they support HH velodrome...

Great responses so far.

@edmundro: replied

@veLLo: that sounds like a go'er...

/\ /\ /\ /\ /

PM or call me if you want to talk about this, I may not remember to check that thread...

Will do.

Got them made up. I'll spare you the excitment of the chest of drawers.

Cheers L

x

2 Attachments

Seems to have worked out nicely.
Is that the bits you had on sat which you cut out the curvy bit out and finished? Well done!
So the chest didn't work? How come!?
Sorry if my skills and tools were not up to the task...

Yeah I decided if I bought the jigsaw may as well put it to proper use and cut the curves in the end. Came out alright. Just glad I can use the protective case. The case above is ok...not perfect but I've not done any woodwork outside if CDT aged 14.
The issue with the router was the channel was so wide and the quality of the mdf so poor the thin part (between the end and the channel) started to separate.

Those curved panels look surprisingly similar to the ones I make and sell!

Would anyone here happen to know of anywhere East London/Essex that hires out bench space? I know of the Blackhorse Workshop but I'm looking for somewhere open evenings/all weekend. Ta!

London Hackspace? They don't hire, you become a member, then you have free use. Tools as well.

Have you been there before, clefty? Do they have benches with woodworking vices, etc?

Bump. I'm in a similar boat at the moment. There seems to be a south London makerspace, but the carpentry shop doesn't look like it has space to lock your own tools, and I don't fancy using theirs. Anyone found a good solution to this?

I'd look into carrying my tools back and forth, but then it seems wasteful to pay a membership just to use a bench. Plus the tools weigh a lot, wouldn't love being jostled about, and it's a bit iffy carrying a box full of sharp instruments through London, legally.

I looked into Building Bloqs in Enfield a while back, who I think rented space for storage out and who are probably too far away from you if you're looking in South London.

Otherwise, is there a Big Yellow Storage or similar around? The cost does start to increase a bit if you go down that route

Reading too far I assume. Hackspace there has a good range of tools.

I remember hearing about the men's shed movement primarily geared towards older people they help people get out the house and socialise to combat isolation.
They have a full range of tools and might be useful.
Camden was one of the first in the UK.. there may be others around London too.

http://www.camdentownshed.org

There's a couple within a few miles from me, but they seem to be for men aged over 50 - they seem to be backed by Age UK. It's a nice idea, but a shame that they exclude younger people.