When do you do most of your work?

[Kev Godwin]

I'm curious to know what times or seasons of the year other woodworkers make most of their sawdust.

For me, it is the colder months in the upper midwest. My shop is in my garage but I have adequate heat since the garage is under the main part of the house.

The warmer months for me tend to get used for outdoor activities such as family picnics, gardening, fishing, yard work, etc.

When do you make most of your sawdust?
Kev

[Mike Henderson]

Pretty much all year long. It's mild here all year so being in the shop is not a problem. I suffer a bit in the summer - July, August and September - but I try to work in the mornings when it's cooler.

Mike

[Jim Koepke]

When ever I can.

In the winter it is cold, but keeping busy keeps me warm.

So many other things to eat my time... like sitting at the computer.

jim

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Late fall to early spring for me. My job dictates that schedule, but I also find it easy to be creative when it is nicer in the shop then it is outside. Woodworking while it is snowing is absoulutly tops on my list.

[Ben Galluzzo]

Woodworking while it is snowing is absoulutly tops on my list.

I have to say there's something special about that.

Well, now, time and energy permitting, I try to do my work any time I can. For a lot of years, however, I was more dependant upon the weather. Then I moved up to having a nicer garage which allowed me to work during the more mild days of the year. However, summer and mid winter were tough. We got new insulated garage doors and sealed up the shop and it's really helped to the point that I can work most of the time.

The only thing that holds me up now is that I refuse to do most work when I'm tired.

[Cary Falk]

For the most part the weather year around here is pretty mild. I work in an unheated garage so I do most of my work between March and November. Some years winters are aren't a total loss.

[glenn bradley]

Early part of the day no matter what season. Sometimes all day long ;-)

[Dan Forman]

It's very hot here in summer, and my house is not air conditioned, so my basement shop becomes very seductive in the summer, as it is cool and comfortable. I do a lot of work after dark, as I am more owl than lark.

Dan

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I have a regular job, so I usually woodwork on the weekends. Sometimes after work. All year. What is winter? Never heard of it.... :)

[Mike Cruz]

Whenever I am not skiing, playing golf, fishing, or DO SOMETHING ON MY HONEY-DO-LIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :mad: The latter gets in the way the most.

[Bob Genovesi]

Late fall to early spring for me. My job dictates that schedule, but I also find it easy to be creative when it is nicer in the shop then it is outside. Woodworking while it is snowing is absolutely tops on my list.

I agree with you!

When it's snowing out and the stove is on in the shop it's very nice. The air is warm and dry in there and looking out seeing the snow falling adds peace to the mix....

[Billy Chambless]

My shop is inside the house, so it's all year long. Sawmilling, otoh, has to wait for cool weather. ;)

[Cody Colston]

All year long. I have an 18000 btu window unit in the shop which heats it in our mild winters and keeps it bearable in our blistering summers...like the current one.

I work a 14 on / 14 off schedule so I generally get in several days of woodworking each month when I'm home...even if it's mixed in with the domestic chores and activities. :)

[Bill Huber]

It really gets hot here in the Fort Worth, Texas area in the summer so I have to do most of my summer work in the late evening.

The fall and spring is when I get to spend the most time in the shop. When it is really cold or really hot, that is the time I do my design work.

[Peter Quinn]

Mon-Fri, 7:30Am-4:30PM for the MAN, and whenever I can for myself. I turned a hobby into a career, and I turned my basement into a cabinet shop. The basement is quite temperate year round, but with a two year old and a two month old sleeping upstairs, my window of opportunity is limited presently in the home shop. I find myself spending more time with hand tools these days, and doing finishing in the evenings after bed time for the kids.

[Byron Trantham]

My shop is in the basement so I can work year around.

[Fred Voorhees]

I used to tend to do more of my work in the colder winter months when there wasn't as much outside to do to occupy myself. These days, I go to work on a project whenever it presents itself, although I think I would rather still do more work in the winter months. It is much easier to regulate the temps in the shop when it's cold outside.

[Gene Howe]

Summer....early mornings till noonish.
Winter, spring, fall, all day. Just not every day.

[John Thompson]

Since I retired in Oct. of 2007.. Mon-Fri. noon till 6 PM.. then 9PM-until 11 PM or mid-night when a project is rolling which is about always. Finished one last week.. wood acclimating and the blade turns this Monday.

[Leigh Betsch]

I have a regular job, so I usually woodwork on the weekends. Sometimes after work. All year. What is winter? Never heard of it.... :)


Winter? That would be called tourist season for you;). A good reason to stay in the shop.

[Jacob Mac]

My job and a young family eats a lot of my time and resources. But I usually try and get 30 minutes a night and a few hours on the weekend.

Hopefully I can take a week course next year from Rob Cosman and really start learning some skills. Bloacking off a week like that might be the only way for me to get some time to really start learning.

[Don Selke]

I shut down the shop in early June depending on the temperature here in Arizona. Temperature today at 4PM will be 113 to 115 and the lows will be 98 to 102 depending where you live in the Phoenix area. Shop opens up again in October. During October thru June, I am in the shop from 7AM to 7PM depending on what I am working on. Being retired, every day is Friday for me. During the winter months, the garage doors are wide open. My snow shoveling days are gone forever, had enough of it in Illinois. In my 30 years as a firefighter, had to work in temperatures of -15 with wind chills of -30 on some days. After living in Arizona for the past 15 years, I don't know how I ever did that.
My Mom is 91 years young, still lives in her home in Illinois, gardens, shops and cleans her home. She said that I am a panzy.

[Jerome Hanby]

Mine seems to be mostly the week before Christmas:D

[harry strasil]

basement shop, when I don't hurt so bad and during the night when flashback dreams keep me up and afraid to go back to sleep. When the temps are reasonable I go down to my closed blacksmith shop and do a little iron work I need to do for some of my woodworking tools I make for myself and in the case of the holdfasts for others sometimes.

And Don, I can remember -29 in my firefighting days with a 35 mph wind funneling down main street in another town on a mutual aid call.

[Bud Millis]

I try to get out to the shop for at least an hour or two a day. On the days I don't get to the shop, I'm reading wood working or listening to a podcast.

[Larry Heflin]

Another firefighter here, 28 years so far. I'm in my garage shop almost any time of day or well into the night if I have a project going. I function better in the heat than in the cold. That's a good thing for me here in Austin.

Larry

[Robert Chapman]

I do most of my work when the snow flies and here in upper Michigan that is usually from November until May. When the weather warms up I get interested in outside activities.

[Rod Sheridan]

My shop is in the basement so outside temperatures aren't a factor except that when the weather is nice, motorcycling takes my time.

So I guess most of my shop time occurs in the winter.

Regards, Rod.

[Charles Wilson]

When my wife wants me to make something.

[Larry Fox]

Mostly evenings and weekends here.