My New Shop...

[David DeCristoforo]

For the last several years, I have been splitting my time between the shop and another business my wife and I run. This has meant running back and forth between my shop and home which is about a forty mile round trip. I don't have a garage at my house (a 1936 vintage "bungalow"), only a dilapidated shed which is mostly stuffed with, well... stuff. So I decided to move my lathe over to the house and set up shop for the summer in this:

151893

I have some pallets and plywood for the floor which will be set on a gravel over compacted DG driveway. Arrives on Tuesday. Would have been tomorrow but it's Memorial Day so no deliveries on Monday. Once I get it set up, I'll be able to "pop out for a turn" without having to make a journey first. Very good when that sudden inspiration (or simply urge) strikes.

[David Hostetler]

A vinyl Quanset Hut? Interesting...

[Aaron Wingert]

David I hope it comes with a mean dog to guard all your turning tools!

You guys in CA are fortunate to enjoy a fairly mild climate. I'd die within 12 minutes in that thing in the Kansas summer heat!

[Steve Schlumpf]

That's pretty cool - and I mean cool with all the flow-thru ventilation! Looks like it will be great setup!

[David DeCristoforo]

"I'd die within 12 minutes in that thing in the Kansas summer heat"

Well, tripple digit summer temps are not unheard of here in the central valley of California either. But I'm thinking that with both ends open and a fan, I can survive, My shop is not exactly cool in the summer so I'm used to sweating a bit. As to the question of thievery, I'll be locking my tools up in the shed so the only things that will be in the tent will be the lathe and a workbench, both of which are a bit too heavy for anyone to be making off with!

[John Keeton]

David, that really should be fairly pleasant if you all have air movement. Can you set it up so the prevailing breeze is blowing thru it?

[Phil Thien]

the only things that will be in the tent will be the lathe and a workbench...

Do these things come with any technology that would prevent wives and children from filling them garden crap/bikes/etc?

That thing looks pretty spiffy. Can't wait to hear a report.

[David DeCristoforo]

"technology that would prevent wives and children from filling them garden crap/bikes/etc..."

Oh yes... they do. It's called fear.

And John, we have what we call the "Delta Breeze" here but you never know what direction it's going to come from! But I'm not really thinking of this as the "ultimate shop" or anything. Just a way that I can have some work close by. I get hit with the urge to "do something" and it gets frustrated because I have to go so far to get into the shop. I'll still have to go over there for a lot of stuff but at least I'll be able to work at the lathe right there at home.

[Bill Bulloch]

I'd use that nice, big two car garage for my shop. Park the car in that thingy .

[David DeCristoforo]

"I'd use that nice, big two car garage for my shop. Park the car in that thingy."

What "nice big two car garage"? Believe me, if I had a "nice big two car garage", I would not be setting my lathe up in a friggin' tent! Schecch!

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

David,
My son bought his first car at 16 and refused to allow it to sit out over night. Together we bought one of those little clearspan tents. We live in eastern PA where we get heat, cold, snow and wind (not usually at the same time). He is 36 this year, the shelter is still in use to store our lawn equipment. It still doesn't leak. Good Buy.
fmr

[David DeCristoforo]

"...the shelter is still in use..."

Well, I'll let you know in 20 years if mine is still in use. That is if I'm still in use 20 years from now!

[Rick Markham]

"I'd use that nice, big two car garage for my shop. Park the car in that thingy."

What "nice big two car garage"? Believe me, if I had a "nice big two car garage", I would not be setting my lathe up in a friggin' tent! Schecch!

Sorry but that made me laugh!

Good thing you don't live here in Florida, you wouldn't have to worry about thieves making off with your lathe, heavy or not, it would be reduced to a pile of rust thanks to our humidity!

Looks like a good option, kind of the "roughing it" type turning experience, becoming one with nature with powertools :D Be good to the wife though, it could inadvertently become your "home" away from "home" :p

[David DeCristoforo]

"Be good to the wife though..."

Needless to say... That's the nice thing about having this in the back yard... Close enough that I won't be too far from home when I'm "working"...

The delivery got rolled back to the 3rd so I won't have pics to post of my new workspace until the end of the week.

[Bernie Weishapl]

David as my late granddad would say, "ya gotta do what ya gotta do." Looks like a plan to me.

[Gary Chester]

Your shop is 20 miles from home... YIKES!!!

You're gonna be so much happier!

[Reed Gray]

David,
I was just down there in your area for the UC Davis Whole Earth Festival. The Sacramento Valley is way too hot for me, even with those 40 mph wind days. But, then again, over 70 is hot for me. I would suggest a white tarp for the top of your shop.

robo hippy

[David DeCristoforo]

"The Sacramento Valley is way too hot for me..."

When I first moved here from Nevada, I was stunned by the summer heat. The guys I was working with were laughing at me and telling me that it "...wasn't even hot yet..." and "...just wait till summer really gets going...". But. somehow, I've gotten "used to it" even though it's taken me twenty years! I never "planned" on staying here this long and still think about going back to Nevada. But for now, this is where I live and I just have to make the best of it. Fortunately, my "shop" is going to be sitting under some huge hackberry trees which provide lots of shade in the summer.

[Bart Leetch]

I hope it all works out OK.

[Matt Ranum]

I remember back when I use to drive truck and the first time I was going through your neck of the woods, got to be common after a while. Couldn't get over how hot it got there.

[Roland Martin]

That's a much better alternative than driving 40 miles to turn. Hope everything works out great.

It seems like living rooms are a new alternative also:D:D!

[Jack Gaskins]

David, what is the name of the "Hut" you have there. I have been looking for something like this for my backyard.

[David DeCristoforo]

"...what is the name..."

http://www.sheltersofamerica.com/productdetails.php?productid=687&id=1

"...this thread is worthless without pics..."

Coming soon...

[David DeCristoforo]

152691
Well, it's up and ready. Just finished screwing down the plywood flooring. Tools go in tomorrow. Then another pic. I gotta tell you, this thing was a "beeee-atch" to put up. Nothing went together easily. Mostly because of poor QC. Swaged pipe ends that were too big, wrong sized screws, etc. Plus there was a lot left to the end user to try and figure out because the "directions" were so unclear. If I could take the whole thing apart and put it together again, I'm sure it would be a lot easier. There was a ton of stuff that would have been so much simpler if there had been a few more sentences of explanation or even a picture or two. But, it's up and done and there it is.