Best Reason for Hand Tools So Far

[Mark ten Haaf]

So, it gets cold in Michigan.
Because of this, I moved all my glues, batteries, etc. into the house for the winter, but am still working on projects out in the unheated garage. But last week, I decided to do a little work using my kitchen table as a makeshift workbench. We have a large dining table in the dining room, and a small four-place table in the kitchen. The small table is old and beat up, so I don't feel bad clamping pieces to it and dinging it up.
I've discovered how enjoyable it is to be able to participate in the hobby that I love while spending precious time with my family. I definitely wouldn't be able to do this while blasting sawdust into the air with powertools - instead, I'm quietly making shavings in the kitchen while my wife and kids are close at hand. I remarked to my wife that it would be sweet to have a miniature workbench that was good looking enough to pass for a table, but still had removable vises, and dog-holes and everything.
So, as soon as I finish my bench in the garage (I just have to finish the steel fabrication of the vises), I will be starting on a good looking smaller bench/table for the kitchen, with my wife's full blessing!

Here is a shot of the shavings on my kitchen floor!

[Michael Ray Smith]

Uhh. . . . could your wife please call mine and talk to her?

[Shawn Russell]

+1 to that.

[Chris Griggs]

My bench is pretty much in the kitchen. Well actually it's about 4ft from what I would call the invisible outer border of the kitchen. It great to woodwork with the fridge, the stove, the cats (and now a dog), and the LOML right there (in that order ;)). Welcome to the club!

[Bruce Haugen]

In the winter, our kitchen gets a lot of use as a workshop (the island is wonderful with a bench hook). However, I think my wife needs to take lessons from yours, because even if the project is something she's requested, I get blamed for the mess. There's a disconnect there.

[Bill Houghton]

Much nicer than motorcycle repair in the kitchen, something that occurred in my youth, but sure wouldn't now, even if I were still riding. To be fair, I wouldn't do it if left to my own devices; not all on my sweetie.

[Mark Baldwin III]

Much nicer than motorcycle repair in the kitchen, something that occurred in my youth, but sure wouldn't now, even if I were still riding. To be fair, I wouldn't do it if left to my own devices; not all on my sweetie.
Had to laugh a little...my chopper's connecting rods are on my kitchen table right now.

[Mike Davis NC]

I did a little work in the kitchen when it was too cold for glue to set in the shop.

Having a 2 inch thick butcher block counter seems to help a bit.

[Bob Glenn]

There is a half finished toy chest on our dining room table right now that needs to be done by Friday. Same here, have to the glue ups in the house. This happens every winter. Just part of the fun. :D

[Mike Holbrook]

Be careful what you start guys! If I did that for one day in a row, my wife & daughter would have dogs & cats sleeping on the kitchen table the next night!

[Bill Houghton]

Had to laugh a little...my chopper's connecting rods are on my kitchen table right now.

No, no, I'm talking the whole motorcycle here. Con rods on the kitchen table is trivial. In my youth, I lived for a couple of years in a BMW-rider's house (except for poor Arlen, who ran a Chrysler station wagon and thought we were all crazy). In the Michigan winters, we found it much easier to wiggle the bikes into the kitchen through the back door (the door was narrow enough that you had to advance the handlebars by turning them; I don't recall how we got the cylinders through) for oil changes, tune-ups, and other work. Major work - if you had to take off big parts, and the bike wouldn't be out of there by dinner time - in the winter involved going through the kitchen and down the basement stairs on the far side of the kitchen; that was best done by two people, with the owner being the one below the motorcycle, although I did do down the stairs solo at least once.

Of course, Mark, that may be/have been your experience, too.

[Jerry Thompson]

I tried to dry a coyote pelt in the dryer ONCE!

[bob blakeborough]

My wife has officially given me permission to convert the spare bedroom into a winter work shop once Christmas is over and company has vacated. She feels bad for me as where we are, winter is really a good 6 months long (minimum) and I just can't spend a lot of time in the shop like this. I LOVE my lady! She's a trooper for sure...

[Mark Baldwin III]

Bill, luckily my bud's and I have a shop where we do most of our work. I have parts strewn around the house, and did have the bike in the basement at one time. I am NEVER carrying a built up engine up the stairs again!! :O

[Mark ten Haaf]

No, no, I'm talking the whole motorcycle here. Con rods on the kitchen table is trivial. In my youth, I lived for a couple of years in a BMW-rider's house (except for poor Arlen, who ran a Chrysler station wagon and thought we were all crazy). In the Michigan winters, we found it much easier to wiggle the bikes into the kitchen through the back door (the door was narrow enough that you had to advance the handlebars by turning them; I don't recall how we got the cylinders through) for oil changes, tune-ups, and other work. Major work - if you had to take off big parts, and the bike wouldn't be out of there by dinner time - in the winter involved going through the kitchen and down the basement stairs on the far side of the kitchen; that was best done by two people, with the owner being the one below the motorcycle, although I did do down the stairs solo at least once.

Of course, Mark, that may be/have been your experience, too.

That is really funny, Bill. I had an incident with the stairs not too long ago. My first glue-up since the cold set in was my bench top - 6' x 2' x 3.5". It would have made it down the stairs if not for the 5 foot long pipe clamps holding everything in place. I was trying to wrestle a 6 foot by 5 foot HEAVY square down the stairs and got all wedged in and stuck. Poor planning.... After using almost all of my energy trying to keep the piece from damaging the walls, it was panic time. I figured it was either the drywall or the bench top. The walls sustained some damage - I wedged it in a way that I could leave it until I could remove the clamps and get it out of there.
I wasn't going to tell anyone that story, but you started it!