Woodsmith Store Shop Tour. Let the Drool begin.

[Dev Emch]

Hello woodworkers....

During one of my travels, I had to drop into the woodsmith store in DeMoines, Iowa. This is one of the religious mecas for woodworking fanatics. The store is huge and stocked. They even have a coffee bar with cakes and gardening stuff to keep the SWMBO busy and away from you as you do mortal combat with the VISA card.

They are like saks 5th avenue and what not in that they actually have a variety of demo shops setup within the store. Real shops with real tools. I guess you can see what the tool would look like in your shop. They have the garage shop. They have a basement shop complete with cement block walls and floor rafters for the ceiling. And they have the Professional Shop which is the killer. I was so blown away by this that I had to take some pictures because I doubt that anyone would believe me. The tools in this shop were all general or general international. Its quite a setup and has lots of ideas for those building stand alone shops. So here we go as its time to burn some of Al Gore's internet to see this one!

[mike malone]

awesome!!!

[Frank Pellow]

Looks good!

Do they ever do "real" work in the shops that they have set up. Better still, do they let customers really "kick the tires"?

[Dan Stuewe]

Ever since Woodsmith magazine got me hooked on woodworking (or, more acuratly, reading about woodworking) I have wanted to go to their store. I have family in Des Moines and I really need to visit them! Thanks for the pictures.

[Dale Rodabaugh]

Man thats a cool lookin hangout.:D :eek: :D If I ever get to Des Moine I will have to stop there.My favorite place in this neck of the woods is Hartville Tool in Hartville,OH.Course it it just a large well stocked shop.:) :) :)

[Bob Winkler]

Looks almost as good as Lou Sansone's workshop:D.

Bob

[Steve Roxberg]

I'm originally from Des Moines and my parent's still live there. It is truly a awesome store and tone that you should make it to if you can.

They also have a full display of Festool, including supplies on hand. :D

[Corey Hallagan]

Wow, I live in Iowa and have made many trips to Des Moines for High School sports with my son but have never stopped at the store. That looks like a great place for sure, definitely put it on my list the next time we are in town. They also sponser the local Public TV broadcasting of The New Yankee Workshop. Actually, I didn't realize either that they had anything to do with the Magazine. Thanks for the post!

Corey

[Jeff Sudmeier]

I am through Des Moines about once a year. This is a must see now!

[Michael Gabbay]

Its remarkably similar to my basement shop! Except for the 12" jointer, 12" table saw, large planer, wood beams (mine are wood joists), nice T&G plank walls, nice work benches. But other than that is identical! :D

I'll have to try to get to Des Moines. This looks like a great place to hang out.

Mike

[Arnie Grammon]

Dev

I see a little puddle in the corner of one of the pictures.....Is that drool or did you leak in your pants?

;)

Good stuff.......that General green looks pretty good in a shop!

Arnie

[Bart Leetch]

Nice display.......... but it doesn't look like a real shop.

[Jerry Olexa]

That would be nirvana to visit. Thanks.

[Dave Bonde]

In case some of you need a little incentive to visit they are giving away copies of all the old ShopNotes. You can take as many different issues as they have I think I came home with about 50 or so. Dave

[lou sansone]

Looks almost as good as Lou Sansone's workshop:D.

Bob

thanks for the complement bob... My manchines are not all green though.

thanks dev for those photos. The big general TS looks pretty nice.

lou

[Jim Dannels]

Looks good!

Do they ever do "real" work in the shops that they have set up. Better still, do they let customers really "kick the tires"?

In Truth this store is a curse!! The office I work in is just 25 blocks down the street from this store. At least one night a week I can`t get out of town without stopping there.
And Frank, yes they do use the equipment, nearly every Thursday night they have a seminar starting at either 6:30 or 7:00 pm.
It is truly awesome! And for any of you driving through Des Moines it is only about a mile off I80/35 on Hickman Road.

[Jim Becker]

I had heard they did this when they relocated and up-sized a few years ago, but these are the first pictures I've seen. I never got to visit unfortunately, as I spent my free time in Des Moines with my WOOD Magazine friends during several trips to the area in the last couple of years. Those shops look awesome! There is something to be said about having such nice wood on the walls, too...it just plain feels comfortable. Thanks for sharing the pics, Dev!

[Dev Emch]

Jim.....
I just love it! :):):):):) Several of you have made comments about having such nice wood on the walls. And the floor in the whole store is oak!

But here is the truth... The floor appears to be recycled flooring and the lumber in this shop is straight board, rough cut pine pallet lumber. It just goes to show you that some of the nicest shops are from recycled materials.

We have ponderosa pines that are 4 feet in diameter and who knows how tall. Often these are cut up into firewood when they get killed by lighting or beetles. Each time I see one I think... Ohhhh Boooy, look at all the lumber on the hoof! Think about the shop that you can build with that. Woodsmith has corrupted me for life. Each time I see a huge ponderosa tree, I see the woodsmith shop. Better keep me away from your ornamental pines... at least lock up the chain saw!

[Jim Becker]

Better keep me away from your ornamental pines... at least lock up the chain saw!

My property is safe from you...no pine anywhere on the 4 acres and there is only one small hemlock and one tiny holly on the whole property when it comes to "evergreens". But you are welcome to my neighbor's very tall white pines...just steal them before they fall on my house... ;)

Seriously, seeing shops like that and other examples, like Lou's place, really makes me drool, too. The tools are great, but the environment is inspiring.

[Richard Danckaert]

Looks like a great setup.Love the painting above the jointer in the first pic.Thanks for sharing.

Rich

[Bob Noles]

I used to love my little shop untill you showed up with these pictures, now I may have to have a fire sale :(


That is one cool layout for sure :cool:

[Dennis McDonaugh]

That is awesome. I wonder if LOML would let me move some furniture out of the house. :D

[Rob Blaustein]

Dev,
Hey, next time call before coming over and sneaking into my shop--I've really got to start locking my door...