A different workshop area

[Kyle Foster]

I am tossing the towel on working in the garage this winter. I do have a spare room on the second floor that is pretty much doing nothing right now. What is everyone's thoughts on turning that into a workshop?

I can see 1 flaw and that is it is above my bedroom, so if the wife wants to sleep, I gotta be quiet. No babies or children to worry about yet so that isnt an issue.

[ken hatch]

I am tossing the towel on working in the garage this winter. I do have a spare room on the second floor that is pretty much doing nothing right now. What is everyone's thoughts on turning that into a workshop?

I can see 1 flaw and that is it is above my bedroom, so if the wife wants to sleep, I gotta be quiet. No babies or children to worry about yet so that isnt an issue.

Kyle,

A hand tool shop shouldn't be a problem except have you run the idea by SWMBO?

ken

[Nicholas Lawrence]

No reason you can’t do small projects inside. I did half a dozen in our kitchen apartment.

My advice is to get your wife interested. Make something she can use (spice rack, bookshelf, whatever). Talk to her about how you are going to make it, and what she wants it to do.

I have spent many pleasant afternoons and evenings in the shop with my wife. She hands me stuff, or just sits on the saw bench and we talk while I do whatever I am doing.

[Kyle Foster]

Kyle,

A hand tool shop shouldn't be a problem except have you run the idea by SWMBO?

ken

What does SWMBO mean?

[Kyle Foster]

No reason you can’t do small projects inside. I did half a dozen in our kitchen apartment.

My advice is to get your wife interested. Make something she can use (spice rack, bookshelf, whatever). Talk to her about how you are going to make it, and what she wants it to do.

I have spent many pleasant afternoons and evenings in the shop with my wife. She hands me stuff, or just sits on the saw bench and we talk while I do whatever I am doing.

Excellent idea. That means that it will be easier to get nicer tools.

[Dan Hulbert]

SWMBO = She Who Must Be Obeyed

[lowell holmes]

Maybe some insulation in the garage and an electric space heater would be cheaper and quieter.
Just a thought.

[Kyle Foster]

SWMBO = She Who Must Be Obeyed

Drat. That could be an issue if I cannot get her on board with helping me in the shop.

[Kyle Foster]

Maybe some insulation in the garage and an electric space heater would be cheaper and quieter.
Just a thought.

If it wasn't a rental, that would be a definite but the landlord has it rigged so that's not possible without a lot of work. The upstairs in this house has old pine planks for its flooring so if I drop a chisel on it, it isnt going to hurt it either.

[David Silverson]

It’s from the British book series Rumpole Of The Old Bailey. PBS also ran it as a tv series. Worth a look, Rumpole an older lawyer not from the upper class is wise,witty and irreverent.

[Stew Denton]

Kyle,

There are folks on the Neaner Forum that are in a similar situation who work inside the house, so hopefully one or more of them will chime in.

To me the biggest issue will be issues with keeping things clean and keeping sanding dust out of the air, etc. I would figure out a way to always clean up, have a good rug right inside the door to that room and one in the hall just outside the room, sweep and then shop vac the floor often during the work periods, etc. You should want to have the floor in your spare room/shop just as clean and sawdust free as the rest of the house.

Because of those issues I would not sand in that room or use any power tools that will make fine dust. Plan your work so you can do those things in the garage or outside on the days during the winter when it is not as cold outside. It may also mean that you may have to put off doing some of the dusty stuff a few days until it one of those rare days when it is not so terribly cold in the garage or outside. However, when those few warmer Saturdays hit you should have all of those tasks lined up and ready to go so you can make hay while the sun shines and do every bit of those dust making/noisy tasks that you can, not doing anything inside until you have done EVERYTHING that must not be done inside.

For what its worth, many of us on this site are oldish coots who have been married many years to the same woman, my case over 40, so make sure your wife knows you love her and want to do things in a way that she is OK with. That may mean making compromises in the way you like to do things in the shop so they are OK with her. For the women, the house is normally a much higher priority than it is to the men, that is just the way it is, so be understanding about that.

Just my 2 cents.

Stew

[Nathan Johnson]

My shop is in the basement, which is unfinished, but contains a large piece of carpet and pad over the slab. It’s also my exercise room and we have storage there.
The only power tool I use in the room is a drill, and I only do minimal hand sanding down there and then vacuum immediately. My work does not invade on the rest of the house.

I love having my shop in the house. Absolutely love it.

I told my fiancé I was putting the shop down there. She has a space upstairs for her hobby, so it was a non-issue.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

This is an old video of my former workshop/dining room/kitchen. The best part is when I mention the bandsaw and Amy says, “all the ladies are jealous.”
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uKdJkejiYP0

Here is the key to making this work: the first project, and every other project after it, need to be something for her. She will then embrace your home workshop, no matter how invasive it becomes.

By the way, my new shop is in a room adjacent to the master bedroom.

[Dave Anderson NH]

One other issue is that hand chopping mortises tends to propagate low frequency vibration and noise through the frame of the house. Not good when SWBMO to sleep.

[Kyle Foster]

So I got the all clear from her with 2 conditions. If it gets to be too loud, she is kicking me out. If I start tracking saw dust and shavings through the house, she is kicking me out. I'm not too worried about the saw dust and shavings. Just gotta be a little meticulous about that. The noise might be an issue I think. I am not going to use power tool anything so it is hammering and hand sawing that she wont like.

[David Bassett]

What does SWMBO mean?

Kids! :)

See:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078680/quotes/qt0504803

[Brandon Speaks]

I had a garage shop, the went to power tools in the garage and hand tools in the basement. Decided the back and forth was a pain and ended up moving it all upstairs (with a few exceptions till in the basement that are not used often). That said my garage has a furnace and I keep it at 50ish degrees in the winter. I do carving in my office sometimes though so still get my share of shavings, or rather chips around. Hand tool shop in the house should not be a big deal if you keep it clean I think, as other said sanding could be but you can always keep some operations in the garage.

[David Bassett]

What does SWMBO mean?


Kids! :)

See:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078680/quotes/qt0504803


While I'm teasing about cultural references from before your time, another quote that will help with SWMBO, (especially if they understand the reference) is:

As you wish. (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093779/?ref_=nv_sr_1)

[John Patric]

So I got the all clear from her with 2 conditions. If it gets to be too loud, she is kicking me out. If I start tracking saw dust and shavings through the house, she is kicking me out.

Then your first project should be a portable tool chest so you can take all your tools with you.

[ken hatch]

While I'm teasing about cultural references from before your time, another quote that will help with SWMBO, (especially if they understand the reference) is:

As you wish. (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093779/?ref_=nv_sr_1)

And the all purpose "Yes Dear" to go with it. It took a lot of money and years to learn those five simple words.

ken

[Kyle Foster]

Then your first project should be a portable tool chest so you can take all your tools with you.

I hear ya there! But Before that even is some sort of bench to get me off the floor. Working in an ice cold garage is miserable and unproductive so I didn't get much done out there.


And the all purpose "Yes Dear" to go with it. It took a lot of money and years to learn those five simple words.

ken

"Yes dear" is well known in my vocabulary. "As you wish" is a new one for me. I think I will give it a shot.

[Nathan Johnson]

It's -21 here currently. Projected -28 overnight. Actual temp. Windchill in the 50s below. Cold enough that they've cancelled the mail tomorrow. I've never seen that.

I sure like my basement shop tonight. Shop Cat and I are putzing with a cutting board.
My fiance is upstairs doing whatever she does. I don't care. :)

[Kyle Foster]

Then your first project should be a portable tool chest so you can take all your tools with you.


It's -21 here currently. Projected -28 overnight. Actual temp. Windchill in the 50s below. Cold enough that they've cancelled the mail tomorrow. I've never seen that.

I sure like my basement shop tonight. Shop Cat and I are putzing with a cutting board.
My fiance is upstairs doing whatever she does. I don't care. :)

Not that cold up here yet, but it is coming. I can feel it in my bones. That is another good reason to move the shop inside.

[Thomas Wilson]

Be sure to learn how to vacuum. If you vacuum the whole house and not just the runway into the shop, all is forgiven.

[Phil Mueller]

I too have my shop in the basement. Mostly hand tools and the occasional router, sander, and even contractor saw. I warn my wife when it’s going to get a little noisy for a few minutes. I invested in a quality vacuum and ROS (yes, the green ones). It was worth every penny to be able to sand in the shop with virtually no dust. I also bought an air purifier and keep it next to whatever I might be hand sanding. To keep dust and wood shavings from getting all over the house, I have my “shop shoes”. They stay by the shop door. They slip on when I enter, and slip off when I exit. Totally eliminated the spouse complaints.
The nice thing is, my lovely wife even likes to come down and watch and visit from time to time. Even got her to cut some miters on the miter box.