The Heart of the shop

[Tom Bender]

For some the heart of the shop is the table saw, for others it is the lathe or the workbench, or maybe the computer or the dog or the easy chair.

For me it's the workbench, how about you?

[David Buchhauser]

For my shop it is the workbench. But not the kind that you would probably imagine.
David

[Ole Anderson]

The heart and vascular system of my shop is my dust collection system. It ties all of my major components together with life saving metal tentacles. After that, my table saw.

[Rod Sheridan]

The heart and vascular system of my shop is my dust collection system. It ties all of my major components together with life saving metal tentacles. After that, my table saw.

Great comment Ole, I would change the table saw to band saw for me, with dust collection as the heart............Rod.

[Jim Becker]

Ole makes a good point...the DC touches "everything". From a functional standpoint, I don't have "one" heart of the shop anymore. It depends upon the project. For some things, it's most certainly my slider and J/P as they are doing the majority of the work. But more and more, it's my CNC machine with the other tools playing a more supportive role. My bench(es) are certainly important for every project, but at varying points since I'm not primarily using hand tools for creation. They play a finesse role, however. The "heart" is ever evolving....

[David Utterback]

Workbench for me. That is where I spend the majority of my time. However, I do not focus on efficiency and take more time to complete a lot of tasks than others. It's the journey....

[Zachary Hoyt]

For me the bandsaw is where most projects start, and it gets used a lot along the way. My planer and jointer are not in the shop, so when I bring wood in it's already flattened, usually.

[Richard Coers]

I'm the heart of my shop, the rest are just tools.

[Erik Loza]

Home shop: Bandsaw. Dust collection a high priority.

Pro shop: Table saw. Dust collection a low or non-priority.

Erik

[Jamie Buxton]

My mind or my hands.

[andy bessette]

Definitely my principle workbenches.

https://i.postimg.cc/zBBdVBJf/shop-6.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[Jim Tobias]

The heart gets what the heart wants...…..so I have to agree with Jamie that my mind/hands lead the way to pieces of equipment that I use on any given day.

Jim

[Kevin Jenness]

Pro shop: Table saw. Dust collection a low or non-priority.


Wow. Not my experience- just lucky? I wouldn't call the dust collection system the heart of the shop, but it is the lungs.

[Von Bickley]

In my shop it would be the table saw & outfeed / assembly table.

[Darcy Warner]

Fork lifts.

[Derek Cohen]

For some the heart of the shop is the table saw, for others it is the lathe or the workbench, or maybe the computer or the dog or the easy chair.

For me it's the workbench, how about you?

I use power tools in the same way that woodworkers of Olde used apprentices to do the rough donkey prep work. Finessing this into a final shape, creating the traditional joinery, and finishing are done with hand tool at a bench. That is the heart of a workshop for me.

https://i.postimg.cc/PqW8kYt5/6a-bench.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Harold Patterson]

Not having a table saw. It is definitely the bandsaw. Unfortunately it is only a 14.”

[johnny means]

I have to say workbench all the rest of the stuff allows for workarounds, but there's just no substitute for benchwork.

[Pete Staehling]

I flip flopped a little between the workbenches and the bandsaws a while before settling on the workbenches. Then I considered the vises, but was still leaning toward the workbenches and decided that since I could include the vises as a part of the bench it was a slam dunk for the benches.

[Peter Mich]

The workbench. That’s where I do the most figuring, scheming, plotting and dreaming.

[Patrick Walsh]

The jointer and planer hands down.

I don’t get through a single project without them. There is always some amount of dimensional rough lumber in a project and in most cases miles of it with the stuff I build. And pretty much where every project starts.

Now if you asked me my favorite machine that might be a different answer but you know maybe not. But probably..

You would think bench but often being my bench is laser flat and I’m anal retentive about perfect flat stock I end up doing my assembly and work on other surfaces as my bench ends up piled high with stickered material..

[Rod Sheridan]

The workbench. That’s where I do the most figuring, scheming, plotting and dreaming.

Haha, thanks for the levity, I really enjoyed your comment.

Due to Covid-19 I've been working from home for 3 weeks.

During video calls I've been in the shop, sitting at the bench, away from everything else in the house.

At one point, a call participant from outside the company said "Rod are you in a shop? Can we have a tour?" That resulted in a couple of minutes of virtual shop tour. That prompted people to tell me later how much they enjoyed the break in the meeting....So yes, benches are great for scheming.......Rod.

[Jim Becker]

Yea, I'm sitting here at my main bench while glue is drying on my new main bench top ... forum surfing. :) And also thinking about the current and other projects. I work stuff out mentally a lot before doing it on the computer and/or on the back of a napkin. Sitting in my shop is a pleasant thing as it's generally quiet because of the acoustic ceiling, the tunes are good and so is the light.

[lowell holmes]

This string reminds me of the saying "The difference between a man and a boy is the price of his toys".
I have too many toys.:)

[Andy D Jones]

The workbench. That’s where I do the most figuring, scheming, plotting and dreaming.
Based on that definition, the heart of my workshop would be my easy chair in the den of the house!

-- Andy - Arlington TX