Best. Shop time. Ever. (Long post, lots of pics)

[T.J. Mahaffey]

(Due to picture limit, a few pictures appear as outside links.)

I had an amazing 9 days of vacation, which ended on Monday (Jan. 2).
Amazing, because we were only out of town on Christmas Eve to see SWMBO's family. The rest of the time was spent at home... in the shop.
Amazing, because I had the most productive stretch of shop time since the shop's real birth in November of 2004.
Here's my story of some very, very good vacation time.

I've been picking up my machines used by keeping my eyes peeled and being patient. This has paid off in spades. Just before vacation started, I had a huge to-do list which included many shop projects and tasks I really needed to get finished up so I could actually begin using the shop for its intended purpose: building things, not just 'the shop' itself.

Thanks to the patience and understanding of LOML (meaning, she had no honey-dos for me), I've effectively knocked out that entire list in 9 days.
Here's the play-by-play:

Rolling cart cabinet




I built this in a cabinet-making class last year, but it still needed an enclosed back and some quick finish. The second picture shows it completed with one coat of poly because that's what I had on-hand. Its funny, the second-grade, hit-and-miss birch I bought locally for the drawer faces and such ended up having quite a bit of curl. I think it makes for a neat bonus.

http://workshop.tjmahaffey.com/workshop/img/tmp/cab_before.jpg

http://workshop.tjmahaffey.com/workshop/img/tmp/cab_after.jpg

Right now, the cabinet holds my MKII sharpener and my ancient bench grinder. I'm still experimenting with location of these, though.

http://workshop.tjmahaffey.com/workshop/img/tmp/cab_final.jpg




Front vice jaws




I've been needing to get some jaws on my bench's vices. Since it gets the most use, I started with the front one. They're made from more of that 'junky' birch and curly to boot.

http://workshop.tjmahaffey.com/workshop/img/tmp/vice_jaws.jpg



New Upper Cabinets




We have a local Habitat for Humanity ReStore, which is one of my favorite places to go on Saturdays. They sell some normal thrift store type stuff, but specialize in used building supplies. Over vacation, LOML and I were looking around and I found these upper cabinets. I asked for a price: $25. I was tempted, but without measuring space in the shop, I wasn't sure about jumping on it. LMOL said, "Why aren't you jumping on those? $25 is a steal!" She was right and I loaded those babies up. As it turned out, they fit a poorly used space in the shop perfectly!

http://workshop.tjmahaffey.com/workshop/img/tmp/new_cabs.jpg



Woodworking book library




My Christmas present from SWMBO and SWMBOette was a box full of woodworking books they found at the local library book sale. Here they are in the new cabinet:

http://workshop.tjmahaffey.com/workshop/img/tmp/books.jpg

And here's a full shot of the books in their place with my others, along with my ShopNotes and Woodsmiths:

http://workshop.tjmahaffey.com/workshop/img/tmp/library.jpg

Now that these have a home in the new cabinet, I don't have to blow the dust off of each one when I want to look something up. Wonderful! Its the little things, you know?



Lathe bench area re-org




I had originally built a long rolling cabinet with bench top on which my lathe, drill press and belt sander sat. This wasn't really working out he way I hoped, so I wanted to rework it. While driving near my house a couple of weeks ago, the answer sat on the curb in front of a small used car business. A perfectly good short cabinet with 2 drawers, 2 doors and laminate top - with the word "FREE" written across the back. After sitting in the parking lot agonizing over whether or not I would get in the dog house at home for lugging home another shop item, I decided I wasn't risking anything. It was free after all. So, I loaded it up.

As it turned out, it was perfect. The drawers are even deep enough to hold my lathe tools comfortably. Woo!

http://workshop.tjmahaffey.com/workshop/img/tmp/lathe_cab.jpg

I moved my original table/cabinet into our basement to use for storage in there and things are now really coming together.
I've also added some expanded shelves above and a small flex-arm light to shine right down on the work.




Drill press riser





With the lathe bench re-org, I had to find a new place for my bench top drill press. For some time now, I had been sort of wanting a floor-standing model, but don't really have the money for a new one. I've just been keeping my eyes peeled at auctions for a steal of a deal. But admittedly, I don't have room for it. It would be more luxury than necessity. And with my ever-growing frugality, I was having a hard time justifying it to myself considering I was convinced my existing Delta benchtop could serve me well giving a bit of tuning. So, I sat down and evaluated what I didn't like about my DP and what I could do about it.

First, I realized that if I just got it positioned closer to eye level, that would help tremendously.
Second, I knew I needed at least a little bit of storage to keep accessories and bits nearby.
Third, I needed some light.
And finally, I needed to get some clearance to either side of it to make using it more practical and comfortable.

I came up with answers to these problems and here's the result:

http://workshop.tjmahaffey.com/workshop/img/tmp/dp_riser.jpg

With a bit of rearranging, I found a new spot with much better clearance all-around. Then, using a milk crate (read saw horse), I tested out height. It was perfect. I then built a sort of riser cabinet from some scrap plywood destined for the dump (there goes that frugality again). And now I have plenty of room on the cabinet to sit the swing-arm lamp for better lighting.

Now, this riser was supposed to be the same with as the lower cabinet is deep, but somehow I ended up making it 4" too long. Don't ask me how that happened. But its not too big a deal. It doesn't get in the way as a result. I'm absolutely thrilled with this new drill press setup and I consider myself as having saved $350 over buying a big DP I don't have room for anyway.




Bench cabinet doors




I have a main utility-type bench where I do tool cleaning and such. I've wanted to get some doors on the lower open area for months. I managed to get those done and installed over vacation as well. They're built with tongue-and-groove rail/stiles in birch with some scrap 1/4" MDF. Nothing fancy, but by golly these babies do the trick.

Before:

http://workshop.tjmahaffey.com/workshop/img/tmp/doors_before.jpg

After:

http://workshop.tjmahaffey.com/workshop/img/tmp/doors_after.jpg



Lumber storage




Ever since my first big hardwood score a couple of months ago, I've been nervous about having it under our carport, under a tarp.
I just wasn't sure it was adequately protected from the elements and even if it was, its rather annoying to have to bring in a few boards to acclimate to my shop climate before I can start working on a project.

So, I cleaned and reorganized half of our basement (also during this 9-day getting-things-done spree) and built a very cheesy, but very functional rack for my hardwood. I was worried at first that the rack wouldn't be big enough. But it turned out to be exactly perfect in size.

Before:

http://workshop.tjmahaffey.com/workshop/img/tmp/lumber_before.jpg

After:

http://workshop.tjmahaffey.com/workshop/img/tmp/lumber_rack.jpg



Peg board




I've needed some hangers and such above my utility bench for months and it was driving me nuts.
So I finally got around to building a framed pegboard and mounted it above the bench. Love it!

http://workshop.tjmahaffey.com/workshop/img/tmp/peg_board.jpg



Sandpaper shelf




Nothing spectacular here, but its handy. I found this metal shelf while cleaning out our basement. I thought it would be great for holding sandpaper. I was right.

http://workshop.tjmahaffey.com/workshop/img/tmp/sandpaper_shelf.jpg



Additional hardwood storage in the shop




And finally, I added a few more shelves to my in-shop lumber rack to hold some of the better hardwood from my stash.

http://workshop.tjmahaffey.com/workshop/img/tmp/shop_lumber.jpg



Lastly, I'd like to make an important point here, to those of you just starting out (like me) and those on a tight budget. As this post really illustrates, all it takes is some patience. There was a time, not so long ago, when I would have run out and bought much of this stuff on a credit card. Caring little about how I'd feel later and only concerned with that instant gratification.

But instead, I've taught myself some patience and kept to my budget. As a result, I don't owe a dime on my shop ad have picked up some stuff that is probably better than I would have bought otherwise.
A credit card can't buy that feeling and I enjoy the shop better knowing I used my own creativity to solve these shop problems. Far more gratifying than uncrating a $350 drill press I don't need or have use for. Really.

[Cecil Arnold]

TJ, that shop is way too clean. Looks really nice.

[Jeff Frieburg]

T.J.:

There's nothing like good shop time to restore one's energy and mood. Good for the soul too. I'm envious and hope to do likewise this spring.

Like I tell my family, "Daddy's gonna go in his shop for a while and doesn't want to be disturbed. When he comes out, he'll be a lot better." And it works!

Nice shop, by the way. Your patience sure has paid off with equipment!

Jeff.

[Tyler Howell]

You have been busy TJ. Keep the picks coming.

[Dave Anderson NH]

A great post and a great way to spend your Christmas vacation TJ. I fully agree with you about buying used when possible and even more so when it comes to being patient about equipping your shop. I think that folks have somehow gotten into the instant gratification mode of living and seem to feel that everything should spring into being at once. My shop and its tools, both hand and powered, have evolved and expanded over a period of close to 20 years, perhaps more. Well over half of the hand tools came from tool auctions and flea markets, or were inherited. My costs were less than 10% of what it would have cost me to have acquired them new. Along the same line of thoughts, I feel that folks need to be a bit more creative when it comes to finding ways of making something. When starting out a person does not need to have one of everything made and rarely should consider buying that way. It usually wastes money. The end result is often buying the wrong tool at the wrong quality level and having to make a more appropriate purchase further down the line. Creativity is the key. Some of the finest furniture ever made was done in the 18th and early 19th centuries with tools that wouldn't even fill a quarter of anyones smallest home closet.

End rant

[Bob Winkler]

Thanks for the great post T.J. The pics and explanations are very well done. Thanks especially for the thoughts at the end. I need to keep reminding myself that spending money and accumulating tools DOES NOT equal craftsmanship and work well done. Like you, I derive intense satisfaction with finding new uses for scrap or found materials.

Keep up the great posts. Bob

[Byron Trantham]

Looks good T.J. You got to feel great!:D

[John Bailey]

T.J.,

Thanks for the post. Your shop is great and your attitude is nothing short of extrodinary.

John

[T.J. Mahaffey]

T.J.,

Thanks for the post. Your shop is great and your attitude is nothing short of extrodinary.

John
Thanks, guys, really.

I must reiterate, though, that this attitude is new for me. I didn't think like this just a couple of years ago. Its been slow to develop, but with the incredible feedback and input I've gotten here and at the hand tool forum over at Woodnet, I've turned my attitude around and am much better for it.

I owe alot of this philosophy to people like Bob Smalser and their invaluable write-ups posted variously on the web. Bob doesn't know me, but I take to heart most everything I read that he has written. People like Smalser have really helped reshape the way I think. (This coupled, of course, with a growing appreciation for ideas subscribed to by people like my grandfather.)

In fact, I was just thinking this week about early 2005 and where my mind was at that time. I would frequent the Power Tool forum at Woodnet daily and agonize and obsess over how I was going to find the money to buy all the gadgets, doohickeys and high-end equipment everyone talks about over there (and elsewhere). Things that I was convinced I needed to develop a sense of quality work and, more importantly, craftsmanship.

But early this summer, I started getting into hand tools more deeply and, with that, began to absorb what is known as a "galootish" mindset. This fact has been one of the greatest single epiphanies of my adult life. I don't mean to sound mellowdramatic, but it has been quite life-changing. In turn, it has begun to affect and manifest in other aspects of my life in a very positive way.