The horns of a dilema/ gloat

[Dave Anderson NH]

My darling wife does not buy me tools and part of the agreement is that I don't buy her golf stuff. We reached this agreement years ago since there are too many chances for mistakes.

On the other hand I did receive a new "tool" for the shop from her for Christmas. My old boombox was an AM/FM radio cassette player and couldn't play my CDs when I'm working in the bench room. She got me a wonderful replacement which is AM/FM/CD/ Cassette and it even has a remote. Picture 1

The dilema is what to do with the remote. Picture 2

Should I place it on my tool wall which is a strictly a hand tools place where powered stuff has been strictly forbidden? I know that if it stays on the bench it will get buried, damaged, lost, or quite possibly all three. I was thinking of a nice little mahogany holder or wall mounted box for it. But then again, if I put the remote on the wall, the next thing you know it could have a bisquit joiner or a router, or even a jig saw. What's a Neanderthal to do?:rolleyes:

[Roy Wall]

Can it go in the drawer of the bench...make a little section for it?
Or on the side of a leg of the bench....via wooden holder....
OR...
Pehaps by the light switch on the TOOL Wall (the only possible location on the wall.....:cool: )

[John Schreiber]

What a beautiful shop. You do have a few chisels, but I don't see any that aren't absolutely necessary. I also note that you already have a light switch on the wall which puts your pure neander status in jeopardy.

So long as you will only be listening to acoustic music on your boom box:), I think it would be acceptable to use it in your shop. You would have to put the remote in an appropriate case. Perhaps you could even set up the case so that the most frequently used buttons (on/off, volume) are accessed through contrasting wooden or brass buttons on the outside of the case.

Enjoy.

[Brian Hale]

I'd be tempted to hang it from the ceiling with a bungee cord, right over the bench.

I'd also buy a spare one now while you can. :rolleyes:

Brian :)

[Jim Becker]

I think a little hand-dovetailed "wall box" to hold the remote is in order, Dave!!

[Steve Clardy]

Ah.

Velcro

Attach to forehead. Always have it at hand that way;)

[Carl Eyman]

Now if you were wearing carpenters' overalls they'd have a long narrow pocket on the outside of the right leg for a folding ruler. Wouldn't the remote fit there?

[Steve Beadle]

Dave, just build a pocket of some sort that attaches underneath your stool. That way it's handy, but out of sight!

Steve

[Doug Shepard]

... What's a Neanderthal to do?:rolleyes:

Keep it in your apron for double duty as a chisel mallet? :D

[Pam Niedermayer]

I'd put it back in the box from which it issued, save the batteries. When I enter the shop, I turn on the radio and/or insert a CD, mostly NPR, seldom CD. I almpsy never change stations during the shop session. Even if you listen mostly to CD's, which means you have several in the shop which is dubious, even in a hand tool shop the dust invades, you need to physically change CD's, which the remote won't do for you. So, of very limited utility in the shop.

Now, in my planned new shop, I want video for instructional stuff. Another whole issue.

Pam

[Dave Anderson NH]

Hi Pam, you rise an interesting point about the dust. My old boom box was about 8 years old and got periodically (not often enuf) vacuumed to remove the dust from the speakers and from the neighborhood of the cassette area. It functioned well and still functions well and is now relegated to the garage. I wonder if the laser which reads the CD is more sensitive than the innards of the cassette and the magnetic heads? Video in the shop would perhaps be easier if you used a long cable from the VCR or DVD player to the TV itself. Most TVs are pretty robust and dust can be controlled with a fine mesh cloth (vacuum clearner bag material) over the vents.

All of the above is speculation and is meant to elicit suggestions and a response which solves everyone's dust problems.;)

[Ken Bryant]

I don't see the problem. No motor, no tail, no noise, no dust: it's not a power tool, it's a hand tool.

We can define this problem away.

[Tom Hamilton]

Dave, the conumdrum is apparent, but a solution my be from the practical direction. In my shop the tube provides the background but when the phone rings I need to lower the volume (my hearing aids get confused) so the tube remote resides in my tool belt. Always at had when I need it. Sometimes I even turn the tube down when my bride comes for a visit.:D

Perhaps your remote needs a spring clip accessory or a special place in your tool belt/apron.

All the best, Tom in Houston, remote always at hand.

[Don Bullock]

I agree that a place in your tool belt or shop apron would be most appropriate. That way you'd always have it with you. Since you already have the boombox, the remote doesn't add any more "modern technology" to your shop. It will also allow you to put the boombox where it won't get covered with sawdust and shavings.

[Mike Wilkins]

I place my remote inside a plastic bag with the zipper-like closer. I have the usual assortment of electron eating machines, as well as hand tools. This arrangement keeps dust out of the insides, and helps it last longer.
Music does help in the shop. Contemporary jazz for me.

[John Powers]

stick some velcro tape on the back of the remote and the other on the corner of that green plane cabinet. When they round up people with too perfect workshops it might be just the little cheesy thing that will save you.

[Joe Rogers]

I agree with Ken...no cord, operated with your hand. No problem. Of course you should mount it in an inconspicuous place. ;)JR

[Mark Stutz]

Dave,
Ues a little velcro and stick it just outside the door to the bench room...maybe near the lathe. That way it doesn't bring 21st century conlict to the 19th century wall!:eek: Turn it on when you go in and off when you go out!

[Louis Bois]

I suggest you put that remote in a drawer in the living room...along with all the other remotes that were replaced with that "universal" remote that you probably are using for all the electronic gizmos in your TV cabinet.

Besides, it looks like you bought a Sony...and if memory serves, most of the modern ones play mp3 files. My suggestion is to burn yourself a few CD's with 10 albums on each...change them up once in a while. Who needs a remote?!? I'd be hard pressed to find mine these days...and the only dust floating around is a product of my worst nightmare: SANDING!!!!!!! I usually cover it up when doing this heinous chore.

The important thing is that you play something that calms the soul...akin to a nice sharp blade making wispy shavings...

[Dave Anderson NH]

My choice of music in the shop is almost always classical Louis. While I like rock, it gets me moving too fast and that can generate really nasty mistakes. Chopin, Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, etc, etc, are my main choices. Never anything that would force me to pay attention too closely.

[Pam Niedermayer]

These days I've found the iPod satisfies most needs for portable music. I bought it 3-4 years ago only for learning Japanese (I didn't, but used it in the car), but now I put all sorts of music (big mistake, I only got a 15G disk) on it for long trips, got a car stereo with an iPod dock built in, recently purchased another dock for interfacing with home a/v systems, and plan to get another such dock for the shop. This is a fantastic device, very gradually intrusive. :)

I truly dislike headphones and earphones for more than 5 or 10 minutes, so while it would work to wear it, I prefer to dock it. Plus, the battery in my ancient version is extremely poor, so again, docking it in a recharging station is much better for me, perhaps even mandatory unless I buy a new one.

Pam

[Wilbur Pan]

Chopin, Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, etc, etc, are my main choices. Never anything that would force me to pay attention too closely. Ouch. I'm sure that Beethoven at least would be incensed at the thought that he wrote music that one could relegate to the background. On the other hand, Mozart would be too self absorbed to care, Schubert would be too depressed to notice, and Chopin would be too busy recovering from his TB attacks to do anything about it. :rolleyes:

If you can't tell, I'm a big classical music fan, who never really understood how classical music moved into the area of background music. ;)

[Jim Becker]

I bought it 3-4 years ago only for learning Japanese

LOL! My MP3 player (non iPod) was purchased when I needed to learn some Russian prior to our adoptions. I don't think I've used it since as I just do non-commercial radio in the shop...

[Steve LaFara]

Just an observation, but I feel that the turquoise Bic lighter on those Marlboro Light's clashes with the saw and plane till. You may consider a more subdued color such as black.:D Also noticed the glass of red wine, or is that some Trans Tint and a really nice mixing cup???

Awsome shop you have there! I have at least three or four remotes in my shop and find that they travel with me most of the time.............except when I need to use one!

[Terek Johnson]

Dave,
never mind about the boom-box, I like that you have the glass of wine sittin' on the bench, nice touch. There's a man at peace with the world: shop full of tools and a nice glass of red to unwind with.
Enjoy.