Shop Tour

[Tom Clark FL]

Shop Tour

I am fairly new to web forums, and have been having a great time reading posts and taking tours of other woodworker's shops, so I thought I would take some time and show you my shop.
We retired in 1997 we started leaving Florida during the dreadfully hot summers and traveling to cooler climes in our motorhome. Then it was time to get rid of the high-maintenance home in the city and move to a simple place that was easy to take care of and as maintenance free as possible. That pretty much describes the homestead now, until you hear the size of the workshop. The building is 40x60 feet. About 1800 sq. ft. is used for the shop, and the rest for storage for hobbies and equipment. We all had to start out in small workspaces, and always dreamed of having enough space to spread out a little, and to have the space we always dreamed of having.
I went with a steel building for ease of maintenance and very low cost. When you start pricing them you will find that it cost very little extra to build it twice the size of what you thought you could afford.
Some of the shop cabinets look like they were made by a beginner because they were, but they still work like new after 15 years.
Please accept this post in the manner which it is being written: and that is to show that if I was able to build my dream shop, there is hope for everyone. Don't give up you dream!

Note; There are 5 more photos, but stupid here put them in separate thread instead of here. See "More Photos thread."

[Tom Clark FL]

Sorry! These were susposed to be posted with the shop tour thread. I just pushed the wrong button. (New guy!)

[Kurt Loup]

I'm jealous of the storage cabinets. I have been keeping my eye open for surplus filing cabinets, but have had no luck in finding them locally.

Kurt

[Nancy Laird]

Nice shop, Tom, but I see one major thing wrong with it: IT'S TOO CLEAN!!!! :confused: :confused: It looks like you had Merry Maids in to clean before you took the pictures.:D

Nancy (128 days)

[Chris Fierro]

I knew your shop was something special from the other thread about mobile work tables--I kept opening the photo (4th one here) and finding myself fixated. So, very nice!

[Tim Quigley]

Some day I'll have a space like that. Till then I love to drool over the pics from those that have one now.

Anyhow, haven't I seen this shop before. Isn't this one of the featured shops in the special issue of on of the mags (sorry, can't remember which one).

Regardless, it looks great Tom! And welcome to the creek. Look forward to seeing more!

Best,
Tim

[Allen Bookout]

Tom,

What a great shop!

This serves as a little pick me up at this time. We were considering moving to a place with a little more room. We finally found a place that had a nice house with a seven car garage, three attached and four across the driveway (very difficult to find). I figured that this would be the ultimate for me but when we decided to make an offer it already had a contract on it. I was dissapointed to say the least. Now that I see what you have it might be even better to buy a house on a lot that has room for it and add a steel building for a workshop.

Any advice or suggestions or recommendations? I figure that you should know the ends and outs after having done it yourself.

Thanks! Allen

[Ken Gartin]

I kept opening the photo (4th one here) and finding myself fixated.

Heh...Me too! Nice!

[Matt Moore]

I agree, too clean.

Time to make some sawdust! :)

[Matt Moore]

Very nice indeed.

[Tom Clark FL]

I'm jealous of the storage cabinets. I have been keeping my eye open for surplus filing cabinets, but have had no luck in finding them locally.

Kurt

Kurt - Don't be jealous. Go build some!! These were some of my first cabinets, and I didn't even own a table saw yet. All the parts were cut out on a bandsaw, then nailed and glued together. All cabinets use kitchen drawer slides and they work great.

Nancy - So I cleaned the shop to take the photos!! Normally I clean it once or twice a year - whether or not it needs it.

[Nancy Laird]

Nancy - So I cleaned the shop to take the photos!! Normally I clean it once or twice a year - whether or not it needs it.

Snow shovel???:D :D :D

Nancy (128 days)

[Bruce Page]

Downright disgusting! I don’t see how anyone could work in a shop like that!

Can ya tell that I’m jelous?....;)

[Joe Mioux]

The oustide looks like a picture from Dennis Peacocks shop.

The inside SURE doesn't look like anything Dennis has ever posted here!

Sorry, Dennis ( I know you will take that comment as one of friendship) but that is the first thing that came to my mind. ;)

nice shop.

Joe

[Jack Ganssle]

Awesome shop! I'm just starting to noodle ideas for a house and shop (well, a SHOP and a house) that we'd build from scratch, and this sure appeals!

Jack

[Charles Jackson III]

Very nice shop.

[Mike Wilkins]

I saw this same shop in a book last night. I kept getting the feeling I had seen these photos somewhere before. Wood Magazine's issue on the countries best shops.
Most of us only dream of this kind of space and elbow room.
Hope you don't mind; I plan to copy your version of the tool/supplies storage cabinet w/18 drawers in the near future. May not be exactly like yours, but your version is a great starting point for me.
Stay safe and watch those fingers.

[John A. Williams]

I have already seen your shop! In Wood Magazine. Nice place!
John

[Tom Clark FL]

Any advice or suggestions or recommendations? I figure that you should know the ends and outs after having done it yourself.

Thanks! Allen

Allen,
The state makes you jump thru hoops. Take your permit out as a barn, and then later you can finish it up the way you want without too much interference. Come up for a visit when I get home in Oct. and will be happy to fill you in on all the details. Don't want to post too much here in public.

Mike: Yes, my shop is one of those featured in Wood Magazine's America's Best Home Workshops, but they left out photos of some of my favorite parts. These are not the same photos that were in the article. I built the assembly table nearly a year after they sent their photographer over to do the shoot.

[Allen Bookout]

Thanks a million Tom!!! Will do. Allen

[Bill White]

THE VERY IDEA!!!!!! What's the deal with an EXCERCISE device in the shop?
Just jerkin' ya around. Really looks fine.
Bill

[Jim Becker]

Tom, I merged your threads so all the pictures are here, now.
-----

Very nice shop!!!

What general area of FL is Chiefland?

[Von Bickley]

Tom,

Great looking shop... Welcome to "The Creek"...:)

[Tom Clark FL]

Tom, I merged your threads so all the pictures are here, now.
-----

Very nice shop!!!

What general area of FL is Chiefland?


Jim,

Thanks for fixing the mess I made. Won't do that again!

Chiefland is west of Gainsville and Ocala on Rt. 19.

[Jim Becker]

Ah...the 'rents are in Summerfield just south of Bellevue and Ocala...a stone's throw north of that monster community called The Villages...

[Ken Gartin]

Jim,

Thanks for fixing the mess I made. Won't do that again!

Chiefland is west of Gainsville and Ocala on Rt. 19.


I'm about 40 miles NW of you! Care to give a personal tour? http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v604/kgartin/heh.gif

[Tom Clark FL]

I'm about 40 miles NW of you! Care to give a personal tour? http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v604/kgartin/heh.gif


I miss being in a woodworking club and always love the chance to chat with other woodworkers. Will be back home early Oct. Maybe we can invite others who have inquired over at the same time. How about Sat Oct 20? Will set it up in early Oct. Fun time!

Tom

[Ken Gartin]

Sounds awesome!

[Roy Wall]

Tom -

Nice shop indeed.......Is that a Northfield 20" back there in green........?

[Tom Clark FL]

Tom -

Is that a Northfield 20" back there in green........?


Don't I wish!! It's just a 15" Grizzly. Even so, it has done a good job for 15 years now. I'm very satisfied with it.

[Mitchell Andrus]

'zat a flying lawn mower in the rafters???

[Brian Weick]

Nice shop tom , but there is one thing missing from your shop,,,,,,,
where are the wood shavings and saw dust-LOL
Brian

[Tom Clark FL]

'zat a flying lawn mower in the rafters???

Of course!!! Doesn't every one have one of them hanging on the ceiling. I built that one in the 70s and flew it in air shows for years. Its been retired for years but still serves well as a conversation piece.