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Thread: You guys spend too much time with "shop improvement"

  1. #31
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    Feb 2004
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    Quote Originally Posted by Keith Weber View Post
    .....Probably one of (what I considered ) the weirdest hobbies I've ever seen was when I was getting a tour of an airport by a buddy in Manchester, UK. We came across a guy sitting in a chair on a platform just outside the fence at the end of the active runway. He had a notepad, a pen, a watch, a pair of binoculars and a portable VHF radio. Every time a plane took off or landed, he would write down the time, the aircraft type and registration, the call sign, the airline, and any notable details, such as color or distinguishing markings. I talked to the guy for a bit and he said that he'd sit out there for 4 or 5 hours every day recording this information in his notebook. When the notebook was full, he'd pull out another, and add the completed one to his collection at home. I told him that it was very interesting. In my head, I was thinking, "this guy's lost his freaking mind!!" ....
    Odds on that he was autistic (Autism Spectrum Disorder).

    Regards from Perth

    Derek

  2. #32
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    I like the actual workshop to be a nice environment but usually spend very little time on fixtures. Most of my tool racks are just scraps.

    I’m guilty of hanging art in the workshop, I spend 10+ hours a day so it may as well be enjoyable.
    Bumbling forward into the unknown.

  3. #33
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    Mar 2017
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    Forest Lake MN
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    I work on whatever I feel like at the time (or course doing any urgent projects for the house on priority). If I dropped all woodworking beyond basic home repairs there is no one but me that would really care, so I figure my shop time is mine to do what ever I want. I likely spend more time tinkering than furniture building, who am I kidding, it is probably 90%, but who cares. Its not a job, and the day it is not fun I wont do it, its entirely possible that I wont set foot in my shop from mid may through September and spend that free time in my boat hunting muskie, again who cares. If its not your job do what is fun and what makes you happy. This is why when we redo our kitchen next year I dont want any part of it, I can make 10x what the work would cost in the same time at my computer or in a meeting and I dont want deadlines on my shop time.

  4. #34
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    May 2009
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    Wenatchee. Wa
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    Perhaps we should recognize and acknowledge that too often our shops are an extension of our ego. If you do not believe that, observe your reaction if someone make a disparaging remark about your shop or what you say to yourself when someone excessively boasts about their shop. Our (male and female) egos get us into trouble all too often manifesting itself in needing more things such as tools, jigs,space etc. My ego keeps telling me how much happier I will be if I just get that ....... The ego is a liar and once recognized as such I can choose to listen or not. I often listen, and my justification is that it keeps me busy and the economy going. 😇

  5. #35
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    Sep 2004
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    Jacksonville, FL
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    I agree with those who mention it comes in phases. I'm very much in a shop improvement phase right now because I'm working to transform from pure hobby to more work for others as an alternative to going out and getting a part time job at a Super Market or cooking in a restaurant to add to my monthly earnings in retirement. I have a little more to do relative to that before a new machine arrives and at that point my "phase" will shift a bit to the learning curve and then to producing stuff. But there will still be personal projects in the mix for sure...
    That's where I am too. I'm in the process of building out my shop (i.e. garage) and using my woodworking to augment my retirement. Its also to makes some things for the house and to pass own as heirlooms to the kids.

    I'm hoping someday to make the crib for each of my kids' first child. Got to get them married first though. Seems millennials (or at least the ones I spawned) don't move out and marry as early as I was hoping. So plenty of time for shop and skill building.

  6. #36
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    Sep 2009
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    Putney, Vermont
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    This is a difficult problem, question for me, because I cannot spend the amount of time in the shop that I would like. When I get in the shop I don't want to spend time improving the shop, I would rather be working on my project.
    At the same time, I worked in my profession with many, many tools, and in order to work efficiently everything had to have a specific place in my very large 3 piece tool box, and on my bench. After awhile things become habit forming in that way and I become efficient.
    I have not reached that point in my wood shop yet, after being in my woodshop for many years.

  7. #37
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    Feb 2003
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    Toronto, ON
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    Interesting observation and certainly some interesting answers here.

    One thing worth remembering is it's a HOBBY for us!

    Everybody performs their hobby according to their interests, skills and tastes. Some of us make furniture. Others, guitars. Or kayaks. And games and toys.

    We make our projects from solid wood. And out of sheet goods. We use centuries-old joinery techniques. Some use contemporary technologies. We paint them. We stain them. We dye them. We topcoat them. And we wax them. Some of us even veneer them.

    There are many ways of accomplishing the same result under the general heading of hobby. If that's what somebody likes doing, I think shop projects is a great use of the individualistic creativity each of us brings to our hobby.

    So I guess this is a long-winded way of saying "to each his own."

    Howard
    Last edited by Howard Rosenberg; 03-17-2018 at 11:50 AM. Reason: clarity
    Howard Rosenberg

  8. #38
    Keith, it's possible the guy was from a family that was involved with "Civil Air Patrol". I hadn't thought about that in decades, but they used to run public service TV anouncments for it . It was a big deal for a long time.

  9. #39
    Quote Originally Posted by Howard Rosenberg View Post
    I

    So I guess this is a long-winded way of saying "to each his own."

    Howard
    One of my key reasons to look at other people's work is to enhance my own work. So, I admire mostly those who produce great work with great methods (including techniques, jigs and shop set-up) which I have two areas of expertise to tap into.

    I have seen photos or videos showing people spending almost ALL of their shop time in building shop projects (workbench, shop aids and jigs, dust collection, etc.) without one single serious furniture or cabinet build shared. Often, their objective is to show a new tool they have bought and used it in -- another - shop project. To me, they are only "readying" themselves for woodworking. Until and unless they move beyond that phase of getting ready, I don't go back and check on their progress. It is not hard to find these people on youtube or other social media. If you are at the stage of setting up a shop or only interested in sheet good projects, they are fun to watch. I am well past that, and incremental shop improvement projects only happen once in a blue moon, esp. in a well-equipped shop.

    Now, if you are in the business of helping people set up shops, that is a different story.

    Simon
    Last edited by Simon MacGowen; 03-17-2018 at 3:18 PM.

  10. #40
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    Mar 2003
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ole Anderson View Post
    I will spend two hours making a jig that might save me a half an hour because I "might" need it on another project.
    I will do that, not to save time or even with consideration of another future project...I'll build the jig to make the component(s) accurately and safely. Sometimes, that's just part of the job.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  11. #41
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    Jul 2013
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    Flower mound, Tx
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    I think it is a “Dude Thing”
    Name a hobby, passion, or profession and you will see the same thing. We all(well most) fall into a “Vortex” of having the best, fastest, coolest product that is available for that market. Maybe no hobby proves this more than bass fishing. Here in Texas, guys treat this hobby like religion. Check out their boats. $100K boats with crazy performance engines, motor lift plates, trim tabs, SS custom props all so they can fly accross the water at 80 mph to go sit��. You see the same things in bikers, skiers, musicians etc.

  12. #42
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    Nov 2012
    Location
    Raleigh, NC
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    For some, the shop is the hobby and they make stuff once in awhile because they have a shop so why not. There is nothing wrong with that. For others the hobby is woodworking. I'm a woodworker. I don't like making jigs so will make one if it's really necessary. I don't really care what my shop looks like but I try to keep it organized. The challenge is I have a small shop so everytime I upgrade a machine or buy a new machine, I have to rearrange. As I add tools, I have to put them somewhere. And the biggest challenge is keeping lumber out of my way.

  13. #43
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    Feb 2007
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    Crystal Lake, IL
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    Not me! I built my workshop 17 years ago, and I just put walls up last year. I got tired of looking at insulation.
    updated shop shot.jpg

    Maybe this year I will get to making the ceiling.
    Jeff

  14. #44
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    Beautiful shop Jeff!
    Bumbling forward into the unknown.

  15. #45
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    Feb 2007
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    Crystal Lake, IL
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    Thanks Brian. I spend so much time in there, it was time to make it cozy. Thinking about putting my bed in there....
    Jeff

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