How comfortable is your 'shop' ?

[tooljunkie]

got a webcam? set it up in your window by the computer and run http://www.ledset.com/camwiz/
its got a free trial offer.
i have been using it for about 5 years,only limitation is the quality of the camera.

i agree with any port in the storm,i remember fixing a car in the back lane-30 degrees and installing an engine heater-it goes in the engine block where the coolant flows.
imagine -30 antifreeze running down your jacket sleeve to your armpit.i still get chills thinking about it-that was over 30 years ago.

 

[CTripps]

I lived in southern Ontario until moving out here 5 years ago, and spent close to 15 years as a contract courrier there. As my own mechanic, I remember many winter nights spent lying in the open driveway trying to get the car repaired and back on the road for the morning. Usually starter motors (I could drop, strip, rebuild and reinstall mine in less that 90 mins back then), loose belts, hoses blowing but my heater core blew once. Very messy, saturated everything in the front wall area. Took a week to dry it out after the new one went in.

This is the first place I've actually had a 'shop', I've usually kept a small workbench somewhere in the basement for tinkering though.

 

[killercanuck]

Yea, nothing's worse than trying to wrench on something in the driveway when its -20c. Any shop space it heaven, even if its just a bench in the basement.

blahg, what's worse, a heater core blowing, or running over a skunk?

 

[CTripps]

Hmmmm... hard call... just avoid the raccoons, they're rock-solid when you clip 'em at speed. My dad (still lives back there) had to replace a bumper because of one of them not long ago.

 

[Greg58]

Having to do repairs outside is why I built my shop, I posted in Dans "building a work shop " thread about changing the clutch in my car as a teenager under the trees in my parents backyard in a cold rain. As for the topic I never did answer, I am very happy with what I have. I've been adding tools for years. Welders, torch set, air compressor, hydraulic press, metal chop saw and just about every hand tool I might need. If I had a lathe and a milling machine it would be complete.

 

[Toing]

To your original question and the title of this thread...
My shop is my little slice of Heaven. It's crowded, cramped and there's no room for anymore bikes, cars, lawnmowers and even the recycle car dvd players bins are hard to find. But...I'm really comfy in it. It looks like total chaos but I know where everything is and I can usually put my fingers on whatever I need in seconds. When I need to work I'll move a bike outdoors or back a car out but usually I can squat in a tight place and get the work done. I sit and listen to my audio books, engineer on my bikes or car and drink a beer or have a smoke and I don't have to explain or make excuses for the mobocracy of my shop. Comfy it is. At least for me.

Tom

I do have a nice with all things arraged according to my wish. Love to listen light music all time.

 

[KCvale]

What a difference 4 months can make.

My wife of 25 years and I got back together and since our adult son that was living with her is doing time I got rid of my roommates and she moved in with me.

It just her and I with 1800sq, 3 bedrooms, and 2 houses worth of 'stuff'.

We gave a bunch away but my bike rack workstation now has a pair of low comfortable rolling chairs perfect from either side or a pair of guys working on a bike.

That is not even the best part though...

The big room off my shop that was my bedroom via double doors when I had roommates is now part of the shop.

Nothing like an extra ~180sf of indoor carpeted space to not just park things but to work on big things like motorized adult trikes, with the double bonus of a pair of super wide doors from the outside to that room even riding a an adult trike.

A storefront my new shop size would be $1000 or more a month here in Phoenix and it wouldn't have a bathroom or kitchen, let alone a living room.

This will make some of you cringe but we only pay $775 a month for 1800sf on a 1/4 acre lot in town and not out in the boonies.

With my wife dumping her rented house, utils and no adult kid to support, etc we found ourselves both back in the black financially real quick which as far as the shop goes means I can grow with not just inventory I can grab at bargains but some higher end tools and even advertising from the comfort of my (to me) Ultimate Man Cave ;-}

 

[Dan]

My half (mostly finished) shop is cold!

Just took 45 mins to get online. Left leg, both hands and my mini-laptop are frozen cold. Aside from that, real comfi.

 

[tooljunkie]

my shop was roasting last weekend,but opted to work in the cold garage,insulated and heat is on now,warms up fast.
momma's van is very happy,no frosty windows or snow to sweep off.i get to park outside.pt cruiser in shop with dead transmission.so i park outside for now.

 

[Dan]

Your a "Shop tease" TJ!

 

[Greg58]

Dan not trying to rub it in but it nice in my shop, here it 60@ almost ten o'clock!

 

[Dan]

Dan not trying to rub it in but it nice in my shop, here it 60@ almost ten o'clock!

LOL, you dingus!!!!!

(in July, I will of course be taunting you!)

Really am kidding Buddy. That is awesome and I do envy ya. My coffee froze today.

 

[tooljunkie]

Your a "Shop tease" TJ!

lol,Dan I am.
24x32 with electric keeping it at 50,and a wood chief in the corner to make a fire on the weekends.wont list the tools,you will hate me.10x16 on side for fridge,lazyboy and a couch.
16x24 with nothing more than a van in it. just above freezing.
40x80 metal quonset all concrete floor,used for a winter storage business
and my summer projects(drive on hoist coming in spring)

yet,i choose to sit on couch almost every evening,instead of spending quality time with my man toys...
well, almost every day is a hard day at work.thats my excuse.

 

[GasX]

I have a corner of my garage for my workshop. It's flush for storage as we redid the pantry and I retasked all the cabinetry. I wanted tool chests and a proper bench but this is enough for now...

 

[Dan]

All's we need now is Paul to chime in with how he went spear fishing before work and got a 47 lbs lobster for dinner.

LOL

 

[paul]

nah it was only 4 lbs but their was 3 of them. also put almost 50 miles on the electric bicycle yesterday. getting ready to go fishing now lol

 

[Nashville Kat]

When I raced roadbikes for 14 years. almost anyplace was "the shop" but as my Dad got into riding in the Veterans Divison in USCF, our basement was really something back in the day- lined with wheels hanging from the ceiling, a big shop flourescent light he put up- and he was always a 'Hands on" guy like his father before him-

We even acquired a real steel bike shop setup stand when a local shop went out of business

The one thing I still miss now is the great big steel vice he always had mounted on the big wooden wook table he had built- I never have a vice anymore.

I do still have however a few tools that belonged to my grandpap (who died in 1974) before Dad had them (The two ran a gas station in Indianapolis for a short time before I came along in 1954), and I still have even more of my first Craftsman set of tools I got for my birthday in 1968, although I finally disposed of the big heavy box I'd repainted a couple of times, in favor of a lightweight cheap plastic box from Wal-Mart about ten years ago.

In fact I went to put a new set of plugs in a 95 Ford Escort the other day, and was going to use the old 1/2" ratchet drive, extension and plug socket- but then I discovered the socket didn't even fit the more "modern" plugs anymore-

Luckily I had the plug socket I needed in a cheap newer $5 set of sockets- except no rubber lining to hold the plugs then- and they did sit down in there deep and were a bit of a problem then getting in and out- oh well, not all is "progress" I guess.....

 

[2door]

I have a corner of my garage for my workshop. It's flush for storage as we redid the pantry and I retasked all the cabinetry. I wanted tool chests and a proper bench but this is enough for now...

You garage/shop looks like the ones I see on the cover of a magazine I get.
If mine looked like yours I'd be terrified to work in it because I might get it dirty.
Beautiful! I'm very envious. We all should be.

Tom

 

[culvercityclassic]

I work with what I got...my kid says I spend so much time in the garage to just move everything in the house and sleep in the garage... Chit the house has Heating and air.... Not a bad idea... Laff

 

[Predator303]

I built the Micargi Predator in the kitchen I like to be close to the fridge haha