Bitter / Sweet

[SquareCircle]

Asked the question a wee while ago re hand planes.

Like to say many thanks to all that responded (and given me the benefit of their years of experience). Following much deliberation and some trailing at shows etc, I finally bit the bullet and converted good intentions into cold hard steel placing all my faith in Lee Valley tools. Thus the sweet part of this is that I should be receiving just in time for Xmas, a Bevel-Up Jointer + fence, a Bevel Up Smoother, a Low Angle Jack, a Low Angle Block Plane, a Medium Shoulder Plane and some other bits and pieces. Mostly courtesy of some generous relations and milestone birthdays. And for good measure, a Kreg K3 master system. It's supposed to be silly person proof ain't it?.

So looking forward to leearing with some new toys er...tools and keep the smile on my face for some time you’d think.

Save that ………

On or about the same time as the package arrives, SWMBO has finally gotten her way and we are upscaling and moving house (more space for the kids to play). So, goodbye workshop / shed / retreat/ call it whatever. After four plus years of sweat and toil and putting it together brick by bit (I’ll post some pictures once I learn how to do it), I’ll have to start over again.

Bitter ain’t it.

Small consolation is that I look forward to the challenge of what will hopefully be an even larger purpose built shed incorporating all the lessons learnt (and more, having discovered UKW) :wink: :wink: , but it’ll probably take years to afford it, now that I am totally broke. Whose idea was stamp duty? :x

You just can’t win can yer…. :evil:

 

[MikeW]

Hi SC

Yep, tis a bitter sweet tale. And I certainly can identify with the plight you are now facing...but, of course, there is the silver lining of new space and new beginnings.

I wish you the best in the new space once found, hopefully a new shop and the opportunity to plan the new space to your satisfaction.

Take care, Mike

 

[Waka]

my faith in Lee Valley tools. Thus the sweet part of this is that I should be receiving just in time for Xmas, a Bevel-Up Jointer + fence, a Bevel Up Smoother, a Low Angle Jack, a Low Angle Block Plane, a Medium Shoulder Plane and some other bits and pieces.

Niow thats a nice little haul, congrats.

Good luck with the move.

 

[Anonymous]

///

 

[Alf]

Tools - nice. \/
Workshop - aaargh! ](*,)

Well they do say anticipation's half the fun. :?

Cheers, Alf

 

[ByronBlack]

You could always borrow a little more on the mortgage and invest in a ready made large shed/workshop, so when SWMBO moves into the home, you can 'move' into your new 'home'

 

[SquareCircle]

Guys & Gals

Rest assured I am already dreaming of the next 60m2 shed which I think is is about the optimum size for a home workshop. Unfortunately having invested so much time in setting up the existing shed and then acquiring some half decent tools, I was looking forward to doing some real woodwork. Not having to start all over again.
Designing and constructing the shed is undoubtedly going be a lot a fun (takes me back to Civil Engineering which is what I tried to be and not a letter writing Project Manager which is what provides the fun tokens).
The downside is that trying to diy the workshop + make sure wife and kids remember ya+ keep single figure golf handicap + full time job means building workshop’s gonna take years. And I’ve just been through that. And whilst the building thing is going on, trying to make fine cabinetry gets slotted for 2010 start. Would just like to have my cake ate and eat it for a change.

Still.....got to be positive.....

 

[Alf]

keep single figure golf handicap

Oh dear, someone's just not focused on the important stuff, are they...? [-X :wink:

 

[Les Mahon]

You must be my twin :lol:

I have a very similar haul to you due to wing it's way accross the atlantic soon, and am in the market for a new house having just build the workshop in the current one.

To add a really nasty twist, I was 50% of the way to buying a house last week which came with a ready built 80m2 workshop, only for the deal to come to nothing - long and boring story involving the minister for food and his families pig farm!

I have to agree that 60m2 sounds about right to me, the current workshop is only 24m2 and is just too tight. I am I suppose lucky enough that LOML has accepted that whatever we do buy either has to have a workshop of these dimensions or the possibility of building one.

Good luck with it
Les

 

[bugbear]

I have to agree that 60m2 sounds about right to me

Bwa-ha-ha!

My 8x10 feet is
80 square foot = 7.4322432 square meter

(thank you http://www.onlineconversion.com/area.htm)

BugBear

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

When it comes to workshops, the following experience pops into my head:

About two years ago I was visiting my brother and his family in Sydney. They live in a trendy and expensive Eastern suburb, Rose Bay. I used to live close by about 20 years ago, before making the trek to Perth which, by comparison, is almost rural (not really ).

One day I went looking for a woodwork mag to read. I must have visited at least 5 newsagents - not one in sight. Finally, in frustration and curiosity, I asked one manager why woodworking mags were not stocked. He replied that there was no demand for them since no one could afford a workshop - a lockup garage in that area would likely run to $500K!

So I wonder how others get by in built-up areas? I'm sure the same issue is present across countries.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Rob Lee]

(snip)
I recently discovered Trustee From the Toolroom, by Nevil Shute. A fun book for the tool user. I was able to identify with the stuff he wrote about the way his main character was anchored to his shop.

(snip)

...my favorite author!

Cheers -

Rob
(read every book he's ever written...)

 

[Rob Lee]

I have to agree that 60m2 sounds about right to me

Bwa-ha-ha!

My 8x10 feet is
80 square foot = 7.4322432 square meter

(thank you http://www.onlineconversion.com/area.htm)

BugBear

Come on Bugbear.....it's not the size of your shop that matters....it's how you use it.....

Cheers -

Rob

 

[Les Mahon]

Rob,

Stop cruising the internet and get back to making tools - there two of us in this thread waiting for BU Jointers and fences, and your avatar is only a tease, I'm having one of them too in my haul! :lol:

Bugbear,

I should know not to make statements about workshop size when I'm visiting over here in Galoot country, I'll have my visitors pass revoked! All I can say is you must be mighty organised in that space, not something that could be said of my shop, of the 24 m2 only about 2m2 is ever really available!

Les

 

[Alf]

Rob,

Stop cruising the internet and get back to making tools

Well said, Les. Crack that whip. :lol: How about a Nevil Shute Board, Rob? :wink:

Cheers, Alf

Who's read one Nevil Shute book and it's not the one you're thinking...

 

[bugbear]

All I can say is you must be mighty organised in that space

A partial snapshot of my shop in earlier (much neater (!)) times is here:
http://www.geocities.com/plybench/tour.html#photo_tech

Actually, I need to get organised.

At the moment, to perform an operation on my workmate, I need to transfer "stuff" from the workmate to my workbench.

And the reverse, of course.

And I have a tool chest, to acces the contents of which I have to move "stuff" from on its lid to the workmate or bench.

Etc. This can get frustrating. I have "storage issues" (*)

BugBear

(*) I do not, of course, have too many tools.