Men Sheds!

[Homeless Squirrel]

Joined a men's shed in east London last week pretty well equipped workshop and decent vice came in handy to plane my "Chunk" of wood square/flat for making a Mallet.
Had a try out of my no3 and 4 i picked up boxed while back and do like my 9 1/2 Stanley sw Knuckle plane that's like a dog chasing a rabbit eager to chew wood and such a useful plane.
Didn't get a lot done yesterday as needed long drill bit to drill for handle to go through but did have a play with me spoke shaves on a bit of scrap branch one's a Stanley 67 one you can remove handles/change positions bit harder to set up compared to the other with two adjusters on!.

 

[Stanleymonkey]

Where's the shed in East London?

 

[thetyreman]

I think the whole point of men's sheds is that it's a charity and they help mostly older men get together and talk as well as make things, it's not discrimination that's just the demographic they are aiming for.

 

[BravoNovember]

Joined a men's shed in east London last week pretty well equipped workshop and decent vice came in handy to plane my "Chunk" of wood square/flat for making a Mallet.
Had a try out of my no3 and 4 i picked up boxed while back and do like my 9 1/2 Stanley sw Knuckle plane that's like a dog chasing a rabbit eager to chew wood and such a useful plane.
Didn't get a lot done yesterday as needed long drill bit to drill for handle to go through but did have a play with me spoke shaves on a bit of scrap branch one's a Stanley 67 one you can remove handles/change positions bit harder to set up compared to the other with two adjusters on!.

I went to one as a guest a while back, I can’t attend regularly as I work full time still, but I can’t rate them highly enough. I can’t wait to retire

 

[Homeless Squirrel]

Where's the shed in East London?

At MIND place Whitethorn Street E3. Monday and Wednesday 10-16.00 first trip they say is a Wednesday as main guy's there.
Shed is called Sunnyside on the website.

 

[Homeless Squirrel]

Mens Sheds are A great place for those that A don't have many/any tools. B Any place/space to do/make things.C like to learn a few things.D live on own or like to get away from those at home!.E any combination of those plus anything else can add/think of?.

Plus don't think any have Curtains for the Victor Meldrew types Amongst us!.

 

[profchris]

My local Men's Shed (Stowmarket, Suffolk) is a lovely bunch. They are currently helping fit out the extra premises our local Arts operation has acquired, so we're getting bespoke fittings, some built-in seating, etc. All for the cost of materials, which is great because like all Arts enterprises we're broke! They've also worked on local play areas and a load of community projects.

I gather many Men's Sheds do great work for their local community, so they're a lot more than just organisations for their members' benefit.

 

[Spectric]

The biggest bonus for places like mens shed's is the social aspect, women have mostly had the opportunity to have some social interactions during the day whilst for men most of there social interactions occur at work and they suddenly stop at retirement leaving them high and dry.

 

[Exluthier]

This morning, at a shed somewhere in England, were nine shedders, two of them making king-size trugs for a local project, another one soldering an arduino-based light cube display, one making a new handle for a keyhole saw, one looking for lathe faceplates, one refurbishing a music-stand, and others in conversation. One ( a new member) brought doughnuts all round, and one left early as a result of a night of pain. Two members (carers both) spoke privately over coffee. The expertise range is astounding, and no technical question goes unanswered for long, just as truly daft ideas crash and burn with ensuing hilarity. Try it, you won’t regret it.

 

[Doris]

I think the whole point of men's sheds is that it's a charity and they help mostly older men get together and talk as well as make things, it's not discrimination that's just the demographic they are aiming for.

I remember offering to help out with the start up of a "Men in Sheds" down the road to me years ago. None of the organisers seemed to have any idea how to safelty use a lathe, bandsaws etc. The community were giving these tools but without instructions or safety switches etc.

I was then told I would be handy to make the tea

 

[Jackie H]

This is interesting. The thread has piqued my interest. I would be more than happy to help out 'men sheds' if they would have me.
My 'she shed' which I mentioned earlier is a bit more industrial and not painted pink. It has (when it is complete) a Charnwood table saw, Router table with AUK router and lift, MFT, mitre saw and small pillar drill. Hopefully a band saw too.
I would be more than happy to make my equipment and shed available to the local community, perhaps by affiliation, male or female. I will be searching local 'sheds' and reaching out to see how I can contribute.
Jackie

 

[Rodpr]

I first discovered my local (Exmouth) Men's Shed just after I retired, nearly 6 years ago. At the time I was trying to restore a very basic treadle lathe which someone had given me. At the Men's Shed I was shown how to turn brass parts that I needed and I was able to use a variety of wood lathes, benefiting from advice from a bunch of chaps who have decades of experience. Later I managed to get myself a Jet midi lathe and a workshop and gave away the treadle lathe (with the accessories I had made for it) and I have continued to go along to the Men's Shed once a week. I have helped with the construction of a second shed (for big power tools) and I can now help novice turners with basic advice. It has taken many years to become really accepted by some regulars but this has meant that it is now possible to have conversations which go well beyond the surface banter. There is no way I could have afforded to pay for the amount of tutorial advice I have received and it is great to be able to use a big table saw and planer/thicknesser when I need these (no room in my workshop!). I have also been able to buy (reclaimed) timber to make shelves for my daughter's house at a good price!

I was initially not too happy about the 'Men only' nature of Men's Sheds but I do understand the need for places where socially isolated men can meet. It is perhaps a sad reflection of our society that this might be less manageable if the Sheds were open for women as well. I suspect that 'People's Sheds' may begin to appear in the near future.

 

[Southdownswolf]

I'd love to go to one of my local sheds, but they're not open at weekends so no good for me.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

The ones near me aren't.

 

[richnfamous]

our local 'Shed' (it's both men's and womens', with mostly women on Mondays and men on Thursdays, with "woodwork Wednesday" for both) is next to my workshop. it's a really great project which makes stuff for the local community... there aren't that many professional woodworkers involved so I help with the odd tip now and then, especially for the wednesday 'improvers'

what I most enjoy about the whole Shed idea is the acknowledgement that people can feel a bit lonely and isolated after we retire... and that a lot of bonding goes on when we work together on stuff. the local shed makes a lot of stuff for the community... all in all a great project

 

[thetyreman]

I remember offering to help out with the start up of a "Men in Sheds" down the road to me years ago. None of the organisers seemed to have any idea how to safelty use a lathe, bandsaws etc. The community were giving these tools but without instructions or safety switches etc.

I was then told I would be handy to make the tea

sad that they didn't treat you with more respect than that, I've never been to one myself but if I saw that going on with health and safety I'd be worried too.

 

[Sideways]

The "men's sheds" concept does have a genuine gender issue to manage.
Just like society, a shed could be a culturally richer place if it's open to women as well as men.
But, part of the original concept as I understand it, is that older blokes are more likely to have open conversations about their health and wellbeing with other men of similar age than they will have with women present, or with younger men for that matter. The logic is that men will open up about these sorts of issues in a setting that is unrelated to them. Just blokes working side by side as many would have done in the workplace.
In the couple of years that I was actively involved at a local shed, health related conversations like this were commonplace and usually stopped when women called in.
A shed that doesn't open up to women (or only does so part time) shouldn't be criticised for it because inviting the lasses comes at a cost to the men. It's no different to anyone's right to ask to see a male or female doctor.

 

[Doris]

sad that they didn't treat you with more respect than that, I've never been to one myself but if I saw that going on with health and safety I'd be worried too.

The guy who said it to me was the "organiser" and a bell end to be honest. He left soon after and it never fully got off the ground. I think they only made things out of pallets so nothing involving a lathe thankfully.

I've had another incident with another so called Christian organisation who do something similar to men in sheds but collect, reuse and sell recycled wood donated to them. A friend of mine (a retired man who knows my capabilities) invited me along and told me good things about this organisation after I told him about my experience with Men in sheds. So I went along when my friend wasn't there and was told "Sorry love we won't sell you this T&G as we can make more money out of it than just selling it direct to you". Told my friend eventually and he said "yeah some of them can be like that"

 

[imageel]

I remember offering to help out with the start up of a "Men in Sheds" down the road to me years ago. None of the organisers seemed to have any idea how to safelty use a lathe, bandsaws etc. The community were giving these tools but without instructions or safety switches etc.

I was then told I would be handy to make the tea

Not sure where in Essex you are, however your experiences sound all too familiar with my own - as someone who volunteers for an Essex based charity and was approached to assist setting a mans shed up. Initially I offered to use my own workshop on a limited invite basis, however they -the Mens Shed association have strict rules on this and they preclude any 'shop on private land. The charity appear to have access to a lot of donated kit but because of bureaucracy and the charities entrenched 'decision by committee' approach - where most committee members are quite frankly clueless, they have made little progress in the ~3 years that this subject was floated.
Hats off to those who do have access to one that is well run/organised and provides the social, learning and practical skills that folks want, I personally have given up trying with the lot I'm affiliated to, and gender discrimination doesn't even enter into the equation although I guess I am unsurprised at your unfortunate experiences...

 

[Jameshow]

The guy who said it to me was the "organiser" and a bell end to be honest. He left soon after and it never fully got off the ground. I think they only made things out of pallets so nothing involving a lathe thankfully.

I've had another incident with another so called Christian organisation who do something similar to men in sheds but collect, reuse and sell recycled wood donated to them. A friend of mine (a retired man who knows my capabilities) invited me along and told me good things about this organisation after I told him about my experience with Men in sheds. So I went along when my friend wasn't there and was told "Sorry love we won't sell you this T&G as we can make more money out of it than just selling it direct to you". Told my friend eventually and he said "yeah some of them can be like that"

At our shed a year or so back a chap came by on holiday, at his shed they made bird boxes hedgehog houses etc. So do we I said... A chicken coop!!