Men Sheds!

[Homeless Squirrel]

After my retirement we relocated to where we are now and as my wife still works and has family close by, I contacted two of our local sheds.

The first (about 12 miles away) told me I was probably too far from them - pardon, really? A local shed for reaaaally local people!

I made contact at another who were more welcoming but said they were quite hard to find if I didn’t know the area. I don’t and he was right, I wandered round with no luck and none of the locals I asked had any ideas either so I emailed and left voicemails which would hopefully get me better directions.

Todate, none have been replied to….

Nearly a year on, this thread has prompted me to try again at the risk of them hopefully not thinking I’m a stalker of some sort.

https://www.communityfirstyorkshire.org.uk/our-work/our-projects/mens-sheds/
where abouts in north yorks are you?
Mums side of family take up most of county up there and seem to be related to anything and anyone! inc Lancs!

 

[Homeless Squirrel]

Create one and let's see how much support it receives. We're trying to reduce the number of stickied threads, but if the Men's Shed thread is popular, we'll find a place for it.

I thought a section like have for chat/sale/wanted etc and there are other places apart from Mens sheds as near me we have woodworking for well-being.
Also have a place run in a church Crypt(Basement?)
Just a thought but don't matter.

 

[BucksDad]

Why do we need a men’s shed list when the men’s shed website provide one?

https://menssheds.org.uk/find-a-shed/

 

[Homeless Squirrel]

Why do we need a men’s shed list when the men’s shed website provide one?

https://menssheds.org.uk/find-a-shed/

Quite simple really if read? Their are more places then Mens sheds people can go to and many mends sheds are weekday limited.
Yes there is a website but some don't know about it/them.
But also you can go there with tail up high and leave with it between your legs! for as above/previous posters state some are not very good/welcoming. (Cliquey or unsafe)
whereas on here you might ok do things at home but need help or more specific tools or space needed and someone else can suggest place A or B.
My thoughts just a thread to help others be established or new joiners and make this site more friendly/inclusive.

But it also drives more web traffic to this site so hopefully more joiners?

But if an issue i will or admins can delete this thread?

 

[clogs]

Jameshow
3 years in and only one expat that works wood......makes outside furniture and toys.....
we've bought quite a lot off him.....
he's been invited to use my workshop on odd days.....when built.....
Company is great but I prefer to be alone most of the time.....
All the rest would find it very lower class and I wont drink gin and tonic with em.....hahaha.....

My wife wants to learn wood turning and the use of bandsaw's n the like.....
She's very capable woman....plus we have found a good outlet for higher end stuff.......

 

[Sideways]

There are too many sheds in the UK to maintain a list here.
Your best starting place is :
https://menssheds.org.uk/Who will have details of over half of them.

But take note that the MSA is a pretty new self appointed UK charity that does some facilitation and public relations. Sheds have been running in the UK for over a decade before some folk decided to create an association. You don't need to belong to this new group to start a shed, they don't provide money, and they don't speak for anyone except very loosely for their members.

 

[Homeless Squirrel]

@Sideways It was more to do with recommendations along with other places than an infinite list.
Plus peeps can say what ones they go to have for facilities like planer thicknesser/Bandsaw/Lathes

 

[Speaker]

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.

In spite of the name, Men’ Shed are open for anyone to join.

If you want to find a Shed in your area look at the UKMSA website…

in my area, (near Portsmouth) there are at least half a dozen within a 10 mile radius.

 

[Jameshow]

Best be hand tool only then.

That what our shed is!

If there is any power tool use I'll do it before the session.

I did cut some oak board this week whilst they drank tea, after last week they cut them by hand, they weren't too impressed when I brought in the mitre saw - well I didn't have it in the van last week!!

 

[Sideways]

@Sideways It was more to do with recommendations along with other places than an infinite list.
Plus peeps can say what ones they go to have for facilities like planer thicknesser/Bandsaw/Lathes

OK. Then I agree with Mike. It's worth doing.
Please start a thread with a little explanation in your first post and then invite people to add posts about any good sheds and similar groups that they recommend.
Once you get the thing going, your mods can help out with editing every once in a while just to keep it concise as a reference.
We can make it a sticky from there

 

[richnfamous]

I think that the idea mentioned earlier in the thread about a shed that is a mens shed on a Monday, a Ladies shed on a Thursday and a hobbies shed on a Wednesday for all comers is great idea. When I retired from a lifetime in and around the Motor Trade and the Building Trade the thing I missed the most was the male banter. I also enjoy ŧhe mix of female and male banter but it is different but still a great way to enjoy a Wednesday. When this place opens let me know.

note that they say "mainly women" and "mainly men" on each day... not that anyone ever goes on the other days to flirt, you understand

there's a lot of male banter on Thursdays, but with a polite tone as there are often ladies nearby. Mondays is a bit of a 'sewing bee' atmosphere amongst the ladies, and any men there politely pretend they're not listening to the 'girls talk'...

all in all I think they've found a very good way of running things

 

[Rewound]

I am aware of a complaint made to the mens shed association by a man over the language the women were using! seriously.

As for the shed I'm involved with, we're about 2/3 men. and as far as I know no one has any problems, we all seem to get on quite well.

 

[Morag Jones]

A bit late to thread here so forgive me if I’m speaking out of turn.

As a (not very ladylike but persistent) female woodworker I signed up for classes, as you do. A friend had also done so at the same workshop but we lost touch in the meantime. Through another activity years later we got chatting again and she told me she had signed up for the local Men’s Shed. It was a small community and I felt a bit sorry that their space was ‘invaded’. Both she and I are outspoken and prone to scary opinions. I fully get that some women need the security and support of women’s spaces. But also think we should allow men the same consideration.

OK shoot me down, but I don’t understand how we can demand women only spaces and then grumble when men would like have them too.

I have been hugely fortunate that everyone who has helped me learn skills has done so with generosity and respect. Sure there are times when I have been an idiot and have been helped out if a calamity, but try to pass on a few tips to others on my way. After all, we are sharing a common interest. Nobody has all the answers and learning is part of being human.

Probably the best part of this forum - apart from jokes and latest projects of course.
X

 

[FrankP]

That sounds like they are very 'clicky' And somewhere you wouldn't want to join anyway! If I were a member of the second one, I would have come and fetched you the first time, so you knew how to get there.

I was not familiar with the term Local Shed as I am from Boston in America so decided to look up the term. Apparently it is/was connected to AgeUK. I was just wondering if it would be worth contacting AgeUK in your general area for advice?

You might consider doing volunteer work. I volunteer at a local museum and find it very rewarding. I have made many new friends so also rewarding socially too.

 

[Diver]

I only joined this forum a couple of months ago because I have retired and thought I might have a go at wood turning. I emailed a few people near to me (Barnsley) but they either haven't had time or didn't want to reply. I was just looking for someone to help me get started with a few pointers (or classes). The nearest "turning" club was 2 hours away - as I no longer drive. Finally I found a mens shed 15 minutes walk and paid a call there today. They were very accommodating and sat me down for a cuppa, asked me what I would like to do, said it would cost £3 a day for tea, coffee, biscuits etc. for the upkeep of the shed, equipment etc. They said I could go there and do nothing or just sit and chat. If I wanted to have a go at something then I could time it to go when there would be an appropriate person present who could teach me from scratch. They have all the hand tools I could think of, 2 wood lathes, a bandsaw, a scroll saw, a thicknesser, drill press, etc.

More than anything they were welcoming and helpful. I'll be going again.

 

[Fred48]

I only joined this forum a couple of months ago because I have retired and thought I might have a go at wood turning. I emailed a few people near to me (Barnsley) but they either haven't had time or didn't want to reply. I was just looking for someone to help me get started with a few pointers (or classes). The nearest "turning" club was 2 hours away - as I no longer drive. Finally I found a mens shed 15 minutes walk and paid a call there today. They were very accommodating and sat me down for a cuppa, asked me what I would like to do, said it would cost £3 a day for tea, coffee, biscuits etc. for the upkeep of the shed, equipment etc. They said I could go there and do nothing or just sit and chat. If I wanted to have a go at something then I could time it to go when there would be an appropriate person present who could teach me from scratch. They have all the hand tools I could think of, 2 wood lathes, a bandsaw, a scroll saw, a thicknesser, drill press, etc.

More than anything they were welcoming and helpful. I'll be going again.

@Diver
Brilliant. I'm glad you have found a friendly bunch to assist in you having a go at woodturning. Looking forward to a photo of your first turning.
Fred

 

[Craig Taylor]

I think when you join you have to sign a disclaimer that you won't use any machine that you are not competent in using. So unless the machine is faulty then it is all down to the user. If they don't know how to use it safely, then they shouldn't be using it.

I had a tour of my local shed, Wokingham, and this is certainly true. Your badge is colour coded to show what you have had training to use.
I can't talk to the quality of the training (Youtube 'expert' or Ye Olde Badde Practice) /grin

 

[Diver]

@Diver
Brilliant. I'm glad you have found a friendly bunch to assist in you having a go at woodturning. Looking forward to a photo of your first turning.
Fred

Thank you Fred. When I get a chance I'll post a picture.

 

[Fred48]

Thank you Fred. When I get a chance I'll post a picture.

Happy turning
Fred

 

[Rewound]

I had a tour of my local shed, Wokingham, and this is certainly true. Your badge is colour coded to show what you have had training to use.
I can't talk to the quality of the training (Youtube 'expert' or Ye Olde Badde Practice) /grin

Training is a difficult one, I'm no expert on all the machines so I can't train or advise others, but i'm often in charge of the workshop. As already mentioned they sign a form to say they won't use any machine they are not competent on. Not that we just let folk do what they want after that, you soon, even just talking to them get an idea if they know what they are doing, and we have stopped folk before.

But stopping folk is difficult, we stopped one bloke before he broke the machine and possibly himself, and he took the huff big time, wrote letters of complaint to as many people as he could think of. Probably says we're a cliquey bunch of barstewards as well.