When you head out to the shop ... ?

It sounds like most of us are in the 50/50 club. If I am working on a project I almost always go there and work on the project. If I'm headed there to start a project, I may get distracted and work on something else. I tent to do a lot of puttering around in the shop.
 
If I need something done, I start into it. However, it's pretty common that the "need" needs an additional component so that needs to be dealt with.
If I'm just spending shop time, I start out with a plan, more accurately a concept of an intended goal that may or may not have any resemblance to any accomplishment of the day. It's all good.
 
I'll be honest here. I'm probably about 90% shooting the bull with you guys and 10% actually working.

I am getting closer to having the space to get to my tools on a regular basis without having to move stuff.

John
 
Most times (probably 75%) is planned projects. I very often have a friend or neighbors tractor, mower, atv or even autos in to be repaired. I try to finish those before moving on to my personal projects. Most of my personal stuff has to do with machining.
I have 3 folding chairs out there, so I take my time on everything. If I charged by the hr I would have to pay them for the work.

Chuck
 
I can't even estimate how my time gets allocated. Planning: I have an office upstairs (roomy bedroom size) with SolidWorks and a drafting table/machine. Fabrication: the shop. Execution: an electronics/physics lab. The lab (150 sq ft small, mini-split) and shop (25x30 plus storage and overhead infrared) are conjoined about 75 feet from the house, and there's an outside accessible bathroom without going in covered with chips, grease, etc. So you can see there's a lot of running around taking place, and some of that goes by the refrigerator.
 
Let’s see… none of my projects are finished. That even includes the shop…

”Cleaned and organized” are still foreign words to me at this moment.

I might go out with a project in mind only to sit on a chair to stare and daydream of finished projects.

I read stuff here, watch a few videos on YouTube and get the urge to try new things that then become more unfinished projects…

So where does that puts me in terms of percentages?
 
rabler said:
How often do you head out to the shop with a plan on what you are going to do, verses going out to the shop and then deciding what you're going to work on?

My shop is easily heated and cooled, has a beverage fridge, good network connectivity, etc. In other words, it is a fairly comfortable place to be. I'd guess it is about 50/50 for me, time I spend in the shop with a plan on what to work on, verses heading out to the shop to see what I feel like doing. Maybe the later, heading out to the shop to see what I get into, is the definition of a "hobby" shop?
Click to expand...
Did not answer the question...

Garage is not done as it is now just being used as storage while the workshop gets done. So I am going to say that, right now, I head out to the garage 10% of the time with something in mind... 90% is just to get away and relax... just staring into the mess and daydreaming of project to come and projects to finish.

When the shop is done, both the shop and that garage will get A/C. Shop will only have electrical... no bathroom... Shop will have a desk as I plan to take a small area to make it work-at-home office.

I am always telling my wife that if someone wants to see me, they will need to go to the garage/shop. That is my plan anyway. There is always a lot of tasks on the honey-do-list that distracts me from time in the garage...
 
I'm probably 0.5 & 0.5 like the rest of you. I have a basement shop without said facilities but only 13 steps up to the house. Retired about 18 months ago and am disappointed I don't do better but there are other obligations. Most of my projects tend to be combined machining/electronic/pondering. I think I tend to over ponder, and often when I finally have a plan I hear the voice from "above" reminding me of something I need to do. That tends to back me up to the pondering stage the next time. Of course if I were more deliberate I would have something to show for my time. When I get farther along I'll try to show you guys my track vehicle wheelie bar springy thing. As you can see I tend to ramble, so you can imagine how indecisive my pondering would be. Anyone see where I put my square?
 
My shop includes a 13' x 10' "office" which includes my CAD computer, 24"x36" surface plate and my electronics bench & supplies. That office has it's own mini-split so easy enough to keep it warm/cool. The shop itself includes a woodstove with my wife's lounge chair and coffee (and other beverage) table.

In more detail, I tend to wander out to the shop first thing in the morning and spend some time in the office pondering what to do for the day. Mid morning I leave and head over to the barns to help with morning feeding which usually runs into lunch. After lunch is my get'er done time, my wife and I typically tackle things together, be it yard work, home remodeling, farm maintenance, or some task in the shop. She was helping grout the crane posts over the weekend. Evenings after dinner and barn chores is time for shop clean-up, pondering, or maybe some CAD work in FreeCAD or Kicad depending on what I have going on.
 
Last edited:
I spend 100% of my time making room in the machine area , either the garage , the basement , or the other basement . Major progress has been made and it always leads to outdoor activities with the warmer weather we've had . Outdoor activities are done as today . The yards are done , the wall is done , the firewood is done , the zero turn will fit into the garage once again , I loaded machines on Craigslist , the garden is cleaned out , all metal is sorted and headed to the scrapper next weekend . Im making my year end trip up to the property Wed and will bring home all the scrap steel up there and get it down to Owl Metals over the weekend . I have the word out for a 12 or 13" Clausing lathe that I would buy . Still searching for space but it's getting exciting seeing empty floor space . Hope to purchase an item from @Arcstar* while up this week . @Mill Lee farm , should be back Friday .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top