Thursday, June 4, 2009

Workshop Video Tour

Watch in High Definition here.  (click on the HD button on YouTube)

My shop has never been cleaner since I'm having an open house on Saturday, and I'm taking advantage by documenting it on film.

It looks a little disorganized since so many cabinets either need to be built or need to be finished. My assembly table still needs a work surface (it's not meant to have unattached strips of 2x4s as a top) in addition to doors. But hey, it's my little slice of heaven.

I'll walk you through the land of unfinished projects and show you the world's cheapest store-bought workbench ($139 at B.J.'s Wholesale Club).

And if you watch the entire video, you'll get to see a scruffy little dog wearing wellies.

Music is "Wagon Wheel" by Old Crow Medicine Show.

24 comments:

  1. Wow. what a nice shop. No wonder you want to "build stuff 'til you die". who wouldn't? Where can you find the BJ's workbench?

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  2. awesome space. Disorganized - HA! I won't be posting a video of my shop anytime soon that's for sure.

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  3. Very nice space, Kari! Except I almost got a case of the vapors seeing all those (shudder) power tools! I had to stop the video and uncork the smelling salts before I could continue. All those clamps! And you don't even have to spend a half-hour untangling them to use one. Looked like a nice chunk of tree sitting at the end of your (averting eyes) power lathe. You know, if you got rid of all those nasty power tools, you'd have more room.

    And you still don't have it documented on FILM!

    BTW, are we going to have to come get you out of RIAA jail for using that sound track?

    Bob

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  4. Well done. Really like your shop, especially the windows. Mines in the basement (the cave).
    For those of us less informed whose music was that.... fit nicely with the piece.
    Jim K
    N. GA

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  5. Ah - I finally got the thing to work. Not sure what the problem was earlier.

    Good job!

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  6. Chod, I bought that cheap bench about 17 years ago and the place where I bought it (B.J.'s) never carried them again.

    Thanks Eric and Dale!

    Bob, my apologies. I should have posted a warning for galoots first. ; )

    Jim, I was going for the Shaker schoolhouse look. And I worked in a dungeon (cave) for 12 years before we built my shop, so I know what that's like. : (

    I added the name of the song: "Wagon Wheel" by Old Crow Medicine Show.

    Thanks Shazza, I wish I could have uploaded a higher res version. Alas.

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  7. Nice video. The music didn't do it for me until the vocals started rolling. Somewhat jarring, though -- from your blog, I keep expecting to see a handtool only shop (shoppe?), and find myself surprised to see so many power tools (yes, this is even after seeing your old shop tour still photos).
    My wife wondered why you don't have much dust in the shop. I suspect a sudden cleaning frenzy, but I am wondering why you have so many dust collectors, rather than going with a single big unit? Also, how is the shop vac working for the big bandsaw? I'm still trying to figure out my bandsaw dust collection.
    Who does the gardening?

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  8. I think it is a great space, too. Really, really nice.

    I also dig the soundtrack to the video. I first heard that song on Putumayo's Americana compilation - highly, highly recommended if you don't already have it.

    Let me just finish off by saying how completely jealous I am of your space, and how clean it is.

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  9. Kari, that is one sweet looking house - picture perfect. The two of you are to be congratulated for great taste and execution.

    As for your shop, if I take you up on your answer to my comment yesterday about the woodworking conference, do I get to borrow it?

    Ya, I know - never a lender or a borrower be.

    Peace,

    Mitchell

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  10. Very nicely done! Love your shop and wish I had as many windows in mine. It looks like a very inviting place to be, which I think is important in a shop.

    When I was a kid my best friend's dad had a shop in the basement with bare concrete walls, dim flourescent lighting and old dirty metal cabinets. We called it the dungeon because it was so dark and uninviting. I always wanted my own shop but said I never wanted it to be so uninviting as my friend's dad's was.

    Looks like you've done a fantastic job of making your shop a really nice place to spend time in.

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  11. mdhills, for the first 10 years of my ww life, I was a normite, so I have lots of power tools (which I still use). But, I prefer to use handtools. I did have a cleaning frenzy--you're right! It's never that clean, but it is usually pretty tidy. That was a conscious decision to use dust collectors rather than one central unit. I didn't want tubes running along the walls and/or ceiling--I thought it would detract from the quaint look of my shop.

    Geemoney, thanks for the music tip! :o)

    Mitchell, ummm, I'll get back to you... ; )

    Bob, the windows let in tons of light since they're south-facing. My "old" shop was similar to the one you describe--a real dungeon--so this one is a huge step up. It has good vibes as my friends tell me. And I agree!

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  12. mdhills, forgot to answer about the bandsaw. The dust collection is horrible. If it were attached to a more heavy-duty unit it might work better. Or if I built a better chute below the table, that might improve it.

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  13. Continue to be jealous of your shop space. Nice music choice - my oldest daughter turned me on to OCMS.

    Mike H.

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  14. Kari,

    Thanks for the tour.

    What a great space you have to work in! I'm very jealous of all the floor space and windows...I'll just slither down to my basement shop now.

    Cute dog too!

    --Mark
    The Craftsman's Path

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  15. The land of unfinished projects, what a great description. I would be happy to have such an "untidy" workshop.

    Like the soundtrack was well.

    As we say down under good on ya! Keep up the good work
    Bernie from Adelaide SA

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  16. Kari - great tour but too many individual extraction devices perhaps? A plumbed in system would be great in your 'shop...just a thought - Rob

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  17. Thank you for the nice comments! I assure you, my shop never looks this clean (and probably never will again).

    Rob, I wanted to have the flexibility to move equipment around, so that would have been difficult to determine where to put dust ports. I don't mind all the dust collectors--the more units I have, the more bags I get to empty. And we all know what a pleasant task THAT is. ; )

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  18. Great video! Great song! The dog with the wellies was the best bit! The tool chest looks beautiful! And the colour of the moulding is perfect! I was also taken aback by the hard-core power tools...the table saw? Crikey! Seriously--you think your shop is 'disorganised'? There's really no verbal response but to snort, i think ;-) Thanks for putting up another video!

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  19. Kari,
    Love your blog. I found it through Chris Swartz's. I too am a PA handtool afficianado with a lot of power tools for the hard labor. Your choice of music is what finally got me to send a comment. Did you know that Bob Dylan wrote the refrain and OCMS finished it up? I love that song but my kids throw stuff at me when I sing it!. Rick

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  20. Naomi, you crack me up! Yeah, I let the power tools do the grunt work and I finish up with handtools. Some projects have been made mostly with handtools, but it's nice to have power equipment for milling.

    Rick, thanks for the reminder about the song. I had heard that when the song first came out but had forgotten. They did a good job of adding lyrics to Bob's refrain. You mean your kids don't have earbuds or a cell phone permanently attached to their ears that they are able to hear you singing???
    ; )

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  21. Great video Kari, we just got done translating your carving on your (awesome, awesome) tool chest and we were amused and surprised to say the least!

    Pete and Em from MD

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  22. I'm covetous. I know it's a sin, but there it is. (And I love Old Crow Med Show...almost as much as I like that your clamps are organized.)
    Megan

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    ReplyDelete
  24. how can it be that dustfree and perfect?

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