Check out the video, Tymes Woodshop Part I. The organization in his shop is absolutely incredible. I mean unbelievable. I think we should all strive to be this organized (though never expect to be half as organized).
http://www.lagunatools.com/videos.aspx
Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
(soon to be www.flairwoodworks.com)
– Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. – Albert Schweitzer
Replies
Your right, organized is the word. It would be a full time job just keeping that place clean, I will live with what I got, nice and dusty and disorganized.
Chris,
Most enjoyable. What the man says about dust is so true. I have COPD primarily due to dust exposure. I have to keep my shop super clean also. I wish that I had been more careful 35 years ago when I first got started.
-Jerry
I've really grown to appreciate cleanliness and organization. Not only does it make the whole process more enjoyable but it's a heck of a lot safer. This guy takes it to a whole new level but it definitely seems to work for him.
Doing shop cleanup is a great way to start/end the day, good mental warm up and wind down.
If I had that much bucks I sure wouldn't have a drawer full of those paint can opener chisels. Two or three was enough for me when i was just learning. Nice sheet stock cutter though.
Oops that wasn't what I was supposed to say was it. Aaaaaa dust ! Yah no dust any where !
Just kidding. It is a beautiful shop. Not enough hand tools though. I wouldn't put my hammers down next to the floor and the band saw blades up at quick and easy grab height.
Oops there I go again. I can't help it.
roc
Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )
Edited 3/6/2009 3:46 am by roc
So how much you think that shop cost in total?
Edited 3/6/2009 10:54 pm ET by habilis
I could not begin to estimate that; totaly out of my depth there but his table saw is worth as much as my whole wood shop. I shouldn't be so critical. It is a beautiful shop. What do I know? I'm renting.rocGive me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )
Then the question becomes how long does it take him to make enough profit to pay for it. If you've got all that extra money and it doesn't matter, that's cool. Unfamiliar territory for me.
Chris,Did you notice what his daytime job was? A doctor.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com(soon to be http://www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Oh. That would explain a lot. He has an operating theatre for wood.Pete
I think he is an alternative medicine man.Greg
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Exo 35:30-35<!---->
Greg,And apparently a very successful one...........Wow...........R
He's not a doctor, he's an ancillary health care provider.
That "sheet stock cutter" is called a Striebig and it is a state of the art machine. A buddy of mine has one in his cabinet shop and they cost about $15,000 and they are worth it. Dead accurate and can make any cut on a size sheet good and you don't have to wrestle a thing. I have used it from time to time and it is a dream. That guy has $25,000 tied up in that jointer and planer and $10,000 in the table saw and bandsaw. I can see why he is listed on Laguna's website as the ideal shop. He puts all of us to shame and I thought I had a pretty nice shop,and I do, but not that nice. Alternative medicine must be very lucrative in San Diego.
Edited 3/7/2009 9:13 am ET by terrylee86
That is my new dream shop! I hear a lot of comments about hand tools, and I do agree, but it's hard to tell what's in those drawers. Might be more than meets the eye. I will reserve judgement until I learn otherwise. My only complaint would be that it seems to be lacking a little assembly area. But, I could see in the video another room in the shop which wasn't really visited. I just saw the Oneway peeking through the door. Who knows what else is in that room. I only wish I was as organized as him. I could be very comfortable in that shop.
"his shop is absolutely incredible. I mean unbelievable."
I do that. However in the opposite way!
If I was rich and had a staff of folks that picked up after me, I could do it also!
But then again, Am sort of happy with what I have now? NO,, If I had the money to do only one thing I would ask my wish for a reasonable, HEATED, shop!
I only looked at parts of the videos. I will go back and look at all. I, like you, was AMAZED! However, I think I have as many garbage containers as he has! :>)
No hate here fer' rich folks that do something useful.. like woodworking!
Really.. Great link...
Will,I think most of us can relate to your incredible shop, myself included, unfortunately. I really should spend a month organizing my shop so that it is efficient. Of course, I would need to finish my bench first. I still don't think money buys happiness, but organization can help keep one's sanity.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com(soon to be http://www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Chris, a certain amount of kaos is good. When everything is organized and going well we get bored. My shop is a little messy and it reminds me to always be careful. Watch where I walk and turn. I may be more careful for it. Besides if i took all my time organizing I would never get anything done and I would rather be remembered for the work I did then the fact that I was organized. "He never did anything but his shop sure was clean" LOL.
That's like one of my favourite saying: Pardon the mess; it's a sign of progress. In my shop, you know I work in it. In his, not so much!Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com(soon to be http://www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
I think his shop is heated Will, he lives in Southern Cal. I'll bet he longs for air conditioning in the summer as much as you long for heat.
That sure is a fancy shop for building matchstick boxes.
Funny that he has all those sweet professional industrial grade tools, and there wasn't any sort of ANY project in his "museum" Even Norm has various jigs and projects around his studio. I wonder if Norm would be jealous of Dr. OCD?
Peter
www.jpswoodworking.com
Peter,Funny, I never noticed that. Perhaps all his jigs are stored in cabinets or drawers. I am surprised too that there was so little of his work shown. Perhaps the editors of the video take credit for that.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com(soon to be http://www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Chris:
I saw pictures of this guy's shop in a recent magazine which featured 12 others of amazing levels of obsessiveness. They all are really nice but I came away feeling like maybe the shops were the projects and not necessarily the tools if you know what I mean.
This fellow's shop made me think of a copy of the woodcraft supply catalog, beautiful seductive yet somehow more display than working shop. As a fulltime maker I am probably more interested in efficiency than presentation and more concerned about capital expenditures than this fellow might have to be as a hobbyist but you sure have to admit it is a pretty shop!
Madison
Madison..
When I was a Teen and alot younger than that. Maybe about 8th. Grade here in Chicago. I had a friend, OK, so maybe just a playmate at the time....
As I remember it.. His Father just loved metalworking (I did also, after seeing his shop, and I was a bit older), he had the basement ( as in underground ) made with reinforcement cement. And as I recall pumps to keep the water out! His tools were placed with BIG bolts and the house was made ontop of HIS shop~. His shop and then the house... I think his wife approved? I have no idea, but they seemed to get along!
Madison,Do you recall which magazine that was? I would be interested to see more clean, organized shops. I understand what you mean about the shop being the project, but imagine how productive one could be in such an organized shop. Compare that to mine...Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com(soon to be http://www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Chris:
The magazine I think is American Woodworker and the issue is a current special issue I think titled 13 of America's best shops or something close to that. All are hobbyist shops and all are just too pretty....
I've actually thought about writing the publisher a note and suggesting that they print an issue showing all the great stuff that must come out of those shops
Madison
Salut Chris,
The magazine is a special issue from Wood magazine (BHG) titled America's Best Home Workshop 2009 and is on display until April 14, 2009 in newstands. The front page advertises 13 real, proven shops, 104 projects & ideas, 77 storage solutions plus 21 money-saving, time-freeing jigs (yes Chris, jigs! Yuck!).
Do I recommand it? You know the answer buddy. Several months ago I emailed you a preview of one of its page.
Tyme's workshop occupies 14 pages of this special issue, from page 84 to 101. All the details are there. After watching the video I thought it was huge and I was surprised to see it is 20' X 36', plus 3' X 16' housing his dust collector and all from outside. According to his bio, no doubt he's a perfectionnist and an artist. By looking closely on page 93, I can see tiny tracks of wood dust on the floor carpet. Closely I said!
For a woodworker, this special issue would replace the best bedside book. It's not Fine Woodworking, but it's worthed.
Best,
Serge
PS: I re-read three times to be sure I wouldn't have to edit my text twice this time!!!- Learn from yesterday, work today, and enjoy success tomorrow -
http://www.atelierdubricoleur.spaces.live.com
Yes but he spent i year just building the shop and DC. Did you see his DC for the chop saw. He has some good ideas.
It's big, but surely really effective. I'm sure that super sucker dust collector has a role in it's efficiency too. Compare that to my 1HP unit... I should build a shroud like his though. But my floor does the job for now.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com(soon to be http://www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Chris, that is a spectacular shop , While I have some nice tools myself I would love to have that workbench you where making with the crotch cherry legs along with the dust collection system in his shop. How did it turn out ?
Tom.
Edited 3/8/2009 9:52 am ET by gofigure57
Y'know Tom, I'm not sure my bench would fit in well with his shop. By the way, it's not done yet. Not by a long shot. Maybe by the time I'm 25. Or 30. Or 50.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com(soon to be http://www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Maybe by the time I'm 25.. LOL LOL..
Thanks for the find, Chris. It was inspirational. I loved the 5 closets outside to keep his air compressor and dust collection.
This thread sure generated more mean-spiritedness than I would have expected, although jealousy seems like a reasonable response. Norm Abrams should encourage everybody to watch this - then maybe he wouldn't take so much flack for his shop being an unattainable dream shop!
The Wood Loon
Acton, MA
Woodworking is not a goal, but a journey. Organization too. One day after another I tell myself. I can imagine this guy dreaming of his 'dream workshop' for years. Then he worked at it to make his dream come through. His shop is proportional to his income I believe. Not mine, I'm sure of that.
He sure sparked our imagination to dream of our own affordable workshop and find our own level of organization.
I found it fun and inspiring to watch (I kept the link in my bookmarks).
Best,
Serge
PS: Edited to correct a typo.
- Learn from yesterday, work today, and enjoy success tomorrow -
http://www.atelierdubricoleur.spaces.live.com
Edited 3/8/2009 2:43 pm ET by bricofleur
Edited 3/8/2009 5:33 pm ET by bricofleur
"PS: Edited to correct a typo."And the second edit? Just bugging you. Glad you found time to visit us here.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com(soon to be http://www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Hi Chris,
All the time my wife asks me what the heck am I doing in the shop so long after I'm finished with work, and I don't think she believes that I spend that much time cleaning anything!
She probably thinks I'm out there caressing my power tools or something.
So if I had a shop that clean it would take me away from my tools.
Chaim
Chaim,Maybe I need to take a page from your book. When I'm finished working, I sit on my workbench and think. My shop is a mess.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com(soon to be http://www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
I didn't mean to imply that I get to it right away, just that I'm always cleaning.
It helps to keep your shop clean if its almost to small to work in like mine (22 x 14)!!!
Its small but its an out building that's paid for so I guess it's a fair trade off.
Chaim
Chaim,I'd bet that your organized and clean shop is much more enjoyable to work in than a huge shop that's a mess.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com(soon to be http://www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Yea, it is but it's a real chalange to work full sheet goods!
I'm doing a table for a client thats 7' closed and over 20' opend!
Dont ask me how I'm gonna open it all the way or apply a finish to it because I have no idea. It can be a real hedbanger to work in such a small shop and If you don't keep it clean you run out of room in a hurry.
I know you say 14 feet is plenty to work sheet goods, but I have a wall separating the shop space so my working area is only about 8 or 9 feet wide.
Like I said it's small but it's mine!
Chaim
Chaim,Y'know, spring and summer are coming. Maybe you can work out in the yard like I do. I can make as big a mess out there as I like (see attached). Just be careful of debris when finishing. I'd suggest a quick-drying finish, possibly sprayed.You have the same problem as I do. My shop is 424 square feet, roughly 20'x20'. However, there is a wall running down the center, making two rooms roughly 20'x12' and 20x8'. The larger room is my bench room and the narrower my machine room, which opens up into the yard.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com(soon to be http://www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Chris,
Yea I like to finish outside and when its nice out. There's nothing that helps to dry a finish faster.
Sometimes the heat can also be an issue.
Don't forget the sand storms can cause finishing problems as well! Thank G-d they don't happen every day. Usually it's nice in the late spring and we have clear beautiful skies most of the time.
Chaim
Chaim,Sand storms? Can you put a piece outside and have it automatically sanded for you? (Must be the palm tree that's got me dreaming.)Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com(soon to be http://www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
I was looking at the view out the door of your shop at what appears to be a palm tree! It's not much over freezing here, so seeing that sight alone makes me envious enough! have a good one!Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
Yes that's a palm tree!
I have four fruit palms which won't bear fruit because I'm too high over sea level.
It's not so cold here but not so hot either. One day is cold the next its hot and sunny and thats the way it is untill it's full blown summer! Unfortunatley we didn't have all the rain we need this year and its allready early spring.
Snow... I grew up in NJ so I had enoghf of snow for this lifetime. Perhaps if I go on vacation to Switzerland I'll enjoy it again (not any time soon).
Chaim
Chaim,Ya know. that der al-u-mini-me type of clamp looks to be moe like a rope bridge across the Grand Canyon. Suppose you can get a little more torque there boss?:)
Thought bout buyin them a few times but I'll stick to the cast iron pipers you have fore and aft.Like your shop - if you can get the job done and it works for you, that's all you need.Boiler
Yea, I here ya but it got the job done, and its great for when you need to reach a little deeper than a pipe clamp can.
not recommended for massive glue ups though and besides the price was right.
Chaim
I have a few of those "less than stellar" ones also.
Getting back to the subject at hand, I don't have a place to store all my clamps especially the big ones!
They get pushed around from wall to wall as the need arises and I must move them. Lately I've been thinking of a storage solution that takes minimal space doesn't take up wall space and allows easy retrieval of my clamps.
Anyone know where Dr. Who got his phone booth?
Chaim
Here you go.
................................................
Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.~ Denis Diderot
Your an insomniac aren't you? your also really good at searching the net.
Chaim
Not an insomniac, it's only 0025 here. GMT-7
................................................
Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.~ Denis Diderot
Point taken!
Chaim
Chaim,
Storing clamps? Several weeks ago Tom Begnal said on Knots that he was working on an article about storing clamps for an upcoming issue of FW magazine. Perhaps this will be the issue you were looking for... to get your clamps organized. I will look forward to seing what he will be coming up with. Should be interesting.
The more we have clamps, be bigger the issue is. I think the proper word is 'exponential'.
Best,
Serge- Learn from yesterday, work today, and enjoy success tomorrow -
http://www.atelierdubricoleur.spaces.live.com
to get your clamps organized.
I clamp them on anything I will not get a eye poked out roaming around the shop!
and its great for when you need to reach a little deeper than a pipe clamp can.
I use two long oak 4x4 ( between the walls ) and a hydraulic jack.
Chris,
The shop is his project. Not to be mean spirited, but lots of guys have big a$$ trucks to drive and show off in. His dream was the shop and he has built what he wanted. Every corner, every closet is another piece of fabrication, design and just drips with hours of work. Some of us want to build boxes, some of us want tables, some just want to build kewl devices to make it work more effecient. I look at his shop as one GIANT jig.
AZMO
-----------_o
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-------(*)/ (*) http://www.EarthArtLandscape.com
"I look at his shop as one GIANT jig."Morgan,I don't consider myself to be much of a jig maker like Serge (bricofleur). Perhaps that explains the chaotic state my shop always seems to be in - I'd rather work in the shop than work on making the shop workable in. In that respect, I envy guys who keep their shop clean.Yesterday, I cleaned out my machine shop so that I could take some pictures. My official website is nearing completion and I hope to have it up and running soon.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com(soon to be http://www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Then there is me.. a jig maker for sure! Not usually something for many uses. Mostly one time jigs for a project.
And I have a chaotic shop.
I do try to keep the dust down if possible.
Will,So you busted my theory between jig-makers and neat, organized shops!Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com(soon to be http://www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Salut Chris,
A little bit of this and a little bit of that, every single day, can make a long way. As long as we keep moving, doing what each and everyone feels to do. No need to compare. In no time you will be a jig maker, and perhaps a good one, if you need jigs. Since you're a tradition woodworker, you don't really need them for now. But sooner of later... BTW, you already built pretty nice jigs (and some ugly too!). I was tempted to add a picture !!!!
I like the idea from Morgan to see such shop as a GIANT jig. That jig word gives me goose bumps!!!!
Best,
Serge
- Learn from yesterday, work today, and enjoy success tomorrow -
http://www.atelierdubricoleur.spaces.live.com
I'd like to know where he got the hardware for the flip-up outfeed tables. They seem to work quite well and appear quite heavy-duty.
That was impressive.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com(soon to be http://www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Take a look at the shops in the "Old school woodworking" thread. Their equipment beats this hands down. Some things money just can't buy. Gotta get out the barrel of elbow grease my mother gave me. Used to hate the stuff, but, gotta admit, it works.
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