Now that I am in my new shop, I have to start re imagining the space. Going from a two-car garage where it was all mine to a one-car garage that will have to share the garage with a car, well, it’s going to take some time to get everything where it needs to go. But I know it will happen.
Oh, did I mention that there is only one overhead light, and a single 15 amp plug that runs the garage door opener? Yeah, that will be a problem, but that’s the situation. So, as far as power tools go, my options will be limited, and I will be leaning heavily on battery-operated tools to make mechanized things work well.
In the meantime, I need a solid foundation for my woodworking. Fortunately, I had a ton of help last year making things happen in my first apartment. Modern Woodworkers Association Podcast Host and Penultimate Workshop Blogger Dyami Plotke paid me a visit just before the 2016 Woodworking Show to get me set up with a bench.
Now, here’s a bit of a recap of bench history for those of you who are new to the party.
My first bench – big ugly – was a solid core door I was throwing out that I mounted to a 2 x 4 frame. It was big. It was nasty. It was super ugly. And, I built some pretty sweet pieces on it. But, it had zero functionality.
The next bench I built was better, but it too was plagued with issues that made its utility a bit more challenging. However, I was able to build some nice pieces on the bench, and it served me well for several years.
The next bench was my favorite. It was a Nicholson Bench. Eight feet long. Heavy as all get out. All built out of construction-grade southern yellow pine. Now we were talking. Dog holes on the top and the sides. Stiff. Solid. Great piece to work on. Could have done without the split top, but hey, not bad for a third bench.
The current one that Dyami and I built was a speed build – built in one day on the show floor at the Tampa Fairgrounds. Roll that fabulous bench building footage.
While it is a sweet little bench (it measures a diminutive four feet long), it has yet to really see a woodworking project built on it. It ended up serving as an entry table at my apartment, catching ballcaps and cans of sunscreen spray.
But, no more. Now, in its new location, the bench is getting set to get some work done.
Looking forward to seeing the progress on your new shop!
Rental Apartment Garages… a couple years of my woodworking career. Word of wisdom, get a key to the breaker box. Most of these kinds of apartments put all the plugs inline so while you might be using a machine that is well below the capacity of the breaker someone opens a garage at the same time it’s running…. pop. Then you have to track down maintenance as the guy who started opening his door will want in immediately and everyone else is locked in because nobody knows how to pull the little red handle and open the door by hand.
Wisdom from experience.
Good luck with the new shop!
Best wishes for a solid foundation.
Happy to see your post because I love Nicholson Bench. I have been using from last 8 month, till now it works greatly. I’m so happy to use Nicholson Bench.
Looks awesome! Great job!