Well my second and last child is finally here, Chase Anthony Hmielewski, i now am blessed with two sons, two new best friends, two lifelong hunting buddies. I know for now my carving has been put on hold, my garage has been gutted and refinished into a den/ trophy room. I have officially been man evicted. The wheels are already thinking and schemeing about the workshop i want to build out back. Lets see some pictures of everyones home away from home carving shops. Maybe i can add a few new ideas to my dream. Thanks guys
Carving shack thread
- Thread starter Jay H
- Start date
Chuck Cooper
Active member
Congrat"s on your newest hunting partner,,,,like you I'm in the planning stage of a new shack/shed,,my brother just dropped me off 20 sheets of plywood to get started
A Michael Chase
Active member
Here's mine. The metal shop in the background is my "man-cave" where all my power tools are located. The wooden structure is an all wood (no particle board) prefab that I moved in, set on piers and attached a porch. It's going to be my finish and paint building. I have heat for winter and will have A/C soon.
MLBob Furia
Well-known member
My wood shop is a converted cistern that was beneath the back half of my garage. Years ago we broke through the basement wall that sealed it off and "discovered" that the now useless cistern was in fact a 10'X20" room waiting to be converted into a shop. Ever have one of those dreams where you find rooms in your house that you never knew were there? 
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Built the painting studio when I retired 5 years ago. Between the two, I have the perfect year round set-up for everything I want to work on.
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Built the painting studio when I retired 5 years ago. Between the two, I have the perfect year round set-up for everything I want to work on.
Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Jay~
Congratulations all around! My daughter (32 this December) used my shop as the dance floor for her 2010 wedding.
This is 20 x 40 with a full loft with a 9 x 24 shed on north side. I'm lucky enough to live in farm country so space was not a problem. I designed it as a boatshop and it serves me very well for all of my woodworking - and I can bring my truck or tractor inside if needed. I designed it as passive solar to keep out summer sun (hence the hoods over the south windows and no windows on west - I can always open the double doors if I need the light) and gain winter sun. It is much better insulated than my ~1825 house and my Defiant woodstove is way more than enough. One of the best things I did was insulate beneath the floor. The foundation is an Alaskan slab. I put down sleepers, 1 1/2" of foam board, then 1 1/2" shiplap pine flooring. It is screwed down so I can easily replace a piece if I ever have a bad spill or small fire.
All the best,
SJS (note that the J is for Jay....)
Congratulations all around! My daughter (32 this December) used my shop as the dance floor for her 2010 wedding.
This is 20 x 40 with a full loft with a 9 x 24 shed on north side. I'm lucky enough to live in farm country so space was not a problem. I designed it as a boatshop and it serves me very well for all of my woodworking - and I can bring my truck or tractor inside if needed. I designed it as passive solar to keep out summer sun (hence the hoods over the south windows and no windows on west - I can always open the double doors if I need the light) and gain winter sun. It is much better insulated than my ~1825 house and my Defiant woodstove is way more than enough. One of the best things I did was insulate beneath the floor. The foundation is an Alaskan slab. I put down sleepers, 1 1/2" of foam board, then 1 1/2" shiplap pine flooring. It is screwed down so I can easily replace a piece if I ever have a bad spill or small fire.
All the best,
SJS (note that the J is for Jay....)
Jay~
Congratulations all around! My daughter (32 this December) used my shop as the dance floor for her 2010 wedding.
This is 20 x 40 with a full loft with a 9 x 24 shed on north side. I'm lucky enough to live in farm country so space was not a problem. I designed it as a boatshop and it serves me very well for all of my woodworking - and I can bring my truck or tractor inside if needed. I designed it as passive solar to keep out summer sun (hence the hoods over the south windows and no windows on west - I can always open the double doors if I need the light) and gain winter sun. It is much better insulated than my ~1825 house and my Defiant woodstove is way more than enough. One of the best things I did was insulate beneath the floor. The foundation is an Alaskan slab. I put down sleepers, 1 1/2" of foam board, then 1 1/2" shiplap pine flooring. It is screwed down so I can easily replace a piece if I ever have a bad spill or small fire.
All the best,
SJS (note that the J is for Jay....)
That is an awesome shop. Do you have any pictures of the inside?
jode hillman
Well-known member
Hi Jay, Congrats on the new arrival! What a great event, I'm sure the fun has just begun!
Here's a pic of the two story Gambrel barn I put up to replace my burnt Old barn. Because of zoning restrictions, I could not enlarge the Footprint (16'X24') but i was able to go up.
The inside is still a work in progress, but it is coming along well. Also I can't ever mention the shop or fire without also acknowlegdeing all the great support my family received from the folks here at Duckboats.
Outside
Inside
Second floor
Here's a pic of the two story Gambrel barn I put up to replace my burnt Old barn. Because of zoning restrictions, I could not enlarge the Footprint (16'X24') but i was able to go up.
The inside is still a work in progress, but it is coming along well. Also I can't ever mention the shop or fire without also acknowlegdeing all the great support my family received from the folks here at Duckboats.
Outside
Inside
Second floor
Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Andrew~
I need to take some pics that show some specific features. I'm in the middle of a bunch of NDB projects right now - leak in upstairs tub ruined downstairs bathroom ceiling. So, new tub etc upstairs then new ceiling down....in a week or so I can clean my shop and take the photos I need. Here are a few:
Looking to west (one big door is open - opening is 9 feet). Note recessed CFLs in ceiling (26 total, I think); hooks around stove for drying - either parts or gunning gear; eye nuts down center to lift boats with chain hoists; permanent "ladder" to loft - didn't want to take up too much space with a full stairway.
Next shot is looking east. (Boat is an O'Day Ospray I restored for a friend). East end has 3 benches (different heights); lots or storage cabinetry; windows on 3 sides for ample natural light. Also, wooden floor is great for warmth, feel, and is practical for screwing down jigs. I made sure seams were parallel so I can rely on them for layout of big projects.
Sorry for blurry picture but my wife caight 3 of us deep in concentration. If gives a flavor for how the shop gets used, especially when it's cold outside. (I'm the white-haired old goat on the right)
I'll send more detail shots when I get them.
All the best,
SJS
I need to take some pics that show some specific features. I'm in the middle of a bunch of NDB projects right now - leak in upstairs tub ruined downstairs bathroom ceiling. So, new tub etc upstairs then new ceiling down....in a week or so I can clean my shop and take the photos I need. Here are a few:
Looking to west (one big door is open - opening is 9 feet). Note recessed CFLs in ceiling (26 total, I think); hooks around stove for drying - either parts or gunning gear; eye nuts down center to lift boats with chain hoists; permanent "ladder" to loft - didn't want to take up too much space with a full stairway.
Next shot is looking east. (Boat is an O'Day Ospray I restored for a friend). East end has 3 benches (different heights); lots or storage cabinetry; windows on 3 sides for ample natural light. Also, wooden floor is great for warmth, feel, and is practical for screwing down jigs. I made sure seams were parallel so I can rely on them for layout of big projects.
Sorry for blurry picture but my wife caight 3 of us deep in concentration. If gives a flavor for how the shop gets used, especially when it's cold outside. (I'm the white-haired old goat on the right)
I'll send more detail shots when I get them.
All the best,
SJS
Steve,
That is an awesome space. Its obvious you knew what you wanted when you put it together. More pictures would be great when you have time. Im putting my shop together and am thinking about the nuts and bolts of it. Anything you are particularly proud of, or would change about it?
Thanks,
Andrew
That is an awesome space. Its obvious you knew what you wanted when you put it together. More pictures would be great when you have time. Im putting my shop together and am thinking about the nuts and bolts of it. Anything you are particularly proud of, or would change about it?
Thanks,
Andrew
MLBob Furia
Well-known member
Heck, Steve... That "blurry picture" is a great shot, and definitely worth a thousand words!
sean sutton
Active member
That is a great shop Steve. But where are the beer bottles. Cant carve with out beer!
Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Andrew~
Here are some more interior shots that show some details of how I handle typical shop challenges. Maybe they will give you some useful ideas.
Above - I have 2 main work benches and lots of storage benches/cabinets. I do the heavy carving (draw knife, gouge, rasp, etc) on the metalworkers vise set on the corner of my main bench. The assembly bench is larger and lower. I do my fine carving and painting (and sewing) there. My back appreciates having different bench heights - my benches are getting taller as I get older.
Many of my hand tools live in drawers in this bench - which my Dad built the year I was born (1953).
I built this tool box almost 40 years ago - it holds the hand tools I need to grab quickly. I store twines (including tarred nylon for decoys) on this wall rack. Low cabinet holds hardware and sandpapers.
I made this towel holder to replace the cheap plastic ones I used for too many years. A lynch pin gets pulled to replace the roll.
This rack holds a roll of kraft paper to roll onto the assembly table when using lots of paint or epoxy. I stole the idea from doctors exam tables.
This old file cabinet holds patterns, plans, paints, etc.
I store most of my power tools beneath my main bench. I plug them into a ceiling outlet. Also, the low cleat on the near end of the bench is a stop for holding belt sander work.
A couple of half-size flyers keep me company over the assembly bench.
I hang lots of stuff from the ceiling. The spring clamps are a best friend in a one-man shop. Air intake is part of a planned air-filtration system (duct work is in place but I still need to fabricate fan-filter box in loft.) Also, the wooden walls allow me to hang stuff just about anywhere.
Hope this helps,
SJS
Here are some more interior shots that show some details of how I handle typical shop challenges. Maybe they will give you some useful ideas.
Above - I have 2 main work benches and lots of storage benches/cabinets. I do the heavy carving (draw knife, gouge, rasp, etc) on the metalworkers vise set on the corner of my main bench. The assembly bench is larger and lower. I do my fine carving and painting (and sewing) there. My back appreciates having different bench heights - my benches are getting taller as I get older.
Many of my hand tools live in drawers in this bench - which my Dad built the year I was born (1953).
I built this tool box almost 40 years ago - it holds the hand tools I need to grab quickly. I store twines (including tarred nylon for decoys) on this wall rack. Low cabinet holds hardware and sandpapers.
I made this towel holder to replace the cheap plastic ones I used for too many years. A lynch pin gets pulled to replace the roll.
This rack holds a roll of kraft paper to roll onto the assembly table when using lots of paint or epoxy. I stole the idea from doctors exam tables.
This old file cabinet holds patterns, plans, paints, etc.
I store most of my power tools beneath my main bench. I plug them into a ceiling outlet. Also, the low cleat on the near end of the bench is a stop for holding belt sander work.
A couple of half-size flyers keep me company over the assembly bench.
I hang lots of stuff from the ceiling. The spring clamps are a best friend in a one-man shop. Air intake is part of a planned air-filtration system (duct work is in place but I still need to fabricate fan-filter box in loft.) Also, the wooden walls allow me to hang stuff just about anywhere.
Hope this helps,
SJS
bob welsh
Well-known member
Steve nice layout and I like your craft paper idea. I posted some pics of my outside work area in the shell lake thread and it looked awful . I decided to take a couple of days off of the mallard queen redo and put in a block patio. Its not pool table level but good enough for me. Im still sweeping sand into cracks but started back to work on the boat.
