"America's Best Home Workshops"

[bluzcat]

Did anyone buy this special interest publication from Wood magazine. $12.99 cover, but has some very cool shops! From very realistic garage shops to over-the-top lake view, 60" plasma TV, hardwood floor, 3-phase power showplaces. Some usable ideas, and it's neat to see the whole shop, not just a one corner.

[cgallery]

I bought it after one of the posters at another forum mentioned his shop was in it. Curiosity got this cat. I like mags like this one because there is always something I can learn to make my shop more functional.

[thrytis]

I bought it. It is interesting reading (and drooling), though i'm still debating the value in it because many are so much of fantasy shops rather than sizes and machines that i might actually own one day. I might get some ideas from work flow, storage, and jigs though.

I'm still waiting for Wood Magazine to come out with "America's Typical Home Workshops", with the cover tag line "15 Idea-Packed Shops from a 45 square foot porch to an enormous 420 square foot shared two car garage!"

[Jeffrey Schronce]

Wife dropped me off at Lowes to go do some shopping. Knowing I would be sitting outside waiting on her for hours I picked this up. Really cool stuff, some great ideas. 10% off at Lowes. Highly recommended.

Note: I wouldn't say it is "average" home shops, rather "high end" home shops. There is one dude that has to have $30,000 worth of General equipment in his mountain retreat. All of them seem to have BIG dual drum sanders. I thought I was doing good with a 16" dual drum!

[LarryG]

I'm still waiting for Wood Magazine to come out with "America's Typical Home Workshops", with the cover tag line "15 Idea-Packed Shops from a 45 square foot porch to an enormous 420 square foot shared two car garage!"

YES. Or even a cap of 1000 sq ft.

I bought "America's Best Home Workshops," and I'll likely buy the next issue for which they are already soliciting candidates. There are many good ideas in these pages, a number of which I can (and will) actually use in my own shop.

Most of the included shops ARE fairly large, a lot bigger than most of have or may ever have, but that one "over the top" shop ... hmmm. There's gotta be at least a half a million bucks there, building and contents. The guy doesn't like the look of casters under a cabinet, so he designs an air-lift system for his router table??? Geez. I'm genuinely not envious of other people's money, but I'm not sure what purpose was served by including this one in this magazine.

Interesting, wasn't it, that the shop that looked the most like a real shop belonged to the guy who produces 9000 craft items annually in a plain-Jane 20 x 30 building ...

[ironhat]

<snip>
Interesting, wasn't it, that the shop that looked the most like a real shop belonged to the guy who produces 9000 craft items annually in a plain-Jane 20 x 30 building ...

Yea, Larry, that's what I would respect the most - funtionality in the design. The other would be more like, "Holy crud. Is that cool. But, why?" BUt then, if you have the money I guess the answer to that would be, "Because I can".

[Jeffrey Schronce]

Interesting, wasn't it, that the shop that looked the most like a real shop belonged to the guy who produces 9000 craft items annually in a plain-Jane 20 x 30 building ...

Did you see the stuff he is selling? That is some simple stuff and with $200,000 in annual sales (figuring overhead is pretty low in small shop, limited equipment and inexpensive wood) he is making a heck of nice income doing something he loves.

[siliconbauhaus]

yeah.....I saw that as well....got my mind ticking again.

[docrowan]

I bought the mag as well, picked up a few ideas, in particular for my next shop (even though I'm not finished with setting up my current one.) The shop I spent the most time looking at was the first one, the 16X24 shop. I also spent a good bit of time looking at the 20X30 already mentioned that produces 9000 items a year.

I liked the mag, but I agree it's pretty ridiculous to have 100 grand shops featured in the articles, yet have a lead in article with a 12X20 grid to help you plan YOUR workshop. Sort of like This Old House featuring multi-million dollar renovations. I remember one house they did not too long ago where the homeowner had custom built a $75,000 spiral staircase. Title of the show is not This Old Mansion, is it?

[TheRic]

...I'm still waiting for Wood Magazine to come out with "America's Typical Home Workshops", with the cover tag line "15 Idea-Packed Shops from a 45 square foot porch to an enormous 420 square foot shared two car garage!"

YES. Or even a cap of 1000 sq ft. ...

I'll agree with this. Let's at least be a little realistic about it for the average person. IF you could afford those large shops and equipment, then you don't need to worry too much planning your layout. Heck you could hire someone to do it for you. I've seen several of those shops (did not see this article) where the space between equipment was larger than my whole shop (that gets shared with other lawn stuff).

Also think some of those home improvement shows are over doing it a little. Yea anyone can re-arrange a master bedroom that's 30X40 with a large walk-in closet. Lets see what you can do with a 13X11 room with a king size bed, two nightstands, 4 chest of draws, and small closet. Can't put anything in front of the windows on the two different walls and make it look open and spacious. Now there is a challenge!!

[gwyneth]

I'm still waiting for Wood Magazine to come out with "America's Typical Home Workshops", with the cover tag line "15 Idea-Packed Shops from a 45 square foot porch to an enormous 420 square foot shared two car garage!"

I thought I was the only person who used a 45 square foot porch for a workshop....if there are others, maybe there's an idea for a book.

One of Fine Woodworking's books/collection of articles is about small shops. Some of them look pretty large to me, but it did include a few really, really small ones--including an account by one guy who had formerly used the stairwell of his apartment building.

Problem with most of the woodworking magazines' "small shop" stories is that not all <100 sq. ft space is created equal, and editors tend to choose the optimal, rather than the worst.

[mschrank]

WOOD was soliciting entries for the next edition of "America's Best Workshops" right around the time Rod Kirby was posting his "shop tour" threads a few months back. I thought I might try persuading him to enter, then realized he might not qualify based on the title and his location down under.

I briefly entertained the idea of submitting his notes and pictures as my own....

[thrytis]

I thought I was the only person who used a 45 square foot porch for a workshop....if there are others, maybe there's an idea for a book.

Prior to my current shop, i had a 9' x 5' third floor balcony for my shop with a 2' x 4' closet for tools for a couple of years. It was better than nothing, but i was very excited when i moved and had a shared 2 car garage.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

At the same time, I saw a 14 x 20 shop tonight with about $30,000 in machines in it, along with about $15,000 worth of highly figured prized wood!

[TheRic]

At the same time, I saw a 14 x 20 shop tonight with about $30,000 in machines in it, along with about $15,000 worth of highly figured prized wood!

Let me guess you visited Thom !!

Ether expensive machines, or very well stacked and packed!!

Can we see pictures, or get a shop tour?!!!