So... Just how much shop time do you get???

[Michael Dunn]

Hey guys!!!

I have been meaning to ask this for a while... How much shop time do you have, per day and per week on average.

I mean this mostly for the guys like me who make there living not by woodworking.

I work for AT$T on 2nd shift, 4-12 am. Which actually gives me quite a bit of freedom. I get home at 12:30am and work in the shop until 2:30-3:00am. Believe or not my shop is in my attached garage!!!

Sometimes I get an hour or so throughout the day. I have three small childeren (4, 2, 8mo) so that makes it pretty tough.

I'd say I'm pretty lucky. There have only been a few times that I woke up my wife. List of "wakes up the wife" tasks:

1. Circular saw
2. Router
3. Table saw-dust collector (sometimes)


Please answer in detail to satisfy my curiosity.

Thanx,

shotgunn

[Eiji Fuller]

Do yourself and your lovely wife a favor and soundproof your shop. Your neighbors will thank you too.

[Michael Dunn]

For starters, I did just drop $1250 (installed & hauled away the old clunker) on a 2" thick, triple insulated, galvanized steel polyurethane garage door.

So far a HUGE difference from my perspective inside as far as street noise, etc... Also a HUGE difference in temp.

I can't believe I am about to say this, but, I can't wait for winter...

Do yourself and your lovely wife a favor and soundproof your shop. Your neighbors will thank you too.

[Troy Turner]

I get out there when I can too. If I'm working on a project, I'll try and put in 3-4 hrs a day during the week till it's finished. The weekends will occupy 8-10 hrs. I do have a dedicated shop so no worries about the kids or the wife

[John Shuk]

None these days. Three kids, Noon to 8 shift at Verizon, OT when available and two college classes per semester. Time is not there for me. I'm glad the Creek keeps me connected.

[Mark Ball]

I'm with you, two kids, one more coming in a few weeks, so I get out there when I can. I also installed an insulated garage door(attached garage also) and had a Hot Dawg natural gas garage heater installed(I am in N. MN). Due to my job (CPA) I have the most time available in the late fall, and it can get way too cold to do anything in the shop, so that is the reason for the heater. I just had it intalled, so as crazy as it sounds, can't wait for next fall to give'er a try. I love to fish also, so this time of year usually finds me on a lake, towards late summer fishing winds down and I start thinking WW projects. On tap this year is a dresser for my daughter, and the wife is talking new kitchen table, so no lack of ideas from the peanut gallery.

[Russell Johnson]

I usually get several hours (3-5) most weekends. Currently I'm working on a large project (11 ft long pirate bed) that takes up most of my space. So working on it is hassle as I need time to move stuff out to the drive way. I would probably get more done during the weeknights if I didn't have to do all this rearranging.

[Mick David]

Almost none. 3 kids, 50-60 hrs per week at the office + 2-3 hrs per week to work out. I could do the 12:00 - 2:30 AM thing but I don't want to work tired and risk injury.

PS -- that pirate bed sounds interesting. Can't wait for the pics.

[Michael Dunn]

Yeah, I did the 12pm-8pm shift for a little while. I actually liked it. However, at that time I was not doing any woodworking.

So what do you do for Verizon? I am a Central Office Technician for AT$T here in Chicago... Do they give you an extra 10% for the 'off hours' shift. THat was the main reason why I liked it.

shotgunn

None these days. Three kids, Noon to 8 shift at Verizon, OT when available and two college classes per semester. Time is not there for me. I'm glad the Creek keeps me connected.

[Michael Dunn]

Cool, I am looking at getting one of these, probably one of the 9,000 btu units.

http://ac-world.com/MiniSplitAir.php

I'm with you, two kids, one more coming in a few weeks, so I get out there when I can. I also installed an insulated garage door(attached garage also) and had a Hot Dawg natural gas garage heater installed(I am in N. MN). Due to my job (CPA) I have the most time available in the late fall, and it can get way too cold to do anything in the shop, so that is the reason for the heater. I just had it intalled, so as crazy as it sounds, can't wait for next fall to give'er a try. I love to fish also, so this time of year usually finds me on a lake, towards late summer fishing winds down and I start thinking WW projects. On tap this year is a dresser for my daughter, and the wife is talking new kitchen table, so no lack of ideas from the peanut gallery.

[Jim Rimmer]

Mixed emotions here - my "kids" are 36 and 40 (years, not months) so that doesn't keep me out of the shop. But spend all the time you can with them now. I know it's cliche but they grow up fast. Mine have now been gone from home longer than they were here.

I usually get 3-4 hours on Saturday and about the same on Sunday afternnon. Very little during the week because despite the age, I'm still working.

[David Hostetler]

No children yet, but a wife that I actually enjoy being with tends to occupy most of my non earning hours. I typically get about 4-6 hours / week shop time, and it is not uninterrupted. To be blunt, I could use more, not that I want to be away from my wife, but it helps me get my head oriented right... Working, doing something physically productive instead of working on computers is genuinely therapeutic to me... And the time I am able to spend with LOML is better if I get some shop time in between work, and sitting down to talk with her...

[Robby Tacheny]

I work in the IT field too and commute 40 miles each way. I can really only find time on the weekend to do woodworking unless I am doing something quick and uninvolved like putting on a coat of polyurethane or a quick glue-up.

I have a lot of projects getting backlogged. Between trying to sleep in a bit, watch the 10am woodworking shows, mowing the lawn, prepping the garden, spending time with significant other and relax a little bit, I don't find a more than 4 -8 hours a weekend for the shop.

The last significant amount of time I had in the shop was cleaning it up. However, it is really nice to have a clean shop. The next order of business is to get a half decent heat source so that I can work in the shop (its an externally accessed basement shop) in the winter.

-R

[Michael Dunn]

Yup, I can see that already. It seems like just yesterday they were newborns. Time flies!!! During the day I do try to spend all of my time with the three of them. Bike rides, walks, playing house, playing tag, teaching them shop safety, etc...

My 4yr old son can tell you EVERY tool in my shop. Table saw, jointer, dust collector, planer, belt sander, CNC milling machine, drill press, chisel mortiser, etc... It's AWESOME!!!!!! My 2 yr old daughter knows quite a bit of them as well.

Mixed emotions here - my "kids" are 36 and 40 (years, not months) so that doesn't keep me out of the shop. But spend all the time you can with them now. I know it's cliche but they grow up fast. Mine have now been gone from home longer than they were here.

I usually get 3-4 hours on Saturday and about the same on Sunday afternnon. Very little during the week because despite the age, I'm still working.

[Michael Dunn]

It is definitely nice having a clean shop. I do hate taking all available on a given day dedicated to cleaning. I am still trying to find a 'home' for each tool of mine. This results in some misc stuff laying around for longer than it should.

My dust collection still isn't 100% implented yet either. That makes for far too much sweeping and vacuuming.

However, I have been a bit more diligent about cleaning as I go.

shotgunn

I work in the IT field too and commute 40 miles each way. I can really only find time on the weekend to do woodworking unless I am doing something quick and uninvolved like putting on a coat of polyurethane or a quick glue-up.

I have a lot of projects getting backlogged. Between trying to sleep in a bit, watch the 10am woodworking shows, mowing the lawn, prepping the garden, spending time with significant other and relax a little bit, I don't find a more than 4 -8 hours a weekend for the shop.

The last significant amount of time I had in the shop was cleaning it up. However, it is really nice to have a clean shop. The next order of business is to get a half decent heat source so that I can work in the shop (its an externally accessed basement shop) in the winter.

-R