In the past two years, my life has undergone many changes. One significant change was moving into a house with a much smaller shop space. As the saying goes, sometimes we have to take the good with the bad. In this case, the positive aspects of my new living arrangement and being in a healthy relationship far outweigh the negatives. I feel humbled and blessed to have a place to call "my shop." Despite the challenges of setting up a new shop in a building less than half the size of my previous one, I am excited to take on this challenge. My last shop was just over 350 sq ft, providing plenty of room to spread out and leave tools in one place, although it was not a commercial-sized operation. Now, with only 160 sq ft of space to work with, I am faced with many tough decisions, and it seems like "casters" is my new life motto. Even with the challenges of setting up a shop in a significantly smaller space, my worst day in the shop will always be euphoric and fulfilling compared to mundane everyday tasks.
Even though moving two hours away from my son and parents isn't ideal, it's part of a larger long-term plan, which I'll explain another time. I can honestly say that as difficult as all these changes have been, I am finding true happiness. It's truly inspiring to be with someone who genuinely cares about you for who you are, not for what you have to offer. Engaging in woodworking and other hobbies has been a great way to increase my mental wellness, but it's even more enjoyable now that things are going well. Over the past year and a half, I've been focused on improving my mental wellness. It's an ongoing journey, but I've found someone who also has a growth mindset. It has been life-changing and has made the move to a smaller shop almost joyous.
I've been dealing with a challenge as I set up my shop in a much smaller space: deciding which tools to keep and which ones to let go. Unfortunately, my vintage 8-inch Delta jointer won't fit in this small space. However, this doesn't mean I'll start saying that jointers are unnecessary. On the contrary, they are essential and fun to use, and they significantly improve the quality of your work. As a solution, I'll be bringing in my smaller vintage Delta 6-inch jointer and using a Delta Homecraft 10-inch bandsaw while I finish restoring the old Atlas 912 bandsaw. I may keep the Delta once the Atlas is restored, as I have a hard time parting with my tools. My 1460 12-inch Delta lathe, which I've been restoring for the better part of 20 years, is also again headed back to storage. Some day lathe, some day! Finally, the giant traditional woodworking bench I spent two years working on has been temporarily banished. Don't worry! They are safe and sound in storage. Yeah, it sucks, and it's tough, but like everything in life, this is temporary.
How can you fit a Delta Unisaw, two-floor model drill presses, a miter saw, a router table, a 6-inch jointer, a 24-inch scroll saw, a bandsaw, a DeWalt 12-inch planer, and a host of hand tools into 160 square feet? Making everything movable is the solution. Casters, which I once dismissed, are now my new best friends. This process is challenging my creativity and problem-solving skills, and that's a good thing. Can a planer work if it's mounted upside down on the ceiling? These are the unusual thoughts that cross my mind as I embark on this new journey. And I can honestly say I'm enjoying it. A great thing about a much smaller space is that it's much less expensive for me to set up. I've always dreamed of having a shop with everything placed perfectly and each workstation design executed with perfection. Although this dream may never be achieved, this smaller shop allows me to accomplish more, and I'm eager to see where this goes.
Some of us find woodworking to be an enjoyable hobby, while for others, it's a way of life. Regardless of where you are in your woodworking journey or life, I'm sure we can all agree on one thing. Peace of mind cannot be measured, and having the ability to do what we love is a blessing almost as great as life itself. Despite the challenges and changes I'm currently experiencing, I know the future is bright, and the world is mine for the taking. I'm excited to grow as a person and a woodworker in the coming months and years, and I'm even more excited to share the journey with you.
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