From Garage to Shop

Article - July 31, 2009

Do you call your work space a shop? I sure do! But at what point does the space go from being a garage or basement, to a “shop”? When I first started woodworking, it was a relatively slow transition. As I fought the “good fight” with cars, workout equipment and yard tools, I filled the space with some basic tools and started making projects. But for some reason I didn’t feel like I was entitled to use the term “shop” yet. Not sure why. I think I just felt too new to the craft. Well eventually, without me prompting, my family began referring to our garage as “the shop” and it didn’t take long before the word garage was all but out of my vocabulary! Here are a few pics of my old shop right before we left California for a life in the desert!

Fast forward about 5 years and here I am, back in a garage and shopless once again. I have been trying to organize my new garage over the last few weeks and my little workspace is finally starting to come together. But it wasn’t until this week that I found myself calling it a shop. What happened this week? I made a project. Nothing fancy. Just a Popular Woodworking “I Can Do That” Magazine Rack for a Guild video. But the fact that sawdust had been made, finish had been spilled, and a new piece of woodworking was born, meant that my new garage had been elevated to the next level: a shop. The transition was much faster this time around.

And as you can see from these pics, it doesn’t take much for the new shop to get messy.

I am curious how many of you refer to your work space as a shop and when did the transition take place?

Discussion

Steven Madden July 31, 2009 10:29 am

Hi Marc,

I am currently in the transition from “garage” to “shop”. I have a two car “oversized” garage and one car has already made the transition to outdoor living. The second, a Nissan 350Z, is still hanging in there. My next big purchase will be a 14″ bandsaw, which will bump the “Z” outside. I could put the bandsaw on a mobile base and squeeze it into the last remaining corner, but it feels like a loosing battle, one that will eventually be lost when I take the plunge with the jointer/planner that is on the radar. Anyway, I think the “garage” to “shop” transition will happen for me when the last car has been relocated.

Thank you for all the hard work that you and Nicole put into your website/woodworking. I am a musician/music instructor and have woodworking as a hobby (a dangerous combination, I know), and have learned a ton through your videos and blog. Keep up the good work!

Steven

Reply
- Ben H July 31, 2009 10:55 am
  
  I’ve got a nice garage/shop you can store that Z in anytime ;)
  
  Reply
Dave H July 31, 2009 10:30 am

What are you talking messy for? It doesn’t look like you have to step over anything to move more than a foot…

Guess I need to clean my shop, uh, garage, or whatever huh?

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Kerry Drake July 31, 2009 10:48 am

There was a “shop” behind my current house when we bought it (12 x 16), but it was old and litterally rotting away. Over the last couple years the old building has been torn down and a new 16 x 24 one put in its place.

I sent Marc a bunch of pictures, he either lost them or is holding them in reserve for “best shop ever” competition.

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer July 31, 2009 12:44 pm
  
  Your pics should be posted next week.
  
  Reply
Ben H July 31, 2009 10:53 am

Are those rollerblades I see on the shelf? I think we need a vid of TWW showing us a new set of skillz!

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- Steven Madden July 31, 2009 12:08 pm
  
  Forget about the roller blades, what is that box of Huggies doing behind them. Is there a mini Spagnuolo that we don’t know about?
  
  Reply
  - thewoodwhisperer July 31, 2009 12:45 pm
    
    Haha, relax. That Huggies box is full of woodworking magazines. Not even sure where the heck the Huggies box came from in the first place. I’ve had it for years now.
    
    Reply
Zach July 31, 2009 11:07 am

You’ve been so spoiled Marc. I can only dream of having a shop/garage that “messy.” Although, I am working on that problem by building some cabinets and throwing up some pegboard.

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- thewoodwhisperer July 31, 2009 11:09 am
  
  Well I am generally a pretty organized person. A messy cluttered space is stifling to me. So my tolerance for messiness might be a little lower than most people. :_
  
  Reply
  - Dave H July 31, 2009 11:29 am
    
    That’s why I don’t post many pics of my shop here. I figure it would give you a screaming fit, probably get banned for working in a dangerous space…
    
    Reply
Jim Traffas July 31, 2009 11:43 am

There was never any doubt. It was always called a woodshop. Basement sounded so cold and a place for junk that you will just be forgetting about.

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Lawrence Francell July 31, 2009 11:48 am

Aye,

I know the feeling, I have been in Garagshop all my life. Most of my tools are portable and stow away like my contractor grade Craftsman table saw, I hate leaving my vehicles outside so I keep everything “Tidy” that is to say, I have to go dig it all out to do one simple thing, then put it all back.

Right now most of my tools are with me, the new lathe and Jointer are at my garage and my planer, bandsaw, unopened jigsaw I bought at least a year ago, etc are at my parents garage, but as soon as the weather cools down we are going to clean out the garage at my parents and it will become my shop. I just have to make myself drive out to it to get any work done: that, and make damn sure I have all my measurements before I get started.

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Matthew Hills July 31, 2009 12:04 pm

For those who watched your old shop clean-up episode, we know that “finish has been spilled” was meant literally.

Now, what direction was your overhead air filter facing in your CA shop? Looks like the outlet was blowing towards your table saw?

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer July 31, 2009 12:46 pm
  
  Yup. I never turned my air cleaner on until after I left the shop.
  
  Reply
Bill Akins July 31, 2009 12:34 pm

I know you miss your old shop and its only temporary. Like most of the other post above, I am jealous of what you have now. I’m amazed of what you have done with it already. You’ll get that dream shop eventually. Remember, home is where you hang your Lee Nielson planes at. I do miss your live shop cam, any thoughts on setting that back up in the temporary shop? You, and Nicole, keep up the good work.

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer July 31, 2009 12:48 pm
  
  Well so far Bill, my shop time has been limited to a few minutes here and there. I don’t like to stay out there too long if I can help it. Right now I am just fixing up a set of chairs for a client. But whenever I spend more than a few minutes out there, I’d be happy to pull out the laptop.
  
  Reply
Tom July 31, 2009 12:40 pm

Marc – I am in California and operate out of a garage – I call it the shop from October through May. I put my tools away during the summer because it is just too hot. The weather also compels me to keep our nice car so it always feels my hobby is marginalized. It gets to the point that you rack your brin figuring out how to organize things so they are out of the way. I also have a treadmill and weight bench that I finally moved outside and had to compromise with the treadmill in the house. I have thought of moving to a place where I could have a separate shop but these properties are usually uncommon and expensive in my area so I am jealous of those that have a basement or shop.

I have a question – I have not followed your blog closely enough but given your connection to the craft I assume you are going to get a shop – I was wondering why you would move from a place where you had a shop back to a garage. You are not the normal hobbyist so it seems the first choice of a new place would be whether you could have a shop.

Also, given your location – how do you power through the heat when woodworking or do you aoid doing things at this time of year? – I break a sweat just vacuuming my shop as this time of year so do you run A/C? I live in 100 degree plus temps so I maximize my pool time and when it cools I get back in my shop, move the car to the driveway and start building again.

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer July 31, 2009 12:55 pm
  
  Hey Tom. Its seems a lot of folks follow the same seasonal system you do. Summer is usually a slow time for woodworking (if traffic and web stats are any judge).
  
  As for my shop situation, we are planning on building a new stand-alone shop on the property. Until we get our finances in order, I’ll be working out the garage err…uh…shop. :) The move itself was for personal reasons but we were sure to find a place that has the room on the property for a stand-alone shop.
  
  As for A/C, I find it to be a necessity if I want to get any real work done. As it stands now, I can get a few hours in before lunch time, then its only a few minutes at a time after that. Usually I just go for half-days. I have plenty of work to do here on the computer anyway. I won’t be taking any steps toward air conditioning this garage, but the new shop will be fully insulated and air conditioned.
  
  The good thing is things start to cool down in Sept. In Phoenix, you really only lose about 3 months to the heat. The rest of the time we are living it up in 60-90 degree weather.
  
  Reply
Adam July 31, 2009 12:47 pm

Nice shop. I have some questions about the Huggies. Don’t they kind of bunch up when woodworking?

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Andrew Ford July 31, 2009 12:57 pm

We just moved into a house last December. It has a two car detached garage that neither of our vehicles will fit into, so my wife is allowing me to turn it into a shop. Up til now, I have been using the empty space in my business, but every time I finish a room my workspace shrinks.

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Charles Plesums July 31, 2009 1:10 pm

The rule I know is that a one-car garage is a shop, a two car garage is a studio.

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Frank July 31, 2009 2:41 pm

I donâ

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Mike Siemsen July 31, 2009 3:51 pm

It takes a while to convince spouses that cars belong outside. The example is car dealers, where do they store the brand new ones? I don’t know if it is officially a shop until blood is spilled, keep the amount small.
Mike

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kosta July 31, 2009 6:24 pm

Ok that really sucks go from like almost a warehouse to a 3 car garage but where did you put all your big tools

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer July 31, 2009 6:45 pm
  
  They’re in the shop with me! lol. Yeah its snug and cozy. I have some ideas though. A small space never kept a good woodworker down…….for long. :)
  
  Reply
Brian July 31, 2009 8:35 pm

I am still slowly winning the battle for space in my garage, I mean woodshop. I still share it with the mower, weedwacker and kids bikes. I did however take back my lumber rack, every shelf is mine now! It’s always a joke in my house that when guests refer to the ‘garage’, I always correct them and say WOODSHOP!

My shop: http://www.garagewoodworks.com

-Brian

Reply
ericandcandi July 31, 2009 9:04 pm

Our garage became my shop the day my wife said she would park outside. It’s days like that you cherish for a lifetime.

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Jeff August 1, 2009 4:41 am

I was pretty lucky with my situation. We moved from just over the line in Ohio back to Indiana. I started out with 40 acres of bean field. Thats what the property was. We built the barn first for storage and then I went on the look for some 30′ trusses. Managed to find them pretty quick so we began work on the 30×30 workshop. Finished it up pretty quick and the rest is history. I’m very lucky, I still don’t know how I talked my wife into letting me build my workshop before starting the house!?! I have one rule for the shop. If it can’t work wood, it don’t go in my shop! Especially cars!! :)

Jeff

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Gary Bell August 1, 2009 5:24 am

I always make it a point to refer to the “shop” as a “shop” or “wood shop”. I refrain from ever calling it a “work shop”. When I am making something in the shop I never refer to it as “working”. I make a Conscious effort to never say, “I am working in the shop”. Or, “I am trying to get some ‘work’ done.” Work is what I do for a living. Woodworking is what I done to get away from “work”.
Incidentaly my “wood shop” is in my garage.

Reply
Cliff August 1, 2009 6:54 am

I m slowly winning the battle for a workshop. but there are times in the dead of winter when the snow is piled high and the temputure is low that the wife’s car still finds its way into the garage/workshop.
I hate to see her suffer with the cold and struggle with the ice on the cars windshield.

Reply
BedrockBob August 1, 2009 6:58 am

I have a one-car garage with all my power tools and a bedroom in the house for my hand tools, glue ups, etc. The hand tool bedroom “shop” is a work in progress. Just finished the workbench but have not installed the vices yet. I try to just use the power tool in the morning during the sweet spot; that is, after the neighborsâ

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Jeff August 1, 2009 1:23 pm

It’s cool to see other shops. I’m lucky to have a three car garage that only houses one car right now. My shop gets the one-car side. However, I’m unlucky to have to share that garage with the laundry area. It’s been an ok combination except that lately she makes me shake the woodchips out of my OWN socks. Bummer.

Hey, glad to see the ironing board in there. Just between you and I – they make a pretty good outfeed for the Tablesaw (highly adjustable). Plus – if you wipe it off…the crime goes completely unpunished.

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emmrys August 2, 2009 11:31 am

I am in that transition state of garage/shop. When I talk about it I say “I have built a woodshop in my garage.” But when I tell someone where I’m going, I say “I’m going to go play in the garage.”

I share a two car garage with household storage, lawn equipment and a car. In the last few weeks I have finally come to grips with the concept that “everything must be on wheels” so it can be moved. That will take a long time but the process is underway. The ultimate goal is to be able to move everything to the “shop” side of the garage and have the car inside in 3 min or less. This is tornado and hail storm country.

I am looking forward to a shop with a place for everything so I can make it nice and neat like Marc’s shop.

Reply
Muddlermike August 2, 2009 5:16 pm

I could never really call my “shop” a shop when I was using the garage. It was more of a collection of tools in one corner that would be pulled out for projects. Once I moved the shop to the basement and gained year round project work ability, it started to feel like a shop but was still just a collection of tools that now resided in a corner of the basement rather than the garage. A few months ago I rearranged the basement to allow a more permanent placement of my tools and benches. This area will soon be walled off from the rest of the basement. Granted the shop is small and many of the tools have to be mobile to maximize work space, but the more defined area has now begun to “feel” like a shop. I’m sure as the walls get built, the cabinets get hung, and the workstations take shape that calling it a shop will feel more natural.

Mike

Reply
Scotty August 2, 2009 6:21 pm

Hey Marc…long time reader, first time writer! I 1st heard about your show through “The Great Matt” podcast. That was 2 around 2 years ago and quickly became a fan of the talented and multi-gifted Wood Whisperer. I won’t bore you with the story of how I became interested in woodworking except to say that it was born out of necessity. Anyway…I’m hooked!

I’m a saxophone professor at Depauw University out here in the land of corn and basketball, Indiana. As a side job, I repair woodwind instruments and you’ve inspired me to call myself The Woodwind Whisperer. People get a huge kick out of it and it’s catchy. Hope you don’t mind:)

Sorry, got sidetracked. I have currently converted a dilapidated 12×16 shed into the work shop I have “not quite” dreamed of but it will work for now and I am dying to get started on my 1st project. I’ll send you some picks when it’s finished(all I have left is the painting). I have always called it the “shed” up till now but have been struggling to call it my workshop as well. I’m like you, I’ll think that will happen once I have my 1st project complete, which is Chris Schwarz’s “Le Roubo” workbench.

Sorry for the long diatribe. Keep up the great work and many thanks! One of these days I look forward to meeting you.

-Scotty

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Chester August 3, 2009 7:50 am

At first I didn’t realize that it was you talking about your shop (predicament). I really did not realize that we were looking at your shop until I saw the picture with the Festool stuff and then noticed some PM mustard-colored tools in storage in the background. It seems that some of these tools were never seen in your old shop by us. You must have had some of your old stuff in storage. Your shop, even in its reduced form still looks better than most of ours … well, maybe not mine but you know what I mean! LOL

Reply
- Chester August 3, 2009 9:01 am
  
  Just re-read your original post and realized that the first pictures were of your old … old shop. Looked pretty good but again, more like one of ours. Even has a Ryobi name showing :-)
  
  Reply
Hoverman August 4, 2009 2:58 pm

My garage hardly ever has the car in it, but we still call it a garage most of the time. I sent a tour of my workshop to Marc and called it a “workshop” but most of the time it’s referred to as a garage for some reason! I’ll find the link on youtube if you’re interested in seeing it.

Actually come to think of it, the car is only in there when it needs to be serviced, and then only for as short a time as possible.

I dont actually know of anyone in Australia that has a garage and calls it a workshop, even with it full of tools.

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Ryan August 4, 2009 8:50 pm

I started calling the basement my shop after my first big project – a cherry daybed.

Nice workbench, btw. I am very envious!

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jHop August 7, 2009 9:19 am

I call my area of work by multiple names. The swear words are reserved for when things go badly. It started out as “our basement,” when we first moved in. (We live in an up & down double, with 2 private sections and a “common area” in the basement.) I considered it a fully-fledged “shop” when I did something constructive and useful in it. It’s been unused for a pair of weeks now, so it’s gone back to “basement.” (Too much laundry piled up to do finishing, anyway.)

And I want to thank you, Jeff, for that tip about the ironing board/outfeed table. I’ve been putting off getting one (of each), and now I have added incentive to get that ironing board!

I have too many different “grand schemes” to fit into just one “shop,” so I’m waiting for my own smaller bean field to build the woodshop, the forge, the three car garage with overhead lifts and space for 5 cars to be worked on at a time, and the 36 car warehouse. (but that’s only after I win the lottery. Can’t buy 36 cars without the lottery!) ;)

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forrestb August 11, 2009 4:26 pm

I am so fortunate! Every morning I get a new workshop – just as soon as my wife takes her car out of our double garage [Note: we STAYED in California]. One side of the garage is filled with my workbench – my very first real woodworking project – filing cabinets, shelves, bookcases, 2 refrigerators, etc.

Since my ‘workshop’ must be mobile – a happy wife is a happy life – I have my 20 year old Shopsmith with jointer, planer, bandsaw and dust collector. The Shopsmith rolls to a wall and the accessories mount against that same wall. Four folding sawhouses with roolers on top and a 4×8 sheet of plywood serve as my collapsible assembly table. My wood storage is on brackets attached to studs and an overhead platform that pulls up (since it is over the car, I have added safety straps – earthquakes here, you know). My portable tools are on shelves.

Not very convenient, I know, since anything that I do requires that I move something even if only to gain access. But so far, my house projects have all been approved by the wife in her role as critic.

My next addition will be spray equipment – I have a hefty compressor courtesy of a neighbor that moved. Since I cannot spray outside, I will cut and hang plastic curtains around my assembly table.

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Sean Nurnberg August 14, 2009 2:41 pm

At my old house I had all my equipment mobile so it could be rearranged quickly if a famous “Texas Hail Storm” was on the way. I could get two vehicles inside with all tools in under 10 minutes. About a year after I could only manage one vehicle after about half and hour. Six months later both vehicles were left on their own! Now after a divorce(not a result of woodworking or shop space),and living in a rent house with no garage, and all my large woodworking tools being in storage for two years I am about to purchase a home. So when talking to realtors I tell them I am looking for a home with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths with a attached shop.

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Rick Roades September 21, 2009 7:47 pm

My first space was 1/2 a 2-car, and my space shared 2 motorcyles, trash bins, and the walk way out of the house into the garage to the car.

We moved August 1 600 miles from MN to OK. Now, with 3-car, I get the 3rd, and yes…smaller, stall, but at least its mine. I’m still going through the pains of figuring it out with nothing really set up. 10’x17′ is bigger than I had, and I’m looking forward to actually doing something. But for some reason, I still say “I’m going to the garage for a bit.” Even though I started a box for router bits . . . Maybe when it’s finished?

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John Rutzinski October 26, 2010 12:25 pm

Hey geat shop I was just looking at your pictures and is that Norm on your TV I see …

Reply
- thewoodwhisperer October 26, 2010 1:07 pm
  
  Sure is! :)
  
  Reply
  - Bob Crosley May 31, 2013 9:54 am
    
    Just found this article, but had to point out that the TV is not only showing Norm, but it’s the Garage Workshop episode!
    
    Yes, I am THAT BIG of a NYW Geek!
    
    Reply

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From Garage to Shop

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