Just curious whether anyone's got any workshop "must haves" that aren't essential for a workshop? E.g a punch bag? A newspaper? A lucky mascot?

 

When I finally get a water tight shop with electricity a radio will be one of the first things in there, I always have BBC radio 4 on in the background.

A roof sounds nice, so does heat. Kinda need walls too...

Phil

I tend to have lincs fm on when I am working its a local radio so you keep up with local events

My wife has a bunch of stuff stored in a corner of my shop, doe's that count? Truth is I have a lot of stuff around not directly smithing related but it's there to stay, mostly anyhow. No good luck charms but I'm pretty careful NOT to tempt the fates with silly challenges say commenting on what I THINK tomorrow's weather will be. That one can REALLY backfire on you!

 

I keep a comfy stool handy, especially when teaching. I demo a procedure and take up position on my stool and kibitz as the "student" takes a lash at it. So, comfy stool is one, does a coffee pot count?

 

Frosty The Lucky.

I have a boxer's speed bag hanging up - or all those frustrating "creative" moments...LOL

A work table would be my first choice. A 55 gallon drum will work. Then 2 each 32 ounce glasses of iced tea within arms reach. 

A roof is nice  Side walls from whatever you can scrounge, cardboard, tarps, plastic, etc. Anything to stop the wind when it turns cold. 

I consider good lighting to be vital. I also insist on a place to "go." A cooler for the beer is nice, but I can do without the cooler if I have to. A player and stack of Celtic Rock or older Heavy Metal CDs is most helpful.

A stool - good one! Thankfully i have an old drumming stool that's sacrificial & it's headed for my "workshack". I've always suffered with a bad back so somewhere to take the weight off for a few minutes will probably help my patience/frustration levels too. For me it sounds like more of an essential than a non-essential.

Water piped in from the mains. Adjust a hose to just a tiny trickle dripping on the ends of work you want to be kept cool in the gas forge. Works great! 

In my current small shop I have a radio (set to shortwave, some wonderfully wierd shows come around that are fun to listen to) and a small air conditioner.  A mini fridge would be nice, and I will have to forego the AC in the big shop, but I won't really miss it, I hardly use it.  I would love to put a water line inside the new shop, but the new regulations in Florida/my county would make it economically unfeasable.

Nothing stops me from running a line to the outside of the shop at a convenient spot, so at least I won't have to go far for water. Another 6 inches, to the inside of the wall and they get crazy with it.  The regulations and permit requirements are also why I am building a new shop rather than just overhauling and adding on to the old one.  It would have cost twice as much, and given me a less open space.

One thing that is really a non-essential I am putting into the new shop is dutch doors for the walk-throughs.  It will be nice to open them up as wanted and still keep the dogs out from underfoot.

Cigarettes, Chair of some kind(using an old drafting stool right now, just the right height for my workbench), RC Cola and either a radio or my android tablet with BUZZ Player installed so I can stream my entire music collection from my main PC in the house. Also like to keep a sketchbook in the bench for something to do while taking breaks.

An emu and a few chickens running around my feet. That and my frozen 5l water bottle for the thirsty moments. Also some loud electronica/dubstep or some good classical music depending on my mood.

Radio

Punch bag - my sons but I use it (more NOW due to number 4)

Dart board

Fridge - unused as I'm now on the wagon...and hating every minute of it Arrrrhhhhhh

Pocket knife, kleenex, headbands, solar powered/windup radio, folding chair, stash of screws and nails, and Vicks in a jar.

Vicks? As in the stuff that unblocks your nose? A box of latex gloves will be my next non-essential addition. I don't have a tap in my "workshack" and I'm getting bored of walking back to the house to clean my hands when I want to eat.

A fifty gallon drum catching rainwater from your gutter and plumbed through the wall gives LOTS of water.. I live in Western Oregon with lots of rain... A LARGE tank waters garden with soaker hose. No bill from the utility board.

i have a mini fridge, radio, about 4 box fans to circulate air, a baseball bat and punching bag (creative moments aswell), and last but not least..... LUNCH!

I am fond of my wood burning furnace just now, highs in the 20'sF and low tonight 0F

 

I also like a radio, fans and good light.

My dog.  Mason likes to hang out with me while I'm banging metal.  Its funny to watch him when the "fireflies" start to fall on him.  He'll get up, snort, then move to a safer area.  Seeing that I've only had 3 forging sessions so far on my makeshift rig, a shop would be nice...along with a cooler.

Truck to haul all your nifty finds home in.

First aid kit, comfy chair, chalk board!  Outhouse... shop cat.

Tong rein clips, medium and large. Presto brand correction pen (the white marks last into an orange heat). Lufkin spring steel yardstick.

Hurrah, I'm getting electricity soon! No more of that *insert a chain of swear words* 50 meter electricity extension cable that I swear is designed to tangle, especially when it's raining.

A CD/mp3 player will be top of my list of non-essentials. Can't wait to be able to use my welder in the workshop too, at the minute I have to go back over to the house and plug in.

Music, good chair, heat or a/c.

Decent speakers i guess would be on the top of the non-essential stuff, I need metal in my ears to work the metal in my hands, also makes for a nice way of keeping rhythm when hammering