Beer!

Interesting ideas. I can't work with music because my hands work to the tempo, making some songs tricky. I would have to say a tarp or covering of some sort. Utah sun is intense.

Modelling clay (play dough works in a pinch, but dries out). Helps me visualize what I want to do, and figure out material requirements.

An essential non-essential?  Definitely my stool.  I'm making a new one out of a coil spring and tractor seat.  It looks like it's going to be very comfortable!

 

Other than that, everything in the shop is directly needed to do the work.

Dunno if it's essential but I find assigning phone answering duties to somebody else ensures that I don't have to come chasing after the darn thing.

 

I think it's also good to have someone within earshot should I need help.

one thing I'll be trying to make a  habit, always bring a snack, it really makes a huge difference on my mood even if im just slightly hungry

and one of those fast boiling kettles too, warm tea would be fantastic in the cold winter months

At least two stools or a proper seat, a tray of beer and snuff tobaco.

When you finished work at a hammer in or just with a coworker, to sit down and relax, have a chat about the project or life itself, look at the project and let the day end properly.

Benz-o-matic propane torch to light my gas forge.

Mobile phone charger.

I like to have a horse's, a cow's and a deer's skull around in my shop. I got them as a child and haven't seen them for almost two decades. They have some comforting connection to the past in this new and very strange environment.

 

Greetings

 

Gergely

Benz-o-matic propane torch to light my gas forge.

This. Those long stem lighters are awful!

More oriented towards a classroom setting, but drawing inspiration from one of my instructors, I forged myself a little 'hot item pointer' so I can point to exact locations on hot work without needing to risk fingertips :) made it with a little flattened clip at the end so I can hook it to one of the D rings on my apron.

View of the lake across the street, helps cool me down when it gets hot in the shop.

Bullet Trap and a CO2 pellet pistol. Great for frustration removal and "visitors" remember places they need to get to when they have bothered you long enough. Although I had one guy show up with his own pellet gun and wanted to shot with me as he needed "instructions".

Chairs are a must for bad backs & old age, electricity is as well. Zoning was giving problems about water in the shop as they said I had to put in a septic system but I could put a Frost Free Hydrant next to the door as it's on a farm and I might want to water stock, didn't tell them my stock left 5 yrs ago.

Bullet Trap and a CO2 pellet pistol. Great for frustration removal and "visitors" remember places they need to get to when they have bothered you long enough. Although I had one guy show up with his own pellet gun and wanted to shot with me as he needed "instructions".

Chairs are a must for bad backs & old age, electricity is as well. Zoning was giving problems about water in the shop as they said I had to put in a septic system but I could put a Frost Free Hydrant next to the door as it's on a farm and I might want to water stock, didn't tell them my stock left 5 yrs ago.

 

If you are on a farm, I wonder how zoning restrictions could apply?  Never heard of that.  Anyway, I'd put in what you want, since "it's easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission".  If they come around tell them they are trespassing   :P

It's easy outsiders, non farm people with lots of out of state $$$$$$ have shown up in the last 20 yrs.and have taken over our area. Second thing they do is unpack first is to run for office. My closest
neighbor case in point is now head Selectperson. State law allows us to build a slaughter house on a farm and local zoning has no say but water in a building requires a legal sanitary way for water out, ie. a very expensive, engineered septic system. Oh yah, the newbie next door is a unemployable(by all accounts who have tried) civil engineer who would like to do the design, so says the head of the zoning department, Got to love small town politics!