My new shop

[Dax Hewitt]

As some of you may remember I had a very compact shop in a 8 x 10 storage container. It worked well but it was down at my works and on top of a 40 foot container so I had to use a ladder to access it. 

Last year I had a minor heart attack and I have been unhappy about going down there on my own on a Saturday morning totally out of site up a ladder in a container so I decided to move it home to my back yard. 

I built a lockable shed for the bench and tools and a canopy for my Anvil and forge to go under. The last couple of weekends were building the wood bits. 

Yesterday was moving all the gear, getting the Anvil down from my old shop was fun being as it was up 10 foot in the air, we have a small pickup mounted crane at work so used that but it didn't quite reach so I had to sort of drag it out. Whilst it was out I put it on the scales too. She weighs in at 205 kg (452 lbs). I knew it was heavy but not that heavy, give or take 30 years ago when I got it I managed to lift it on my own, only about 1 inch from the ground. 

Next Saturday is bracket and hook making day, my tongs and fire tools used to hang round the forge on S hooks and I will be putting them there whilst it's in use but I need to hand them in the shed for storage otherwise they will be stolen. 

So that's my new playing space, it's a sub optimal layout but the back yard is an awquard shape and I had to leave the open area in front so SHMBO can hang the washing out etc. 

[George N. M.]

Dax, it looks small but efficient.  The trick with small spaces is being scrupulous about keeping them neat and organized.  In a large space it is easy to leave things where ever but in a small space you've GOT to put things back where they came from or the place turns into a mess in the time it takes to turn around.

Sorry to hear about your cardiac issues.  Good call on not working in an isolated location.  When I'm by myself in the shop I always have my phone with me and hope that I would be able to call 911 (999 in your case) or the wife if anything happened.

You shop set up is an example of the small spaces availble to folk in the UK or other parts of Europe that are foreign (in several senses) to Americans.  On this side of the water we tend to have more space available to us unless we are living in an apartment or condo in the middle of a city.  I've got an acre of land and some folk have much more.  So, we have room for larger shops, garden sheds, scrap/resource piles, etc..

Anyway, good solution to your situation and available space.

GNM

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

I like how the lean too folds down can keeps the weather off your tools! Very nice!

[Dax Hewitt]

I had a lot of practice keeping things neat with the old shop George. As you say it's vital in restricted space. 

TW, the bottom half of the door lifts off, the top half folds up. I was going to do the whole thing to lift but an 8x8 door with no mechanical assistance is very heavy and I was working to a tight budget. 

[MacLeod]

Nice set up. It’s amazing how having a new space to work in inspires and motivates. Tight budgets are a challenge these days over here Dax, I thought about every cut I made and where I would be using the offcut before even a marking line was drawn. Your joinery looks very neat.