Rehd, You are a very very funny man! Your bazzooka post had me gasping for air I was laughing so hard. Then Your pictures had me back to the 70's and now
this!!! I think they ought to let you loose on the whole postal system. Your postal peers would be to busy laughing to ever get angry or stressed. Gracious that laugh does me good. Turns a cold winter NH night into well almost a warm California breeze. Thanks!

Ben, hey I got to add some of these ideas of yours. Actually, I have slept in the shop more then once, baby sitting various projects. Besides its too cold up here to sleep in the dog house ) I do frequently entertain in the shop. No fridge, but I have a deep freeze near my butchering area. Its not got much in the way of sandwiches as its presently housing a moose that invited itself to dinner. I used to keep a wooden barrel of cider out back of my last shop though, but with power tools and all I got away from that. Still ....I may have to work that one back in there some how. For now, I do have a section devoted to brewing meade Hey the moose likes it.

Yup its been a good shop. But it's not my last one. George is going to have one big open space, and that is where I turn green with envy. That is very wonderful workable space. I have 2300 square feet of a walkout basement with a big great room area., but it has got one annoying load bearing brick column that gets in the way. Also I have a 3 panel door that only opens on one panel. I need to fix that to get bigger projects out the door. I have the right opening just the wrong door. The shop is ever a work in progress I guess. Its got 6 major work areas and the tooling area. I'm looking to put in a wood stove to burn scraps. For all of that If I could I'd go with the one big rectangular open space like George is doing with a big roll up door. Well....I guess that will be my next shop. Having a boat shop 12 steps from home has been well sort of Nirvana. ITs kind of a magnet for interesting people. Guessing your shops are all the same way.

A few other shop tips I forgot to mention
1) One of the things that has worked is I put my work benches on masonry walls rather then on top of cabinets. That has reduced the shake from power tools on
the table a good bit. For looks the masonry wall is faced with plywood. So its sort of the best of both. Humor intended here: They also double as the place to hide under in Tornados... OK so NH doesn't see many Tornados. After living in CA and working in the midwest I guess I still like strong voids spaces to crawl under. IT also leaves me with a lot of open storage. That I like. I have been thinking of putting roll out tool cabinets underneath but the cost verse benefit isn't there yet, and I am not big dig through a cabinet fan.

2) Another thing that has worked in this shop is mobile mini tool benches. We took the shelving off the plastic put together shelving you find in home stores and use them as project specific tool spaces. If we are working on a yak putting on strips we'll put up clamps and glue and scrappers and planes and anything else we need. It cuts our going to the grid wall all the time
and its puts our tools even closer at hand . We have another mobile work bench just for glassing. Presently, they are on milk crates, but We've been thinking about putting them on wheels but we also like taking them outside to work on nice days so maybe not.

3) Not my idea but, A guy I know here in town a cabinet maker is building a shop with a stock loft up top. that looks like a real good idea if your building will support the loading

4) Another thought I had is is about lighting. I like bare bulbs rather then fluorescent tubing. I have worked under both and I get better color and shading; see details better under incandescent light. More light is better. Sunshine is great if you can get it.

5) I love radiant floor heating, but I think in boat building it might take away the capacity to control temperature quickly. You heat up a concrete pad and it will keep the heat and radiate it off evenly for a long time. We do a lot of driving the epoxy and at other times will start hot and then drop the heat to 50 fast. I can't think of anything other project where that ability is as useful. George if your just building boats you might want to think about the trade offs on that. IF boats are just one of your interests then it might be a different trade off. Though the answer may be as simple as opening a door or window and have radiant floor heat. ITs good heat

6) Another thought is the wash area. If you can find one of the old original soap stone two hole wash tubs, that is a wonderful way to go. My Dad had one in his shop and its the best thing I have ever seen in that department. You can usually find them in architectural salvage yards.

I will get some pictures taken and developed here soon and post them for ya. It will be about 2 weeks to get them turned around. In the mean time, Thanks for a great series of laughs tonight. PS I'll show you mine (shop) if you all will show me yours. Judging from all the pictures of the great boats and how toos I've seen here, I am pretty certian your shop ideas are incredible. Especially after seeing Rehd's bazooka.

Watch your top knots,

!RUSS