I’m excited to get the shop going at the new house, but the reality is starting to settle in: This is going to take a while. This 52 year old home needs maintenance and repair. Trees need to be cut down, a new roof needs to be applied, and the mice need to be evicted. And then there’s the remodeling of the 80’s-era interior.
The original plan was to have the shop in the garage. I could use that temporarily until the new shop is built. It takes months to find a contractor, get a plan designed, and construct. I got an estimate from an electrician to add 220V service to the garage to power a jointer, planer, and dust collector. But then I changed my mind. Why not just wait and put all my resources into the new shop? By delaying gratification, I’ll save money by not doing the electric twice. But I’ll also save money on the other plans I had for the garage: hanging drywall, insulating the ceiling, and sealing the garage floor
Until the new shop happens, there are things I can do now in the garage that can transfer over. I picked up a miter saw, drill press, and dust collector on sale. I put together a miter saw station based on the Wood Whisperer’s design. Everything you’ve heard about LED lighting is true. You can have prodigious amounts light with minimal outlay. What’s missing from this picture is the table saw. That’s up next, but first I need to answer some questions. It’s going to take up a parking spot and winter is coming. Am I prepared to park outside this winter? I don’t have 220v electricity for dust collection. Can I live with Shop-Vac dust collection for a while? We woodworkers are a patient folk. I think the answer is yes.