Who else is suffering as I am?

gregzz4 · #1 03-14-2012, 07:29 AM

Anyone else have a stockpile of tools they can't use?
Big sob story, wah wah wah, but here we go.
We bought a rental house 12-14 years ago and I converted the garage into a wood-working shop ( I already had a pretty significant stockpile of mechanics tools to boot ).
I bought thousands upon thousands of dollars of gear. Table saw with a sweet 52" fence, router table, compound mitre saw, drill press, built a disc sander, installed custom central vac system with ports at every location, built a bunch of jigs and such. A 16' continous table from drill press through mitre saw and past router. Single phase heaters, 12 outlets and 20 x single 4' fluorescent lights in a 16' x 21' footprint. I even found a donator fridge for food and drinks, brought in a cheapo quad speaker stereo, installed an alarm, window bars, insulation including the roll-up door, ceiling, walls, 100A sub-panel. It was a cosy place to roll into after work and play for awhile until the wife was finished her afternoon shift.
We ( the wife and I ) built some oak, beech, and birch furniture for our house, some for gifts, some just for fun, whatever ....
Then, about a year into it, she buys her dad's '69 Camaro RS/SS and it goes in MY garage. I can't complain much as he bought it new and it only had 69K miles on it. It's been there ever since. ( it still only has 70K miles on it today

).
So here I am trying to build this 75g system. I'm drilling in the basement over a garbage can so I don't have to vacuum.
I'm sawing in the laundry tub. I'm using a jigsaw on my hands and knees 'cause it's too cold to break out the plastic saw horses and go outdoors.
I'm using the jigsaw 'cause I don't have a stable enough surface to use my $250 circular saw. I'm pulling my graying hair out as I cut inferior lines in whatever I do, and am trying to love it as I can't afford to build a garage in our backyard.
And the 3 or 4 times every summer ( due to weather and schedules )that we take the Camaro out are not doing much for me at the moment.
Sigh, I can't be the only one suffering from lack of shop space.
And don't rub it in Grizz, I've seen your shop in pics.

bauder1986 · #2 03-14-2012, 07:39 AM

Solution -

Move to Red Deer, dont fret the use of the garage and go over to greg's shop with a case of beer and a pack of cigars and a free frag and use his shop for tank builds

whatcaneyedo · #3 03-14-2012, 07:52 AM

My General table saw has been sitting in storage for 3 years. I've never even used it because I don't have a garage to set it up in. Sorry no sympathy here.

gregzz4 · #4 03-14-2012, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bauder1986

Solution -

Move to Red Deer, dont fret the use of the garage and go over to greg's shop with a case of beer and a pack of cigars and a free frag and use his shop for tank builds

But I have all the tools here in town ... I just can't use them AACCKKK. And I can't see the wife giving up her life-long city job

Oh, and when the new owners moved our shop 28 miles out of town it put the kibosh on my ability to paint at work. That and the fact that they wouldn't let us use the shop for personal things as they already had 40+ employees and don't like to share.
That job didn't keep me long I'll tell ya.

gregzz4 · #5 03-14-2012, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatcaneyedo

My General table saw has been sitting in storage for 3 years. I've never even used it because I don't have a garage to set it up in. Sorry no sympathy here.

Not looking for sympathy, just empathy from others in the same situation. You haven't used your saw for 3 years .... I haven't used mine since the millenium !!!!!!

gregzz4 · #6 03-14-2012, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatcaneyedo

My General table saw

And BTW nice saw

whatcaneyedo · #7 03-14-2012, 08:05 AM

Actually I've never used it period. It was a birthday gift thats still at my fathers place. But I do appreciate a good shop and it sounds like you've got a really nice one. Some day I'll get there and then I'll be able to properly set up my ancient Rockwell bandsaw too. But it will be a motorcycle taking up a little bit of space and not a sports car consuming it all.

gregzz4 · #8 03-14-2012, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatcaneyedo

and not a sports car consuming it all.

You can't call a '69 Camaro RS/SS a sports car

And as for my shop ... it's not like it's Valhalla, but it was my space. I could run over there and build whatever whenever, ya know?
I just looked at some pics of it and can't believe we fit the car in there with all the tools

gregzz4 · #9 03-14-2012, 08:24 AM

That Rockwell should be good for some nice scrolling if you get a slim enough blade. If not, it's still a skookum saw for almost anything. I had an old full-sized Craftsman that went away to make room for the car, and I never had a chance to use it

lockrookie · #10 03-14-2012, 08:41 AM

i do feel your pain i had a nice garage with shop in it and moved to a home with a single car garage that i have to keep my company vehichle inn as well as stock for my buisness(home based) i have packed everything in there and only have a 4 foot by 6 foot space for "projects" but garage is unheated and winter is a no go fr working out there. my tank build is being done in a guest room but thats limited as well due to inlaws coming to visit for a month at the end of this month.

so i am trying to do as much as i can until then. and prep stuff for when they leave. on the upside i will have help moving my 90g at the end of april. im so nervous of it but it has to be done