http://www.softorchestra.com/woodworking/office/

Can’t wait to see it with a bench I’m about to build, and a bunch of old hand tools on the walls.

Your ideas as well received, and I find it amazing how similar I have concluded over a short time as to what you often refer to as The Modern Shop. I was limited on space for my shop also. I recentely added a 200 sq.ft. space which I use one side for my office. The other side will be used for my hand tool shop. This is the work I enjoy most, and what I want to spend my time doing, hand tool work. You can see this space on the link to my homepage above. The picture at the very bottom right corner is the space that will be my hand tool shop. I would say theres about 120 sq.ft. plus some change to work in 10×12. I plan a 6 foot bench.

My garage will be where I dimension my timbers/lumber using power tools, and my hand shop is where I will build with that same timber/lumber. I want to focus on the joinery, the hand work, the pride in producing hand crafted furniture.

For my preference, I don’t mind using a table saw, band saw, miter saw, planer, and jointer to dimension my wood. I do mind using a tailed apprentice router for doing joinery, and only want to do that with hand planes, chisels, hand saws, and other hand tools. For me the joinery is where it is at.

Thanks for continuing to share your ideas with us, Chris! You have become one of my favorite journalists to read. The woodworking community is fortunate to have someone as yourself that can express themself so elegantly.

I built the world’s best shop this year. (Well, the best shop that could be built on a tiny 400 sq. ft. spot in the downtown area!) Instead of revelling in it, I find myself wondering if I am going to be around long enough to enjoy it! I comfort myself with the assurance that the one who made Heaven was a carpenter. I can hardly wait to see the tools!

Life is best when we realize just how short it is going to be!