The house pictured is my favorite local "Bat Cave." Southern facing, ability to open up the doors and take in the sunshine - perfect! There are a few other houses that are similar in the area, but this one is my current favorite. A 5 car garage with a house over it would be ideal for my needs. Ok, why did I call it a Bat Cave? Phrase came from bro Greg, regarding some of the house designs I've come up with over the years: "Sure, it is cool, but it is like Batman's Batcave - guys all dig it, but you could never get a woman to live there with you."
You have to admit, he has a point. My current "shop" is garage based, with work spilling into the driveway whenever the sun makes an appearance. Most hobbyist woodworkers are in the same situation - whether their shop is in a basement or garage, there just isn't enough space. There are some interesting alternatives out there though. First, you can build a detached shop, separate from your home. Second, you could rent space for a shop. Third, you could learn to make do with the space you have available.
And finally, you could share a shop with someone, either formally, or informally. If I lived closer,
The Shop People in Portland at SE Grand and Oak have an amazing shared setup. Plenty of quality tools, and you simply pay a low monthly membership fee. Somewhat closer to home and with a diverse tool selection is
Portland TechShop which also offers classes in using some of the more high-tech tools. Classes taken in more traditional venues are another option - most community colleges have woodworking classes, and there are woodworking specific schools nearly everywhere too. The
NW Woodworking School founded by Gary Rogowski and the
Oregon College of Art & Craft are probably the two most famous locally. But, schools don't really solve the shop space problem. So, no answers for the masses, just a review of options
Posts
