My workshop was rebuilt at the back of the house yesterday. I have a shelf to put up and I’ll put in a light and some electrical sockets and we’re good to go!
In discussion with another restorer, he admitted that he had to work in his kitchen. To be frank, I’ve worked like that too. In some of the houses and flats I’ve lived in it was impossible to have a shed and at one stage I had a two-shelf trolley which contained all my sacs, polishes, chemicals of one kind or another, glues, large tools and so on. It lived in a store-room and was wheeled into the kitchen when restoration work began. The small tools, the ones most used, were in a hinged wooden box that once contained several bottles of schnapps.
That worked well enough but there is no substitute to having everything to hand in permanent positions. Also – and I think this is psychologically important – having a separate workplace is conducive to the right frame of mind. I leave the house, unlock the workshop, snap on the lights and I’m at work. When I’m finished I lock up and go home like any other worker.
I love my shed!
Goodwriterspens's Blog 
Great : Sheds are wonderful. A picture of the layout soon? Good wishes both, Martin
Hi Martin! How are you?
Yes, I’ll post pictures soon but i’s nothing special, really. I have to share space with a lawn-mower and various hand tools, but it works.
Come to Edinburgh and see my workshop, it takes me an hour on public transport t get to it. I’m sure if you are down this way, we’d spend at least a day going over things with regards to
pens
I wish I could, Eric, but it’s not possible, at least not in the immediate future. As you may imagine, house moving and all the associated costs depleted the reserves a bit.
My workshop , also tends to be a meeting place for pen people, when in Edinburgh. It is so good to meet people Face to face, with our interest
Hi Deborah – I was reflecting on Eric’s comment that it takes him an hour on public transport to reach his workshop – didn’t know whether there was a joke in there somewhere or just me laughing when I should be showing sympathy. Eric, is there no way you might find somewhere a little nearer home?
But, I agree about sheds – they are a Godsend to us folk who tinker, fiddle, or just simply want somewhere to store our tools and use as a retreat from the world. Perhaps we might share some pix of our sheds entitled ‘penworkers fifty sheds’.
I’m fortunate insofar as I now have the garage to use, and recently had a gift of a small Emco Unimat lathe from a relative – so I’ve order some BHR blanks from the States and am going to attempt making one or two replacement sections where previous owners have kindly included their dental impression on my pens:)
Hi Paul,
I had two sheds before I moved, one that I bought 10 years ago and another that a kind friend made for me. I knew I wouldn’t have room here for both so I sold the 10-year-old one. I now have the difficulty of fitting a quart into a pint pot! One way or another I’ll make it work.
I envy you your lathe! Making new sections should be quite an adventure. Best of luck with that!