Bowyers - Show Off Your Shop!

[Prometheus]

Hey, Folks,

So, my wife and I took a shot and bid on a starter home in Florida, where I've been working. We're not sure where we'll be in the long run (thinking Utah or Georgia - family and friends there), but we just thought we'd try for something to finally get us out of tiny apartments, and they accepted our bid!

Anyway, I've wanted to set up a bow shop for years to make stuff from home, and I'm trying to figure out how to do it. I've got the space of a one car garage and also a small guest room inside the house for things that don't make too much of a mess.

Does anyone have any pictures of their shop they'd like to show off re general advice they'd be willing to share on the topic?

Thanks in advance, and have a solid weekend, everyone! Happy Halloween!

[kevsuperg]

I'll be watching this one as I need to build a shop.
Moved to Idaho 1 yr ago and I just put in a bid on a log home here in spirit lake ( Accepted).
Anyways I plan on re building the shop I had in new York so I can get back to making self bows again.
I plan to try making laminated bows at some point.

[kennym]

Run a post over on the bowyers bench, you will get some pics and advice I'll bet!

[Bowjunkie]

Mine is trashed right now or I'd snap a pic for ya. I've been tearing into some selfbows staves, debarking, reducing, and steaming and reflexing them for a couple weeks.

We moved here 2 years ago. What is now my shop was just a room added onto the garage they parked a tractor in. It had a dirt floor and a couple lights overhead, so I basically started from scratch. It's still not done, but it's done enough I can work in there.

[Bowjunkie]

This is what my shop looked like when I moved here.  

[Bowjunkie]

part way through construction...  

[Bowjunkie]

This is a bit cleaner than it looks right now    :rolleyes:  and I have a lot more wood against the back wall. I also have an electric heater, an a/c unit over by the door, and a dehumidifier. Together they maintain a nice even relative humidity in there to keep the wood dry and keep the tools from rusting.

I have a separate bay in the garage to put really wet/green wood so that it doesn't dry to quickly.

By the way, you can sometimes find good, cheap, used kitchen cabinets on your local craigs-list.  

[ChuckC]

awesome job there BowJ.  
ChuckC

[monterey]

Can't find a picture of my patio!  

[Eric Krewson]

I worked out of a 5X7 corner of the garage for years, when I moved to the country I could build my dream shop.

It is always evolving but the basics stay the same;

[Bowjunkie]

Nice space Eric.

I actually greatly enjoy seeing pictures of, and visiting the shops of other craftsman. There's fewer and fewer of us nowadays ya know.

There's the whole bow making thing, but there's also just something about having a place to retreat to... my shop... it's me. I have history here. This is the 3rd shop I've set up, but even here in my 'new' shop, I look around and see a lot of stuff that has had a lot of personal meaning to me for most of my adult life. It reminds me of friends, mentors, lessons, challenges, and rewards, some that kicked me hard in the nuts, but most all helped me do better. Sometimes I come out here for an hour to do something for my wife or daughter, or nothing, just sit and absorb, daydream, look for inspiration, and sometimes I spend weeks out here on a strict mission, inventing, testing, prepping, or building. My bows start here. My hunts start here.

Today I cleaned, some. I steamed 2 more hophornbeam staves, took my gooseneck scraper back to flat and build up a new burr all the way around on both sides, and worked at two more HHB staves. I just dug 8 turkey wings out of the freezer and will collect the feathers off of them and begin to clean the bones up for calls. Busy busy.

[Roy from Pa]

27 x 13..


 

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9csLbtfuJI

[Bowjunkie]

Hey, I know that shop!    

[ron w]

Wow .....you guys have some real nice set ups  

[glenbo]

Great work spaces. Sorry, but Eric's seems the most inviting to me.

[glenbo]

Must be the natural light

[monterey]

I like Roy's, but I'm sure if I ever see it there will be something oddly quirky about it.  

[Crittergetter]

My shop looks like 3 Rivers dumpster threw up in it!

[Prometheus]

Wow, some fantastic shops, fellas!

I'm now in ultra humid South Florida. Any advice for storing tools and wood lams and riser blanks in the garage? I can store at least the wood inside if I need to.

Thanks for the pics, guys! I'm hoping to find some deals on the necessary tools this holiday season, but if y'all have any recommendations on your favorite brands and models, please don't hesitate to drop some names!

Thanks!