Dan Antion

DIY Update

I know this won’t be of interest to all of you, but since I received several questions about my garage/workshop renovation, I thought I’d answer them in a short post.

With any luck. I will have the last bit of flooring installed by Tuesday afternoon. Great, now I have the Moody Blues stuck in my head. Oh well, it’s a good song. Given my penchant for planning, many of you probably think that once that last piece of flooring is down, I know precisely the steps that will follow. I hate to disappoint, but I don’t have a clue. OK, that’s not true, but I don’t have a firm plan.

The last time I had enough open space to spread my tools around was in 1985 when I opened my cabinet shop. After that, I was crammed into a 10’x16’ space in our basement for five years and then I spent 25 years shuffling between a 12’ x 16’ workshop and whatever space I could steal from my garage. I don’t know how to work in a space that is 22′ (6.7m)  feet deep, 16′ (4.9m)  wide at one end spreading out to 22’ wide at the other. Heck, my muscle memory still has me stepping up when I cross the foundation wall I can no longer even see.

I am going to finish the partition wall. I am going to remove the metal working work bench. I am going to remove some of the wall mounted storage and replace it with some new, albeit temporary wall mounted storage. Then ‘m going to move my tools back in and try to get some work done. I have a couple cabinets to build.

My overall goal for this shop is for it to be reasonably convenient and extremely safe to work in. The tools I use all the time (table saw) will be centrally located. The tools I use on a project basis are on wheels and will be stored against the wall. I plan to wheel them out to a central location where I can connect them to power and dust collection — I just don’t know where that location is. Knowing that is important, as the power and dust collection lines will be run under the floor — in other words, I have one chance to get that right.

I’ve decided to work for a while and “see where the paths emerge before pouring the sidewalks” as it were. Although my goal is to totally eliminate extension cords and air hoses running all over the floor, I will put up with them (probably hanging from above) for a few months. I think the final outfitting of the shop is a job I can do later in the year, or even early in the spring. I don’t want to end up working in a shop that works on paper, but not in real life.

I hope you all have a great week!

I don’t know what this plant is, but we like seeing it as we walk by.
The blossoms are beautiful.
Our neighbor’s cactus rose is screaming with blossoms.
It looks like Maddie isn’t the only dog in town that gets along with other critters.
These guys seem to get along pretty well.
They’re hard to make out, but there are two crows in that tree.
Old Glory as the storm approaches.
A lot of bunnies today.
In order to avoid other dogs, Maddie and I ducked into the memorial from the side.
These guys were hanging out as we walked into the park.
A comical pattern to their flight.
The birds don’t seem to mind the storm that’s coming.
On our way to the copper mine / prison tour, we past this road sign.
Smokey collected a toll as we began our walk.
He’s hard to see, but that’s the newest bunny.
“Where’s Faith?” Faith was here yesterday. After she left, Maddie was still hoping to see her come over to sit.

60 comments

  2. I like the part about watching where the paths go and then putting in the sidewalks. I think that has good application to life. I also think a good work space is one of life’s great luxuries.

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  6. Hi Dan – it all makes sense and I commend you for working with the spaces you’ve had over the years … memory banks are so interesting aren’t they – enjoy getting things done as far as possible this week. Wonderful cactus – that weed is a plant in the wrong place, but still a plant! Loved the tour around and that ‘Dan’ sign … poor old Maddie – missing Faith so much! Cheers Hilary

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    • Thanks Hilary. I’m sure I’ll be stepping up as I cross between rooms for a while to come. The sign was funny. Maddie loves Faith. She lays down in front of the door when Faith is getting ready to leave. I figured that plant might be a weed, but it is pretty.

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  8. Incredible photos of the cactus rose, Dan. Beautiful! And I loved the background story of your new shop. Safety, convenience, and space — you couldn’t ask for more. Thank you for sharing the story and your amazing photos. Have a great day!

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  10. I have this feeling that you’ll be tweaking your shop until your dying day! Nothing wrong with that, mind you. I’ve never seen a cactus rose. Interesting.

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    • You’re probably right. I don’t think I mind tweaking. I do hope to get the big stuff in the right place. I don’t want to go through all this effort to build a nice floor, only to have holes in the wrong place.

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  11. So smart to work it out before everything is cemented in place (little pun there). ‘I have one chance to get that right’–if that isn’t incentive enough, I don’t know what is. The other friendly dog–is he new? I don’t recall seeing him around these here parts before.

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    • Thanks Lois. The other dog is not new, but he’s usually outside with their other dog, a yappy little Yorky that chases us across the street so Maddie will stop barking. This is the first time I’ve seen this one out alone. Such a chill little fluff. I’ve seen the Yorky bark at the bunny when it’s in their neighbor’s yard.

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  13. The roadside sign just cracks me up! What a terrific idea. Poor sweet Maddie is missing her Faith. How nice for Faith to be loved like that!

    This seems to be the year of the bunnies. Nice to see another furball who get along with them. So that makes three great dogs that I know about so far…my Murphy, Maddie and your neighbor’s furball.

    I’m not suggesting you’re “over the hill”, but you’ve reached the age where you want projects “one and done”. So taking the time to plan this out is the smart thing to do. Somehow Dan, you don’t strike me as a man who will never stop to ask someone for directions! You deserve a medal.

    Keep cool in this heat blitz we’re having.

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    • Thanks Ginger. I amd trying to get this right, or to wait until I know what’s right. It’s hard because I just want to be done, but I also want it done right.

      I was happy to see the dog not bothering the bunny. They are everywhere this year, and they are so tame. They look, we cross the street and they go back to munching.

      We are doing our best to stay cool. Please do the same.

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  15. Great thinking with the workshop, Dan. It sounds like you’ve got it figured out — probably even better than you think.
    Aw, Maddie missing Faith gets me every time. Smokey looks like he means business. That sign must have made you do a triple take! The doves here were sitting on the cable wire in the rain yesterday. Finally Rain! No wonder they wanted to enjoy it. Hugs on the wing.

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    • We have three birdbaths lying on the ground for them to find water. Unless it’s raining, it’s been so hot that the water dried up in a heartbeat.

      Maddie loves having Faith visit, and she knows that Faith “Came to see me” – forget Father’s Day or holidays, nope, she came to see Maddie, that’s it.

      Enjoy the rain. I hope the temps stay away from that third digit.

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  20. Even though you are a planner I like the way you are waiting to find out where the paths merge and how exactly your feet work in this new space. That is awesome!! Sometimes planning comes up short and then we have to see what comes next as to what best to do. Your gallery, especially the yellow roses, fantastic, Dan. Our busyness has slowed down some, thank goodness, and now we are preparing to have some fun on our bikes as soon as my leg is up to it. Great post!!

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  25. That welcoming sign gave me a chuckle. Seeing the dogs get along with the bunnies is amazing to me. Every dog I’ve ever had, and there have been many, would chase a bunny or squirrel. I have every confidence your project will be successful.

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  26. Yes, it has to work in real life. Thanks for the update, Dan. Keep us posted. Super photos. Did you get those thunderstorms rolling in last night? Finally a relief from the heat.

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  27. Hi Dan, I love the cactus rose picture. Yellow is my favourite colour too. Your new workshop sounds amazing and how you go about designing/building it is how I approach my writing. I have the idea and the end goal, but I do improvise as I go along. Have a great Friday.

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