No Shop, No Tools – What to Do?

We just moved a few thousand miles across the United States, so Loving Wife and I are temporarily between houses. Movers did their thing with the garage/woodworking shop, and all of that stuff save for a couple of toolboxes full of what I deemed “homeowner essentials” are in storage.

Everything from my shop apron to the table saw is stored, and we’re looking at maybe six weeks to two months of life without a workshop.

Knowing that I’d have plenty of time to think about, but not actually do anything hands-on with, woodworking, I planned ahead. Here in our temporary residence (where there absolutely is not any place to so much as cut a 2×4, even with a small hand saw), I need stuff to keep me from going stir crazy.

Temporary housing is just one reason why people may not be able to get to/have a workshop. Tight budgets and tight spaces are common woes, but they’re a bit more long term.

So, when you’re not able to do the woodworking thing, here’s what I’ve been doing to keep myself engaged with the hobby. Or obsession. Whichever.

Sketching, designing, planning. I’m an IT guy, but don’t do the computer-aided stuff very well at all. (SketchUp is great if it’s your thing. I’m just not very good at it, that’s all. Also, I can’t draw. For goofy guys like me, there’s isometric drafting paper, which is laid out to make 3D designing look, well, good. Print some pages for free at Gramercy Tools (and if you have a need for hold fasts, theirs are the best, so check those out while you’re over there).
Checking out the scene. We moved very far from home, so it’s a totally different scene here for woodworking. I’ve been doing stuff like: finding the local lumber places, seeing what kinds of hardwoods are easy to get locally, looking at what woodworkers who’ve been here for awhile are doing, that sort of thing.
Videos. This is a tough one, since watching other people do cool things just makes me want to go to the shop and do similar things. But sometimes, a Paul Sellers video is just what I need.

Also, if the space/budget situation is a bit more long term, you may check out your area for classes or shared workspaces. At our old home, I took woodworking classes with an amazing instructor who’s been doing this about as long as I’ve been alive. The money was more than worth it just for his extensive knowledge and patience in teaching…but I also had access to his awesome shop. (Even his dust-collection system is freakin’ sweet. And, oh yeah, he has power tools/machines I’ll never be able to justify adding to my own shop.)

Well, I’m off to the woodworking store to browse the goodies and chat it up with the other wood nerds. (Another thing you can do to stay in the game.)