My workbench in pictures.

OMG, my girl was obsessed with Moshi Monsters for a while.  I thought that thing looked familiar.  Now she wants to sell all the MM junk she bought on EBay

We really love these two zombies... the particular ones we have.  Others, seemingly identical, wouldn't matter to us nearly so much.  Other monsters wouldn't matter to us, either.  These two are part of our family. 

I tried to suggest freecycle to JFKimberkey but I called it the wrong thing and didn’t explain clearly.

I remember that!  I didn't realize you called it the wrong thing, though.  I just didn't follow up on the suggestion and then it kind of slipped my mind.  But yes, thanks!  You did suggest it before.

I'm going to have to stop being lazy and sign up for the alerts.  It's just the inbox management issue... I spent the morning doing content management for a website.  I'm all managing-out at the moment.

Don’t underestimate how much emails you will get .  Could you do with a toaster oven?  You’ll get 7 in the first day. At least that’s my memory from Briefly using it in London, your mileage may vary in Podunk Wales.

I'm going to have to stop being lazy and sign up for the alerts.  It's just the inbox management issue... I spent the morning doing content management for a website.  I'm all managing-out at the moment.

Just pull a me and don't manage it at all...let your inbox me a safari park of wild emails.. 

Don’t underestimate how much emails you will get .

Just pull a me and don't manage it at all...let your inbox be a safari park of wild emails.. 

Now I am scared.  But I do like animals.  I'll just keep the windows rolled up and I should be fine.

Could you do with a toaster oven?  You’ll get 7 in the first day. At least that’s my memory from Briefly using it in London, your mileage may vary in Podunk Wales.

It's not podunk! We have... um... well, there's a new mini retail park going in at Cross Hands.  There will be stuff there.  But, yeah... for now we drive to Llanelli, Swansea, or Carmarthen.  (Now you guys can triangulate my position!)

I am already dying of jealousy.  You are so close to Pembrey and Pendine I can’t stand it.

I am already dying of jealousy.  You are so close to Pembrey and Pendine I can’t stand it.

That was sort of a happy accident.  We love our proximity to Pendine and Pembrey, but when we were house-hunting, we mostly focused on our list of features we wanted in the house/property, a rural locale, but with accessibility to a motorway and business development.  Our criteria were so demanding that I don't think there's anyplace else we could have afforded to land.  So, yay for the bonus beaches.

Go on then, angle finder?  Or Angle grinder?  And what does that drop saw thingy do?

Go on then, angle finder?  Or Angle grinder?  And what does that drop saw thingy do?

Finder.  Just a basic little tool to give us an accurate measure of an angle.  It's handy and we got used to having it.  Then it stopped working. 

The plunge saw is basically a circular saw, but with plunge action and depth stops.  And, coupled with the rail system, it's really easy to make long straight cuts.  Plus, it can be tilted for miter/bevel.  It's kind of like the function of a compound sliding miter saw, but it's portable so you can use it for big stuff.

That all sounds really neat

That all sounds really neat

Yes!  I always had access to a basic workshop space in my parents' garage growing up, and they made a lot of random things.  But the workshop my husband and I are building is far superior to anything I have had, apart from my one semester of "shop" in 7th grade.  Now I can do the things!

I wish I could drop my daughter off with you for a day, she’s constantly wanting to build stuff but I don’t think she would take shop at school.  She loves DT though and would enjoy your router immensely. 

I wish I could drop my daughter off with you for a day, she’s constantly wanting to build stuff but I don’t think she would take shop at school.  She loves DT though and would enjoy your router immensely.

You should totally encourage her to take shop class if it's available to her, though!  I learned a lot about shop safety there, as well as an introduction to all the tools available in the 80s, and we started off by learning about basic drafting concepts, which has helped me immensely with project planning.  I will use that knowledge for the rest of my life.  And it was taught by someone who knows what they're doing and how to teach.  (Or maybe I just had a good shop teacher?)

Also, she might be interested in some of the woodworking YouTubers.  I grew up with Roy Underhill and Norm Abram on PBS.  Now there are literally hundreds of people on Youtube.

Yes!  I always had access to a basic workshop space in my parents' garage growing up, and they made a lot of random things.  But the workshop my husband and I are building is far superior to anything I have had, apart from my one semester of "shop" in 7th grade.  Now I can do the things!

I made a gavel in 7th grade shop.  Worked on it for weeks.  Made from cherry and walnut woods.  The day it was ready to lacquer, I got to class and it couldn't be found anywhere.  I never got to see it finished!!!   

I made a Peppermill about 10 years ago and use it everyday.   

I made a gavel in 7th grade shop.  Worked on it for weeks.  Made from cherry and walnut woods.  The day it was ready to lacquer, I got to class and it couldn't be found anywhere.  I never got to see it finished!!!   

Awww!  I would've been devastated!  In fact, a similar thing happened after I made a denim bag for my gym clothes.  I made it in home ec, then used it for gym... it was stolen from my basket (we didn't get lockers... we got baskets on a cubby shelf).  I can't say I loved home-ec, but that was my bag and I made it, and it turned out useful and nice.  I was angry.

But your gavel theft (I'm assuming it was a theft) could be taken as a compliment.  It sounds lovely, and someone else must have thought so, too.

I made a Peppermill about 10 years ago and use it everyday.   

Wow, that's impressive.  Did you turn it on a lathe?  What kind?  I'd love to see a photo.

Awww!  I would've been devastated!  In fact, a similar thing happened after I made a denim bag for my gym clothes.  I made it in home ec, then used it for gym... it was stolen from my basket (we didn't get lockers... we got baskets on a cubby shelf).  I can't say I loved home-ec, but that was my bag and I made it, and it turned out useful and nice.  I was angry.

But your gavel theft (I'm assuming it was a theft) could be taken as a compliment.  It sounds lovely, and someone else must have thought so, too.

Wow, that's impressive.  Did you turn it on a lathe?  What kind?  I'd love to see a photo.

Yup, on a lathe.  That and the gavel are my only two lathe projects.  It would be awesome to own one!

Pepper milk is olive wood and it's always getting darker.  I do love it.

BUT, I wanted to turn my peppermill out of tulip wood but I didn't buy it in advance (as the shop had lots) but the day of my class, they didn't have any in!