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This is what I carry, when I carry anything at all. But I don't conceal it. Sometimes I hike with it if the area is known to be where there are cougars or I’m somewhat likely to run across a bear (black bear, not a grizzly which is very rare around here). If I hike in the Rockies, a grizzly...

You know what? I'd always rather see a space (or bench top) where somebody gets things accomplished than a neat-as-a-pin "shop" that some set dresser concocts for a tool-company ad. Or some organizing expert shows on their promotional website.

In honor of Barred Buff’s return to SS — plus the kinda late arrival of spring here on our place — I’m bumping the man cave thread. My own shop situation is depicted on the first page of this thread — except that now, it’s quite a bit better organized (and may be tidier, if I’ve finished a...

I can understand that. It's almost my motto or personal guideline not to buy the first version of any new manufactured concept or design. I'd learned by getting a fairly early battery powered rechargeable electric drill — the ones produced later were a huge improvement. And, although I had a...

I just came across this today. You could say it's a sort of combination wheelbarrow, hand truck, garden cart, lever/fulcrum, human-powered mini-forklift. Not that I generally promote the idea of people spending money on more industrially made tools or pieces of equipment. But I beiieve if I...

Sumi, I can definitely understand that you'd have felt shocked and scared. Glad the fellow wasn't any sort of scoundrel. How situations are interpreted and dealt with depends a lot on where they happen, I think. The region where I live is probably quite a bit like where you are, in a way. We...

As a boy, Watt fooled around in his father's backyard workshop (which was the father's place of business). Similar story to Henry Ford, who began his life on a family farm and tinkered with things.

You like fun? I thought this’d be fun for Crealbilly and some of the other folks here. These are two pics of James Watt’s workshop. James Watt (1736-1819) was one of the very early developers of the steam engine. And the steam engine was also a forerunner, in a way, of our car and truck...

An image I can relate to. Reminds me of the time of year we're in right now.

A vise is one of the most useful pieces of gear, I find... pretty well essential. I've got two metal-working vises of roughly that size, installed on benches in two of my work areas. Plus I have one woodworking vise of the common type. It's great that the vise was part of the freebie...

I re-use them when the effort involved doesn't outweigh the cost or trouble of going and buying new ones. I generally find that, in my life, it makes more sense to re-use bolts & screws than it does to try to remove, straighten & re-use nails. With screws, I particularly like the robertson...

CC, I’d guess you’re aware of the forums & other websites where people show and explain the jigs they’ve designed and/or been using. There are a lot of them related to wood as the material, and a fair number related to metal.

Are you able to re-use some of those jigs for later projects? If so, then not so bad. It's setting up something for first-time use that's time consuming.

I look forward to learning more about your success, Chic Rustler. The small and microscopic critters will continue to break down your organic layers. I think it shouldn't be too long before you've got the earthworms you've been wanting to invite. :thumbsup

CC, when you lived in North Carolina, were you anywhere near Asheville? The fine-craft scene there is famous all the way up to here where I am, 3000 miles away. Did you sell stuff in Asheville?

Up here I don't think potential renters would want to pay for those financial, criminal and employment background checks. You'd have to mask those costs within the rental fee or maybe the damage deposit. But I suppose that might be feasible. What I'd dislike, as a landlord, would be scenarios...

CC, that's an interesting story. And good to hear about your windfall. I've found some good stuff for free, that's for sure, but I have no real knowledge of electronics. I mean, I do know the difference between a capacitor and a resistor, but don't now how to test them, or how to track down...

I can't think of any garden-veggie seeds that we "stratify" (refrigerate or freeze) before planting. Stratification is recommended, or deemed necessary, for the germination of certain flower and tree seeds. I believe that our vegetable seeds, handed down through ancestors in various parts of...

♫ I agree, that's plain to see ♫

I know this has shown up in some of the posts/pics already posted in the thread. But what I’m thinking is, how about some show-and-tell about things you’ve gotten for free that, at the time, you could see you’d need to repair or would want to adapt to a new purpose? Things that became sort of...