Once again Tom Iovino of TomsWorkBench.com is hosting Get Woodworking Week. My shop, as many others, is in an unheated garage that I will warm with a space heater when I am ready to use. Unfortunately it has been so cold this winter that I have only had a few days that it has been warm enough outside for the heater to be effective.
So what can we as woodworkers, suffering from severe shop withdraws, do about it? Well, there are a few things we can do while not in the shop.
1. Go shopping! The woodworking shows are currently running their circuit, if you have one coming near you, go, as there are lots of good deals, as well as some good seminars to help you expand your woodworking horizons. Also go to your local Woodcraft/Rockler/Any store that sells tools and start researching (and even make) any tool purchase you are considering. This is also a good time to stock up on supplies and consumables.
2. Take a class! The classrooms are usually nice and warm, and you will most definitely learn some new techniques to help you become a stronger woodworker.
3. Join a woodworking club! This is a great way to get with your local woodworking community. A lot of opportunity to speak with other like minded people and compare projects and notes.
4. Design and Plan your next projects! In fact this is what I am doing now. I typically use sketch-up to design most of my projects. I often use this also as an opportunity to expand my sketch-up skills to do something new, as well as go through the various iterations of a project design until I get it to a point I am happy with it. From there I am able to develop a cut-list which helps me determine the amount of material I need to buy. I can then start budgeting for it so that when the shop is warm I can start making dust right away.
5. Too cold? Never! Sometimes the call of the shop is stronger that dislike of being cold. Get out there anyway and start making saw dust.
So there you have it! You have absolutely NO excuse to say its too cold to be woodworking. There is plenty you can do even if you are not in your shop!