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How often do you take breaks in your shop..??

3K views 37 replies 24 participants last post by  Disneytodd 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
A few years ago I had to have new knee replacements, a hip replacement, and had 2 back surgeries previous to that…...Sincew then I've had to take breaks pretty often while in the shop…I'm good aof about an hour at a time, and then I have to sit down, rest, have a cup of joe, and a smoke…..I have a "break area" where I have a computer chair (it was given to me), a small table for my ashtray, coffee, and smokes, plus a stack of woodworking magazines, and while I'm contemplating my next move, or next step to take in the project, I sit, relax, and rest my body for a spell…....How about you….? Do you have a break area…??
 
#2 ·
Having COPD, it gets kinda rough at times working in the shop. Add bad knees and being a fata$$ doesn't help either. I can usually get about 15-20 mins worth of work done, then have to rest for a few minutes. I persist though! I have mats on the floor and DC and air scrubber in use, along with a dust mask to help prevent further damage to myself. I just try to make the best of a not so good situation.

John
 
#3 ·
I sympathize with you and have had spinal fusion, hip replacement and revision and various other older people ailments. I think that this is all to common for many of us. I am good for an hour or so and then have to sit and have some coffee. I am retired and in absolutely in now hurry to get anything done but just want to enjoy.

I have mats everywhere that I can. I took up the scroll saw two years ago and have a comfortable adjustable high stool with a back that I use. I do Intarsia which means a lot of shaping of pieces I have cut and have things set up so I can sit on my stool and work with things.

Everything in my shop is set up higher than normal so that I do not have to bend. I raised my cabinet saw almost 6" to make it easier on me. I also do not even try to lift a full sheet of plywood and will spend extra for the half or quarter sheet.

I am certain that there are plenty others on this site with similar problems. It would be interesting to hear from them on what they have done to help with physical limitations like the back.
 
#4 ·
Yep…...like you also, when I built my work tables, benches, RAS station, etc., I made everything 42" high so I wouldn't have to stoop either….When I bend over, and do what I call a "half stoop", that just kills my back…This is one reason I don't work with hand tools, like planes, etc…..I too have big thick mats at every work station, and they do help, but I still have to have them breaks…..Like Redoak49, I'm retired also, and I work or play, as I call it, at my own pace, unless I'm doing a customer job, but they will just have to wait till I'm done….
 
#6 ·
I take several breaks during the day but they are usually very short breaks…about 5-10 minutes or so…just enough to check emails and rest my feet for a few moments… any longer than that makes it harder to get back working. I have an office/man cave above my workshop that has my desk, computer, photography setup, exercise equipment (5-10 minutes working with the barbells gets the blood flowing) my recliner and is decorated with a lot of stuff I have collected to make it enjoyable to hang out in.
 
#9 ·
Wow. Some troopers in here. I take breaks whenever the funnel I have running through the wall in my shop, isn't the proper receptacle when I need to go. Or if I need a drink. Or go to the hospital.
 
#11 ·
Good reasons to take breaks, guys…..I figure many of us are not as young as we once were, and I know by my own experiences, that I'm not able to do a lot of things I could do 10 years ago…..I got pretty heavy, and fleshened up with a few pounds, but I've been on a diet (still at it), lost about 20 lbs., and that has helped me sustain a bit longer…. But, I still need the breaks for the other reasons…
 
#13 ·
I've thought about putting a little fridge in mine, but since I drink a lot of coffee, especially in the morning, I have a coffee maker and all the amenties for it..Well…. I did have a coffee maker…..It crapped out on me yesterday, so now I got to go get my back-up out of the garage…...You've always got to have something in reserve for emergencies…....!!!!!!!!!
 
#14 ·
This is a small fridge that belongs to my wife from college. My grandma had it in her nursing home for the last 5 years. She passed away and it came back to me. It sat in my shop for a while before I decided to plug it in. I like it, but I have run out of water bottles. Need to restock.
 
#15 · (Edited by Moderator)
My wife has a small one in her beauty shop she uses to keep cold drinks, water, etc. for her hair customers….If she ever decides to retire and sell it, I'm gonna get that one and put it in my shop for the same purpose…...I don't drink water, so I'll keep some drinks in it, but mainly I drink coffee more than anything…...Like I need another obsticle in my way…...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
#16 ·
It really depends on the project for me. If it's larger projects cabinets, shop furniture etc I can get lost in my work. Last Saturday I opened the door of my basement shop and it was dark, I was in there since lunch. On more intricate smaller projects that I'm not used to I take frequent smoke, coffee breaks sometimes only working for 15-20 minutes before I really have to think about my next step.

Paul
 
#17 ·
I can manage about 10 minutes at a time on my feet then I have to sit down or fall. I have an old office chair that I do most of my work from. Agent orange and lymes disease left me with arthritis throughout my body and I can barely hold the tools any more. This afternoon it took me about 5 minutes to drive 2 one inch screws into pre-drilled holes. It took me half of the day to install an outet, a switch and a light fixture. found that the switch was bad and damn near cried. Another half hour just to change out the switch. What i could do in 10 minutes back in 96 now takes me about 2 hours. Old age aint for sisies! The only thing I can faster today is fill my bladder.
 
#18 ·
Usually my day kind of starts off with coffee, heading to the shop (with my coffee with me, of course), if I have a job to get out, work till dinner time, come in, eat, go back to the shop till around 2:00, then come in and take a nap for an hour or two, go back out and play till super time, and then sometimes I go back out for another couple of hours, and sometimes I don't …...just depends on what I'm doing…...I usually just rest my back and knees the rest of the night…....
 
#21 ·
Rick, I feel bad for you and the others who have to take a break every hour or so. I just go into recuperation for an unknown period after I over do it. I never know when that will be in spite of trying to be careful. No joint replacements, but I have unloader knee braces on both knees. Got the first in 2004. They separate the bones in the joint. Work great.

Other than avoiding bright light and a few other migraine triggers, the only problem is my hip is sensitive after spending 45 years on ladders. It has gotten a lot better since I retired last spring. I probably should have retired a couple of years ago, but it is hard to let go of something you enjoy doing.

I'm in recoup mode now. I spent a few hours weed wacking the site for Campfire's day camp a month ago. That got me to the edge, but no real problems. I can't believe playing put put golf with the grand kids did me in ;-(

BTW, Nothing to do if I take a break. I'm as pure as driven snow; no coffee or smokes ;-)) ;-))
 
#22 ·
Glad to hear you're enjoying retirement, Bob…Nothing like it…Hope the Topamax is not giving you too much trouble….With good drugs these days, you can control just about anything…..No replacements is good…..I know about leg braces, too….After I got hurt, I had to wear short leg braces for about 5 years, so I understand completely…..We're not getting any younger, so we just have to learn to take it slow and easy sometimes….especially slow…...You're lucky you have no vices…..The military taught me all I need to know about about coffee and smokes…...lol..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
#23 ·
Good morning.
Great post. I have a yet undiagnosed neurological condition (MS is the working theory) and have muscle spasticity and massive fatigue.
I tend to get carried away in the shop and push myself too far. I did that yesterday and am paying for it today and had little sleep last night.

The second my mind wanders away from what I'm doing, I unplug any power tools. The thing to do then would be to leave the shop, but I usually stay to tidy up.

Maybe breaks would help, but I'm a slow learner.
 
#25 ·
Thanks, Sandra…..Some "food for thought" on limitations in the shop…..When my brain doesn't want to function like it needs to, and I start getting to the point of trying to push myself…...that's when I stop and take breaks with coffee and a smoke, but mainly to rest my back and the rest of my wore-out body…..lol…I learned a long time ago to do this, so like you, I'll have a sleepless night, and feel sore and tired…...Learn to take some breaks while in the shop…..if it's just short rest periods…...it helps…
 
#26 · (Edited by Moderator)
Good topic, Rick, with some thoughtful posts. Like you, I'm a coffee drinker, so my breaks are triggered by bathroom breaks more than anything. I do tend to get absorbed in the tasks at hand so I've been known to miss meals because of it. Thank God I don't have the physical limitations others have written about (I'm 58) but I know they're coming. I keep time by which programs come on through the shop radio.

EDIT-I do keep a small dorm refrigerator in the shop with water, "athletic drinks" and a few carbonated beverages so I can get a quick drink.
 
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