# Cooperative woodshop space ??



## natenaaron (Jun 24, 2013)

I have an incomplete wood shop with lots of space, a friend has no space but does have some machines that will complement what I have. His father in law has no space either but has more tools. I bet between the three of us we got a well equipped wood shop.

Here is the deal-
I have the space, and we have kicked around the idea of combining our tools to have a little cooperative wood shop thing. I trust the guy, and his father in law is a hoot. Now the issue-

My shop is also part of our business, which is insured under the business. As the one man business owner/IT department/janitor/and maintinance crew I am covered under this insurance but they would not be. If I lop a finger off the insurance won't like it but they will cover it This means I am a bit hesitant. Does anyone share space and tools? If so, How do you handle things? Obviously going into this I would want to make sure we remained friends.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

I'm not addressing the legal aspects of your question, but I would say if you want to remain friends, DO NOT share your shop with anyone else. Issues will arise in the future that can create bad feelings. No one can ever get along 100%. I'll give you an example. Your friend asks if he can bring over a friend. You may not like the idea, but because he is your friend, you say OK. What results after that can create hard feelings. One thing that will creap in with any relationship is "manipulation". Most people don't even realize they are manipulating or being manipulated and that can cause problems that are hard to resolve. Best is to keep everying to yourself and 100% under your control. Don't combine friendship with your business. Having lived 79 years (today), I have experienced every situation and have learned lessons. Unfortunately, once you learn a lesson, you no longer have the need to repeat the situation. That is my advise; take it ot not. That's up to you.


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## JustJoe (Oct 26, 2012)

*Having lived 79 years (today), *
Happy Birthday to you…..


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

I wouldn't do it, keep the space for yourself. Can you imagine three or more projects going once? People showing up at your place unannounced and using your space and then leaving a mess. Maybe I'm just cynical, but my experience is that these things are fun for a while, then they are not. Furthermore if it doesn't work out you are going to have to be the bad guy and kick the others out.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

Thank you JustJoe. I'm cooking a nice dinner and will have all my family over.


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## CalgaryGeoff (Aug 10, 2011)

My two bits. My workshop is fully outfitted with tools, wood, power, etc everything you need to make anything. So I got thinking it would be nice to work with someone. I tried it out for awhile, few months. I had to terminate the shop sharing idea for many reasons. My shop was not mine, skill level differences, different project focuses, insurance concerns, unfamiliarity with tool operation, consumption of shop sundries and power.

My belief, Better to keep your shop your own and not share it !!


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## natenaaron (Jun 24, 2013)

Interesting thoughts. Some I had not thought of. We had talked a little about it and we agreed that since this was a business area I had to be there when someone wanted to use it. Whether I was working in the shop or not, I have to be on site. One of them rents space from me for his repair shop. No, he does not have room for wood tools in his unit. The auto tools take up the space. You folks have given me things to think about.

Happy Birthday MrRon. I see you are like me. I always cook my own birthday dinner.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Not! No way! No how! Negative!
Know where I'm comin' from?
Kindly submitted.
Bill


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## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

I put the idea of sharing my shop with someone else right up their with this weird wife swapping crowd. NOT HAPPENING! You may be good friends now, but when things go missing, get broken, or as you suggested an injury that friendship evaporates in an instant. Save a friendship, just say no.

In my desire to be a reasonable person you may of course have all of the ex-wife you want, make sure you have good mental health coverage because I assure you it will get used. Or for those like me who dislike seeing the doctor you could take up heavy drinking. Either way your call.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Mr Ron, Hope you are having a great birthday and I wish you many more!

Now as far as the shared shop: There is one guy in the entire world that I could share a shop with and live happily ever after. Anyone else, NO WAY. I agree with all the negative comments above.


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## JADobson (Aug 14, 2012)

I'm going to play the devil's advocate here and say that I like the idea. Not only do you get more tools in your shop you also get people who you can bounce ideas off of and who can show you new things (or at least a new way of looking at things). I think as long as you guys have CLEARLY outlined what everyone's responsibilities are and these are people you trust to uphold their fair share then go for it. I should say that I'm not speaking from experience as I've never really had to share a shop.


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## Nygiants77 (Jan 15, 2013)

I agree with NOT sharing. Just imagine your friend just got a gig to remodel a kitchen and he comes in with 10 sheets of plywood and starts cutting out parts. MAN you will be waiting for ever to cut an extra part for the project you almost have done. And of course you cant use the table saw when hes on break or not using it. How dare you change the table saw setting in your own shop. What a nightmare!


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## jmartel (Jul 6, 2012)

If he was a good friend, I can see going along with it. I would make agreements though that everything gets cleaned up every day, all shared tools be put back, and you each have a separate cabinet for your own consumables (glue, sandpaper, etc.). Maintenance/repair will be shared equally, as well as things like blades. I would lean to say that all hand tools be separate as well.

But it could work depending on how good of friends you are


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

I'm afraid I would stick with the group that says NO WAY. There's just to many liabilities friends or not.


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

While in a perfect world, it would be a great opportunity for everyone, if something was lost, broken, stolen, burned, lacerated, amputated, electrocuted, or otherwise damaged it could become a big problem. Even if you had the property insurance, liability insurance, and renters insurance all sorted out, if someone got hurt the ability for the cost to "fix" whatever happened could become astronomical very quickly. The level of coverage could be exceeded and the remaining balance fall onto your shoulders, not to mention what tremendous levels of loss could potentially do to a relationship. Be glad that you have the extra space for multiple projects.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

As an after thought, I share my shop with my son; not on a formal basis, but being my son, he will use it regardles of what I think. He will use tools and not put them back. He will also help me when I need his assistance. Being family is a lot different from a friend relationship. I can yell at my son, but if it were a friend, it would not be good.


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## Woodendeavor (Apr 7, 2011)

I was fortunate enough to work in someone elses shop for almost a year and I have to say it was a good experience for both of us. It ended when they sold their house to purchase a farm and he is now working out of a single car garage. I have allot of contractor tools but am working on furniture now. It gave me use of much more refined power tools, the shop was a one man cabinet shop. I would help him at times with glue ups and case assembly and we enjoyed bouncing ideas off of each other. We still work together just not sharing shop space but we had a very good experience with it. I think the biggest challenge will be shop space for projects and materials. I would do milling at this shop and my assembly elsewhere to keep space open. There are allot of things to think about, Good Luck


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## rockindavan (Mar 8, 2011)

I worked in a school shop for about three years. The shop was outfitted with four tablesaws and it always seemed like someone was using the one I needed. There was also a plethora of clamps, but again there were times when the ones you needed were being used. Granted there were a whole lot more people, but you won't have enough machines for both to work simultaneously. Stuff would occasionally break or wear out, and without an agreement, or some budget to cover those costs, it could be awkward as to who pays. The biggest thing is storage. You might not mind stepping over your half built project, but it can be annoying to deal with others forgotten about projects. If you do decide to go forward, make sure you each have a designated bench, if not designated work space. It can work, but you can forget about the "I'll clean it up tomorrow" mentality that often comes in handy after a hard days work, or even worse a disastrous mistake thats better left for another day.


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## sixstring (Apr 4, 2012)

i agree that it may not be a good situation for your business and friendship… but i suppose it could go both ways

from an insurance standpoint, you may have to make him an employee which means even more costs including workers comp. is this a business venture you are thinking of, or just a hobby shop? then again, if your shop happens to be in your home, your home owners insurance would cover the liability up to the amount you have purchased. if this is something you are really interested in finding out about, talk to your insurance guy and see what he suggests. you'll want to hear it from a professional.


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## natenaaron (Jun 24, 2013)

Definitely lots to consider. I am now leaning towards not doing it. Not because of space or storage. Believe me when I say, as long as we have the business, space will not be an issue. It just doesn't feel right.


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## Bluepine38 (Dec 14, 2009)

I have been working with/for a friend I have known for 40 years, I will not use his tools, and he has some great
machines for my projects in his shop, he will not use mine in my shop. We will occasionally loan each other 
tools for the other person to use in their shop. This is the only way I can see this working for us if we are 
to remain friends. Since he is 6 months older than me, I am always the FNG and get to enjoy the scut work.
I have to join those saying do not share.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

"You toucha my tools, I breaka you head."


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## UncannyValleyWoods (Apr 18, 2013)

My next door neighbor and I share tools and space. Recently, he bought a new truck and wanted to garage it, so we moved his bandsaw and planer into my garage. It works out nicely since I'm at the house all day while he's at work. We're both inside with the wife by 9 or 10 and until then, he has free range of my garage in the evenings. It works out nicely. I buy new blades for his bandsaw and planer and I get to use the equipment while he's at work. We have no issues with the arrangement.

Also, since we are military families, it is likely that we will buy or sell each other certain tools when we move. We've even worked out a good upgrade situation. He recently bought a new table saw and I bought his old one from him. We both got an upgrade out of the deal.


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## SCOTSMAN (Aug 1, 2008)

Young Joe wow pal you gave me a fright there I thought you were claiming to be 79 for a moment LOL. Anyway don't share your shop space it will inevitably end in tears . I have allowed my son whom I love dearly to store extra equipement mostly his tools and machinery in a portion of my woodshop, and machine shop, and it get's sometimes it stops me from being able to do anything there as it overflows since he lives so far away and I can't lift the stuff I am helpless still I let him continue as I desperately wish to help him. all good fun for family memebers but strangers NO way HOSIE LOL Alistair Hosie


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