My early woodworking experience was banging around as a boy in my grandfather's small shop, and building and rasping swords from yardsticks with my uncle. I've been in the construction business off and on, and until more recently woodworking has been an occasional entertainment. My latest career involved overseas work and I was unable to pursue many hobbies and interests. When I retired from that work a couple of years ago I decided to get into woodworking in a serious way, sold an asset and invested in a solid collection of tools. My first "real" shop was a single car garage in Kansas for two years, and then I moved to Harrisonburg, Virginia, 6 months ago. Here I took over my mother's sculpture studio (she moved to a retirement center), enlarged it, and set up the shop I have dreamed of. My projects are largely furniture, and several smaller items for fun. I generally spend 3-6 hours a day woodworking, for pleasure.

My addition is on the right end (12x20), bringing it to 600 sq. ft. plus an 8x8 dust collector closet. I added a mini split heat pump for AC and heat. Now I can keep lumber stable and leave my finishes in the shop year round.


Above is the west end of my shop, and primary work space. I built the counter/cabinets for loads of storage, the table saw extension/assembly table, and the router table (well, anything you see that's made of wood). The counter to the left of the hand tool cabinet is my sharpening station, with stones and supplies in the small cabinet. My compressor and nail/brad guns are handy in the back side of the extension table. Dust collection is 6 inch solid PVC S&D pipe (grounded copper wire inside to limit static) running to the Laguna 2 HP collector in the sound suppressing closet beyond that door in the back. And of course I couldn't be without my music from my smart phone and the TV sound bar over the drill rack/charging station.


With the joiner on an angle it can handle any length. Before you comment, yes this shop is clean as I always vacuum between projects.


The east end of the shop has lumber storage, a rolling clamp stand, and a cabinet for my sliding mitre saw. The left corner in this end is a storage closet for finishes and other supplies. Note the gate on the table saw. Starting each power tool kicks on the dust collector remotely and closes this gate (which defaults to open position).


Above is my sliding mitre saw counter and hood. The two doors on the right hold my shop vac on rollers for sanding tools and shop cleaning. I may add more lumber storage over the miter saw counter. Those are all parallel bar clamps on the back side of the stand. But I could still use more clamps...


My last completed project was this roubo workbench. And those Benchcrafted Vises are well worth it and are so smooth.


My current projects are Maloof inspired dining chairs, sanded to 320 and ready for ebony plugs and danish oil finish (seen finished below). I made two, with four more and a dining table up next.

You can email John at mraugs@hotmail.com.