Just curious how many woodworkers here work in their garage or driveway and get interrupted all the time by curious neighbors. With me, it seems to always be when I’m making the hardest cuts that require concentration {face palm}.
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Replies
Happened a lot at my old house and I just rolled with it. Jointer tables still have ring marks where neighbors set down their adult beverages.
I worry more about interrupting my neighbors' peace and quiet.
I work with the door closed as much as possible. I try not to bother others and they don't bother me.
When I need to make a critical cut or do a glue up, I close the garage doors to avoid a possibility. Having said that, when the garage door is open, I don't get bothered too much (might be my mid sized dogs hackles going up). My neighbor sometimes comes over and we chat (we chat frequently over the years). If I were in the middle of something, given my relationshiop with him, I'd just say can we chat in a few min and he would totally undersand.
My garage shop has carriage doors that open right on the alley, so I get interrupted a fair bit by folks walking by. I actually enjoy it! I've gotten to know more of my neighbors. If I couldn't be interrupted, I think they'd understand if I said I was too busy to chat. (My seven-year-old is also often running in and out of the shop or making her own projects while I'm working, so I've learned to be more flexible in how I work.)
Scrape together some odd electronic parts and make yourself a fake ankle bracelet. Where it so people can see it. When they approach you, say that one of the conditions of your release is that you can't talk to people.
Hahhaha
Interruptions can be a safety issue. I have a large sign outside my workshop entrance asking visitors not to approach or speak if a machine is running. They are welcome otherwise.
Back when my shop was in my garage, about 10 minutes after I start working, my elderly neighbor would come over and try to highjack my shop time to fix his broken junk for free with my parts. Then I found out that he founded the largest waste management company in the county. He was wealthy but too cheap to pay to get things fixed. I had to tell him to stop bringing me is broke stuff.
LOL that’s hilarious.
My neighbor sees me in the driveway and suddenly has all sorts of things he wants me to cut or borrow…right in the middle of my projects. I guess it’s a balancing act of being nice and not pissing off the neighbors!
I know a guy who lost the end of a finger at the first knuckle when he was startled by a "friendly" interruption while working at the table saw (pre-SawStop days).
I would not want to be him... or the neighbor for that matter. As my Dad used to say..."Sorry" doesn't fix the lamp!
I wouldn't use loud power tools on a routine basis in my driveway in a suburban setting - it's pretty inconsiderate of the neighbors. For that matter, I wouldn't use loud power tools with the overhead garage door open either - from both a noise and interruption/safety standpoint. If nothing else, maybe keep the overhead door mostly closed - I doubt that the neighbors will crawl under the opening to visit with you. The side door (if you have one) can easily be closed and locked.
A person I recently met told me that he has a new neighbor across the street who thinks nothing of routinely operating a planer in his garage, with the overhead door open, as late as 2:00 am before stopping for the night.
Happy that I love in a more country setting, no neighbors come over when I am working - because there is no one nearby.
Well, almost no one. I found this on my shop door a few years ago. Probably why no human neighbors drop by.
I work at home full time, building cabinets and furniture.
My wife works at home (she has an office job).
She gets bored, or tired of looking at her screen, or listening to some boring conference call.
She interrupts me.... She seems to have no understanding that every minute I am standing around discussing the grandchildren, or what one of the neighbors is doing, I am not earning money. LOL
I have a bud, who walks every day for his health. If the shop (garage) door is open, I am in for about 45 minutes of shooting the.... The older gentleman across the street drags everyone's garbage cans up to the side of their house every week... He's good for fifteen minutes (per can, we have three). The next door neighbors wave and comment about how I'm always working. But, the wife is the worst offender.
Somehow, I still turn out completed projects!
Interesting topic... I agree with earlier comment that it's a trade-off. I make noise, but rarely outside 10am - 8pm, and feel the occasional questions of "what are you working on" or "can you help with a couple cuts?", are worthwhile investment to avoid my neighbors tiring of my noise. I also like the opportunity to meet some new faces. The most interest I had from people passing by garage was when helping a friend's son build his "van life" dream. I never expected so many neighbors my age had the same dream.
Well! There are certain ways you can keep those interruptions away when you need concentration.
First, you can close the doors to avoid being seen. Second, get a do not disturb sign up stating work in progress. If you can’t avoid it, try facing the incoming path to know well in advance if someone’s approaching.
I try to time it when my neighbors are mowing the grass or blowing. Making noise of some sort so that I am not always disturbing the quiet in the neighborhood. I don’t get bothered often. I used to live in a more social neighborhood and got interrupted often, but turns out beers and handsaws go hand in hand so I didn’t mind so much.
It can get noisy in or out of my shop. I call it off by dark as to machining to be neighborly, but I don't have to. I will do glue ups and quieter stuff sometimes very late into the night.
The hippies that over ran this town 40 odd years ago created and adopted a community plan that encouraged cottage industry. There was for a time that there was a lot more of that then there is now. Partly why I live here.. Now the neighborhood is being bought up by movie stars and tech billionaires and I'm still here. Whether they have a problem with my noise is immaterial ,there isn't a damned thing they can do about it! So, in theory if they have a loud late night party I can call the sheriff but if I was to run my planer at 3 AM I'm completely within my rights!
My wife talks about moving and suggests places. I have to remind her that there is no way in hell that I can do what I do here there!
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