Let the world in or Shut the Sun out?

[wizer]

What a lovely weekend (for a change).

I've been at the lathe this afternoon and decided to open the roller door to enjoy the sun. The problem with that is we are on a busy-ish corner and with the door open, my workshop is on display to the whole world. Quite often, I see people slow down to gawp in. This makes me want to shut the door (after I've chucked a brick in their window ). It's obviously a worry in terms of security.

Tho I did notice that it actually warmed up considerably with the door open. That might be because my car is parked right up to the opening.

What do you guys do? I guess most people's workshops look onto their garden.

 

[Oryxdesign]

Shut it out, bah.

 

[Froggy]

I'm fortunate enough to have a barn in the middle of nowhere and this week I've had the doors open to let the warmth and light in. It's a pleasure to work in like that. And as Chris Tribe will vouch the only passer by is a lovely but totally insane old French lady, who can creep up on you and scare the rubbish out of you sometimes :shock: Not good when you're playing with sharp tools.

 

[JonnyD]

I like to have the roller shutter door up depends how much rubbish is leant up it though to whether it happens. My shop looks out onto open fields and with the trees in leaf by the road in the summer it is quite hard to see in.

cheers

jon

 

[AndyT]

My basement workshop is the pleasantest place in the house on a day like this - but it's too nice to stay indoors all day.

 

[frugal]

The garage is on a switchback driveway, so the door opens away from the road. However being on the north side of the hill it does not get that warm anyway.

I always keep the door closed if I am using power tools just to keep the noise down, but if I am just cleaning up or doing hand work during the day I keep the door open so that the kids can come in and see what I am doing.

 

[OPJ]

I also keep the door shut when I'm making lots of noise. With the door open, it doesn't get any cooler, either - too cold in the winter; too hot now... I'm never happy! It's the corrugated roof that makes it so unbearable at this time of the year - I must stop spending money on tools and save some for insulation! I was gluing something up earlier and the PVA had an almost water-like consistency coming out of the bottle!

My DAB radio's been playing up for the last week and I suspect the heat may be involved? We when digital some time ago, round here, and it's only just started playing up - the signal goes after anything from ten-seconds to three-minutes. FM seems to be fine but, there's nothing good on!

Another reason why I try to keep the door open more often now; to stop me going insane!

 

[Shane]

I've got roller shutters on my unit, so they stay open all day. If I close them when it's windy the rattle does my bleedin head in. I'm gonna put some secondary external glazed doors just behind the shutters to keep it more comfortable, yet light in the winter.

 

[WoodAddict]

I've been thinking about this myself. At the moment I keep the door closed. Purely for security, I don't even like carrying tools into the garage if I see chavs walking up the road. No portable power tools stay in there, but I guess it's just a sing of the times when you have to think like this :roll:

 

[Shane]

but I guess it's just a sing of the times when you have to think like this :roll:

My previous employer was robbed twice, not a nice feeling turning up to that in the morning. first thing I did on my current unit was get security to a level where I could sleep at night, although I know if someone is determined they'll still get at it. F****n skagheads :evil:

 

[wizer]

Well this house has been in the family for 27yrs and we've never had any sort of trouble with theft and I've not heard of my neighbours having any either. I sometimes thing you'd have to be very dumb to try and rob this place as it's on a large corner/intersection where you can be seen by about 9 or 10 houses. Not to mention the cars going past regularly, slowing as they turn the corner. Plus this house is rarely empty. But I guess that's no reason to be lax with security.

It's just a shame to have to shut out the sun when it's so nice. I was meaning to change the roller door for proper doors this year. If I do then at least I can open them in such a way to reduce prying eyes. Or have windows. I have parked my car across the opening before, but you can still see the bandsaw, drill press, SCMS, etc.

The other problem I get when the doors are open is people asking if I can fix their car :shock: ](*,) One bloke walked up while I was turning on the lathe and asked "How much do you charge for welding work" :-s :duno:

Nowt as queer as folk.

 

[head clansman]

HI tom

security is always a problem , did you want to let the sun light in or just cool the shop down a bit, just raise the door a foot or so to cause a draft I don't believe in letting to much be seen, what other don't know wont hurt them ,try not to advertise what inside to any possible would be no gooders. hc :wink: glad to here you still working

 

[Anonymous]

Anyone clever enough to fathom one of these up??

i know they are available on the open market now at roughly 360 quid, but i can't remember where they were from?

http://www.prepaidreviews.com/blog/whim ... tor-34813/

basically a PIR (motion sensor kind of) when triggered (alarm needs to be activated) it sends a text message to your phone to let you know.

I am getting one soon once i have found the correct supplier.

 

[wizer]

Martin. A bit of everything really. It seems to warm the workshop up more than cool it down, but the fresh air is nice. It's mainly because I like to bring the sunshine into the shop. Today it was almost like working outside. The sun really seems to boost my mood. Last year I was raising the door to waist height, which is a good compromise really.

 

[TheTiddles]

The other problem I get when the doors are open is people asking if I can fix their car :shock: ](*,) One bloke walked up while I was turning on the lathe and asked "How much do you charge for welding work" :-s :duno:

Nowt as queer as folk.

You should have done it, once word got round nobody woud ask you to ever touch anything of theirs again!

Aidan

 

[wizer]

I like your thinking Aidan.

Seeing as we're talking about castoring wheels. Have you sorted out my parcel yet? Want me to make the arrangements?

 

[big soft moose]

I like your thinking Aidan.

Seeing as we're talking about castoring wheels. Have you sorted out my parcel yet? Want me to make the arrangements?

he's sending your parcel from wiltshire to kent on castors ? - jeez itll take ages :lol:

and if it goes down the nether avon road (which cost me three tyres -180 quid- this week :evil: ) it will get stuck in what the council laughably call a road surface :lol:

 

[wizer]

oh shizer, you've just reminded me that I have a flat

 

[dennyom]

All roads have a surface, It's just a matter of with what.

Half of my shop is in the garage. I have my big power tools out there. When I had it built I had a double roll up door put on the front facing the street and a single roll up door put on the back side facing into the back yard. In the spring and fall I can have the back door open for sun light and a breeze. The front door I'll open just about a foot. In the mid summer there are too many mosquitoes to have things so open. Screen covers for the back door at least is one of my some-day projects.

 

[studders]

oh shizer, you've just reminded me that I have a flat

Make your mind up, it was a house a few posts back.

I'd love to throw my doors open but round here it would be like putting up a sign saying 'Please come back when I'm not here and help yourself to whatever you want'.
I know from experience that the scumbags drive around sizing places up and looking for stuff they can jump out of the car/van and snatch quickly.