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(04-11-2018, 12:24 AM)captjack Wrote: Getting ready to retire, 71 now and ready to pull the plug. Curious if there are any wood netters in the Phoenix area, wife is pushing for a move there but I am resisting. Im used to a basement shop, and that is rare in Phoenix and garage space is needed to keep cars from sun rot. I hate to give up wood working but if wive wins out, I will have to sell all my tools and learn to live without the worlds greatest hobby.
Captjack
Hey, I am 72, still fly my souped up Swift airplane (180)MPH cruise) and do wood butchering. It all depends on your health. If you give up what you love what do you have left? Do what you want within the limits of your health, ability and desires. A wise man, my father, once told me to "be sure and have a project, or you will become a project for someone" I still live by that mantra. I have watched many of my friends just sit down and do nothing until they die, before their time. Carpe diem! Good Luck.
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(04-11-2018, 09:14 AM)bandsaw Wrote: Today is my 71st. Just built a new house with 1250 sq ft shop and 600 sq ft quilt studio for her.
And decided not to retire - I like my work too.
Heh, I'm just a kid, turn 65 in May, starting to think about next steps. My job is ok, but some recent health problems and surgery give me pause to consider whether I'd really prefer doing other things as it brought into very sharp focus my eventual mortality (right now, everything is good). Things like more time in the shop, outside in the yard, fishing, etc. Always wanted to dabble in metalworking, might take a welding course at the local vocational HS. NJ is not a cheap place to live, but I think I can make it work long term, so current thoughts are not to move, and "retire in place" as the current saying goes. I live in a semi-rural part of NJ, so its nice and quiet, over the hill in my backyard is a reservoir with decent fishing, so maybe I get a small boat. I've got about 850 sq ft of basement shop area, walk out double doors, so that's good. Lots of decisions to make, lots of choices.
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(04-11-2018, 12:24 AM)captjack Wrote: Getting ready to retire, 71 now and ready to pull the plug. Curious if there are any wood netters in the Phoenix area, wife is pushing for a move there but I am resisting. Im used to a basement shop, and that is rare in Phoenix and garage space is needed to keep cars from sun rot. I hate to give up wood working but if wive wins out, I will have to sell all my tools and learn to live without the worlds greatest hobby.
Captjack
I'm sorry that you are faced with this dilemma. Surely there is a reasonable compromise that would prevent this. A three stall garage? A carport? A separate shop building? Retire someplace other than Phoenix? It seems pretty drastic to sell off your tools and give up a beloved hobby.
If you are going down a river at 2 mph and your canoe loses a wheel, how much pancake mix would you need to shingle your roof?
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(04-11-2018, 06:37 AM)Admiral Wrote: Ahem, perhaps refuge?? Although your bride may consider it otherwise.....
Loml is nice about it, but she might agree, "you have too much stuff"
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I look around at others my age and chairs are the enemy.
I refuse to sit.
Last week 44 hours at work, about 28 hours in my home shop, rode my bike 50 miles, paddled my kayak 25 miles
I'm old but I want to live as young as I can.
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(04-11-2018, 12:24 AM)captjack Wrote: Getting ready to retire, 71 now and ready to pull the plug. Curious if there are any wood netters in the Phoenix area, wife is pushing for a move there but I am resisting. Im used to a basement shop, and that is rare in Phoenix and garage space is needed to keep cars from sun rot. I hate to give up wood working but if wive wins out, I will have to sell all my tools and learn to live without the worlds greatest hobby.
Captjack
Also a Phoenician (well, Peoria like the other person from AZ) but I manage to woodworking out of the 3rd car bay of our garage. Wife is happy (her car remains in the garage at all times) and I still get to woodwork. Have to keep every tool on casters and I have an affinity for large tools but I somehow make it work. If you do end up in a retirement community like Sun City, they often have community wood shops (I've purchased tools from some of them!) so don't think you'll have to go without.
If you're looking for a new build, most homes out here come with 3 car garages so don't think that you won't have the room to do the hobby you love.
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Like others, I strongly suggest figuring out a way to make it work. Giving up a hobby you love when you retire seems so incompatible. I am 45 and think I would be doung a lot more woodworking when I retire. Now, it is very limited due to job and family priorities. I can’t imagine not being very actively engaged with at least couple hobbies / activities in retirement.
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(04-11-2018, 09:14 AM)bandsaw Wrote: Today is my 71st. Just built a new house with 1250 sq ft shop and 600 sq ft quilt studio for her.
And decided not to retire - I like my work too.
Happy Birthday to you buddy.
As of this time I am not teaching vets to turn. Also please do not send any items to me without prior notification. Thank You Everyone.
It is always the right time, to do the right thing.
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Lots of people buy houses and build shops. You just need to include that on your list of desirable characteristics in shopping.
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(04-11-2018, 11:59 AM)bandsaw Wrote: I look around at others my age and chairs are the enemy.
I refuse to sit.
Last week 44 hours at work, about 28 hours in my home shop, rode my bike 50 miles, paddled my kayak 25 miles
I'm old but I want to live as young as I can.
I hope you aren't standing up while riding and paddling.
I just might get me another one of those Kayaks for fishing out of. I used to do one in the surf at the coast until it broke up- and almost me with it.
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