DON'T TOUCH MY TOOLS

[Go2Tex]

The best way to keep the wife from making unnecessary visits to the shop is simply to rip her clothes off and have your way with her every time she comes out there, not just a quickie but do a good job. Now this will wear you out for the first week or so until until she figures out what the heck is going on; it may scare the hell out of the dog too. The frequency of the visits will diminish, especially if she figures out she may be wearing you out, but it will be a little bit of a novelty for her at first, but you must persevere. You must be steadfast in this, she will eventually learn to only come out there if she wants something, and also to make sure there aren't customers about and to lock the door, especially after the first time there ARE customers there. This will also cure the problem of the wife diddling with the thermostat.

Art

Nah, if I did that she'd never leave..... and, I'd never get any work done.

[Fredo]

Ya'll make some good points about keeping CUSTOMERS from touching tools, but what about wives?!!.....LOL. My dear bride insists on coming into my leather shop area, which is a separate little building attached to the garage. She is always "organizing" my tools and things for me. Drives me freakin' crazy. Oh and she insists on turning the small space heater way down. I go into the leather shop ready to start a project, and I can see my breath!! I've explained that the dyes and finishes and glues don't work real well when frozen, but she still turns the heat down. I've hidden the keys to the shop from her, but that turns into a whole new war!!! Anyway, just thought I'd throw my dilema into the mix. Any suggestions on keeping wives out of the shop and away from the tools would be greatly appreciated........LOL!!

I've been married for 25 yrs, my best advice to you is to just learn to live with it. I say this because well, my wife told me to.

[Peter Ellis]

My sign says..."There are tools on this bench sharp enough to remove fingers...Don't believe me?? Just try picking one up!!!" I have a sick sense of humor but it seems to work

I had a friend who made and sold some very fine knives. He had a sign at his table that read "Band-aids $5" held in place by one of those fake severed fingers.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

If the shop is too small to have a counter, have some sheets/blankets handy to lay over the tools, or saddle, or tell them that the only time you want to see their hands out of their pockets is when they are handing you the money.

My Dad's friend who owned a gun store made up some "custom" rounds and left them on the counter to distract the patrons who liked to fondle everything. One started off with a .50 BMG case , proceeded to a 300 H&H if I remember right, which was topped by a 55 gr .22 of some variety. After it was soldered ,and polished it looked like it was just one piece. He got some interesting comments on it. Maybe you can have a distraction set out for the customers.

As for the dogs chasing livestock have a sign, or just tell them that dogs caught chasing livestock will be shot, and tanned. Have a shotgun by the bench to prove the point. In a lot of areas dogs are fair game if they are harassing livestock. I can't stand irresponsible dog owners.

[DaveJohnson]

I'm sure you adapt this old sign and scare then off !

[Thistledown]

How about some of those fake halloween "cut-off fingers" props ? Stick them on desk along with sign - "The last person that played with my tools ... "

As for loose dogs - a big sign on front gate - "Loose dogs on property will be shot on sight". I don't know about USA law, but here in Australia..it's perfectly legal for a farmer to shoot any dog he finds on his property that he *thinks* may harm his stock - he doesn't have to see them doing anything, just *think* they *might*.

Edited October 7, 2010 by Thistledown

[Laurie]

Ya'll make some good points about keeping CUSTOMERS from touching tools, but what about wives?!!.....LOL. My dear bride insists on coming into my leather shop area, which is a separate little building attached to the garage. She is always "organizing" my tools and things for me. Drives me freakin' crazy. Oh and she insists on turning the small space heater way down. I go into the leather shop ready to start a project, and I can see my breath!! I've explained that the dyes and finishes and glues don't work real well when frozen, but she still turns the heat down. I've hidden the keys to the shop from her, but that turns into a whole new war!!! Anyway, just thought I'd throw my dilema into the mix. Any suggestions on keeping wives out of the shop and away from the tools would be greatly appreciated........LOL!!

Leave open a stinky non-toxic chem solution in yer shop. We dont mind our leather chem smells but the unaccustomed lol nose will reel from the 'stink' . Good luck with the heater, we chics are way trained to turn heaters down when "not in use" lol. its in our genes. She might also be worried that yer chemicals will get too warm, explode blah blah, ask her if thats why she turns down the heat ~ it'll break the ice on discussing why you keep the heat up maybe.

[Laurie]

The best way to keep the wife from making unnecessary visits to the shop is simply to rip her clothes off and have your way with her every time she comes out there, not just a quickie but do a good job. Now this will wear you out for the first week or so until until she figures out what the heck is going on; it may scare the hell out of the dog too. The frequency of the visits will diminish, especially if she figures out she may be wearing you out, but it will be a little bit of a novelty for her at first, but you must persevere. You must be steadfast in this, she will eventually learn to only come out there if she wants something, and also to make sure there aren't customers about and to lock the door, especially after the first time there ARE customers there. This will also cure the problem of the wife diddling with the thermostat.

Art

ART you have the perfect solution. I am going to show this all to my boyfriend in the morning. He gets real peeved that I stay up all hours in my shop~~~this will be my solution to him getting mad that I'm out in the shop half the night all week!!! I'll just catch him when he gets home & practice this method on him, then maybe he'll quit hollering for me in the middle of the night. Thank you!!!! ...funny, Ive had the customer-showing-up problem so far at the new shop. Hard to work when yer shop is at the house. And the boyfriend's shop is outside my shop door, hell maybe I should just give yer advice to him instead....

[Lasse C]

The problem does not exist only in workshops. When I attend fairs I also work at the table - it attracts people and increases sales, so it is a good ppolicy. Still, this means there are tools lying about and some people just can´t keep their hands off. I have begun telling these people, as nicely as possible "Among craftspeople it is considered extremely rude to touch someone´s tools without explicit permission". As they generally want to appear informed and knowing something about crafts it usually seems to work. Dropping the comment that "Some of those tools are extremely sharp" also helps.

I have to allow people handling the things I sell, naturally, but make sure they understand that "If you break it, damage it or stain it - you bought it!" I remember only too well the mom of a kid that reached out his little hand, all sticky with candy, towards some of my knotwork. I was busy with another customer, so in a side comment I just informed the mom what they cost. She quickly grabbed the kid´s hand... (And gave me an angry look)

Lasse C

[dirtclod]

When i had a shop in town it got real bad customers wanted to stand right beside you and look. So i built a counter that went all the way across the shop. I had a work area and selling / display area and door built into the counter that raised up. That helped for a little while and they started coming on in. Then put sliding locks under the part that raised up. That worked for a while and they strted undoing the locks. So i finally made a sign that said I DON'T NEED HELP !!! KEEP OUT !!! That worked and i'm sure it PO some people but i was at the point to where i didn't care anymore and i told a few to hit the road and NEVER come back.