The most important, and most often overlooked, power tool in the shop is your shop tunes. I don’t know about you, but I’m just more productive when Pink Floyd is in the shop with me. For the past five years, my shop tunes have been provided by an early 90′s vintage clock radio. Since my shop is in my basement, radio signals are hard to come by. At best, if I stand on my left foot, put my right arm up in the air, tilt my head back, and lean against my miter saw, I’m lucky to pick up some static-laced smooth jazz. Static-laced smooth jazz is not compatible with the happy dance. Of course, neither is Shine On You Crazy Diamond, but let’s not get into that right now.
Last weekend I lucked into a serious upgrade to my shop tunes. Dina (Mrs. Modern Woodshop) and I went out to run some errands. While we were out, we noticed that our local Sharper Image store is going out of business: Everything Must Go! 50 – 70% Off Everything in the Store! Discounted electronics, how can I possibly resist thee?
While I was haggling with a sales guy over the seven foot tall Superman figure and Dina was test driving a Star Wars lightsaber, I spied a display of speakers. As I approached the display, I realized that these weren’t ordinary speakers… they were Sharper Image Bluetooth Wireless Stereo Hi-Fi Speakers <cue angels singing>. I had found the solution to my shop tunes dilemma. Begone, smooth jazz!
I ended up buying a set of speakers for 70% off the regular price, which was a steal. I set them up in the shop and put them to work. Now, all I have to do is keep my Bluetooth-enabled MP3 player in my shop apron, and I get full stereo throughout the entire shop. Sweet.
So what is your shop tunes setup? Post a comment and show off your system.
Sweet Dave. I recently dug out my stereo system that has spent the last three years in the garage, waiting for me to unleash her power in my new shop. I mean this baby is old! She’s got a graphic equalizer and even a tape to tape deck. Well, three years of dust and neglect has taken a toll on the old girl and I find it’s time to bury her. Sad. Luckily, I was in Wallymart the other day, doing an errand for my much better half and saw that I could pick up a 7.1-1000watt surround sound system for just under $150. I haven’t picked it up yet, but you can bet it’ll be soon.
How does one get anything done without tunes. Of course, it has a direct connection for my mp3 player. I get tired of radio now that I’ve been spoiled with the smooth sounds of KVIC.
I went the ipod route a while ago and was using computer speakers plugged into the ipod. Not loud enough. (you have to crank Shine on You Crazy Diamond and Atom Heart Mother to truly appreciate it) Plus the just got in the way. For Christmas this past year I got this neat doohicky that mounts under one of my cabinets called an ihome system. I would post a pic but I don’t know how to here. Sorry Dave. The center compartment slides out and drops down so you can put your ipod in it. Now I rock out to 80gb of the most diverse and eclectic mix a double music and physics major can expect!
I actually don’t have any tunes in my shop at all – unless you count the swish of a plane on wood, I guess! Part of the reason I like woodworking is that it’s a break from the busy-ness of the rest of the world, and I can just relax and focus on the project at hand. I think music might actually be distracting – I do know I enjoy the quiet! And when there’s a loud motor going, I wouldn’t be able to hear the music anyway.
(Not to detract from your speaker-gloat of course – congrats on the good deal and nice tunes!)
Now if I worked in a shop that had motors going almost all the time, I’d probably be interested in a “worktunes” setup or some equivalent. In that case, I think music would be more calming than a constant motor whine. And it would probably depend on the type of music – I wonder if different genres would have different effects on design details?
Andy
I mostly listen to woodworking podcasts. The only time I’ve put music on my Clix was Metallica. Worked very nicely! So far I’ve only used earbuds, with the Clix usually in my pocket.
Well you all saw my shop tunes in my last video. It’s an old stereo , home theater unit. That has been banished to the shop. Nice this is though it has a subwoofer, it can shake the shop.
If this shops a rockin’ don’t come a knockin’
lol
Being a framing carpenter for 20 years, the first tool out of the trailer in the morn has always bee the boombox. The crew won’t work without it! Never new a good framing crew that didn’t crank the music. So as I was setting up the shop for my new woodworking hobby I naturally started looking for a system. My first requirement was that it be free and my second was that it have some wattage. Low and behold within a few days I spotted a Proton 200 watt receiver laying in the garbage outside my building. Being an audiophile and unafraid of cracking a unit open to peek inside I snagged it and replaced the torn off power cord with used one from an old cordless battery charger. Sure enough, power, and within short order I had a couple crappy speakers pumping out Bob Marley. Now I just need to find some B & W’s laying in a dumpster.
ipod buds under earmuffs works pretty well. I can hear music clearly, but still be aware of machine noise to detect any problem.
I have a Bosch power box that I use in my shop. It has a radio, cd player, and I can attach my ipod using an fm modulator. It also has the advantage of being able to charge a Bosch cordless tool battery and then run off that battery when I want to take it into the yard. Cool.
I have been a talk radio junkie for quite a few years now, so that is my main shop background noise. The problem that I live in a valley surrounded by some good sized hills so radio reception is sketchy at best. I have started filling my Zune with podcasts and playing them through a old boom box.When I’m in a musical mood it’s classic rock or country that is playing.
So you won’t need that nice clock radio? Please let me have that beauty.