How many hours per week do you work in your garage?

[PonyX]

I was just wondering if any of you ever feel like time is an issue with family reponsibilities? Does your family (wife and kids) complain about how much time you spend working on your truck or hobby? I was just curious how many hours per week people out there are putting in?

[70c10]

My family comes first. Anything needing to be done out there can usually wait. I mostly spend the most time out there in the winter. Lately it's been too hot, but this week I spent a few hours out there installing some new parts. Usually I work out there on weeknights from about 7-10. I crank up the garage tunes and shut the door. If my wife needs me she pages me on the intercom.

[Billla]

Originally Posted by PonyX

I was just wondering if any of you ever feel like time is an issue with family reponsibilities? Does your family (wife and kids) complain about how much time you spend working on your truck or hobby? I was just curious how many hours per week people out there are putting in?

It's always a balance. I put in about 12 hours a week in the garage, with maybe 3-4 of them doing more maint-type stuff which my wife is very supportive of. I try to put in a little time every day, and a block of about 4 hours on either Sat or Sun VERY early in the AM. I have a bunch of projects ('95 Impala, 72 C10, 69 Vette) so my progress is glacial sometimes...but I can say I'm always making progress!

My wife is VERY supportive of my car stuff both financially and time invested. I just bought a powdercoated intake for my SS last night on eBay for $195 and her only comment was "nice score" I don't spend more than we can afford and I'm good about keeping the parts stock to a very reasonable level. I make time for the kids and for her and so she's very cool about the whole thing. I've found a couple of keys to happiness are:

1. Budget - Keep her in the loop on spending. On the intake thing, she knew I was trying to get a quick turn for powdercoat on my intake, that it would cost about $100 and that the intake itself was worth about $100...so she knew the numbers and could see a good deal when I took it.
   
2. Time - Carve out time for the hobby and let her know in advance. I've found that it's not so much the amount of time as her not knowing that you're just not available at a certain time.
   
3. Balance - If you know you're spending 6 hours Saturday morning, then plan on doing something with her and/or the kids in the afternoon. Last Saturday I worked from about 6:00 AM until 2:00 pretty steady on stuff, and then took the kids over to play paintball for a couple of hours (I still have the bruises and then had a nice dinner and movie with her. She was completely cool with all of this...and I had a great day with some real progress on stuff too

Don't know if any of this is interesting, but you asked

[PonyX]

Yes, that is the kind of stuff I wanted to know. I am the kind of person that when I start making progress on something I lose track of time. I get excited to see the progress and I am like the energizer bunny. I come in from the garage on a high, then I cannot figure out why I am getting the cold shoulder in the house. Evern though she says she is alright with me being outside.

Yesterday I got the "you'd better re-think your priorities speech"

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Not too many in the summer time its too hot and I try to spend time with my son while its not rainning outside... During the winter I try to spend as much time as I can in there....

[Geezer]

I’m trying to get this truck drivable by my son’s 16th birthday in a few weeks. I’ve been spending around 60 hours and $100.00 a week on this truck for a little over a year but it’s almost finished,…

[chevyboy55]

Due to my work schedule(2:00am to 2:00pm m-f) not much time during the week but on weekends most all day sat & sun. My wife does not mind because it is my sons(longnlow72 on the board)truck we are working on & it keeps us both off the streets & out of trouble
But there is still that family balance to work in there. During the week getting off so early still gives me lots of daylight for yard work & honey do's.

[Rokcrln]

On average 20-60 hrs aweek in the shop and this is on top of 50-60 at my day job. She is great with it, she loves cars and thinks I am a God with fabricating so she is very supportive with it all. A few weeks ago I went in half on a super clean 67 SS 396 Chevelle just out of the blue and expected some drama from it. But instead she completely suprised me when she saw it and said lets go for a ride But I get to drive it home! She has only gotten mad at me a few times and that has been when I was burt out from working out their and slacked off for a week or two than she put her foot down and told me to get my a$$ in gear and get out their. This week I have been working on a few "one off" mods for a customer and she could not wait each night to see the progress. So with all this being said I still think I am for saying "I DO" in less than 28 days.. Just last year we sold our house after just finishing up everything 100% so we could buy a run down house with a 1200sq ft shop for me to build in. I make sure I spend time on the house as well so she has what she wants too. Right now I am getting prices for new windows, exterior insulation and new siding (original 1928 sears tin siding) on the entire place that normaly I would do my self but she would rather have me work in the shop making money then pay for the work to get done. This way she is happy because she gets her house stuff and she knows I love working out in the shop.

So if she is into it than great and if she is not than make sure you include her and give her your full attention when asked. It can be a delicate balance between a great thing and your worst bad dream!
I got lucky and woke up from a bad dream years ago, and now she is married to some other poor guy!

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[PonyX]

Yeah it is tough sometimes getting that balance. Unfortunately my wife does not share my love of old stuff. She can't figure out why I would rather fix up an old truck than go out and buy a new one. She feels it is a waste of time and money to fix up old stuff. I have had the truck for 7 years and have not done anything to it yet and I am finally in a position to be able to get it drivable, never mind doing a lot of fancy stuff. She is all like "well you got it here now what more do you want?"

[LUV2XCLR8]

Spring 10-20 (Depending on temps)
Summer 0 (Unless I have guests)
Fall 10-20 (Depending on temps)
Winter 20-40 (Unless below zero)