I’m doing it. I’m building a new shop, and it’s going to be absolutely massive. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned about the “Victory” side of this channel, it’s that it usually comes after a whole lot of “Pain.”
The Vision
We’re talking a 40×60 main bay with 16-foot walls and double lean-tos. One side is for the big stuff—backing the boat and the camper straight in—and the other side is for the “toys” like the tractor, the side-by-side, and the quads.
Inside, I’m planning a 10-foot loft for part storage and a dedicated podcast studio. Underneath that loft, I want a clean room for engine builds and a lift area. The dream is to have permanent “stations”—a wood shop area, an upholstery corner with a heavy-duty sewing machine I’m getting from my grandpa, and enough floor space to keep multiple automotive projects moving at once.
The Reality Check (The Pain)
The ground had other plans. As soon as I started digging for the post holes with the backhoe, I hit rock—solid basalt. Suddenly, what was supposed to be a straightforward dig turned into a specialized drilling job.
Between the equipment breaking, hitting the rock, and the rising costs of the foundation, I actually had to stop and ask myself: “Do I really need this?” I’ve worked out of a 12×16 shed. I’ve built entire trucks in shacks with 6-foot ceilings and open ends. My current shop is 30×40, sheetrocked, and warm. Most people would be thrilled with it.
The “Why”
I sat down with my wife, Allison, to make sure we were on the same page. She’s actually the one who reminded me why this matters.
- The Hangout: Our current shop is going to become a gym and an awesome hangout space. Where we live, we get six months of brutal weather. Having an indoor-outdoor space to sit by a fire pit without being in the elements will be a game-changer for the family.
- Protecting the Projects: I’ve got things like the Doodlebug, my Impala, and Allison’s VW convertible that just shouldn’t be sitting outside in the snow.
- The Channel: This is for you guys. To keep the content coming, I need to be able to work on multiple projects simultaneously. Right now, if I have to make closet doors for the house, all automotive progress stops so I can set up the wood shop. In the new space, I can just walk to a different corner.
- Helping Others: I want to be able to use my tools and space to help friends with their rigs—like Conrad’s head gaskets—without having to push my own projects out into the driveway.
What’s Next?
We’re in a bit of a content scramble right now—the Baja trip got cancelled, and Alex actually had an SD card snap in half with two videos on it (how does that even happen?!). So, if you want to see the step-by-step of this shop build, let me know in the comments. I’m going to be filming it either way, but I’d love to bring you guys along for the ride.
The best advice I can give anyone planning a shop: Build the biggest one you can afford, because it will never be big enough.
Wheel it, Wreck it, Wrench it, Repeat!
— Josh
Days of Pain and Victory 
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