Hot Rods Once you retire how much time do you spend in the shop??

Hi Hamb Folks...

My full time career end is within reach now...no more than 24 months of working 2 jobs...the plan is to transition to working one job part time and move to Kansas for the winter months to be closer to my son and his family....

I am looking forward to having time to spend in the shop...not just an hour here and there between jobs like I do now...

So how much time do you guys actually get to spend in the shop??....

I am trying to line up a couple of older vehicles to tinker with when I get out of the 6 1/2 days a week work schedule...

Just kinda wanna see how much time I can expect to be able to spend out in my haven...

Thanks in advance...

MikeC

 

I spend a lot of time in my shop. Depending on what I've got going on, sometimes I'm in the shop at 8 or 8:30. I take a short lunch break with my wife and get right back at it until 4:30 or 5. Love it.

 

8 hrs a day, 7 days a week !

 

I have been retired for over 10 years, 8 years ago I built a new shop. I spend almost everyday and some evenings in it working on my vehicles. I also do restorations for one client, but those are limited and not on a schedule.
Your results may vary, I have an understanding wife that knows I am only a few hundred feet away and not out and about someplace.

 

I have 6 years and I will be spending a ton of time in the shop. I plan on treating it like a job though. Just go out and work for 8 and call it a day.

 

Nowadays I hate spending my free time indoors. That puts a crimp in my planned project completions.

 

5-8 hours a day average,depending on time of year, whether I have a project to work on or not. Also the weather, no ac in the shop ,but heat in the winter.

 

I retired 10 years ago. I typically start at 9am and stop for lunch at 1 and stay out in my shop till 7pm.
I love it. Turn my stereo on and work on projects.
Vic

 

I try to get out there every day. Some days I tinker with my project, others I clean up. Still others I help the neighbors with their projects. Fixed a snowblower yesterday. Bob from next door and I spent 3 or so hours repairing the chute controls.

 

I'm retired 4 years now and I am in the shop pretty much every day. Not always just to work on my shit though because the wife knows I am retired too! Plus I have a buddy who I am helping to restore his car. But I try to get in a couple hours every day in my shop on my project if possible. More if we don't have anything else on the docket.

 

Depends on how cold it is. I prefer to do my work outside or with the garage door open.
I worked in a closed up building for too many years and prefer to breathe fresh air even if it has grinding dust or welding smoke in it.
I usually am good for about 5-6 hours of good hard work. I am 71 years old. when I was at retirement age I was good for about 14 hours a day. Of course I retired from the Govt. at 59. Father time is undefeated so enjoy it while you can.

 

Not nearly enough but I don't have much of a shop and do my work outside. I always seem to be working on something but it isn't on my truck or other hot rod project lately. It is the daily driver or the dump runner that needs work.

 

I officially retired from self employment 2 years ago, but I still put in morning hours for another year because I had a lot of customers that I would only see about once a year. After the end of that 1st year, I was still in the shop 6 hours to 8 hours a day, but mostly working on my projects. When Oct came around this year, I'm pretty much doing just my stuff, I'm usually in the shop between 8:30 and 9 am, take a 45 min lunch around noon with my wife, and return to the shop until between 3pm and 5 pm, depending on what I may be doing that day. I am pretty much limiting the shop time to 4 days a week, and sometimes a few hours on that 5th day.

The 5th day is when I visit my buddies shop (he's still working for a living), or use the day to pick stuff for the project.

On those nice summer mornings you might have found me sitting on the porch swing with my wife until the sun comes around the corner of the house about 11 am and it gets too hot.

Any "work" day can be interrupted for a ride in the coupe, or most any other idea that sounds like fun though. The concept of retirement for me was the fact that I didn't have to be in the shop on any given day. Since July, I've probably put in over 670 hours on my 49 Dodge pickup, if it would get delayed a day or two, or five or six days, it will be OK. Gene

 

I'll get back with you in 1328 days August 9th, 2024, but i plan on pushing the bodyshop harder then!

 

People say you are busier after you retire. That seems to be the case for me so far. I might be spending more time in the garage but it's not a lot more time.

 

Looking to go part time April 2021 for a while until I get everything paid off and hope nothing else pops up to make a bill. Then maybe I can spend 4-5 hours a couple of times a week. But our parents are getting older, so I figure a lot of that time will get used doing stuff for them.

 

Thought about retiring 4 years ago, then 2 years ago, and now 2 years later at it again. Have kind of put off some projects so I have something to do when I do hang it up. The seasons will have a lot of say in what I'll be doing most days. Summer means more work on the farms, winter means more time in the shop. I love working on the farms, and being out doors is number one in my books after spending the last 40 plus years working in doors. I agree with the guys that like the garage doors and windows open if at all possible when working on the hotrods or in the shop. Almost forgot, looking forward to spending more quality time with my beautiful wife!

 

I've been retired for 19-years and probably realistically average about 4 or 5 hours a day. Was about 8 to 10 when I first retired, but I've slowed down some, what with house & property to care for.

 

Hmmm. Never really thought about it till now. I kinda consider myself semiretired for about the last 10 yrs. Ill never fully retire, at least i dont think so. Therfore i guess my answer would be about the same as it is now, " As much as needed, possible and desired. Unless theres something better to do. But as we know lately, there aint nuttin better todo. Sooooo.... Keep on hotrodding. Itll be fun again, hopefully sooner than later..eeeee

 

retired 4 yrs ago. 11 acres, fenced in when she had llamas. there gone. got a horse.....but not boarded here. not cheap on the outside. money in the budget for horse, but not horsepower. so i worked p/t for my horsepower. one of these days Alice......

 

Not much finished my project before I retired....Can't afford to do much anymore...

 

I'll get back to you, I retire next Tuesday.

 

Been retired 4 years now. I spend 5-6 hours every day out in the shop. Luvin' retirement!

 

I work as long as my body let's me, some days I get a couple hrs, some days 4 hrs, if I over do it then I'm laid up in the house for a few days.
My days of working till 1 or 2 in the morning are gone, I never put myself on a schedule though and I find your question odd in basing your amount of time spent in your garage off of what someone else does in there's.

 

Been retired 3 years now and I really don't do that much but it is nice to work in the garage whenever I feel like it. My wife still works and I feel guilty about how much I spend on my car projects since she hardly spends anything on herself.

 

I retired 3yrs ago and have never looked back. Worked for 55 years, 2 companies and 1 of my own, loved
them all...it never felt like work. Everyone asked me like they do to everyone, "When you retire, what are you
planning to do..?" My plan was to do nothing everyday, and I am happy to report that so far, I have not only
met, but exceeded my plan every day. You don't have to plan anymore, nor should you. Leave that behind you. Be
flexible and do whatever you want, when you want. I can now leave where I am on a project until the next
day or more, and it's great...I don't HAVE to get that done by tonight or tomorrow. My other goal which
I have accomplished, is I can take a great afternoon or morning nap..anytime. P.S., I get up later now, too,
at 6am instead of 5am.

 

I've been retired for about 7 1/2 years. I get up between 7 & 8, mess around with things like this, and get in my shop by 10. I probably spend 4 -5 hours in the shop. I'm 73 and don't have all the stamina and/or desire to put in 8 hours any more. Right now I'm into body work, which I hate, so I tend to wander off on side jobs. Sanding isn't high on the list of things I like to do. I ended up doing a clutch job for a buddy who also happens to be a body man.

 

No job for 7 years for me . I’m so busy I don’t have time to work in my shop as I wanted to when retired . I still work many hours in there helping others with parts of their projects . Health issues slow me down considerably now also . Arthritis is a Bad Boy , he will take over and control you completely . I being the person I am I can not give up , I push and fight back . There are just some days the pain is overwhelming , and the fight is less from me . But it could always be worse , make the best of what the Good Lord , has given you , and give thanks , it really isn’t that bad .

 

Hey Mike, after you get over the shock of not going to work everyday, about 1 month to one year, you will realize everyday is Saturday! So.... you will start putting things off till tomorrow! Ask me how I know! Lol I’ve been retired 8 years now.

Hey, I talked to that guy, he will take $1250 for that Morris Minor! Practically no rust!





Bones

 

I retired eary July this year. I spend as much time in my shop as I can. I think the main thing is I am out of the house all day. Some days I get to spend all day in the shop, other days just two to four hours depending on the weather and responsibilites. I looked forward to retirement for a very long time and I am enjoying every minute of it. Shop wise the thing I appreciate the most is being able to do things correctly and completely. No more only having half a Saturday to get something done.
B