A Place to Hang My Hat

Last week while pulling into my driveway, I happened to notice my neighbor outside working in his yard. It wasn’t what he was doing that caught my attention, but rather what he was wearing: a big, wide-brimmed sun hat. I decided then and there that I too would own a large hat to protect my head from the sun. Four minutes later, I had ordered a bucket hat from Amazon. I mostly associate bucket hats with fishing and I’ve always secretly wanted one, which is kind of stupid, because I hate fishing (and the sun). Then again I own a golf cart, and have never been golfing. It also seems disingenuous to say, “I’ve always wanted a bucket hat.” This one cost $10.95. If I had always wanted one, I would have bought one a long time ago. It’s more accurate to say that last Wednesday I really wanted one, and two days later, an Amazon Prime delivery driver dropped one off on my front porch.

The moment I placed it upon my head, I decided this hat would become my official workshop hat. It’s just tight enough to stay on without falling off, and is the perfect color. (Amazon offers the “300N Unisex 100% Cotton Packable Summer Travel Bucket Beach Sun Hat” in 36 different colors; I chose “gray.”) I’ve also already used it one to cover my face while taking a nap in my hammock, and it worked well for that, to.

But a problem arose — where in my workshop would I hang my hat? My workbench is covered in sawdust and tools. I needed a hook, and a place to attach it. I’ve been meaning to build some new shelves for the workshop, which I decided would be a great place to attach a hat hook.

45 minutes later, I had made it to Home Depot and back with $70 worth of 2x4s in the back of my truck. If you’re wondering if I made it home before that storm rolled in and dumped buckets of rain on me, the answer is, “no I did not.”

Using 16 of the 20 2x4s, I built my new shelves. The shelves are 8′ wide and a little more than 6′ tall. I spaced the shelves so that each one will hold a milk crate with about half an inch of clearance. For the tops of the shelves I cut up the two sheets of particle wood the building contractors left behind and attached them to the 2x4s using my nail gun.

I have to say, I absolutely love having a workshop where every tool has its place. I know where my saws are. I know where my drills are. I know where my screws and nails are. I’ve spent the vast majority of my life searching for things I was just holding two minutes ago. Being able to find the tools I need when I need them is so, so nice.

Yesterday, I went to Dollar General after work and picked up ten shoebox-sized plastic containers for a dollar each. I put my sanding discs in one, and my shop rags in another.

With the shelves assembled, I still needed a hook to attach to them. I could have ordered one off of Amazon (or simply used a protruding screw), but instead I decided to 3D print one.

It is moments like this — moments where I go, “I wish I had one of these,” and then I print one — that 3D printing seems like the future. Most of the time, 3D printers are solutions looking for a problem to solve. But when there’s something you want or need, and you’re able to to just print one out in a matter of minutes, it does seem pretty magical.

On the top-most crossbar of the shelves, I attached the hook using a couple of screws. The hook I printed had two holes in it, and fortunately from owning several homes, I have a couple of plastic jugs that contain approximately 8 zillion spare screws.

With the shelves done and the hook printed and attached, it was finally time for me to hang my hat, turn out the lights, and head back to the house. The next time I go out to the workshop, the ol’ bucket hat will be out there waiting for me.