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The Thompson submachine gun—better known as the “Tommy gun”—was developed right after World War I by U.S. Army officer John T. Thompson, who wanted a lightweight “trench broom” style weapon for close-quarters fighting. The first commercial model (the Model of 1921) hit the market in the early 1920s, firing .45 ACP at a very high rate of fire, and it quickly became famous in two totally different worlds: law enforcement and criminals during the Prohibition era (thanks to its drum magazines and Hollywood-level swagger ). When World War II arrived, the Thompson was adopted widely by U.S. and Allied forces, but it was gradually simplified into wartime variants (like the M1 and M1A1) to speed production and cut costs. Even though cheaper, easier-to-make designs like the M3 “Grease Gun” eventually replaced it, the Thompson’s mix of early 20th-century innovation, gangster-era notoriety, and WWII service cemented it as one of the most recognizable firearms in American history.
This is not intended as a toy. This is a model designed to sit on a shelf. The model is 14" long and cut from 1/4", 1/2", and 3/4" thick wood. The stand is included in the pattern.
When we moved back to Indiana, I was lucky to get a shop in the finished basement of our new home.
The basement is half finished and half utility room/storage. Both areas are pretty large, so I now have a comfortable space with heat and cooling. So that left room to get my truck in the garage. At least it would if we ever got the garage cleared out from the stuff we moved in there during our move to Indiana. My truck still sits in the driveway. Patty and my daughter Kellie have been working on the garage, so hopefully I will be able to park inside someday.
Before that, I had my shop in the garage, and it was too full to get the cars in, so the car sat outside. I know that many of us take over the garage and try to make room for the car, too. Below are some tips to help make room for both the car and the shop.
With winter almost here, you may have time to work on ideas to improve your shop layout. Below are some suggestions that may help you with that process.
Use “car-first” layout rules
Mark a parking rectangle on the floor with tape. Everything in the shop has to live outside that zone.
Go vertical like crazy
Put storage on the walls: pegboard, French cleats, cabinets, clamps racks, shelves. Floor space is sacred.
Put tools on mobile bases
Table saw, planer, jointer, bandsaw, cart-based miter station—anything big should roll so you can “shop mode” and “car mode.”
Build a fold-down or flip-top workbench
A wall-mounted fold-down bench or a flip-top cart (sander on one side, planer on the other) saves a ton of room.
Make one “assembly island” that disappears
Use a sturdy rolling bench that can park against a wall, or use collapsible sawhorses + a torsion box top you can hang up.
Use ceiling storage for the awkward stuff
Lumber racks overhead (or high wall racks), seasonal bins, jigs you don’t use daily—keep them up high and out of the car zone.
Create a dedicated “cut zone” near the door
Put your miter saw or breakdown area near the garage door so long boards can stick out when needed without rearranging everything.
Centralize dust collection with quick connects
One shop vac/dust collector on a cart with a hose reel or quick-connect fittings beats multiple bulky setups.
Control clutter with “one-touch” tool storage
If putting a tool away is annoying, it won’t happen. Put commonly used tools at arm height, labeled, and easy to grab/return.
Use a rolling “project cart” for active builds
Instead of spreading parts everywhere, keep current projects on a cart with bins. When it’s time to park, roll it to the side.
Tommy Gun Pattern
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