The Sawdust Dispatch: Dispatch #31 - Keeping Varmints Out of your Workshop

If you are one of the forturnate few woodworkers who have an air conditioned workshop, then this is just fun reading for you. For the rest of us, who work out of garages or buildings with roll up doors then this applies.
My workshop is in a two car garage with an 18 ft. wide door. In the summertime trying to work is hard because of the flying insects that come in to buzz about and land on an arm or leg, and starting drilling for blood right as I'm running a board through the table saw. And, on several occasions I've had birds to fly in and it was a fight trying to get them back out. When a bird gets excited, it tends to crap on everything it flies over.
The solution? A garage door screen from Garage Door Screens. A low cost fix for the flying insects, four legged varmints (like the neighbors cat) and even two legged varmints. Even though people can see in, it makes them stop and sound off before being invited in. At night is when the screen really is nice. I can work into the late evening in comfort and not have to put up with night bugs flying everywhere.
The screen is held in place with a Velcro strip around the perimeter of the door way. The manufacturer suggest for additional holding power to attach the Velcro with small screws every 6" to 8". I didn't do this to begin with, but recently went back and installed them. I had chosen white Velcro since my door trim was white so I wanted to use white headed screws. I purchase some 1/2" screws and stuck them into a piece of cardboard and spray painted the heads white. Now when I remove the screen the screw heads are nearly invisible.
The screen came with three heavy duty well made zippers, one on each side and one in the middle. To hold the screen down, you can slip a piece of 1/2" PVC pipe or conduit in a pocket at the bottom which is designed for that. Access is easy though the middle zipper when you just want to come and go, and, to move large items in or out of the workshop, just unzip the middle and side zipper and roll up. The manufacturer provides one Velcro strip to hold the screen up with but I chose to use a better version of it and to fasten it in place with a screw. It only takes a couple of minutes to roll up one side and the screen advantages outweigh the trouble to roll-up.
I've had the screen in place now for nearly two months and feel it's one of the best investments I've made for my workshop ever. Plus, the wife likes it because when I come into the house from the garage, a bunch of flies don't come in with me.
The folks at Garage Door Screens are great folks to do business with. It is a Mom & Pop operation and the screens are made by them. So, check out their website and decide if a garage door screen is right for your shop.
Disclaimer: This is only a recommendation, I have no financial interest in this company, nor do I receive anything if you click on their site or purchase from them.