Hey Hugh,
Just thought I'd post a quick suggestion from my perspective. Maybe you might want to consider rather than setting up a shop blind, joining a cooperative, or small shop looking for a tenant. When I lived in Boston in the 80's, there were many small, good, productive and well equipped shops looking for guys like you to help pay the rent and contribute a machine or two.
Most of the shops that I was aware of myself, at that time were mostly composed of furniture guys and artists who showed stuff in galleries, but their bread and butter was one of a kind cases, built-ins, furniture, baby furniture, stuff for designers and architects...etc. I once worked as an apprentice for a guy in such a shop which had with a world class furniture restoration guy who did stuff for the Museum of Fine Art, Boston, along side a hobbyist turned professional and a few other various woodworkers that were the mainstay of the shop. At the same time there was even one home builder who had use of the shop here and there.
Sharing with your skills, machines, rent, jobs, ideas and friendships sure sounds a lot more manageable to me then trying to figure it out all on your own. If you are a friendly and experienced builder with good hands, I am sure you can find folks where you will be a welcome resource not just to help pay the rent directly but possibly as a source of jobs....being in the bus. as you are.
I'm sure you would find much of the help you are seeking now, in that kind of environment, learning as you go....contributing where you can. And If you find it doesn't quite work out for you, you haven't invested in machinery and resources that you have to unload and might lose money on.
Maybe some of the guys in your area on this board could help you find where such a shop would advertise.
Good Luck,
Jeff