My Shop is in Shambles

Community
1

I have all LED lighting overhead in my shop. I also have a portable building that has the same LED light fixture. Both of them started blinking. So yesterday I went to Lowes and picked up 2 new lights. I think they were about $25.00 each. A blinking LED light drives me crazy for some reason. It is one of the most annoying things.

My ceiling is about 15 feet high at the light fixture. I have a scaffold on wheels but it was buried in a corner with a ton of stuff under and around it. I also had to move my Jet 1642 lathe to get the scaffold to fit where I needed it.

My shop is a shambles right now. I got the light replaced and the scaffold back in its home and most of the stuff under it back. I still need to move my lathe back in place. The lathe weighs 440 pounds. A few years ago I bought two things that make moving that lathe possible.

image
image646Ă—646 59.2 KB

And from Amazon these heavy duty rollers.

image
image1500Ă—1499 128 KB

I use the Irwin jack on the center of the cast iron legs and slide 2 of the dollies under. Then go to the other end and repeat. Makes moving my lathe easy. I dont move it a lot but moving a 440 lb lathe is not easy without this help

Now that it is 105 and maybe hotter inside the shop I have to go and clean up and put things back in space.

The sad thing is about 6 months ago I resolved to clean and reorganize my shop and get rid of unused or unneeded things. I got going but sputtered out.

1 Like
2

You never know when you’re going to need that thing you just tossed out the door.

3

I got rid of all manner of clutter when I moved, The thought was this will not be missed when I put my shop bac together, I am now up to a two page list in my note list on my phone of the items that I need to do the work that I like to do. I guess when you reorganize you have no idea what is unused or unneeded until you “NEED TO USE IT”. I am headed to the hardware store now so I can go out in the shop and play. :crazy_face: :crazy_face: :crazy_face:

4

When I worked for Eastman Kodak I carried about $200,000.00 of stock in my vehicle. Every 6 months I would get a report that told me which parts they wanted me to send back. Invariably as soon as I sent a part back I needed it. However the truth is most of the parts I sent back were not needed. If you have room keep everything. As you get older you tend to accumulate a lot of stuff. At some point that accumulation becomes stiffing. That is how hoarders get into trouble. They dont want to throw away anything and eventually it becomes dangerous.

Not suggesting you throw everything but if you look realistically at something that you have not used in 10 years you are not likely to use it in the next 10 years.

If you want to keep things you think you may use/need great. But you need to have a place to store it safely and out of your way. When the footprint of your shop cannot get any bigger you need to go up instead of out. So build storage and shelving that is keeping stuff off the floor and protected. Use your wall space and you can get better organized and keep your stuff safe.

I was making a pen a few weeks ago that was acrylic. I use a plastic polish to buff the pen for a glossy finish. I have two different plastic polishes and went to find it where it was supposed to be. I could not find them. So I ran up to Oriley Auto Parts and picked up a new bottle. As soon as I get back in the shop I see the polish sitting on my sharpening table. I usually dont keep that there and have a dedicated spot. I had looked everywhere except right under my nose. Luckily it was just a $10.00 mistake but still a mistake. So organization and putting things back where they belong is important for your sanity and your wallet.

1 Like
6

Mine is not in shambles, it’s in a storage container and a million bins at my new house waiting to be unloaded.

Sadly lots of stuff to do in the house before I can even think about setting up the shop.

I did toss a few things in the move and I will put a critical eye on everything else as I unpack. There are some things that I had in boxes never opened. Big plans for projects never done.

I have a Nova DVR lathe with a ton of accessories that I just have not had time to use in 10+ years that I am thinking about selling to create space. I have some fantasy that one of my kids will get interested in it some day.

2 Likes
7

I am a recovering shop hoarder. I have a day job, A small steady hobby business, and am ramping up another product. I learned years ago, that having a disorganized shop can cost you, your most valuable resource…Time.

My shop is a huge mess right now, as I am in build mode, setting up the Shapoko for production.

I have a multi-tiered approach, and so far have only gotten rid of a single thing that I regretted. I still haven’t actually needed it though.

My system:

If I use it often, it gets organized. Fasteners, regular use tools, measuring equipment, bits, etc.

Machines: I have all of the common tools used for a machine at the machine, the correct sized hex wrenches, lubricants, etc.

Tools: I have tools where I need them. I have the main tool cart, and smaller tool stations for things I use often. I have a small 1/4" imperial/metric socket set.that goes to 14mm / 9/16". Buy good quality hex wrenches, and toss the crap ones. For rarely used tools, put the tool in a tote with the stuff that goes with it. Examples. I have a tote that has my industrial glue gun, heat guns, glue sticks. I have one for fencing supplies, staples, fence tools, tie wire.

I bought a label printer, and everything that doesn’t get actively used, goes into a clear tote with a label in it. It does in my storage room. Examples: Electrical components, spare parts.

I have a specific tote for leftover assembly parts. I label and date them. If I don’t use them in a year, I toss them. Things like bolts left over from a monitor arm. If don’t use them within a year, I likely won’t ever.

Material: I have tiered storage for material. I go through it once a year, and toss or pass on the small scraps I don’t need.

Pro tips:

  • The hex wrenches, and fasteners that come with cheaper Chinese products, are crap, toss them.

  • You can buy quality fasteners in bulk from McMacter-Carr. They are often cheaper than the big box stores.

  • A 3D printer belongs in every shop. I have had one for years, and I have printed a grand total of 10 “fun/useless” things for friends. I have printed hundreds of tiny storage boxes to go in drawers, custom brackets, mounts, tool organization, spacers, fixtures. I 3D printed a 4" vacuum shoe for the Shapoko, and am currently designing a 5" upgrade.

  • Put casters on everything that needs to move at some point. The heavy duty leveling casters worth the ratcheting feet work well.

  • Keep notes and lists: I keep mine in my phone. I make notes about everything, stuff you need, things you are running out of, things that need to be fixed. Stuff you tossed.

  • Learn a bit about LEAN/Sigma 6. Fastcap has a bunch of videos that might inspire you. For a small shop, you don’t need all 6, I use S3

Sweep - Clean and throw stuff away. do you really need that 6" long 2x4?
Sort - Put stuff away
Standardize - Everything should have a place it goes. If not, make one.

I use a technique for Adam Savage of Mythbusters, when finding a place for something - If I was looking for this right now, where would be the first place I would look.

Best of luck! we all struggle with this!

6 Likes
8

I like the date idea. I should apply that to tools as well. If I haven’t used it in 5 years odds are I won’t ever.

A
Couple of things I moved from the old house to the new shop today were a vise still in the box that I bought probably 20 years ago and never had a good place for, a Rockler Deluxe Dovetail Jig still in the box from at least 5 years ago and. Steam bending kit still in the box.

Of course I have a lot more space in the new shop so I will definitely use them now :blush:

9

A counterpoint to the pitching hardware idea — any leftover hardware gets sorted into the balance of hardware — I have an entire drawer of my workbench dedicated to metric hardware, and a fair bit of it is salvaged from various hardware kit leftovers.

10

Invariably I would need 4 bolts of a particular size and get excited when I found 1 but then disappointed to only find 3.

11

I have an old Craftsman tool box that was full of semi sorted nuts, bolts and washers. A month or so I got that out and sorted everything and put them into sandwich bags. I marked each bag with the contents. I also have two full drawers of various hardware items from cabinet hinges to picture hanging hardware. The drawers are so full I can barely close them. You never know when you need a piece of hardware.

1 Like
12

I hear you. The problem for me, is a lot of that hardware is poorly made. I have a habit of just replacing it, and I never use it. The one thing I almost always replace is set screws.

1 Like
13

Pitching on quality I can agree with — fortunately, most of my work isn’t that sensitive to that.