Bigger shop just means bigger mess. IMHO
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Tips/Techniques Workshop Organization- things that have made a difference for you
- Thread starter StevSmar
- Start date
Tips/Techniques
Doggggboy
Ultra Member
No no no.
You have to think positive.
The same mess in a bigger area means a THINNER mess.
My number one shop management technique: 10 things.
Every time you walk into the shop put away 10 things. Make it easy on yourself - you just dropped 6 nuts back in the bin? That's 6 things.
When you can't find a place for something, you make a place for it. Sometimes you have to add that to the project list.
It's amazing how quickly this habit clears clutter.
Every time you walk into the shop put away 10 things. Make it easy on yourself - you just dropped 6 nuts back in the bin? That's 6 things.
When you can't find a place for something, you make a place for it. Sometimes you have to add that to the project list.
It's amazing how quickly this habit clears clutter.
Years ago when I worked for IBM as an OPCE we were taught not to put that screwdriver we just used on the desk beside the typewriter but back into the pocket in the suitcase that held our tools. Although it seemed dumb at the time it really did prevent the leaving a tool behind problem. I've tried to do the same thing in my shop and to a certain extent been quite successful.
But too many unfinished projects (42 of them) has made it difficult to keep the shop very clean or organized. I'm not very good at finishing projects.
boilerhouse
Ultra Member
Many great ideas and suggested habits in this thread.
I want to spend this winter reorganizing my shop. It's not bad as is, but I would like it a lot better. The number one and first priority is BETTER LIGHTING. Meaning all the T8's and old T12's go, and hello LED's.
(Surprised considering the forums demographic that this hasn't been mentioned yet.)
I want to spend this winter reorganizing my shop. It's not bad as is, but I would like it a lot better. The number one and first priority is BETTER LIGHTING. Meaning all the T8's and old T12's go, and hello LED's.
(Surprised considering the forums demographic that this hasn't been mentioned yet.)
Dark areas and corners do a much better job of hiding unfinished projects.
Ha of course that one has been through the wringer.
canadianhobbymetalworkers.com
Shop fluorescent to LED strategy
I presently have 6 fluorescent fixtures with 48" tubes flush mounted on my ceiling which is fully drywalled. They are kind of centrally positioned & over electrical boxes/wire outlet that goes into attic area wiring. All lights activated with single wall switch. If I understand correctly, I can...
canadianhobbymetalworkers.com
SomeGuy
Hobbyist
Count the lumens!
I love it bright, it's nice not always having to get supplemental lighting to see what I'm doing...more so working on vehicles than machining, but every bit helps.
Canadium
Ian
Three things I tried recently to better organize my shop ...
1/ made hangers for a set of box end wrenches so that I could more easily find them, grab them, and put them back again when finished. Just had them all jumbled in a toolbox before.
2/ Made holders for a collection of new to me end mills so they are easy to find and return. They were all just piled in to a box before. The box was more compact but the cutters were banging against each other and specific cutters were very hard to find in the pile. Thinking of doing this for some of my taps and some xtra drill bits as well.
3/ was trying to design a compact small footprint desktop file holder. Not finished yet! I'd like to add a couple of layers of files and keep my file cards and railroad chalk stored here as well. Any suggestions for how to finish this design?
1/ made hangers for a set of box end wrenches so that I could more easily find them, grab them, and put them back again when finished. Just had them all jumbled in a toolbox before.
2/ Made holders for a collection of new to me end mills so they are easy to find and return. They were all just piled in to a box before. The box was more compact but the cutters were banging against each other and specific cutters were very hard to find in the pile. Thinking of doing this for some of my taps and some xtra drill bits as well.
3/ was trying to design a compact small footprint desktop file holder. Not finished yet! I'd like to add a couple of layers of files and keep my file cards and railroad chalk stored here as well. Any suggestions for how to finish this design?
I've read through all these rules some of you guys have...... For me, it's mostly just plain Yuk. It's like some of you talked to my wife and decided to pontificate about everything that is wrong with me like she does sometimes. Her way is NOT the only way, nor the right way. It's just her way. Mine is not the only way nor the right way either. It's just MY WAY. If your way works for you, then it's a good way for you, but maybe not for me or others.
It's prolly good to remind everyone that the MAJORITY of us have shops that are best defined as Organized Chaos. Organized Chaos works for me. Some of the neat and tidy methods described by others here do not work for me. My brain is just not wired that way. My brain is basically an organized warehouse of chaotic thoughts and information. I don't use detergents, vacuums, drawers, shelves, or walls up there. Stuff just goes in, connects to other thoughts and sticks, or goes right through. I connect thoughts based on importance, interest, time slot, and the condition of my neural network at the time of arrival. Distractions can render important interesting timely things irrelevant. You cannot imagine how many thoughts I've lost when my bride winked at me, or the dinner bell rang.
So, at the risk of taking this whole discussion way off track the rules that work for me - in no particular order of course - are:
Rule #1 - There are no rules because all rules are meant to be broken.
#2 - Surfaces need something on them to avoid looking like or more importantly BEING wasted space. The best things to have on a surface is everything associated with a given project. If I have an empty surface, it's also the ideal spot for a new acquisition that hasn't been fondled, or fondly gazed upon, or studied enough yet.
#3 - Important tools should be duplicated or triplicated so that each project can have its own temporary tool set. If a given tool is too expensive or unobtainable - I NEVER store it in a stupid drawer till I am finished using it. I just keep it on the surface for the project where it was last used. That way it's still handy and not full of spray oil. My brain will easily associate it with its last usage but there is very low hope of finding it locked away in a drawer.
#4 - If a tool does need to be put away, it should be sprayed or wiped down with oil or anti Corrosion fluids before hiding them in a drawer or a cupboard.
#5 - I have tried to keep similar related items in adjacent or grouped drawers, but since drawers and shelves come in different sizes, drawer and storage efficiency will inevitably end up severely compromised. So I prefer to just store things according to their size and shape and don't worry about organizing drawers. But I do have several organized drawers. I really like labels though. For now I make a hand drawing of the tool cabinet and mark the contents on the drawing instead. I keep the "index drawing" on the top shelf/drawer of that storage space. When I get a good Labeller I might change that habit.
#6 - I keep a tray or container on the work surface with all ongoing projects so small parts are not lost and I take pictures of the assemblies so I know how it came apart and how it goes back together.
#7 - I keep all tools used for a particular machine (Allen keys, wrenches, oil cans, rags, crib notes, charts, and cheat sheets with the machine. I NEVER PUT THEM IN A DRAWER OR A HIDING SPOT! I just find a nice dedicated surface, or I make a dedicated surface, or I make hooks or drilled holes to store them right there in plain view right with that machine.
#8 - Chip storage and cleanup is a constant problem for me. So I keep a big trash can for steel and another for aluminium, and I keep smaller waste baskets for brass, copper, bronze, stainless, and cast iron. I vacuum and clean up chips only when the job is done or when the rats nest gets out of control. I have a dedicated dust pan and brush and a big magnet for doing that. When I'm done that, I use a small shop vacuum with replaceable buckets for the chip type. This is a project in progress in and of itself. I don't like the little vacuum I got for this purpose so I'm planning an interim cannister system instead. When I'm done a specific metal cleanup, I do a deep clean and sweep with a regular mixed chip and dirt trash can destination. The LAST THING I would ever do is do a deep clean before closing up shop for the night. It's a total complete waste of time. Between jobs yes, between sleeps, no way. Little jobs might not get cleaned up at all if the swarf volume is low enough to just mix with other low volume swarf jobs and get turfed in a trash bag instead of recycled.
#9 - I always keep my latest greatest projects out in the open for several months and I even decorate the room(s) with them. NOTHING can replace the endorphins that get released when you spot something walking by that you did that you are proud of. A spare surface is a great place for completed projects too! One can never have too many surfaces!
#10 - I try not to put big storage racks against a wall. Instead I try to locate them so both sides are accessible. If they allow it, I can also stack them because my ceiling is high enough.
#11 - I deliberately try to get rid of anything that looks like a plain old decoration. Decorations have no connection to who I am. I only keep things that are important to me. That way, I am always happy to be who I am and do what I do.
#12 - I try to put big stuff at the back of drawers and shelves so they don't hide little stuff. I can do that because I am quite strong. If I had a bad back, I'd prolly reverse that logic because my health trumps tool search time.
#13 - There is no such thing as general usage, or unimportant, or garbage tools. All tools deserve equal respect. The only tool that I am willing to dump are the gizmos and gadgets I've collected over the years where my bare hands do a better job. I always try to gift these to someone less gifted.
#14 - Everything and anything that is heavy and gets moved from time to time should be on wheels that are designed to roll well on the floor. The older I get, the more important this becomes. The only exception to that is things where the functionality might be compromised by putting them on wheels - eg lathes, shapers, surface grinders, mills, etc.
#15 - Large heavy tools are both the blessing and curse of every tool guy. I try to give them the respect they deserve by organizing them first. I always start with big and heavy and work my way down to small to maximize space efficiency.
#16 - I try to group stuff in my shop by application in a dedicated area - woodworking, metal working, electronics, lawn care, recreation, automotive, farm stuff. But sometimes space requirements trump application. I just accept that and I don't fuss over it.
#17 - I never give anything away just to get rid of it unless I acquired a newer or much better one. Murphy's Law says the day after its gone, I will need it again. I do give things away when I feel like it will be appreciated by someone else more than myself though. And sometimes just to make someone else happy.
#18 - I always try to put things where my mind can best locate them. Quite often that's based on a location. I have what I would call a great spacial memory. My mind is 3D not 2D. I don't remember data points like names and numbers and spots. Instead, I remember relative locations, relationships, dependancies, 3D things and relative things. That why a piling system is so much more effective for me than a filing system. I graduated at the top of my engineering class. Not because I had a great memory, but because I understood things and related them to each other. I didn't try to remember a formula. Instead I tried to understand the formula so I could develop it from first principles when I needed it. Quite often it turned out that I didn't need it at all.
Rule #19 - See rule #1 - There are no rules!
I think it always helps if I try to accept that I am not you and you are not me. You are unique and so am I. We all do what works for us and that's ok!
It's prolly good to remind everyone that the MAJORITY of us have shops that are best defined as Organized Chaos. Organized Chaos works for me. Some of the neat and tidy methods described by others here do not work for me. My brain is just not wired that way. My brain is basically an organized warehouse of chaotic thoughts and information. I don't use detergents, vacuums, drawers, shelves, or walls up there. Stuff just goes in, connects to other thoughts and sticks, or goes right through. I connect thoughts based on importance, interest, time slot, and the condition of my neural network at the time of arrival. Distractions can render important interesting timely things irrelevant. You cannot imagine how many thoughts I've lost when my bride winked at me, or the dinner bell rang.
So, at the risk of taking this whole discussion way off track the rules that work for me - in no particular order of course - are:
Rule #1 - There are no rules because all rules are meant to be broken.
#2 - Surfaces need something on them to avoid looking like or more importantly BEING wasted space. The best things to have on a surface is everything associated with a given project. If I have an empty surface, it's also the ideal spot for a new acquisition that hasn't been fondled, or fondly gazed upon, or studied enough yet.
#3 - Important tools should be duplicated or triplicated so that each project can have its own temporary tool set. If a given tool is too expensive or unobtainable - I NEVER store it in a stupid drawer till I am finished using it. I just keep it on the surface for the project where it was last used. That way it's still handy and not full of spray oil. My brain will easily associate it with its last usage but there is very low hope of finding it locked away in a drawer.
#4 - If a tool does need to be put away, it should be sprayed or wiped down with oil or anti Corrosion fluids before hiding them in a drawer or a cupboard.
#5 - I have tried to keep similar related items in adjacent or grouped drawers, but since drawers and shelves come in different sizes, drawer and storage efficiency will inevitably end up severely compromised. So I prefer to just store things according to their size and shape and don't worry about organizing drawers. But I do have several organized drawers. I really like labels though. For now I make a hand drawing of the tool cabinet and mark the contents on the drawing instead. I keep the "index drawing" on the top shelf/drawer of that storage space. When I get a good Labeller I might change that habit.
#6 - I keep a tray or container on the work surface with all ongoing projects so small parts are not lost and I take pictures of the assemblies so I know how it came apart and how it goes back together.
#7 - I keep all tools used for a particular machine (Allen keys, wrenches, oil cans, rags, crib notes, charts, and cheat sheets with the machine. I NEVER PUT THEM IN A DRAWER OR A HIDING SPOT! I just find a nice dedicated surface, or I make a dedicated surface, or I make hooks or drilled holes to store them right there in plain view right with that machine.
#8 - Chip storage and cleanup is a constant problem for me. So I keep a big trash can for steel and another for aluminium, and I keep smaller waste baskets for brass, copper, bronze, stainless, and cast iron. I vacuum and clean up chips only when the job is done or when the rats nest gets out of control. I have a dedicated dust pan and brush and a big magnet for doing that. When I'm done that, I use a small shop vacuum with replaceable buckets for the chip type. This is a project in progress in and of itself. I don't like the little vacuum I got for this purpose so I'm planning an interim cannister system instead. When I'm done a specific metal cleanup, I do a deep clean and sweep with a regular mixed chip and dirt trash can destination. The LAST THING I would ever do is do a deep clean before closing up shop for the night. It's a total complete waste of time. Between jobs yes, between sleeps, no way. Little jobs might not get cleaned up at all if the swarf volume is low enough to just mix with other low volume swarf jobs and get turfed in a trash bag instead of recycled.
#9 - I always keep my latest greatest projects out in the open for several months and I even decorate the room(s) with them. NOTHING can replace the endorphins that get released when you spot something walking by that you did that you are proud of. A spare surface is a great place for completed projects too! One can never have too many surfaces!
#10 - I try not to put big storage racks against a wall. Instead I try to locate them so both sides are accessible. If they allow it, I can also stack them because my ceiling is high enough.
#11 - I deliberately try to get rid of anything that looks like a plain old decoration. Decorations have no connection to who I am. I only keep things that are important to me. That way, I am always happy to be who I am and do what I do.
#12 - I try to put big stuff at the back of drawers and shelves so they don't hide little stuff. I can do that because I am quite strong. If I had a bad back, I'd prolly reverse that logic because my health trumps tool search time.
#13 - There is no such thing as general usage, or unimportant, or garbage tools. All tools deserve equal respect. The only tool that I am willing to dump are the gizmos and gadgets I've collected over the years where my bare hands do a better job. I always try to gift these to someone less gifted.
#14 - Everything and anything that is heavy and gets moved from time to time should be on wheels that are designed to roll well on the floor. The older I get, the more important this becomes. The only exception to that is things where the functionality might be compromised by putting them on wheels - eg lathes, shapers, surface grinders, mills, etc.
#15 - Large heavy tools are both the blessing and curse of every tool guy. I try to give them the respect they deserve by organizing them first. I always start with big and heavy and work my way down to small to maximize space efficiency.
#16 - I try to group stuff in my shop by application in a dedicated area - woodworking, metal working, electronics, lawn care, recreation, automotive, farm stuff. But sometimes space requirements trump application. I just accept that and I don't fuss over it.
#17 - I never give anything away just to get rid of it unless I acquired a newer or much better one. Murphy's Law says the day after its gone, I will need it again. I do give things away when I feel like it will be appreciated by someone else more than myself though. And sometimes just to make someone else happy.
#18 - I always try to put things where my mind can best locate them. Quite often that's based on a location. I have what I would call a great spacial memory. My mind is 3D not 2D. I don't remember data points like names and numbers and spots. Instead, I remember relative locations, relationships, dependancies, 3D things and relative things. That why a piling system is so much more effective for me than a filing system. I graduated at the top of my engineering class. Not because I had a great memory, but because I understood things and related them to each other. I didn't try to remember a formula. Instead I tried to understand the formula so I could develop it from first principles when I needed it. Quite often it turned out that I didn't need it at all.
Rule #19 - See rule #1 - There are no rules!
I think it always helps if I try to accept that I am not you and you are not me. You are unique and so am I. We all do what works for us and that's ok!
I couldn’t agree more. A cm of dirt spread over my workshop is a mess. Take that same volume and spread it over a football field and it’s good enough to eat off IMO.
You realize that 42 is the answer to life, the universe and everything… So you have achieved nirvana.
I just got another three 8’ LED strip lights with lenses for my workshop. Before I could have done brain surgery with the amount of light. Now I could do brain surgery on myself. It’s SO nice to have adequate lighting, especially with aging eyes.
Yeah, you say that. But you have a list of guiding principles too…LOL. It’s just that tidying up is written in very small font.
It makes sense to me that you don’t want to have things like pictures, say a picture of Jennifer Lopez, taking up valuable space in the workshop. Me, I think having her on the ceiling looking down at me like a bronzed angel that has a generous helping of junk in the trunk, is a worthwhile trade off. Especially with adequate lighting.
My wife wants EVERYTHING in cupboards with doors on them. Drives me nuts. It does make sense from making it easier to clean, but it’s a workshop not an operating room. Still, I’ll probably build some cupboards since that will allow me to cram even more stuff into the space.
Well, you got me on a lot of that.
I was very careful to make sure folks knew they were MY guiding principles, not rules that I think others should follow. I think that's a very important distinction.
I'm not sure tidying up is there at all let alone in fine print.
I'm no fan of Lopez, but make that Gina Lolabridgida and you have my attention. There is a problem though. My wife is the jealous type. A photo like that in my shop might cause a fire. As usual though, there was a reason I mentioned that. Every once in a while my bride plans a social event in my shop. She hangs girly crap from the ceiling, cleans up, decorates, and invites a hundred women in there for a party of some kind - baby shower, bridal shower, family reunion, christening, or whatever! I absolutely totally hate that! Nuff said!
Maybe not mentioned but in my shop spaces the transition is about to begin. I’m waiting on the local distributor to get back to me about ordering my first sets.
I had decided to gradually change all my legacy T12s over to T8s as the ballasts went but I think I’ve been overtaken by technology so it’s going to be direct wired LEDs instead whenever a ballast goes because that’s now less costly.
The gradual transition will also let me evaluate how well the LEDs with lower advertised lumen levels direct the light and whether the tube count per area will have to change.
I’m all ears for other’s experience!
Oh, the shop organization thread is interesting!
D
I agree. Taking up wall space with even charts much less babe photos is a non-starter for me. I don't have enough room as it is. But a babe on the LinuxCNC screen normally hidden behind the LCNC screen is alright.
140mower
Don
I converted to led 5-6 years ago, considering my reluctance to embrace technology, I just assumed that everyone else had already done so. Woo-hoo, look at me..... Cutting edge
Seriously though, probably the best shop money I have spent to date.
I
Added a wall of steel cabinets - a couple full-height, a 6' length of countertop with drawers and rolling drawers below and upper cabinets above. It's amazing the difference this has made to keeping the space tidier and less-often used items clean. I'm not going back.
140mower
Don
Pretty sure I went crazy a year or two back, I doubt that I am coming back either.....
Team chaos for the win here....
jgimp69
Well-Known Member
Last edited:
Thankyou for posting the photo! I’ve seen those in offices but didn’t realize a more sturdy version was available that was suitable for workshops.
I have two tool cabinets which have the lift up doors. Except that they have a support across the front so they’re essentially useless. One day I’ll make a pull out drawer (though they are being eyed for purging…)