Tips/Techniques Workshop Organization- things that have made a difference for you

[Ironman]

Remember when swearing at bikes that you're the one driving the 3 ton death machine. It helps to keep things in perspective.

I know most of the 2 wheeled A**holes are out to make a political statement.
It does not matter what a machine weighs. I have had the experience in your province, of 10 of them riding abreast across both lanes. I laid on the airhorn for minutes til they could not stand it and let me through. My co-driver opened the door and booted one of them in the helmet as we pulled through the opened spot. I was proud of him.

 

[Tom O]

Did he yell “ Tag your it pass it on “

 

[Janger]

And I won't have a shop at the new place for likely 6 months down the road!

No. don't do that. Change priorities.

 

[Janger]

Label everything. ( this even gives you an excuse to buy an engraving machine, laser engraver, or small cnc router)

or a 3d printer with filament changer. :>

 

[Janger]

View attachment 40265

for once the image failure problem with the forum is only half bad.

 

[Janger]

Why aren't more of us in the shop instead of on the forum? One reason in Calgary is I have had to shovel 4 times today so far and probably should do it again. Here is the snow accumulation. For those out east it's not 3m but a foot is a lot here.

 

[ChazzC]

Why aren't more of us in the shop instead of on the forum? One reason in Calgary is I have had to shovel 4 times today so far and probably should do it again. Here is the snow accumulation. For those out east it's not 3m but a foot is a lot here.

The first year we lived in “GHA” (Greater Hershey Area ) I shoveled the same drifted corner of our driveway 4 times so my wife would be able to get to the garage (garage was under the main living area and the doors were at a right angle to the sloped driveway down from the road). Drifting was up to 3’ deep, and IIRC I calculated that I moved 2,000 - 3,000 lbs. out of the corner plus another 500 lbs. off the driveway.

Immediately after Christmas we brought a snow blower that could maneuver the steep driveway. I only used it a couple of times that year as it turned out a local farmer would make before dawn visits to the homes in our little neighborhood with his backhoe (and you couldn’t get him to take even gas money).

 

[Elektrishun]

Having the things you need with a place to keep them without it being a pain to get to.

Starts with sawhorses made from leftover fence boards. I think these sawhorses are going to be almost 20 years old soon:

I built these to "lock" open (locking mechanism made from scrap pieces of solid maple):

Door hinges so they can fold-up after:

Now I can use the saw horses to make a quick light duty work table (gaps at top of saw horse allows 2"x2" to drop in between for easy set-up and the 2"x4" gives the 1/4" ply some added support):

Next, a fold-up out frame which is normally covered with poly to create a small "paint booth" for spray painting small items (complete with a board above for hanging items and a rotating table for other paint items):

When done it all folds up and stands in a corner:

 

[Elektrishun]

Scroll saw hideaway using heavy duty drawer slides, a roller stand for extra support, a rotating table, and magnets to lock it in place:

Surprisingly solid set-up.

Looks like I have to make a small laminate repair...

 

[MashingMetal]

This TV support made into a lathe shelf has been really handy, no more tools in the chip tray. I am sure lots of you have these.

 

[MrWhoopee]

Why aren't more of us in the shop instead of on the forum? One reason in Calgary is I have had to shovel 4 times today so far and probably should do it again. Here is the snow accumulation. For those out east it's not 3m but a foot is a lot here.

Aside from clearing the front steps, it has to be over a foot before I consider the shovel or the plow. The shovel doesn't see much use. I've discovered that, if you just leave it alone, the snow will eventually melt. People are just so impatient. The path from the house to the shop just gets packed, and sanded if necessary.

 

[ChazzC]

I've discovered that, if you just leave it alone, the snow will eventually melt. People are just so impatient.

That may work for you (and it’s what they do in Denver & Savannah), but not so much when the temperature doesn’t get much above freezing for weeks at a time.

 

[Lucky7]

Since I’ve been shamelessly stealing ideas from this thread, thought I’d better contribute something. When I built my shop 20 years ago I tried not to repeat the mistakes from previous small garages. Ceiling is 12’ tall to give adequate hook height for crane and allows for vertical storage. Second thing is I stopped trying to build all my storage cabinets. During the financial crisis of 2008, Vidmars came up cheap (well, cheaper…) at auction. Got six. Best thing I’ve done for my shop.

 

[jcdammeyer]

Since I’ve been shamelessly stealing ideas from this thread, thought I’d better contribute something. When I built my shop 20 years ago I tried not to repeat the mistakes from previous small garages. Ceiling is 12’ tall to give adequate hook height for crane and allows for vertical storage. Second thing is I stopped trying to build all my storage cabinets. During the financial crisis of 2008, Vidmars came up cheap (well, cheaper…) at auction. Got six. Best thing I’ve done for my shop.

How fast do you have to be going to get the bicycles to climb the wall into their parking spots. Do you start at the bottom of the driveway and pedal like made or do you live at the bottom of a steep hill?

 

[Lucky7]

I live in Winnipeg. What is this thing you call ‘hill’?

 

[Elektrishun]

That may work for you (and it’s what they do in Denver & Savannah), but not so much when the temperature doesn’t get much above freezing for weeks at a time.

Several days this winter I have spent 2-3 hours shovelling.

The other day I ran into the postman while shovelling. He said most of the people on my street are lazy when it comes to clearing a path.

Peaking over top of that pile is the kid's playhouse and our garden shed. Slowly starting to run out of room as I try to keep a buffer between the snow piles and the house.

 

[David]

View attachment 59412

Several days this winter I have spent 2-3 hours shovelling.

The other day I ran into the postman while shovelling. He said most of the people on my street are lazy when it comes to clearing a path.

Peaking over top of that pile is the kid's playhouse and our garden shed. Slowly starting to run out of room as I try to keep a buffer between the snow piles and the house.

I remember those days. In the late 70’s I lived in the Eastern Townships and at the beginning of winter I would shovel 8’ clear on either side of the driveway so that by the end of winter I’d be able to keep the driveway clear.

 

[slow-poke]

I live in Winnipeg. What is this thing you call ‘hill’?

I learned to downhill ski on the Winnipeg Floodway "Hill"

Somehow it looked bigger when I was much smaller and first time on skis. Later we graduated to the Rockies;-)

 

[Ironman]

Why aren't more of us in the shop instead of on the forum? One reason in Calgary is I have had to shovel 4 times today so far and probably should do it again. Here is the snow accumulation. For those out east it's not 3m but a foot is a lot here.

Hey...quit hoggin' the snow, we need it up here. I've only started the front end loader once this winter

 

[Arbutus]

Keeping the stockroom organised made a huge difference in my shop. Longer stock, up to 40" is kept in these.

They are made from baltic birch plywood with heavy duty urethane casters. I have four like this for aluminum, steels, plastics and misc stuff.

Shorter pieces and offcuts up to 18" are kept in a horizontal rack above, with the materials marked. Mystery metal goes in a different bin.

The middle drawers are on heavy duty slides. These hold smaller offcuts and useful salvaged bits.