How does your shop look at the end of a project?

[tdubnik]

I hate to admit it but I am not a very good hosekeeper in the middle of a project. It seems that everything I use while I'm building winds up on a benchtop, the floor or on top of another tool. Every time I start something new I think that I'm going to do better but every time I wind up in the same place. I do clean up between projects but that usually takes the better part of a day to accomplish.

Next time I'm going to do better!!!!

[8iowa]

There are two basic housekeeping problems; clutter and wood dust & chips. The first requires storage solutions ( we never seem to have enough storage) and the latter can be controlled. Since I finish in the same room that I cut in, I have the DC3300 dust collector, a FEIN turbo vac, and and in the U.P., an air cleaner mounted on the ceiling.

In Gainesville, I only have 194 sq ft with very little wall space. Compounding the storage problem is the fact that one "wall" is the garage door, which is useless for storage. I am getting very good use out of a Craftsman tool cabinet which can store a lot of blades, tools, and accessories in a compact space. It is also mobile. I also have more of the smaller accessories stored in four of the red Shopsmith tool cabinets which were discontinued a couple of years ago. Thus I have almost everything I use with frequency in a compact space of only about 6 sq ft, and of course in a very small shop the drawers are only a step or two away. For the limited wall space that I have, I prefer shelves rather than cabinets. Shelves are more versitile.

My wife also has a quilting machine in the garage, so wood dust is not tolerated. The DC3300 does a good job on the Shopsmith tools and the turbo vac can be connected to my orbital sander so that dust is sucked up during the sanding operation. I'm still trying to find a place to mount a ceiling air cleaner, and hopefully I can solve that problem soon.

Even in my very small Gainesville shop I can always find ways to improve. The trouble is that we tend to become comfortable in our "inefficiency" and are reluctant to change.

[shipwright]

tdubnik

First let me compliment you on your lovely tidy shop. I find that it's not the availability of storage space or the ease of reaching it that creates the problem. It's the worker. Some people can tolerate, and are very comfortable with, a very high degree of chaos. Others, not so much. Personally, I am one of the former. My usual m.o. is to clean up when the job is finished or when the chaos starts to restrict my ability to work, which ever comes first. In a large shop, it can get pretty chaotic. I always know where I left things and I don't leave little blocks, etc. on the floor where they could be a safety concern, but as far as horizontal surfaces go, by the time cleanup time arrives they are all completely covered...sometimes to a considerable depth. Some may see this as intolerable mess, a safety risk, or just plain sloppy but I'm very comfortable with my chaos and my projects don't suffer. I think the reason I'm like this is that once I start something there is an excitement about seeing it finished and I can't bear to put it off any longer than absolutely necessary. I'm like a kid in a candy store. When I stop being this excited about my projects, I think I'll clean up the shop and put a for sale sign on it.

Paul M

[dusty]

Shortly into any project, my shop looks as though it could be declared a national disaster area. I have designated locations for most of what is in my shop but during a project when something is taken out of its area it never gets back until major cleanup. It gets really bad. Things like allen wrenches, I have multiples so as to not create a "stop work while I find...." situation. Even then I occasionally run out of multiples...at which time I stop work and put everything back.

[JPG]

Shortly into any project, my shop looks as though it could be declared a national disaster area. I have designated locations for most of what is in my shop but during a project when something is taken out of its area it never gets back until major cleanup. It gets really bad. Things like allen wrenches, I have multiples so as to not create a "stop work while I find...." situation. Even then I occasionally run out of multiples...at which time I stop work and put everything back.

Methinks you also put things back prior to any picture taking!:D

Since acquiring a DC last week, I have begun to find the floor again(also all those nuts washers setscrews etc.** that the sawdust/debris ate). Progress comes slow(have to put away all those things rediscovered) but to say it is worth it is an understatement. I seem to be somewhat of a kindred spirit to Shipwright (in this respect at least) except I think my tolerance level is at least 2 Logarithmic units greater!

I have tried a shopvac for that task, but it always sucked up all those things I was looking for(see list above**). The DC 3300 does not!!!! It is pickey about what it will lift off the floor. Sawdust, debris, papertowels(waddedup) but leaves the heavier stuff behind so ya kin pick it up and put it away.

Now to remove all the stuff(lathe chisel sets acquired but not examined or sharpened or used and other items that needed a 'temporary resting spot') from under the Goldie and Power Station so I can get to the (see list above**) stuff that is hidden under it(them).

Sorry no pix! There may be children of an impressionable age(under 60) that may be marred for life as a result of gazing upon such a dastardly condition a 'work area' can be left to descend into!:D

Yes Ralph, efficiency is down the tubes, but Anything that prolongs a 'fun' activity cannot be all bad!:rolleyes:

[stevespix]

After a project my shop looks like a bomb went-off in it. The bigger the project the bigger the mess and more tools that are out. It usually takes about a half day clean-up between projects--I can't start a project with a messy shop I have to have all my tools in the proper place and ready to go. Once in a great while if the mess is too much my wife will help with the clean-up especially if it is priority project for her. You never seem to have enough storage space and my wife wants to throw everything away afer a project and I keep it because you always need the item you throw out at some point.

[JPG]

After a project my shop looks like a bomb went-off in it. The bigger the project the bigger the mess and more tools that are out. It usually takes about a half day clean-up between projects--I can't start a project with a messy shop I have to have all my tools in the proper place and ready to go. Once in a great while if the mess is too much my wife will help with the clean-up especially if it is priority project for her. You never seem to have enough storage space and my wife wants to throw everything away afer a project and I keep it because you always need the item you throw out at some point.

That will work in 'Serial' mode. Never been there!!!;)

[robinson46176]

tdubnik-My usual m.o. is to clean up when the job is finished
Paul M

No wonder my shop is such a mess... I just start projects... I never finish them.

[JPG]

No wonder my shop is such a mess... I just start projects... I never finish them.

Parallel mode just keeps growing doesn't it?;)

[easterngray]

I also am of the clean up when I'm finished with the project school. Now that I have the saw guard upgraded my dust collection should be much better. I have a DC300 and a shopvac so now there is no excuse to be knee deep in sawdust. Soon I am going to insulate the shop and I intend to put up some pegboard. That should help with the bench top clutter. Alec