"Messy" Vs. "Organized" shop

WV Sawmiller · August 27, 2020, 11:26:14 AM

Mine is kind of like the old saying "If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind what is an empty desk a sign of?"

sawguy21 · August 27, 2020, 01:40:05 PM

I no longer have a shop DanG it but it was a challenge when I did. I tried to keep it reasonably neat, I really did, but 'projects' kept showing up. "You have a shop and tools! Cool!! I have a whatzit that don't run" and floor space vanished. Or I would find something at a yard sale or auction, chainsaws were the worst addiction. When I packed it up for the movee I found 6 tape measures, an assortment of screwdrivers and ignition wrenches and a partridge in a pear tree.

YellowHammer · August 27, 2020, 07:40:35 PM

Quote from: WV Sawmiller on August 27, 2020, 11:26:14 AM
Mine is kind of like the old saying "If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind what is an empty desk a sign of?"

An empty desk, or mind, is organized. As long as the drawers are full, it's all good. :D

Ljohnsaw · August 31, 2020, 12:37:03 AM

I have been working on putting things were they belong as soon as I'm done with a tool or material. A tough habit to form! My biggest problem is I keep collecting tools and stuff. I "upgraded" my old Craftsman 8" saw to a 10" a short while back. The biggest benefit was the old Powermatic table I was gifted was the same depth as the "new" saw table. Butted up to one wing extension and the main table, I have about a 4 foot wide top. But the fence could only be locked in position to give a maximum width cut of about 19 inches to the right of the blade. Kind of a pain to cut plywood panels. My latest vice of bidding on stuff on BidRL paid off. I got a Delta 36 T30 fence for 1/4 the Amazon price. I installed it this afternoon (not made to fit my setup!) and I'm pretty happy with it so far. I now have 41.5" between the blade and the fence!

You can see some of my messy shop in the background.

The whole system is supposed to be a bit farther to the left so the scale is useless at this point. I need to buy a new set of stick on scales. The little outfeed table has two rollers on it and it folds up and stores hanging from the ceiling. I now need to make another for the extended width I can cut now.

The fence has this flip over thing that is supposed to make it easier and safer to rip smaller items. I don't see how that is supposed to be any better. Can anyone comment?

aigheadish · December 23, 2020, 02:54:49 PM

While the shop isn't big enough to lose a kid in (not to mention my kids are noisy!) and it being a work in progress it's still a mess, but I'm trying to get better with it. My first real project in the shop had cords and dust collection hoses running all over, with a cord that was stretched about a foot and a half in the air. Well, I hopped over it a bunch of times, successfully, then one time, last weekend, I tripped over it and fractured (barely) my kneecap as it slammed into the concrete floor. My wife was out straightening up within about 10 minutes.

My shop space, prior to building this new one, was about 8 feet wide and 10 feet long before, so it was a lot of moving this to get to that and stayed very cluttered and messy. The picture below was mid-move into the new shop.

I've since acquired some shelving and reorganized things a couple times (all within the past month!), it's getting better and I'm getting more disciplined to put things away. I find it much easier on my soul to look at the place where the thing should be and it's there, than to dig through all kinds of junk to maybe find something.

I will say that so far I do a pretty fair job of vacuuming sawdust.

Tom King · December 23, 2020, 04:30:35 PM

Quote from: gspren on August 22, 2020, 08:32:34 PM
Does anyone else have too many buildings, not too much space, just too many separate buildings? I don't do any fancy woodwork but in my barn I do have a radial arm saw and drill press that are stationary but also 100 ft away in my first pole building I keep most of my power hand tools and mechanic tools but 200 yards away in my newer pole building where I keep the RV and lawn mower I sometimes need the disc grinder or some wrenches and things seem to be where I used them last which isn't where I need them now and I don't always remember where I used them last.

Raises hand.

btulloh · December 23, 2020, 04:58:05 PM

Count me in for too many buildings. And then some. Spend a lot of time going back and forth to get stuff even though I've tried to set them up with their own tools. Just can't duplicate everything. Gonna consolidate with new big multi purpose building in a year or so.

51cub · December 23, 2020, 05:20:22 PM

When I moved I lost a 24 x 24 garage, an attic, and a cellar. Now all of that is in a shipping container and an old deer camp. I have to keep collecting because my hobbies are all about things they don't make anymore, so if I don't get something, the odds get even higher against ever finding one. I don't lose kids, but only because I issue tool checks, just like in the coal mine. When you go in, hang a check on the board, and pick it up again on your way out

51cub · December 23, 2020, 05:31:26 PM

Quote from: Crusarius on August 17, 2020, 12:27:10 PM

Woohooo!!! Will I be famous?

Cmon, you know the deal. A years supply of Cfarm brand grits

doc henderson · December 23, 2020, 07:44:53 PM

Quote from: ljohnsaw on August 31, 2020, 12:37:03 AMThe fence has this flip over thing that is supposed to make it easier and safer to rip smaller items. I don't see how that is supposed to be any better. Can anyone comment?

Yes, you now have room for your hand and fingers between the fence and the blade. I have a 2 position fence. one tall, and one about 1/4 inch. i use the short one for most everything. and for sure for narrow cuts on thin pieces. your hand (or push stick) has room on top of the flip over piece to push the work piece. be safe!

aigheadish · December 23, 2020, 09:26:30 PM

Thanks doc, I was wondering too!

dougtrr2 · December 24, 2020, 07:48:34 AM

Doc,
I bought a Unisaw with the Unifence back in the late 80's. The Unifence sounds like the fence you described. I rarely flipped it to use the low portion. But your post gave me one of those forehead slapping "Doh" revelations. I will definitely be flipping my fence more often now.

Doug in SW IA

terrifictimbersllc · December 24, 2020, 08:17:49 AM

Somebody's got a picture of the low fence?

doc henderson · December 24, 2020, 09:16:38 AM

not the best pic, but I am at work. you see a ink pen in the top. groove and that is how it would fasten to the base to have the tall side up. the tall side is flat against the table saw. the short side is against the wood, that is being cut and is 3/4 inch thick. there is lots of room to the right of the wood. it allow my push stick to move to the right, and not be trapped between a tall fence and the blade. I will post better pics later. this one was in my gallary.

doc henderson · December 24, 2020, 09:18:44 AM

it is a unifence, and there are blade tooth marks on the tall side when a "friend" slid it into the moving blade making an adjustment.

couple more pics I found, it is always in the low fence position, unless needed to be taller. You can see the blade set to cut 3/4 stock into 1/4 inch strips. chewed up a wood push stick. had to cut a new bottom on it. all my fingers are intact.

the 1/4 inch thick dividers in the front and sides. Helping my barber Frank make jewelry boxes

Lostinmn · December 24, 2020, 10:24:32 AM

Albert Einstein said "If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?"

Same goes for shops? :D

Texas Ranger · December 24, 2020, 12:23:40 PM

Doc Henderson, I could walk into your shop and think I was home, except for the stair way. I save a lot of useless wood for "future projects" that probably should go in the Franklyn.

doc henderson · December 24, 2020, 06:02:46 PM

they can always go in the stove later, but cannot use them if they are burned up. I tell folks, if Einstein was a genius and had a messy desk, than at least I am pretty smart!