Must Have Shop Items

[dragoneggs]

Must have?

Absolutely... and a CNC for your plasma cutter too!

 

[ovrszd]

Absolutely... and a CNC for your plasma cutter too!

Yep .

 

[Jaylegger]

It's ever evolving. You covered the basics well. Whatever it takes to finish the project buy it. There maybe a point where you're selling off as much as your buying. That said, small parts/nuts/bolts bins are a must, decent low profile jack, pneumatic rolling seat, any type of welder, more receptacles and lighting than your think you can get by with...and most importantly a comfortable chair to sit back and enjoy a few beer. If you're older having many sets of reading glasses strewn around the shop will prove to be invaluable.

 

[dragoneggs]

It's ever evolving. You covered the basics well. Whatever it takes to finish the project buy it. There maybe a point where you're selling off as much as your buying. That said, small parts/nuts/bolts bins are a must, decent low profile jack, pneumatic rolling seat, any type of welder, more receptacles and lighting than your think you can get by with...and most importantly a comfortable chair to sit back and enjoy a few beer. If you're older having many sets of reading glasses strewn around the shop will prove to be invaluable.

My two car garage/shop is full and I mean full! I can barely get around and do have most everything on wheels. I just put my 6in jointer on Craigslist because I want to upgrade to an 8in. Just realized the 8in bed is quite a bit longer than my 6in bed and it's not gonna fit in the same spot. Now I have more re-org to do to shoehorn in another tool! :banghead: Man, I need a bigger shop!!! :hissyfit:

 

[mapper]

Too much to list, my shop is mostly oriented towards woodworking. I have been adhering to the first rule of projects for many years: Every project requires at least one new tool.
Many of my friends wives have not appreciated me sharing this with them, my wife has been very understanding and has benefited from this over the years.

 

[Jaylegger]

Man, I need a bigger shop!!! :hissyfit:

That pretty much sums it up.

 

[grsthegreat]

Absolutely... and a CNC for your plasma cutter too!

Now that I have

 

[Doofy]

Don't forget eye protection and make it a habit using it. Full face shields for any grinding chores.

 

[Big Barn]

Don't forget eye protection and make it a habit using it. Full face shields for any grinding chores.

Good one

 

[buck12]

My single best shop related item I have is my Montazuma triangle toolbox. My rural property is 45 minutes from home. Before buying this toolbox I constantly need a tool that was at home in my shop. Since buying this toolbox I have assembled a second set of tools. The toolbox stays in my old truck I take to the property. I also keep my chainsaw and cordless tools in that truck. Now rarely do I not have the tool I need.

 

[Jaylegger]

Don't forget eye protection and make it a habit using it. Full face shields for any grinding chores.

Good one

Agree and why I retired a couple wheel grinders for a belt. Still have one that I go full face shield for when needed,. Seen way too many Occupational health and safety videos "when things go bad" to feel comfortable using consumer level gear.

 

[radios1]

Don't forget eye protection and make it a habit using it. Full face shields for any grinding chores.

and safety glasses under the full face shield!. I read that is a must..

 

[Big Barn]

I might add that safety glasses and face shields should be kept clean. No need for all you guys who rely on bifocals getting fingers cut off.

 

[Doofy]

I find that I am always using my heat gun and Dremel rotary tool.

 

[Citydude]

A creeper ( not the meth head that lives down by the river in a van) for those of us that don’t have a lift.

 

[RalphVa]

Thought it might be interesting to see what everyone considers must have items for a shop to be useful. Of course some of us are far beyond the minimal requrements to get things done, I'll start off with what I'd consider minimum, and why it's necessary.

Power - You really need to have power available to run a drill or battery charger, much less any of the other necessities.

Air - If nothing else, just being able to air up a tire or blow off an piece of equipment, compressed air is a must. Depending on capacity, you'll soon have an abundance of cheap, but surprisingly good, air tools for all kinds of tasks.

Hydraulic press - You can pick up a press pretty reasonably, and can often snag one off craigslist that's perfectly fine. The ability to press a bearing on, or separate something that doesn't want to come apart will quickly pay for itself vs. lost time and taking it somewhere that can.

Fairly sturdy workbench - Can be temporary if need be, I was driving along and saw a stack of free house doors on the curb. Loaded them up and stripped the hardware, they make a great extra table on some sawhorses for laying out bigger projects, and if you need to nail on some stops for fixtureing it won't hurt as much as defiling your main bench.

Vise - Sooner or later you'll run out of hands, or need to bend or squeeze something. Plus, the vise won't curse if you hit it with a hammer.

Tools - End wrenches, sockets, pliers and screwdrivers for what you mostly work on, of course. Drill bits, tap and die sets, torx drives are just about must haves anymore. A universal puller, they will do most of what needs pulled, and HF has one that isn't that expensive.

Assortments - These are absolutely wonderful. Nothing irks me more than not having some simple thing to finish up a project due to loss or breakage. Grease fitting, snap rings, woodruff keys, automotive fuses, roll pins, O-rings,there is a kit for it. Some extra hardware, like nuts, bolts and washers.

There's probably more; what motivated me to do this thread was all the posts where people ask how to do something; we all approach the answer from what we have to work with. There is working in the dirt with a bent screwdriver and broken pair of pliers to having a 3 phase Bridgeport and multiple two post lifts, most of us fall somewhere in the middle. What do you consider mus have items?

You need a grinder with some reasonable amount of power, maybe both stationary and portable. Think you want a Vice, not someone's vise.

Ralph

 

[Big Barn]

A creeper ( not the meth head that lives down by the river in a van) for those of us that don’t have a lift.

LOL. THAT gave ME a lift.

 

[Big Barn]

Think you want a Vice, not someone's vise.

Ralph

 

[ovrszd]

View attachment 645104

I see 7 in the background!!!!!

 

[Doofy]

I see 7 in the background!!!!!

Now, I am envious. I have never been able to afford a decent vise and you have a fine crop.:thumbsup: