Smart Shop tips!

[buck12]

Hoping a bunch of us will chime in here with their tips. I have a bunch...

Get in the habit of putting your tools away when finished for the day. Label your tool box drawers and put them where they belong. Takes a little discipline but once you get in the habit you will save yourself lots of time and aggravation. Some say it is **** but it really works, especially as you acquire more and more tools. Now it is second nature and I rarely have a cluttered workspace and I never search for the tool I am looking for. Except for a tape measure. Got four or five laying around but never where I need one.
:confused3:

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My shop is always a mess with various projects in various stages but my tools are always put up before I head to the house. That is just the way I have always done it. I hate to have to look for a tool.

 

[fireemann]

I had a wise old man once tell me to never create flat surfaces in a garage. I kind of looked at him weird. He took me to his garage and showed me what he was working on. He had a work bench that was probably 30 ft long in the back of his shop and multiple wooden shelves. All of which were cluttered with anything and everything. He then showed me his newest project. He created a 3ft x 5ft metal workbench that had a tool box under it and was mounted on wheels. On the back of it had peg board for mounting tools.
I stopped out 2 weeks later and he had a roll off dumpster sitting in front of the garage that was nearly full. He had thrown away close to 30 years of accumulation including the big work bench and the wooden shelves. He had to purchase another tool box for the rest of his tools and one storage cabinet for what he kept. Now his garage is wide open and he wheels his workbench to his project.

 

[dragoneggs]

Almost everything in my shop is on wheels. All my 'stationary' tools as well. About the only things that are not on wheels are my compact bender which is lagged into the cement floor (do wish I could move it as it doesn't get enough use to deserve the real estate), my sink (due to obvious reasons), and my heavy solid hardwood workbench. I need it to be rock solid when I lean on it or bump it and it is! I have yet to find a way to put something on wheels that will not budge under a side load.

 

[dragoneggs]

I have 5- 10lb. extinguishers, one 5lb. (on my L48), and one 20 lb. In my primary work/storage building.
Both the one in the back of shop view above, and the OP extinguisher view, appear to be the black plastic handle type.
If so...that is not good!
Plastic grips have been known to fail, when an extinguisher is really needed.

Hey fried, you made me look. They are indeed metal handles painted black. :dance1:

 

[dragoneggs]

Invest in some cushioned mats and place in front of your most used tools/work stations. I don't know about you, but standing on concrete, especially cold concrete is tough for me. I used to use the mats with holes in them (still have them) but they are a pain to vacuum and clean. I prefer the softer solid ones and even though they are tapered, I pick them up to roll things about.

My lathe is buried at the right if anyone is wondering why the two mats.

 

[Big Barn]

Invest in some cushioned mats and place in front of your most used tools/work stations. I don't know about you, but standing on concrete, especially cold concrete is tough for me. I used to use the mats with holes in them (still have them) but they are a pain to vacuum and clean. I prefer the softer solid ones and even though they are tapered, I pick them up to roll things about.

My lathe is buried at the right if anyone is wondering why the two mats.

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[dragoneggs]

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I have those mats too. Definitely better in contact with solvents and oils and not as slippery as the solid ones can be depending on what is spilled.

 

[Wagtail]

Invest in some cushioned mats and place in front of your most used tools/work stations.

Alternatively, you can readily purchase from hardware/tool shops (etc...) rolls of 'non-skid' tape. You can lay strips down in front of your workbench or any other area where secure footing is (or may be) required. The stuff that I put down is in yellow/black 'caution' colour/pattern.

I also put 'black' non-skid strips along the leading edge (about 1" in) of all of the wooden steps of the stairs in my house.

 

[dalola]

Great thread!

This is not really a "tip" per say, but something I did recently that I was so impressed with, and wished I had done sooner right after I did it! I replaced all my 8' florescent light tubes with LED's. Holy cow, what a difference! About a third the electricity right off the bat. Then add in no more "humming", no more cold start flicker, and way better light quality.

It's a sizable financial hit up front for quality US made LED's, but if you spend a lot of time in your shop, it is a must-have IMO. Money well spent.

 

[ovrszd]

I purchased my first automatic helmet in 2001,, and replaced it in 2019,, the battery never failed during those years,,
and,, the helmet was always stored in the dark blue Miller bag that the helmet came with,,

My new helmet was purchased last year, and did not come with a bag,, my wife made me one,,
it has pockets for gloves, welding sleeves, and welding glasses,,

So, I guess I will never leave the helmet out,,
I would rather the helmet not be covered with shop dust when I need to use it,,

Also, for the last 30 years, I have used the leather helmet apron, that you can see clipped on the helmet in the picture.

No need to button the top button of your shirt to protect your neck,,
and, it is sure nice not having sparks fly down the front of your shirt,,,

And your toolbag colors rock!!!!! Looks like something my wife would do for me. She'd be all excited about the color choice and eagerly ask me if I like it? I'd be like, yeah, it's okay...