YATST - yet another tiny shop post

[AndyBarnhart]

In case anyone took this as a recommendation, after receieving them I am disappointed!

They are very poorly constructed and arrived in bad shape:

http://s43.photobucket.com/albums/e3...view=slideshow

I think they will actually be usable, but not worth the money. On the plus side, when I complained they filed a claim with UPS saying that was all shipping damage and said they would send new ones. I don't think it was shipping damage and told them so (boxes are fine) but they filed anyway. I was to hold on to the boxes and products in the condition they arrived for 5 business days, which ended yesterday, so that UPS could photograph them and/or pick them up. After the 5 days, I am free to throw them away or do what I want with them. UPS never contacted me. I repaired them last night. There were broken dowels that I had to replace (the tiniest ones I have ever seen; I made replacements from pieces of a small wooden skewer) and there are a couple of surface defects that I really can't fix properly, but glued the chips down so they won't get worse. So I am feeling no guilt about this; I may end up with an extra set, but it involved a lot of effort on my part and they are anything but new and perfect.

Originally Posted by AndyBarnhart

One thing we have come up with is that I need a bunch of shallow drawers for carving and other hand tools. This frees up the large drawers to hold (gasp ) large things. Whodathunkit?

I ordered two of these:
http://www.homestorageconcepts.com/i...d%20Finish.htm
That place currently has the best price; I found more info and better pictures elsewhere. I wanted a map chest (just missed one at the thrift store) but didn't want to pay hundreds of dollars. These drawers are sturdy enough (paper is heavy). In a little over 2 cu ft, I will have over 10 sq ft of surface area. This will free up quite a bit of space in deep drawers or on shelves. I am using drawers and shelves in a horribly inefficient manner right now, especially the deep and/or tall shelves. I have way too much airspace in my cabinets.

I only have one very short extension cord on the floor to a freestanding bench. The cord is the heavy duty flat kind and I have it in one of those rubber casings that lets stuff roll over it.

Oddly enough, I am adding a small bench - a carving bench on a pedestal (bar table base). It takes up very little space because I can place it near a cabinet without blocking the door. When I mallet carve, I tend to shake stuff off the bench, so nothing could spend much time on the benchtop, even if there was room. I am not talking about using the main bench for general storage; I mean other tools, plans, pencils, etc, that are part of what I am working on.

Tossing stuff is a big part of this also.

[maomoonshiner]

I'm assuming you have wood storage...?

If not, here's an idea. My 'shop' is tucked in my enormous bedroom, giving me about 100 feet square of sealed-away-from-normal-bedroom work space. I keep wood horizontally suspended overhead, after its seasoned itself a good bit in the shed out back. The suspensions cover about as much area on the ceiling as does the floor giving me, for the time being, plenty of proper storage space completely out of my way.

Just a thought. Good luck!

-morgan

[AndyBarnhart]

Yeah, I have an overhead rack; not a huge one, but big enough for my needs. It's also handy for clip on work lights and hanging the motor for my carver/grinder. One complication it adds is the logistics of being able to access it (something below that is stable and safe to stand on or a clear area for your ladder). I built a crude workbench that is stable enough to stand on with a purpose built step/rung between the legs on one end to make it easy to climb up on the bench.

[maomoonshiner]

Dang -- blew my suggestion away and added a plus one taboot! I like your step ladder/bench combo. I could make use of that idea...I'm thinking of making an L-shape bench in the spring into which a little step up would fit nicely. As it is, I'm 6'4"ish and don't really have a problem reaching up to the rack mounted on my 8 foot ceiling; BUT every once in a while when I want something out of the top compartment that's odd-shaped or more dense than normal -- well I guess you can imagine the string of curses I let loose in the process.

One question -- how wide are your benches? I want to go as shallow as possible to save space, but I don't want bench work with large pieces a hassle. Thanks.

Morgan

[AndyBarnhart]

Originally Posted by maomoonshiner

One question -- how wide are your benches? I want to go as shallow as possible to save space, but I don't want bench work with large pieces a hassle.

My largest one is new as part of this shop reorg - it is 2' x 7' against a wall. It is actually two existing cabinets with a door on top of them. My freestanding bench is only 18" x 48" or so, but I also have a 2' x 2' top for my work mate, a melamine/MDF overlay for my tablesaw and a very small but free standing carving bench. But I generally do not work with large pieces.

[AndyBarnhart]

Some progress:



Still to come is a peg board cabinet on the wall; that's why almost nothing is hung. The metal working vise is just sitting on the bench, but I took it off the little one that is now stored away and mounted it on a small platform for easy clamping.

The power tools against the wall in the front haven't changed all that much:



except the big barrel is gone and the top on the tablesaw is being used for more than storage and there is an old-but-new-to-me lathe on it (okay, maybe that is a pretty big change ). Also, I did re-orient the bandsaw and is is much more usable and easy to clean around like that.

Not done, but it is already a much nicer place to work in. My wife's help was huge. She organized parts and small items in the little drawers. I am so glad I got those and that it worked out that I got twice as many as planned. We ordered label holders for them (as opposed to making sticky labels; that way I can change them around and can make a new label with pencil/pen and paper).

[Dudelive]

I may be late with this tip that is rather handy when reorganizing. Most have heard of a program by microsoft called visio. It is very handy when using for these types of jobs. You make the outer walls as they are and then make items that you will have in the shop that will take up floor space. Then just start arranging as you see fit for convience.

With a little time you can make it to scale where you will know exactly what it will be like.

Even if you do it with paper and pencil, just be sure to follow a plan you and the wife have came up with before you start.

I have a very small area and that is the reason I mentioned a plan.


You have done a great job and looking good.

D