Going to declutter the shop

[RB211]

Everything that doesn’t meet my standards or have a use is going away. The Bridgeport is clapped out, and I just want better. Suppose the CNC Taig will have to do for now and down size my mill projects until a new knee mill is acquired.
Having too many things is more detrimental than not having enough.

[darryl]

I haven't seen my shop for years. All I've seen is the clutter. Good luck with your purge.

[I make chips]

Don't do it. I got bored a couple weeks ago and cleaned and organised the basement shop. I now have tons of floor and cabinet space but I can't find a damn thing now.

[J Tiers]

It has it's points.... I'm doing a big basement / shop (it's in the basement) re-do, and I am finding things who's whereabouts I had no idea of. Some I had been seeking for a while.

Overall, I think I am pleased, although I keep wanting to do side projects. Some are to finish things that will clear space, others just to get away from cleaning up.

The other part of it is because we are thinking of a 3 level addition on the back of the house, and I want to see if stuff can be arranged so as to allow what that does as well as what I want.

[Dan Dubeau]

Go for it. I started a while ago and it's SOOOOO much better now. I'm still not done, but I chip away at it every night. It's so awesome to have a functioning "shop" instead of a garage that is an unorganized mess of tools and equipment and household stuff. When you can go out there for 45 minutes and complete a project start to finish, because everything is all setup ready to go is a great feeling.

I've got to put it on hold for a while now aside for paying jobs as the reno list has become more important all of a sudden though.....

[mickeyf]

Ironically, this very morning a thread started about tools that you never use but can't throw out.
I also really need to clean and organize...which I'm always doing in fits and starts anyway - I means set aside time to do only that. And I see something like a timing light that I have not used for 30 years, and never expect to use since I don't do IC engines and haven't in that long... But then what If I unexpectedly do want it and no longer have it?!

[J Tiers]

Different categories....

1) I need and use this

2) I rarely need it but do use it sometimes

3) I have not used it, but have no other way to do that, and might need to

4) I have no credible reason to think I'll need that

5) I flat don't need that at all.

Start with the #5 and work back deciding what to keep. Organize what stays, the rest goes away.

[Tobias-B]

May I pick through your trashbin?

t
lives for the mess.

[reggie_obe]

It has it's points.... I'm doing a big basement / shop (it's in the basement) re-do, and I am finding things who's whereabouts I had no idea of. Some I had been seeking for a while.

Overall, I think I am pleased, although I keep wanting to do side projects. Some are to finish things that will clear space, others just to get away from cleaning up.

The other part of it is because we are thinking of a 3 level addition on the back of the house, and I want to see if stuff can be arranged so as to allow what that does as well as what I want.

Is one part of the 3-level addition, excavating for additional basement space?

[Dan_the_Chemist]

Where are you located? I've been wanting to convert a BP to a CNC for a while, but I haven't found the right machine (low cost, near by, not totally ruined).

[J Tiers]

Is one part of the 3-level addition, excavating for additional basement space?

Yes, they already have to excavate for foundations, so I figure a couple more feet depth is not going to break the bank. That will move some shelf area out of where it is and open up more floor.

The way the basement is now, the stairs come right down in the middle. Between that, the laundry area, the furnace and water heater, and some plant starting area, 1/3 or more of the basement is filled. Then there are 4 I-beam columns supporting the first floor, and a wall across one end.... What's left after the stairs etc, is cut up into inconvenient spaces, and there is the electronics lab area right next to the non-grinding area of the shop.

We DID think of putting a 3rd story in the (now) attic. Might still do that, but it would shade a good bit of the patio etc, unless we just put dormers on the front and leave the back alone. At that point, the added space is not so exciting.

[Ringo]

Don't do it !!
The very next week you will need something you threw out.
And the bad part is, you will have a visual memory of which corner of the dumpster you tossed it into.

[Superbowl]

Whenever I reorganize the shop I find all the doubles of things I bought twice. Either because I forgot I already had one, or needed one but could not find the one I owned.

[Dan Dubeau]

My recent shop cleanup I found the 240v 3~ motor I forgot I bought for my mill. What I haven't found is the DC motor and controller I KNOW I bought for it 8-9 years ago. I honestly have no idea where It got to, and I'm starting to think that maybe it was lifted. Why steal THAT though over all the other things that could be stolen around here though.

I went through a hoarder and accumulation stage for a good number of years, where every week I'd "invest" some of my money into whatever tooling and equipment around that I knew was a "good deal" but may have not necessarily needed at the time.

[6270 Productions]

I have had a woodworking shop for many years and am just now starting to tinker with a metalworking shop. Wood machines/materials do NOT play well with metal machines/materials.

Anyway, I used to have a "Shop Improvement Day" at least one day a month. On that day, I would clean, organize, and build "things" I had always intended to build for the Shop - but never found the time to do it. It worked quite well. In fact, now my Shop is so well "improved" there is not possibly one thing I could do to make it better. Oh . . . wait . . . I just thought of a few things. Oh well, I am working on my metalworking shop now. I guess it will have to wait.


Along these lines (never throwing anything away), my Shop is just a Hobby Shop. I am not in the business and have been retired from the military for more than 20 years. Every once in awhile someone would knock on my door. I knew this was someone that did not know me. You never knocked on the Shop door. Either it was unlocked and you just came on in - or it was locked and I was not in there.

However, when I heard this knock (if I did not have a machine running), I invited them in. Yep, I don't know who you are - but what can I do for you?

"Jack (the True-Value Hardware Store owner) sent me down here. He thought you might have one of these."

"Seriously? The hardware store guy sent you to me because he did not have what you needed? OK. Let me see what you need. Sure! I have one of those right here in this drawer - or yes, I can make one for you and you can come back this afternoon and pick it up."

Jack would always ask me if I was able to help them out the next time I was in his store. He is retired now and closed his store so I don't get those opportunities anymore.