saving tools

[delhierro]

hi, this shop is out of control.

how you guys save all your tools, and keep your shop out of mess???

[mxtras]

Drawers. Lots of drawers.

When I pass by something out of place and is no longer being used, I will grab it and put it back where it goes. Everything has a home and on top of a bench is not home.

And, I spend a minimum of 15 minutes at the end of each day cleaning up.

Scott

[BobWarfield]

Originally Posted by mxtras Drawers. Lots of drawers. When I pass by something out of place and is no longer being used, I will grab it and put it back where it goes. Everything has a home and on top of a bench is not home. And, I spend a minimum of 15 minutes at the end of each day cleaning up. Scott

I second the notion of drawers. So much so that I'm looking into building some new rolling workbenches that will be based on using rolling tool chests as the base. Lots of places have them on sale for Xmas, so they aren't even that expensive, and you get lots of drawers. I'm going to bolt a 4' x 4' sheet of 1/4" on one to use as my welding table, and I'll make up some butcher block type work surface to go across 2 others. I plan to bolt down my grinding and polishing machines on that one. We'll see how those two work out, but I may wind up with more if I like them.

On keeping it all straight, it's never enough, but I have a few habits that help.

1) Everything needs a place. This goes back to those drawers. If a thing actually has a place where it belongs, it is more likely to go back there.

2) When I finish a project, I spend as long as it takes to clean up the shop. Every single thing goes into its place, all the chips are cleaned up, and I do preventative maintenance and lubing on the machines. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen often enough!

3) If I don't find something pretty quickly, I stop looking and start putting tools away. Amazingly, this often helps me find whatever is missing.

4) Be on the lookout for storage and organization bargains. You can never have too many!

Best,

BW

[Charlie Gary]

Here's something that may help

http://www.yokogawa.com/us/cp/aboutus/qa6s.htm

[gmac]

sears has their "tool centers" on sale frequently. they are heavier than most tool scoots and bigger. if you put HD casters and pipe handles on these they make decent rollaway worktables and big toolboxes. the shelves are great for bigger tooling, drawers for hand stuff and things like blocks, clamps, etc. they have a 3-drawer 54 inch one right now for $50 off , has storage space under the drawers on both sides. more clutter= more wasted time and frustration. organization is your friend if you dont have time to play in the giant sandbox and look for a tool every time you want it. put it where you can find it when you want it.

[delhierro]

Originally Posted by mxtras Drawers. Lots of drawers. When I pass by something out of place and is no longer being used, I will grab it and put it back where it goes. Everything has a home and on top of a bench is not home. And, I spend a minimum of 15 minutes at the end of each day cleaning up. Scott

thanks a lots mx, mates acting like kids, they feels like celebrities

[delhierro]

Originally Posted by gmac sears has their "tool centers" on sale frequently. they are heavier than most tool scoots and bigger. if you put HD casters and pipe handles on these they make decent rollaway worktables and big toolboxes. the shelves are great for bigger tooling, drawers for hand stuff and things like blocks, clamps, etc. they have a 3-drawer 54 inch one right now for $50 off , has storage space under the drawers on both sides. more clutter= more wasted time and frustration. organization is your friend if you dont have time to play in the giant sandbox and look for a tool every time you want it. put it where you can find it when you want it.

no hope then, they never put nothing back.

[Charlie Gary]

Originally Posted by delhierro no hope then, they never put nothing back.

Who runs the shop? That's where it has to begin. If the person in charge doesn't care, it won't happen.

[zenya]

Shops order depends of a person who is working there. May be better find professionals?

[Mazaholic]

Originally Posted by Charlie Gary Here's something that may help http://www.yokogawa.com/us/cp/aboutus/qa6s.htm

The 6 s.
That program works well if you dedicate your shop to it.Most companies only make it to #5.
Our shop has been implimenting the 6s program for over a year and it's helped greatly.

[apache405]

If you have a bunch of divas in your shop who are too good to clean up, stop cleaning up for them, unless your boss says otherwise. once you stop adding your energy to keep order, entropy will take over and they will HAVE to clean up. basically let the ones who do not clean up, get stuck in their own mess.

i live by my red craftsman rolling drawers (my grandpa gave them to me a few years ago) and a couple of tool bags/belts in a relatively small area (like one car sized area) for tool storage. i have my big tools, like my drill press, one the other side. that way my projects dont get stored where my tools go. and lastly, when i need to assemble something large, i expand out onto the driveway in front of my house.