Small Hand Tool Shop Storage?

[Guest]

Looks like a good layout, I see one thing you're missing-Saw Dust.

More saw and sander dust is coming soon, and there is still a dust, cobweb and WTF debris layer on the other side of the shop, where I have not yet tackled cleaning and reorganizing. Including several examples of my shop nemesis, things stored on the floor.

I do not have a good dust evacuation system. Even with a shop vac attached to the exhaust ports on the sanders and saws dust gets freaking everywhere, especially in winter when I do not feel like moving dusty work outside.

Gawd bless the massive opening of 2 car garage door, a painted concrete pad and, most importantly, nothing but bench and table legs resting on the floor. And the leaf blower.

Keeping stuff from being stored, just for now, on the floor is a constant struggle. Hence all of the low shelving under the benches, set at shallow shelf depth a few inches off the concrete. If it can be stored on the floor it can just as well be stored 4 inches off the floor, allowing me a clean sweep or leaf blower at the floor surface below.

That low shelving also helps preventing me from storing stuff, just for now, on the floor.

P2210552 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

P2240572 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

I detest hidey hole dust bunnie traps on the floor, but the floor is such an easy and convenient place to set or temporarily store something. Ya know, just for now.

Who am I kidding? The next time I move that thing off the floor there will be a Schnauzer sized dust bunny of cobwebs, egg sacks, wood shavings, minicel bits, beard hairs and dead bugs trapped against it.

Yes, I just dissected a shop dust bunny to see what it was made of. It constituted a historical record of what I have been working on lately. And I hope those were beard hairs.

 

[Guest]

It will soon be time to install the screen in my Louie Depalma window between the shop and office space. I had a window left over from some renovations when the office walls went up, why not an interior window?

P2260575 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

Well yass, I guess why not, eh? That interior window is most handy for when I run an exhaust fan the window over the shop bench to pull out fumes. I can pull one way fresh air through the office and interior Depalma windows and out through the a shop window. It is nice to have a stink free office zone to retreat into, especially with big contact cement jobs.

The Depalma window even has a screen, for when I open the garage door in temperate weather, so the office stays a bug free zone.

Bugs in the shop I can tolerate, House wrens flying inside looking to nest is another story. Those little buggers can have a nest half finished in twenty minutes.

That wren attraction may be the unavoidable abundance of spider webs and egg sacks in the shop, wrens incorporate those into their nests as parasite and mite protection, and the tops of the high shelving must look like a Troglodytes Ikea.

Wrens are also fierce about nest sites, and will evict occupants twice their size from a nesting site they want. I have more than a few ounces on them, and they still cop an attitude.

In the heat of summer I run a window AC unit for humidity control when doing epoxy work. Or in August when I do not want to sweat balls while sitting motionless with a heat glazed look.

With the AC unit in the office window I can run a fan as needed in the Depalma window and push dehumidified air into the shop for adjustable temperature and humidity control, aimed conveniently along the shop bench seating.

 

[sweeper]

Windows reduce wall space

 

[Guest]

Windows reduce wall space

True that. All of the shop windows, including the interior Depalma window, are double pane, double hung 32 x 48s.

The wall space sacrifice is worth it to me, for many reasons. I enjoy watching the birds and critters while I work. I like having a view of Who dat I hear? coming down the long dirt driveway. Birdsong, breeze, fresh air, watching an extended family of obese groundhogs that have dens in the brush piles in the field.

Exhaust fan ventilation.

But more than anything else I appreciate the natural light, especially on the bench area. I do not see things as well under the glare of the shop fluorescents, or even with the task light on the bench. On fine detail sanding work little scratches show up much better to me under natural light.

The interior Depalma window does not occupy much accessible shop wall space, there is a wheeled cart cabinet with bench top tools in front of it, so that bit of wall is somewhat occluded anyway.

P3050602 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

I had to occlude a bit of the standing height bench window with the second storage cabinet, but that was a small price to pay for better organization.

That second storage cabinet filled up quickly with boxes of stuff that was once triple stacked on shelves. Nice to have more dust free storage for those things, I really should have brought that cabinet into the shop years ago.

P3040596 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

P3040599 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

I had to relocated the multi channel 110V switch box and battery rechargers, which occluded bit more window space, but having that recharging station available at the flick of a switch, without untangling and plugging in charger cords, is worth the window penalty.


P3040601 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr


That side of the shop is just about done. Once I finish up work on a couple of canoes, and can finally get to the other side of the shop, I may tackle that mess.

 

[sweeper]

My shop's a Cave, one 1 x 2' window but I have plenty of storage on the walls

 

[Guest]

My shop's a Cave, one 1 x 2' window but I have plenty of storage on the walls

I would be seasonal affective disordered, especially because winter is prime shop time for me.

Window wise Maryland is not Massachusetts, or climes further north. I might not want as many windows leaking heat in more frozen climes. Hereabouts, on summer mornings when it is still cool, or on winter afternoons when it warms up, I probably have a shop or office window cracked open 300+ days a year.

I live for the short shoulder seasons when I can open the big garage door, dang the pesky wren nest builders. If I ever renovate the house again it will be with a 2 car carport on a concrete slab off that garage door, for immediately adjacent rain protected and sun shaded space. heck, we might even park cars under that roof, they are easy enough to move out of the way.

A covered patio area off the shop would be nice. The shop has seen some crazy parties, which have usually spilled outside. Open up the window, let some air into this room. Will you have whiskey with your water, or sugar with your tea?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKaQzQAlNn4

Seeing those storage cabinets now useful in the shop makes me smile every time I walk past. There is a prankster back story with those two overbuilt Uber Wannigans.

Like many projects in the shop, why not build two of them at the same time, almost identical. Both over built to massive load bearing specs, to accommodate a huge, heavy cooler stored on top in family van travels.

We never used the second uber wannigan, but did lug, operative word, its mate along for several years. The fold down platform, inset behind the doors on piano hinge and now removed for shop use, was convenient for food staging, and the box were designed to accommodate a 2 burner Coleman either on top, or if windy, on the platform between door wings.

The design was well conceived and was functional as heck. Also all 5 8ths plywood heavy as heck, even for two people to move.

The wife of a car camping companion couple was envious of the one we used, although she had never tried to pick it up and move it. She asked if I thought her husband and I could build something similar for them.

I saw this as a chance to get rid of the second one. Sure, take us a couple hours tops.

She scoffed. No, really, maybe half a day, including the varnish coats. She scoffed again in disbelief about our abilities. Oh ye of little faith.

Her husband took a day off while she was at work. He and I spent the afternoon playing in the shop, fake making a new uber wannigan. We even took photos of ourselves at work as proof, measuring, cutting up scrap plywood with various saws, drilling holes, assembling shelving.

We made lots of dust and scrap plywood pieces on the shop floor and tossed some dust on ourselves for good measure. And drank some beer.

An hour before she came by after work to check on our dubious progress we revarished the second Uber Wannigan and sat around dust covered amidst the debris, seemingly exhausted from the task while admiring the old and new wanngians side by side. And, ya know, finally having a beer to celebrate the fruit of our intense labors.

She had a look of sheer wonderment when she saw it. That is the second coat, do not touch it, the varnish is still tacky. That part at least was true. Well, not really, counting the original varnish coats that was at least number 4.

She still seemed a little suspicious. The build photos we took convinced her. Despite every photo having some What is Wrong With This Picture flaw.

Skill Saw obviously not plugged in, flat head screwdriver in Phillips head screw, hand sawing a board with the teeth facing upwards, tape measure held upside down reading 127 inches long, level bubble far from level, eyes closed while drilling. Half the days fun was in thinking up various photo flaws. Drinking beer helped with that.

She may still not know the truth of the matter. She did quickly decide that the uber Wannigan was too heavy and soon gave it back.

After 20 years of neglected basement storage full of household junk Uber Wannigan number 2 finally found a useful home beside its mate on the high bench. 3 times the dust free horizontal storage space, 4x if you count using the top of the cabinet. And it still makes me smile.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

Open up the window suckah, let me catch my breath.
Momma told me not to come...


Dang, Mike. This whole thread has been a lot of fun, but now I feel the shame and the urge to clean out my sorry mess. Yeah, I'm gonna do it this time. 'Fraid to take "before" pix.....

 

[Guest]

This whole thread has been a lot of fun, but now I feel the shame and the urge to clean out my sorry mess. Yeah, I'm gonna do it this time. 'Fraid to take "before" pix.....

Sorry about that Steve. I started reorganizing the shop more than a month ago. Hey, I am almost finished with one wall, but the time saved in tool efficiency will quickly amortize the time spent in reorganization.

I think the month long slowness of that, working on canoe and house projects while cogitating best tool placement, helped things settle into their best place. I have continued to move some tools around while in actual use for easier grab and rehang.

The magnet bars are my new favorite shop thing, especially the everyday use tool bars.

P2240568 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

The empty everyday bar was quickly filled with overlooked items. Scissors, drill index, pliers, nippers, razor scraper. All stuff I have multiples of, but none previously held within reach. The multiples may have been the not within reach culprit, too many of one thing ended up hung or stored en mass all together off to the side.

But I do not really need 20 screwdrivers, 4 wrenches, 3 pair of pliers, a half dozen pair of scissors and 10 freaking putty knives all within easy reach. One of each at arms length is enough, maybe a couple more for screwdrivers. I am still refining that everyday tool selection while I work. Gawd bless magnetic tool bars.

I do not remember who all is a peg board user. This bedevil with pegboard hooks is easy rectified.

I had peg board up on the wall (not this wall) ...but the pegs seemed to be loose and were always falling out when I grabbed anything. When I moved the walled I checked around and learned that pegboard comes in different hole sizes, once I swapped to the smaller holes it made it all work.

I have mostly the correct size hangers for the pegboard holes, and painting the pegboard white helped tighten the fit. Even so there were always a couple that were wobbly loose and eventually fell out when I grabbed the tool.

I have not bought peg board hangers in at least 10 years. But I added some hangers to the peg board in a friends shop. He had some new stuff that came packaged with these.

https://www.amazon.com/Lehigh-Group...pID=21sZbgSHnUL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Those things work like a charm, especially on the little single peg hooks that tend to get wobbly in the hole over time. Having that plastic strap across the single peg keeps it rigid and not wobblewearing the peg board hole ever larger.

Wearing the hole larger until the peg falls out entirely, pings off the bench and goes flying into some unseen corner of the floor. Dammit where did it go?

Worse, Where did it go this time? The second time playing hide and seek with a flying tool hanger should have been enough. The twentieth time finally did the trick. Nope, I am not playing that game no more.

Side note. I now have more leftover pegboard hangers than I will ever use. An oversized shoebox full, at least a hundred of every style and shape.

Enough hangers that a single sheet of pegboard, cut lengthwise to 2x8 size for easy height reach, would be enough to outfit a whole shop.

Yeah, I am talking to you, pegless DougD.

 

[Odyssey]

" Side note. I now have more leftover pegboard hangers than I will ever use. An oversized shoebox full, at least a hundred of every style and shape. "
What are they doing in a shoe box? Stick 'em on a magnet bar.

 

[Conk]

A recent shop-cleaning project was more about getting rid of things than reorganization. I have a hard time finding anything when it is not where it has always been. If I were to relocate a box of miscellaneous bits of webbing to a new location, it would be as good as throwing it away because it would take years to find. I'm not sure how many years of needing various sizes of webbing I have left, better to get rid of it than waste my future looking for it. By clearing space, there is now room to stash all the stuff that shouldn't be on the floor. The process is very liberating. The secret is in remembering what it is that you don't have anymore.

I have enjoyed this thread and seeing how others go about storage solutions. I have always been a toolbox kind of guy but will admit to having two pegboard panels. They are mostly for large and/or awkward items that won't fit into a box, chest or drawer.

For the storage of materials, I have made use of square, like-sized containers such as gallon-sized olive oil, qt. maple syrup and the old cardboard Nestles Quik cans. Build a shelving unit dedicated to the size of the container two rows deep but leave room so the cans can be slid to and fro, back and forth. I don't like coffee cans because of their round inefficiency, although I do have one shelf of round 7oz Borkum Riff tobacco tins. I use them for my high quality stainless steel hardware (I won't buy the cheep stuff). The exquisite aroma of Virginia burley enhanced with fine Kentucky Bourbon still wafts from the empty container each time I need a 10-24 lock nut.

I have a question for Mike and his duct tape labeling. Under the new Uber Wannigan, above the wax pot and next to some spare electrical parts he has a box labeled "Rockets". I have to believe this might be one of his, what's wrong with this picture flaws, as I keep all of my rockets in a locked cabinet.

 

[dougd]

I do know one thing I'm going to have in the new shop and that is a container for snowblower parts. Yup, today's fiasco with the machine turned out to be a missing piece that must have fallen out when I repaired a tire. A little itty bitty piece of metal called a Woodruff Key. Without that the snowblower wouldn't move an inch and not knowing about it cost me all day to figure it out while the heavy wet snow got heavier and wetter as the temps warmed. So a bunch of Woodruff Keys, shear pins and various clips that are needed here and there!

dougd

 

[Andy Sz]

Just came across this thread! I'll throw my 2 cents in. Peg boards, to me are not for tools. I typically put odd things on it, that would be hard to find if they were in boxes or drawers. Everything from unopened packages of screws, to bits of chain, rolls of string, big clamps that wont fit in tool box. I have several tool boxes, each holds different tools. My big upright tool box, holds sockets in metric and standard, wrenches, and corresponding 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" drives. That's in the top drawer. 2nd drawer hold screwdrivers, all different sizes in Philips head and standard. 3rd drawer has pliers of all different types, wire cutters, needle nose, channel locks, vise grips, multiples of all and in different sizes. 4th drawer holds hammers, all kinds, big and small. 5th drawer holds welding and soldering tools. 6th drawer holds clamps spring type and "C" clamps, multiples of each and different sizes.

Power tools are either on the bench and not very portable or in boxes under the bench. I have an old book case that I keep a variety of screws, nails, spray paint, waxes, lubes, WD-40, starting fluid etc. Another metal shelf holds left over gallon paint cans.

I have a house in PA as well and am in the process of stocking that house with duplicates from the NJ house. I carry a tool bag back and forth from NJ to PA that holds my battery powered drill and various bits in a plastic case, Drills, screwdriver bits, star bits and square head bits.

Garden tools are in the shed.

 

[sweeper]

If you're putting 'Hardware' on your pegboard it sound to me you don't keep enough hardware on hand.

 

[Guest]

I have a question for Mike and his duct tape labeling. Under the new Uber Wannigan, above the wax pot and next to some spare electrical parts he has a box labeled "Rockets". I have to believe this might be one of his, what's wrong with this picture flaws, as I keep all of my rockets in a locked cabinet.

The RPG launcher is hanging on the peg board and I wanted the rest quickly accessible. Finally a solution to squirrels emptying my bird feeders.

That box used to hold model rockets when the boys were interested in that. It now holds miscellaneous flashlights and other illumination, and is labeled so on the side facing the wall. Likewise the box marked Electrical, which now holds misc canoe stuff and is so marked, also on the side facing the wall.

For the storage of materials, I have made use of square, like-sized containers such as gallon-sized olive oil, qt. maple syrup and the old cardboard Nestles Quik cans. Build a shelving unit dedicated to the size of the container two rows deep but leave room so the cans can be slid to and fro, back and forth

I am a fan of Xerox paper boxes for storage of materials, the lids help keep dust out. And of Xerox paper box lids themselves. The lids are 12 x 18 and 3 inches deep and perfect for small rectangular bins of sorted hardware.

P3040601 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

Wrapped in duct tape with a lid sized scrap of Lauan laid inside those have been very durable. One full height shelving wall is filled with Xerox paper boxes and reinforced lids.

P2160519 by Mike McCrea, on Flickr

Those box top trays are marked Large Stainless Steel, Small Stainless Steel, Nuts and Bolts, Misc Screws, Spray Paint, Tapes, Glues and Adhesives, etc. When I need something of that ilk, 5 inch machine screws or tape red spray paint, I can just grab the whole box top and set it on the bench for look see.

I use those shelved lids a lot, and they are Sharpie labeled on both ends, so I can not put them back facing in the wrong direction.

Thanks Conk. I need to relabel some of those boxes under the tall bench. And I realize I need to purge and reorganize all of the under bench shelving on that side. It is a mess down under.

Dammit Conk, I thought I was done with at least one wall.

 

[sweeper]

Just when I thought my shop was coming together I have to find room for a new piece.

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It arrived at the dump 3 minute ahead of me yesterday. A 16" Delta Homecraft from the late 1940's - early 50's

View attachment SciYXoFzE3iXbSwPBOXolrApxSLibDrmO6dPrkM-guHg1gE_iwTAQsos2B9T5pjeIiTFCNEQRY9Acm8qftoiMchK_nkR9wfI1IWf

Cleaned it up last night, rewired the motor, lubed it, and it works great. Now I just need to find a place in the shop for it to live.

 

[Guest]

Lordy, shop tools from those pre plastic days were built to last.

I seem to remember that your several Workmates are also from the dump. What else have you dump scavenged?

Where is this benevolent dump? As a retired guy I would sit in the truck and eat breakfast there every morning, eyeing the goodies. Daddy needs another Workmate, and a bigger band saw.

BTW, I am using my one and only Workmate today, with bench top sanders on a clamped in work platform. I use that thing almost every day, and can not imagine shop life without it.

 

[sweeper]

Mike we don't have enough bandwidth on this site to list all the pieces I've found in the dump.

When my ex and I split I had a Yard sale that brought in $1800 and most pieces were priced at $1 or $5 and gave away most of the hardware I had found.

The best part was my Dump Karma. I needed metal shelving and a book case and in 2 weeks I had found 20 sets and a Beautiful 4 piece Barrister Case

I was going to buy Black Plastic on the way home and found a 20' wide roll of Contractors 6mil

I needed a new Mircowave, I stopped by the dump, a guy was just dropping one off, his wife wanted a bigger one.

And to bring it back on topic, 2 canoes.

When I was thinking of leaving my job for another, the leaving of that dump (It was in the town I worked in) was one of the biggest sticking points.

I don't miss it that much, I spent a lot of time cleaning up and rebuilding my 'Finds'.

one finally note on the saw: The 1/4 hp motor on it.

The Domestic Electric Co. made Electric Motors in the 1920 They were located at 7223 St. Clair Ave., N. E., Cleveland, Ohio.

This firm manufactured motors, primarily in fractional horsepower sizes. They were established in 1915 and operated through to 1929, when they were acquired by Black & Decker.

At my current dump/Transfer Station the good finds are few and far between.

 

[Guest]

I have never found a thing worth salvaging at my very busy metro local dump. It may be location, location, location.

At the rural dump outside Elizabethtown NC, which I visit almost daily while I am there, I have come back with a few things.

Some books, a beautifully built pressure treated dock table, some oddities too good to pass up. A battery operated Tyrannosaurus rex and some peculiar house ware items. All without dumpster diving.

There is a shed there know as The Free Store, where the locals put things other folks might use. Including shoes and clothing, Bladen County is not a wealthy area. That stuff disappears from the Free Store quickly from day to day.

I have put no less than 30 aquaria in the Free Store, from little 5 gallon tanks to giant slate bottomed 100s that took two people to move, some with filters and lights. Two or three at a time, they were always gone by the next morning when I brought more.

heck, I brought 15 aquaria home in the truck during a turtle transfer. The last thing we needed was more empty glass critter tanks. I put them up by the road with FREE sign. Gone in a day.

I feel a rant about planned obsolescence and modern just throw it away and buy another disposability coming on.

Screw that, I keep scrap wood until it is too small to use, and then burn it in the wood stove.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

I feel a rant about planned obsolescence and modern just throw it away and buy another disposability coming on.

Screw that, I keep scrap wood until it is too small to use, and then burn it in the wood stove.

A good portion of my storage space is consumed by the awkward stacks of mill ends and sides. There are so many times those pieces come in handy.

I think this forum needs a vintage tool thread....

 

[Odyssey]

It's just been confirmed, I'm living too near the wrong dump, and too far from the right one.
Around here we are not allowed to rummage through stuff at the dump, though at the rubbish face I've seen some nice looking old windows and salvageable sticks of furniture. All the tasty bits, like metals, wood, and whatevers go in dumpsters (apt container name I know) which sit below tailgate level. And there's always an attendant (garbage guard??) loafing about. Theoretically they're there to give you a hand. That's a theory no-one has actually tested yet. But they're always nice to talk to, particularly the ladies. Or maybe I just have a thing about flirting with ladies at the dump. Gawd no, I hope that's not it. I swear it's not. There's no reason not to pass the time of day, and the hot topic of weather is never too old up here in Canada. "Think this drought will stunt the corn?" I generally say that as I'm standing at the railing looking down at the interesting bits of way too nice to discard pieces of junk down below. I just know my new lady friend is sizing me up out of the corner of her eye. "Oh yeah, I can take him. First move he makes for that old bedspring I'm kicking his arse."
The truth is, old machinery and tools are more likely to wind up in a flea market like the one just down the street from me. Slim pickings there. And there's nobody to flirt with.