How often do you clean your shop?

Good idea, Keith. I couldn’t agree with you more.

I have enough trouble keeping up with my pencils, rulers, squares, etc. without having to sift through piles of sawdust trying to find them. At times they seem to have a mind of their own and can disappear in a heartbeat. And I have another incentive to keep my shop clean- MY WIFE. If I don’t clean up every day she is a stereotypical redhead who is borderline OCD with respect to keeping things neat and organized. If she spots sawdust on the shop floor she yells at me for “tracking sawdust into the house and leaving such a mess in MY shop”. :)

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

I always had the guys clean the shop in the morning.
I figured that when the guys came into work they were usually slow starting, so cleaning in the morning would wake them up and get them going. Also I didn’t like to cut the day short by stopping to clean, usually by the end of the day the guys would be on a roll.
This worked for me.

I only clean my shop when I cant walk thru or im using the angle grinder and I dont want my house to burn down because of all the saw dust

-- kosta brownsville brooklyn my home

I usually clean after a major project. If it’s a big one then sometime in the middle of it. I will clean before using any finish. I love a sawdusty shop during a project and a clean one after a project.

• Pick up any loose tools
• Blow away dust from areas above the floor

• sweep
• lightly blow again
• Shop vac

-- The smell of wood, coffee in the cup, the wife let's me do my thing, the lake is peaceful. http://web.me.com/deceiver6/Deceiver/Craftsman_on_the_lake/Craftsman_on_the_lake.html

I am kind of the same way ^^^^ I try to keep it clean all the time…but does not always happen. But I will clean it every night before shutting down…and sometimes depending on the job…several times during the day.

I will be working…look for a tool I just sat down….not be able to find it…..and stop everything and straighten up right then.

It drives me nuts when I have things laying around everywhere and not be able to find a thing.

-- Don S.E. OK

Scott,
My shop is not attached to my house but my wife has meet me at the back door, with look on her face, say’in “stop right there Mr. your not coming into my house looking like that.
Craftsman on the lake,
Thanks for sharing the pictures of your shop. Nice layout and very organized.
Don,
I find myself cleaning up during the day. That’s happens to me way too often…. can’t find something so I start cleaning until it shows up.
I lose tools in the shop and have no one to blame except my dog.

-- Keith, Charlotte, MI www.julyswoodworks.com www.TheBenchDawg.com

Regular shop cleaning is a habit I need to get into, and stay in. Sometimes I am lucky to find my lathe under the shavings. (just a little exaggeration, but not much sometimes…). Your old boss is right. It is MUCH easier to get work done when you are not hunting for just where this or that tool is… One of the reasons I spend so much time on shop organization projects. Including taking as much as I can out of tool boxes and put them on pegboard. I know a lot of guys hate peg board, but with the right pegs there is hardly an item in my shop that does more for organization…

-- Trying to follow the example of the master.

I do a organization of tools and clean up most sawdust at the end of the day and then when the current project is completed, to the finish point, then I do a complete clean and vacuum…..... ready for finish and then the next project. I do wish I had a “seperate” finish location though !

I agree, it is so much easier to start a project when everything is clean and in it’s place.

-- Gene, Majestic Eagle Woodworks, http://majesticeagleww.etsy.com/, http://www.flickr.com/photos/majesticeagle/

I clean with Bronwens help every few days when I’m working on something and a super dooper good clean up when I’ve finished .Otherwise I get into a terrible muddle and things become dangerous to me. And when I am not feeling up to making anything, I clean and tidy all the time the rewards of being free to do as you please call it retirement, early or otherwise. :DAlistair

-- excuse my typing as I have a form of parkinsons disease

Ah cleaning not my best point when i have to i’m affraid but it’s a very small shop so it can’t get that dirty LOL…...................

Andy

-- cut it saw it scrap it

I sweep the floor and pick up as I am working on a project daily. When I am done, I vac and blow off everything in the shop top to bottom because I finish the project in the shop as well. With the dust collection system, it makes a big difference from how it used to be. I always like my shop to be neat, organized, clean and safe.

God Bless
tom

-- Mc Bridge Cabinets, Iowa

I clean my shop more than just at the end of the day.

A clean shop does help get the day started. When the mind is slow in the morning, having everything in it’s place helps for a smooth start.

Being disciplined enough to keep things in there proper place ensures a continuously smooth running operation.

I have a lot on my mind and I wear all of the hats for my business. So a clean shop and office allows me to think clearly. A messy shop leads to lost concentration because my lineal thought process is interrupted.

I clean between various operations. A couple minutes of sweeping up allows my mind to change gears for the next part of the operation in manufacturing a project, I call it “tooling up.” It is as much a mindset as it is getting the tools out for that particular activity.

A clean shop is a safe shop. This is a much understated fact.

Some people struggle to keep their shop clean, but for me it is in my DNA.

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com

I feel a lot better when my shop is clean. ( my play pen with real tools)
its Sunday after noon and it need cleaning
later

-- Occie down in Costa Rica. come down and see us some time. I'll keep the light on for you Occiegilliam@yahoo.com

I usually clean at the end of the day. After 22 years of keeping everything “ship shape” for Uncle Sam, it comes naturally. Since 2006 my wife and I have lived in the upstairs of my shop, while working on the house we’re building. Got in the habit of at least vacuuming the shop at the end of the day, so the sawdust wouldn’t end up in the living area, ‘cause when Momma’s happy, everybody’s happy.

-- Tim -- http://tmuli.com

Seems like that’s all I ever do. I don’t know how it gets messy though.

-- Until you spread your wings, you'll have no idea how far you can walk.

You Guys are shaming me!!
I thought looking for tools, pencils, measuring devices, etc. under piles of sawdust, cut-offs, and other assorted debris, was just another joy of woodworking!! :)
I’m so bad the spider that shares the shop leaves trails in the sawdust!
More sawdust gently falls, covers up the old ones, and the spider makes new ones…I say “the spider” because it’s the only insect of any kind in the room that I’ve ever seen, and I only saw him once. He lowered himself right next to my hand, watched me work for a minute and then went on his way. This is not a joke, he only had five legs. I felt bad about that. I probably made him have a real bad day one time, jostling some lumber around or something :-(

-- Mike in Manchester, NH---Unpleasant tasks are simply worthy challenges to improve skills.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2514/3759789331f1761d38bcm.jpghttp://farm3.static.flickr.com/2514/3759789331_f1761d38bc_m.jpg
This is like the cleanest my shop has ever been

-- kosta brownsville brooklyn my home

Kosta,
You included the internal address of your picture, It’s the one you have in your computer, not on a server.

You need to post to a picture area and the address has to start with http:// and end in jpg and you need to put it in between Exlamation points !

-- The smell of wood, coffee in the cup, the wife let's me do my thing, the lake is peaceful. http://web.me.com/deceiver6/Deceiver/Craftsman_on_the_lake/Craftsman_on_the_lake.html

ohh ok I will fix that

-- kosta brownsville brooklyn my home

I dont know why that is doing that

-- kosta brownsville brooklyn my home

-- Until you spread your wings, you'll have no idea how far you can walk.

I think a clean shop is essential. Although it can be time consuming, I think you should use this time to gather your thoughts and think about your step to your project. I have a huge fear of having metal placed on my table saw and having a pile of saw dust on there and not seeing it and starting up the saw. I just don’t think it is worth it. Plus, with everything in it’s place the next day, you can get right on to doing what you stayed up all night thinking about doing. Seriously, if it’s clean and you know where your tools are, you are way more productive and way more happier when it comes to your work.

-- Do we do this for purpose or passion?

Huh

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

I almost always clean as i go if I don’t It might take all day to clean up after the project is over.

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop, custom furniture maker, woodworking school, heirloomwoodshop.com

Clean?... only when I’m tired of moving everything from one place to another (and then back again) so I have room to work and move.
Typically I get an hour or two at a time to “play” and to stop and clean means to not get much accomplished.
I really envy the people who can keep things neat and tidy. I don’t know why but I can keep someone elses shop clean, whether it is in a classroom, or setting up for a job at someone elses house. I never make a mess of a hotel room. But my cubicle in my old work life was either pristine or a disaster, and my shop seems to follow that example.
The shop really isn’t too bad now, save for a nice “carpet” of sawdust on the floor. I did a very thorough cleaning last winter, which despite needing to “dust” and still recover (finally put things away) from my 30 days challenge in June (I’ve been outta the shop quite a bit since then) things aren’t really out of hand. – My biggest challenge is finding a home for salvaged lumber that “follows me home” usually gets put down in a convenient place right before dinner, and then becomes an obstacle until I can find a permanent home. (or cut it up for kindling and store it somewheres until winter)

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

My wife finally convinced me to clean my shop (attached garage) on a regular basis. She complained about the saw dust all over the house. After many years, I finally gave in and started cleaning the shop almost every time I quit for the day.

I vacuum all of the tools at least after every project and usually more often. I figure I paid a lot of money for my tools and I want them to be in good working order.

Domer

Cleaning is a constant battle. I always do a little bit of cleanup whenever I finish work for the day. I took a recommendation from the WoodWhisperer and try to put 10 things away every time I finish up. I don’t always achieve that goal but the idea is a great one.

Like most, I don’t get the chance to work in the shop every day. I get into the shop 2-3 times a week. Aside from the daily put-away I have to do a big-clean about every 2 weeks to open up space and get things clear and dust free for finishing.

-- Behind the Bark is a lot of Heartwood----Charles, Centennial, CO

I remember a discussion about this long … from a couple of years ago. Everyone was showing off their “messy” shops.

Craftsman—that’s cleaner than my kitchen!

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

I am a firm believer in a clean shop. I don’t have one, but I believe in it.

-- Working at Woodworking http://www.VillageLaneFurniture.com

Cleanliness is importanrt, dust getting everywhere is a nightmare and bad for your health.I thin k you enjoy it more when it’s tidy too.Alistair

-- excuse my typing as I have a form of parkinsons disease

Just wanted to say this has been a great read! I enjoyed the blog entry and the comments.

My shop is currently in a spare upstairs room, so I like to control dust as much as possible, so that it doesn’t “go everywhe”. The great thing is, I make rings… so there’s not too much dust to begin with. Plus, I work next to a Grizzly desktop dust collector which keeps the finer stuff from floating around. When done, I get any larger shavings with a Shop Vac.

-- Frank, Mississippi, http://www.stoutwoodworks.com

I typically sweep the entire shop between projects. While working on something, I leave tools out if I plan on using them. I’m pretty good about putting things up as I go. I hate a messy shop, but will live with it if I’m really involved in something. if I’m not working on something, I will clean and organize early in the morning before leaving for work. That can be relaxing for me—-better than watching TV. I do better work when everything is in order.

-- Kent Shepherd * The goal is-----More Tools!

MsDebbieP said:
“Craftsman—that’s cleaner than my kitchen!”

Ha…. you should see my kitchen! Not pretty!

-- The smell of wood, coffee in the cup, the wife let's me do my thing, the lake is peaceful. http://web.me.com/deceiver6/Deceiver/Craftsman_on_the_lake/Craftsman_on_the_lake.html

Thanks to all that posted.
The story that I shared with you happened to me over twenty years ago and some of my cleaning habits may have slipped away. After reading all the posts and looking at pictures of your the shops, I have been trying to do a better job cleaning at the end of the day. They say”Old habits die hard” well, in my case it was a slow but steady decline.
I’m off to clean the shop.

-- Keith, Charlotte, MI www.julyswoodworks.com www.TheBenchDawg.com

I shop vac on an ongoing basis to collect anything that got on the floor or work surfaces during the day. At the end of the day, i will give it another going over with the shop vac. About once a month I open up the tablesaw and other tools to blow out dust on the trunnions, bandsaw wheels, etc. I blow away dust on the overhead lights about once a month. I am working on the general clutter of cut offs etc.

I try to put away every tool as soon as I’m finished with it if I’m not going to be using it again on the project I’m currently doing. I find this saves me a lot of time locating tools again when I need them. I also put all the tools away for a job as soon as I’m finished with the project. I have a vacuum with a remote control, I keep the remote in my shirt pocket, and make clean up an ongoing process as I work. The vac hose with brush stays at my work station all the time unless I need it elsewhere for a bit. Also have a Delta dust collector that I move from tool to tool as I need it.

-- Only the Shadow knows....................