At the moment, my shop is a complete disaster. I just finished a project, picked up some lumber and hardware on Kijiji and on top of that the garage stuff seems to have multiplied. Tomorrow's mission is to get it back in order.
So, I was just curious - for those of you who can't relax unless there's some order in your shop (you know who you are) what's the first thing you do? In other words, how do you do your clean up?
Sandra, my shop also contains the gas furnace. Things get cleaned up pretty quickly. Anything flammable is used in limited quantities away from the furnace and gas water heater. It's not ideal, but it is what I have to work with. So when I get done with a project, I put away all flammable liquids, then pull out the shop vac, then clean up any tools or wood.
I just turn out the lights and close the door. LOL
Actually, I pickup tools and stow them where they belong. I turn the air filtration system on high, fire up the compressor and blow off machines, bench, flat surfaces, etc. starting from highest above the floor. In good weather, I open the roll-up garage door and return the debris to Mother Nature with a leaf blower. In cold weather, I fire up the dust collector and use the Rockler Dust Right floor sweep and go after it. Then I empty the dust collector bin and shop vacuum.
I read a post the other day that said at any given time you need to sort of shut down and start over. I hit that more often than not. I put everything in it's original place, throw at least half of those small pieces that I know I'll use someday away and empty the trash. I reverse the hose on my shop vacuum to leaf blower mode and blow all the dust down then sweep up. Turn on the air cleaner and go run errands or whatever. When I come back it's like a new beginning.
On a grander scale, I really try to find a permanent home for all the tools….preferably at the point of use. I have pencils and tape measures all over the shop….where I use them. Same with those quick grip clamps. So you don't necessarily need to store all your clamps or tape measures in the same place.
If you frequently use a screw driver to remove the plate on the table saw, make a spot for it there…
So the point is, when you use a tool, more often than not, you can put it back now, not later….
But tools are a known quantity….wood on the other hand…...that's another story…..
Having worked in an auto shop at one time, and now in my very small wood shop, I've learned to constantly put away the last tool I used. The worst thing I run into is laying things on the table saw and having to move them before I can make a cut.
Constant clean up and putting things away.
But then, I'm 66 years old.
I try my hardest to put things away as I'm working, but at the end of a project, I still always have sooo much scattered. I start with picking up all the scraps, then start putting tools back in their place. Then I sweep the floor and call it done.
I love cleaning my shop though. I don't do it immediately after finishing a project because I'm typically tired but the following day I'll just turn on some tunes then move around and enjoy it.
Put away tools, sweep up plane shavings then vacuum from top down. My big challenge lately is that "my" shop has become a temporary storage area for OPJ ( other people's junk). I really have to put my foot down before I lose my shop completely!
I'm a bit of a neat freak, see my shop. It takes a few seconds more to puts tools away rather than on the first surface you see.
Like TheDane I also use my DC with the rockler dust right for quick floor clean up. I epoxied my poured concrete basement floors and clean up with the DC is a breeze.
Any tools not in the right place get returned there, then if needed the floor gets swept up and then start on any flat surfaces that have accumulated stuff that should be in drawers or hung up. I have one chronic eye sore which is my planer 'cabinet/stand/air compressor house. I kind of use it for a catch all and it shows :-(
Same here I begin by putting all the tools away throwing trash out as I go. I do a clean up frequently as it irritates me to no end having a messy shop.
It's was great having my morning coffee and reading these responses.
Monte - an intact sense of humour is a great thing.
PLK - I'll be ogling your shop photos later. I'm a repressed neat freak because I have Don B's problem with OPJ and my 'shop' has to change depending on the seasonal contents of the garage at any given time.
I know, excuses, excuses. It will be tidied up by the end of today.
Because I can not stand to walk into my shop in the morning and be faced with the clutter and dust left over from the previous day's session, I hired a local 'Retiree' to come in at the end of the day and put my tools away and do a quick dust up.
...his name is "ME".
I hate that 'Deer in the Headlights' stare I get if I walk in to a mess in the morning, it just takes the wind from my sails before I even get started.
Mornings are for uncluttered thoughts and a fresh cup of 'John Wayne' black. 'O.C.D.' ?? ...well, maybe a little, but it's 'Orderly, Clean, and Distraction' free. ;-)
Never stopped and didn't start back up due to not wanting to make a mess. But then, with four kids, I'm not that worried about a little disorder. I just don't like it to be a mess.
I waited for my grandson to screw up. I told his mother that cleaning and organizing the shop would give him time for reflection on his misdeeds. He worked on it Friday and Sat. and will be back Monday for more reflection.
i do the air hose thing open the back up and blow it out on my neighbors , right now the shops a mess due to retooling and rewireing but normally its a mess that has to be shut down and organized so i guess organizing it is the first think i do on a clean up a place for every thing and every thing in its place ,now where is that pencil
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