# Happy 2014!!! Got any SHOP related resolutions?



## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

Well… Happy New Years to my FAVORITE group of woodworkers. I don't know about you… but 2013 was a roller coaster. It definitely had it's ups and downs but my favorite thing about it is that I was able to get an INDOOR shop of my own. Going from a pallet bench and plastic tables outside to a small one car garage of my very own was pretty awesome. I'm getting to spend more and more time in the shop and making things for others. So that is pretty amazing.

So… what shop resolutions do you have this year? I've got a million probably. LOL. Here's one that I'm sure is on every ones list. LOL…. Organizing and keeping clean. What do you say guys? Is that a big one for any of you? I am such a MESSY MESSY MESSY worker. Here is a pretty bad one for you guys to see (why I'm even showing it.. I don't know. Maybe it's because I'm in such a good mood right now that I don't mind)

I have a bad habit of not cleaning as I go. I leave stuff out and I end up making a huge mess. There's times when I will finish up for the night and put things away for the day. But these last few projects had some hectic deadlines and I was pulling some all nighters where I did not clean up. So things got to be their worst.



















And I had lots of cut offs… LOTS… Most ended up by my table saw…










These pics were taking after different projects. I did clean a little… but not enough LOL









And of course… my highly sophisticated vertical lumber storage took a hit from me pulling things out and knocking things over. lol (and I don't even think it's the worst pic)










But… I managed to get er cleaned up….





































Now I can walk all the way around my bench.

And… My wood pile got straightened up. I would say one of my resolutions is to not be a wood hoarder. But there's no such thing. I'm a "wood collector". That sounds so much better. 

But… One resolution is to start using up this pile and MAKE STUFF! No problem with getting lots of wood… as long as I use it up… right?? LOL










So… just a few of my resolutions for 2014 (Shop related)

1) Cleaner and more organized shop
2) Use up the lumber and scraps that I have
3) Get a dust collection system in place
4) Make the bed and other bedroom furniture I've been wanting to make
5) Add a few tools to my shop… bandsaw and drill press 
6) Come up with a better solution to where I can finish things
7) Finish up already started projects (nantucket bench, shoji frame for mom)
8) Build a miter saw station and finish tearing out built in bench and come up with a new one
9) Spend more time on LJ's  and learning

And finally… not that anyone else would agree…
10) GET MORE CLAMPS!!!!!!

Happy New Year! Cant wait to see the projects that you guys share this year and to see what your resolutions are


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## JSB (Sep 16, 2012)

#1 constant battle. Shops will continue to evolve and increase their awesomeness.
#2 I end up posting mine on craigslist for fireplace starter wood
#3 Highly recommend a harbor freight dust collector. You wont find a better deal and it is perfect for your size shop (same size as mine)
#4
#5 Bandsaw and my recent drill press are awesome. The bansaw was the best tool purchase I have ever made.
#6
#7 Totally understand. I have a set of dining chairs waiting to be sanded and stained.
#8 Have you seen John Heisz's miter saw cabinet? It's made from dimensional lumber scraps and 1/4" plywood. I made one last year and loved it!
#9
#10 Never can have to many.

Happy New Year Angie! Congrats on your progress and I wish you continued success in 2014.


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## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

Nice cleanup, Angie. We all have to go through that often while working in the shop. 
I just cleaned mine up to post new workshop pictures.

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!....................Jim


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## DanKrager (Apr 13, 2012)

Yes, you definitely need a dust collector. Here is mine:









And it looks like you don't need to raid my messy scrap bin! But that little drill press is still available….
Happy New Year!


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## DanKrager (Apr 13, 2012)

Oh…. and:
11) Install some overhead power drops to keep the cords from underfoot. I use a cord-o-matic on a swinging arm (see my LJ shop posting) 
12) Get more clamps! (or make them from some of your scrap)
13) Start a "Clamps of Your Dreams" forum on LJ ???
14) Get more clamps

DanK


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

Jay… One thing I do plan on doing this summer may seem silly to some… but it's going to happen as soon as it gets warm out. I'm going to open the garage door and move EVERYTHING out to the drive way. Then rearrange it a bit so that the work flow is better. May seem extreme. But it's just how I work. lol. And yeah… I know I should just get rid of some of those cut offs and scraps. It's just hard to let go. 
Band saw and drill press… really excited about.

Jim… Happy New year to you too 

Dan… I totally forgot about the drill press. We need to set a date for me to come check it out. Cant wait to come see your shop. 

Oh… and I guess I have one more thing…. After looking at my hands this morning… I really need to come up with a good skin care solution so that I don't tear the crap out of my hands. They are looking pretty rough. I may LOVE LOVE LOVE power tools and woodworking… but I am still a girl. I may not be able to keep nails very long… but I'd still like to have soft hands. LOL Anyone else looking for that as a resolution? LOL


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## BigMig (Mar 31, 2011)

Angie, I LOVE your before and after photos. 
My list for 2014 (so far)

1) run an electric line dedicated for my dust collector
2) make/buy an air filter
3) complete the coffee table project that I started about 2 weeks ago
4) actually LEARN a finishing technique beyond Watco Danish Oil
5) build outdoor raised panel shutters (that I wanted to build for 2013) for my house


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## hjt (Oct 22, 2009)

Very good Miss Angie. Keeping my shop clean, organized, and more user friendly is on my list. Now that I'm done working at my wife's house (the rental) I hope to put time into those goals.

I know my shop is a lot cleaner than my dad ever kept his. I remember to this day (some 50 yers later) hearing my mom telling dad to clean up the shop. "your brother Johnny's shop doesn't look like this…" Dad would just yell back, "Joannie just stay out of my shop…" I have called my dust collector"

Hey jay, you mention John Heisz's miter saw cabinet. Is this posted here on LJ or on your web site?


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## DanKrager (Apr 13, 2012)

Just think of all the spiders and creepy crawlers you can eliminate with a move out cleaning!

Did I send you a pic of the dp?

Harold, those dust deputy gadgets work really well, don't they?
DanK


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## Howie (May 25, 2010)

I use a regular plastic garbage can to throw cut offs in.(KEEPS THEM ORGANIZED) When it gets full I just sort and dump. Of course as soon as you do that the piece you threw away yesterday would work perfect for your new application


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## DKV (Jul 18, 2011)

Ang, is that your kitchen?


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## gwolfe1977 (Jun 11, 2013)

Angie, the first few pics look like my shop after a cleanup. Lol! So needless to say cleaning up more often and being more organized is first on my list as well. Starting a project and seeing it through before starting another ( or 5) is also on my list. New tools, especially clamps. Dan K, it seems that I have the exact same dust collection system as you and it works perfect! I think that's about it for my resolutions, I'll make up more as I go. Happy New Year everyone!!!


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## SCOTSMAN (Aug 1, 2008)

When I am working on a project things get messy too Angie, but when so much clutter is underfoot it can be inherently dangerous with a high tripping likeliehood.Now we don't want to read about you stumbling over those trip hazards and falling into a machine which is very dangerous.But like you we all I suppose get messy moments I definitely do myself but I always clean up big time at the end of a project with help from my boys and a good clear up at the end of the working day. Alistair A happy new year to you too my dear young lady and to all my friends here too. Brotherly Love Alistair


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## Vincent (Mar 10, 2009)

I would definitely consider moving the priority for dust collection up on your 2014 list for your health and your family. My shop list is fairly short and highest priority is to build a plane till and further upgrade my dust collection. Other than that, I need more shop time to work my way through the very long list of pending projects. And Happy New Year to you and yours.


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

Ahh yes, the always changing "shop re-distribution" of tools, equipment, and supplies… LOL Happy New Year. We'll all work/play safe in the shop. Like our parents told us way back (further for some), put your toys away when yer done playin with em….  I'm gonna try and move a wall to get another 150 sq. ft. more space. We'll see how that plays out. Oh, and I almost forgot, nice cleanup job there.


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

Mine starrs with building a new shop and lay it out for proper work flow.


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## teejk (Jan 19, 2011)

Lately my solution to shop clean-up has been to wear higher boots. I keep meaning to go out there but I know it will take a week after a month of making stuff (last was a pair of cherry butler trays with through dovetail joints). After having to build a cremation urn box for my FIL on short notice, I decided to build 4 more and store them. Then we got into deer season. Now it has been sub-zero temps and I don't even want to take the walk.

But today my sister called and said her cat died and wants a cremation urn box. So I guess it's time to suck it up and go back out (it's heated to 60F but I am turning into a woose).

Angie…keep an eye on your lumber standing up and down! Best to leave flat I think with weight.


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## hoss12992 (Mar 20, 2013)

Your "Dirty shop pics" look spotless compared to my shop. Every try fitting a mack truck into a bread box? Lets see, as far as new year resolutions go
1) Build a new "The Old Rednek Workshop" next to the new house we are building, with PLENTY of room. About 2200 sq ft.
2) Clamps
3) More Clamps
4) Alot more clamps
Happy New Year and look forward to seeing more post on your projects


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

Lol. Lots of great comments. 
Right now my dust collection system consists of two shop vacs. One larger one that I keep between my planer and table saw. I trade it out depending on which one I use. I have a small shop vac that fits on a bucket that a friend brought me about two weeks ago. The idea was for it to hook up to the router. But the hose needs an adapter. Working on that still. 
The miter saw…. Ugh… That is something I just don't know what to do about. I guess I'll be looking into designs that will help with that when I make my miter saw station. And I've seen both of Jays on his website. Will have to look at those again.

Man… Having a trash can on the other side of my table saw for those long cutoff would be perfect. Great idea. So simple and easy. Just don't think of these things sometimes. Lol.

Dan… I think you did send a pic of the dp. I'll have to look at my messages to make sure. I'll message you later.  can't wait to come visit.

And yes… If I throw a piece of wood out… Tomorrow I will need it. Lol. Which is why I have such a collection. 
But… My other resolution… Get more router bits… Reminds me of something I feel better about. My older brother has been inspired and is starting his own shop. (He made out like a fat rat in December. Brand new miter saw, router w/table, table saw, 30 PC router bit set, kreg jig and a nice lowes gift card) Anyhow… Now that he's going to be building… While it pains me to throw away any wood… I'd feel great if he came and rummaged through my stash. So… I'll be saying… "Hey big brother.. Can I borrow your dovetail router bit? I'll let you come get some wood?" Lol. It's a win-win.


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

I used to keep all of my scrap. Keep in mind that most of mine is Beetle Kill Pine. I have started burning all of my scrap. The amount I have burned could have heated a couple houses for the winter. In the new shop I intend to use wood burning heat. I have 3 garbage cans in the shop just to throw scraps into. Anything other than pine however doesn't get thrown out. Always can use hardwood scraps.


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## NormG (Mar 5, 2010)

2013 has now passed, great job on the clean up in the shop.

I have a Question: Angie where do I begin?


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## BentheViking (May 19, 2011)

clean my garage out enough to have a somewhat proper shop and with any luck build a bench and hopefully some assembly tables and the like


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## Denco (Jun 2, 2013)

Well, I'm moving so I'm going from a dedicated 1260sqft shop to half a 2-car garage. Just trying to pare down everything is a trick in itself. My new years goal is to make a very condensed, modular shop.


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## hjt (Oct 22, 2009)

Norm, I'd start with a bomb.


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## BustedClock (Jun 30, 2011)

To NormG

So many of us suffer from the same problem. You walk into a situation-your messy shop, a project at work, anything really-and you can't see anything but the total, unorganized, out of control mess. It turns out, however, that there really is an easy start to almost all of these situations. Go out to your shop, pick up the first thing that comes to hand, and put it where it belongs. Don't pick anything up without putting it where it belongs-not on another bench, not aside so you can get something else-*put it where it belongs!* Then, pick up the next thing. Rinse and repeat.

Of course, reality will bite you every chance it gets. You'll occasionally have to move something temporarily-how do you put the plane back in the cabinet when there's two sheets of plywood and half a dozen 2X4s leaning against the doors, but the plane is sitting on the cross-bar to the wood holder?

Hope this helps.


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

Oh my Norm. That is horribly awesome! Lol. I would have a field day cleaning that up.

You see… I'm actually a little OCD. I like to organize. So the reality is that even the "after" pics of my shop… I see the rest of the mess that I need to organize better. Lol. But my OCD is tempered by my desire to work in there. Lol.

I see a case that looks like it houses a planer. Lol. Bit I don't see the I feed or outfeed on it. Lol. Guess you don't need to plane much. Lol

Love it!!! Especially the fan  thanks for sharing. Made my day!


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

Oh… And someone asked if that was my kitchen? Um… Which pic? Lol. The answer is no but I'm curious as to what looks like it.

Although… When I showed my brother the after… He said "nice! Now tell me what wood working project you uses the cheese on?" Lol. Too funny!!! I think I had it in my hand for some reason and went out to take the pic and lock up. Who knows. Lol


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## doubleDD (Oct 21, 2012)

Angie, I need to make a few jigs and up date a couple of the old ones. I need to make a resaw jig for my bandsaw. That's # 1 on my list. I have been adding 3 and 4 way switches for the all dust collector systems so I don't have to move but a few steps to turn them on. No excuses that way. At least I can say since I gained a little more shop space I have been really good on keeping things clean and in order.


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## MarkSr (Oct 14, 2012)

Happy New Year Angie, great clean up, just like the clamps, "you never have enough cut-offs" LOL.
Mark


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

Wow, BIG difference between the "before" and the "after" pix!

I basically have but ONE resolution… get a shop built! I went from a 30' X 40' up in 10aSEE (and even though it was pretty crowded/cluttered, I DID have room to move about.) to a 11' X 20' temporary plywood wall STORAGE bin that is packed so tightly from floor to top that I doubt I could add a piece of sandpaper to!


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

I should be out in the shop right now. Kids are gone and I'm home alone. But… I have a piece drying right now. So I'm watching videos. BUt… GREAT videos. So it's probably a good thing. Learning ore is one of my resolutions anyhow… so.. got one. As for the shop… still in decent shape… but needs a little clean up


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## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

Please come and clean my shop as soon as possible !!
Happy New Year : ) You're off to a great start.


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## NormG (Mar 5, 2010)

I just have not had the time to get started on it, after xmas items completed. Maybe this weekend


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## AngieO (Jul 9, 2012)

Dusty… Is love to come clean your shop. Lol

Norm… Love your shop. It's yours… As long as it's the way you want it… What else matters…right?


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## tomd (Jan 29, 2008)

When I get to the point where I can't find my tools anymore then I clean up.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

Turn my warehouse into a shop!


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