Thanks: 0
Likes: 0
Needs Pictures: 0
Picture(s) thanks: 0
Results 1 to 14 of 14
Thread: Bringing order to chaos
-
14th March 2011, 07:10 PM #1SENIOR MEMBER
- Join Date
- Jan 2011
- Location
- Sydney
- Posts
- 613
Bringing order to chaos
So here I sit, after spending a good hour sorting all my fasteners into neatly labelled plastic storage containers....I probably could have found what I needed just as well if I'd continued using the old eclipse mint containers I was before, but this was a cheap and easy way of improving the system somewhat and it looks so....neat. Like someone who knows what they are doing works there. I don't really, but at least it gives the impression that I do...
So tell me, what lengths have you gone to in order to bring a little more order to the chaos we call our workshops? Maybe we can share our tips, or just be glad that we aren't the only ones who feel the compulsive need to make everything tidy!
-
14th March 2011 07:10 PM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
- Join Date
- Always
- Location
- Advertising world
- Posts
- Many
-
14th March 2011, 08:29 PM #2Skwair2rownd
- Join Date
- Nov 2007
- Location
- Dundowran Beach
- Age
- 76
- Posts
- 19,922
Milk bottles and coloured detergent or softener bottles cut don on the bandsaw to just under the depth of the drawer are great. You can colour code, if so inclined!
-
14th March 2011, 08:45 PM #3
I haven't gone to many lengths... yet. Once we have a carport built in front of the shed, it will give me room to drag EVERYTHING out of the shed and have it undercover. I'll seal the dusty concrete floor, and ideally line some insulation on the walls.
Then, one by one, take everything back inside to its new and rightful organised home. Peace and organisation will be restored.
BUT, the first task, before I move EVERYTHING out, is to organise where I will put it all back....
Nathan.
-
14th March 2011, 09:17 PM #4SENIOR MEMBER
- Join Date
- Jan 2011
- Location
- Sydney
- Posts
- 613
One of the first things I did was line the back of the garage with four of those cheap ($20) galvanised steel shelves, made up a bit higher than standard using bits from a couple of spares I had. This at least got everything off the floor. I've tried to keep cleaning supplies on one, auto on another, garden on a third and my tools on a third...unfortuantly they have been encroaching on the garden shelf.
I recently built myself a rolling pegboard stand, double sided so I can fit more tools on it - woodworking one side, metalwork and auto tools the other. Depending on what I'm doing I swing it around on it's casters to get to what I need. My car shares the small garage with my 'workshop' so I'm cosntantly trying to find more creative ways to store things!. I like the cut off bottle idea
-
14th March 2011, 09:39 PM #5SENIOR MEMBER
- Join Date
- Oct 2005
- Location
- Yangebup, Perth
- Posts
- 444
I moved everything out of the shed that wasn't regularly used and put it elsewhere. All camping gear in the roof, gardening stuff in a little garden shed, etc. Sold everything that I thought was not really worth having and put up a decent wood rack which made the biggest difference of all, putting the wood up high meant all the space underneath could be used for machinery.
The world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel.
-
14th March 2011, 09:40 PM #6
I purchase plastic tubs and labeled the outside of what I have inside. So far only half the tubs are actually labeled correctly they contain the odd bits that do not have a category.
I placed the tubs on shelving to get them off the floor. They keep the dust off the items in the tubs which is a good thing. I started to dedicate areas for things but that does not seem to last too long. Does not stop me from trying.
-
14th March 2011, 11:08 PM #7
-
15th March 2011, 08:39 AM #8Jim
- Join Date
- Feb 2008
- Location
- Victoria
- Posts
- 3,191
The plastic fruit containers that have a screw top are pretty good. Even when washed and dried they often have a smell of the original contents so you could have them scent-coded if you want to be different.
Cheers,
Jim
-
15th March 2011, 07:55 PM #9SENIOR MEMBER
- Join Date
- Jan 2011
- Location
- Sydney
- Posts
- 613
Alex, I sympathize, I bought 10 of those little stackable garage bins from the reject shop, ended up going back twice and I could still use more if they had them...my other half's label maker came in handy the day I put those in place!
Some of the others I've used, seen around here or elsewhere are;
- nail jar lids to the underside of a shelf, then unscrew the jars from them for holding nails etc when needed
- rare earth magnets stuck to the side of the bench/to the wall etc make a great place to stick drill bits, removed screws etc when working and stop you losing them
- a bit of gutter stuck to the end of your workbench is a great catch all for small bits and anything that rolls off the bench - just make sure you leave one end open to get rid of sawdust
- paper towel or toilet roll holders make great sandpaper/emery dispensors
- those school project binders with the slide on spines protect your saw blades well
- old army surplus canisters are quite tough and the ammo canisters are quite bottom heavy - great for standing offcuts and long pieces in without them falling over
- a piece of cork from a discarded glass jar makes a great pincusion for small nails while you work
etc etc
-
-
15th March 2011, 09:25 PM #10
I use anything and everything, depending on the application. Some of those plastic boxes screws come in are awesome. Some old metal boxes from garage sales and flea markets too. Ditto on the artillery boxes; I use them for for sanding and grinding discs and the like.
-
16th March 2011, 06:32 PM #11
I'm not very tidy but this thread might give me the inspiration I need.
Reality is no background music.
Cheers John
-
16th March 2011, 07:02 PM #12
I try, I swear I try but horizontal surfaces attract stuff and empty containers seem to become full of all sorts.
Michael
Wood Butcher
-
16th March 2011, 07:36 PM #13SENIOR MEMBER
- Join Date
- Jan 2011
- Location
- Sydney
- Posts
- 613
If you put up shelving, you get more horizontal surfaces to play with!
I've just spent 15 minutes while waiting for SWMBO to get home from work gluing some of my little stackable crates together. For some reason they don't like being put 6 high then filled with heavy auger bits!
g2g, she's home!
and yes, I hope it does inspire you munruben!
-
16th March 2011, 07:58 PM #14
I also use scent-coded screw top fruit jars (Coles and Goulburn Valley jars are identical except Goulburn Valley uses better glue to attach the labels!) AND Coles yoghurt tubs. I already had some shelving I had made up years ago and the screw top jars on their sides and the rectangular yoghurt tubs fit perfectly.
I also happen to like the contents of both!
fletty
Similar Threads
-
Bringing up Kauri
By 2sharp in forum FINISHINGReplies: 5Last Post: 24th August 2008, 09:35 PM -
cross cut chaos
By Dangermouse in forum WOODTURNING - PEN TURNINGReplies: 15Last Post: 24th June 2008, 02:32 PM -
Nail bag chaos theory
By mic-d in forum NOTHING AT ALL TO DO WITH WOODWORKReplies: 4Last Post: 30th June 2007, 11:04 PM -
Bringing timber from NZ to Oz
By oldbob13 in forum TIMBERReplies: 6Last Post: 24th February 2007, 07:17 PM -
Captain Chaos Pen Press
By Captain Chaos in forum WOODTURNING - PEN TURNINGReplies: 3Last Post: 18th April 2006, 08:41 PM