Organising your timber collection ...

[Afro Boy]

How do you all do it?

I have this impressive habit of not throwing out any wood at all. Now I'm in the situation where I don't know what I have and need to do some organising. So I'm wondering, how do you folk here organise all your bits of wood?

Currently I have 5 shelves of 2300 x 450, but it's a disorganised mess. A few plastic tubs of offcuts that I never go through to pick out any good bits and all sorts of other bits under the workbench and wherever else it fits. :C

Photographs very much appreciated!

Cheers,
Af.

[artme]

Ha! My son calls me an "anal retentive Bower Bird" Don't know whether I'm insulted or proud.:rolleyes::rolleyes::wink:

From what you say of yourself you are a complete novice when it comes to retention of bits for Ron ( later (r)on ).:D:D:p

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Organise?

:think: I have a carport, which is almost fully occupied with stacks of sheet-goods. MDF, various plys, etc. With a few planks stored on top, where & when they'll fit. Also a couple of tea-chests full of pen planks and several drums 'n boxes of small offcuts.

My slabs are currently leaning in the front of my "shed," (read: "garage" ...until I pull the finger out and build something else) but sadly have to be moved every time I want to access my table saw.

Planks of assorted sizes are stored on the shed floor, with boxes of crap piled on top. (I pretend it's to keep the boards flat, but it's really 'cos I've nowhere left to put either the timber or the boxes of crap. :rolleyes:)

As for my turning blanks... well, that's what's called the backyard. In racks, stacks and a couple of plain ol' piles. Except for my "select" blanks, which are literally filling every spare space left over in any of the above-mentioned sheltered locations.

And this is after throwing out several cubic metres when we moved house... :sigh:

Organise? Wash yo' mouth out! :p

[STAR]

I have the same problem. Especially since joining this forum and being around and being educated into why a piece of wood should not be discarded lightly.

Even the offcuts are valuable I have been taught. The offcuts of the offcuts have found a place also. But to top it all off I am now being advised, coached, shown, told, how to resurrect wood that is just holding together and not even suitable for firewood as their is more gaps and holes than actual wood.

I am sure the person who invented the use of resins to rebuild wood was thinking of one particular wood worker and unfortunately I have had the bad luck to be mesmerized and coached by this one fanatic. :rolleyes: :D

However, every so often, when I cannot move in my shed I try to go through the pile and separate what is really needed, what projects I might find for them and what is just filling up the shelves and tubs. Than I have to force my self to believe the best place for some of it is in our fireplace to help keep us warm on a cold night.

Peter

[Rookie]

One thing I know I should do, is immediately cut scavenged wood into rounds and seal it, if that's what I want it for, or square it up and seal it if I'm not sure. I don't do that, and now I have a whole bunch of split trunk sections in the garage that I will have to cut into smaller rounds or pieces. Just got to get into the habit I suppose.

As for the other stuff, under one of my benches is riddled with offcuts, but very few get thrown towards my sister for her open fireplace. They just stay there, and ocasionally I need a certain piece and I have it.

[Waldo]

My shelving is very methodically thought out. In order of photos I have:

• the good pile (racks);
• the working on a job pile (saw horse) and ready dimensioned pile on the bench. And on the floor behind the saw horses is, but you can't see it, the doesn't-fit-anywhere-coz-it's-too-big-pile;
• bits of stuff dunno-what-to-do-with-it-pile; and
• stuffed-if-I-know-throw-it-on-the-floor pile.

There is also the throw-it-at-the-bin pile. It also becomes the if-I-miss-I'll-pick-it-up-later pile.

:U

[m2c1Iw]

My shelving is very methodically thought out. In order of photos I have:

• the good pile;
• the working on a job pile;
• bits of stuff dunno-what-to-do-with-it-pile; and
• stuffed-if-I-know-throw-it-on-the-floor pile.

:U

What about the BBQ pile oh sorry that's the project :q :D oh and it's a gas BBQ :rolleyes: I'll go now

[Waldo]

That's the burnt offering pile.

[Afro Boy]

Thanks for this folks. Sounds like no one has really solved this problem. :no: Waldo has come close though.

I've just spent the last two night re-organising my collection of I-should-keep-it-just-in-case-I-need-it-in-10-years pile. Infact it was collection of all bits of wood I've collected so at least I can see what I have now (mostly). Will post some piccies tomorrow.

Cheers,
Af.

[m2c1Iw]

A few plastic tubs of offcuts that I never go through to pick out any good bits and all sorts of other bits under the workbench and wherever else it fits. :C


One thing I have started to do is at the end of the work session put away at least 10 things and throw away, burn or chuck out any bit of wood under 300mm long. By sticking to this religiously it's amazing how accessible the shed remains, a pleasure not to climb over things to get in.:D

These are my good long bits and sheet stuff

115190

and these are my good short bits

115189

The rest is in the rafters which is long good bits that I don't need for a while.

When you work out how to do it can you post back here, thanks.

Cheers
Mike

[gonty]

My shelving is very methodically thought out.

Waldo,

Those racks that look to be big dowels in 4x2 uprights seem a great idea. Are the dowels horizontal or angled up slightly?

[BobL]

organized, :oo: LOL :(

Under the house - chocka,
Driveway - only half full,
Patio area - currently empty.
Back veranda - some slabs awaiting resawing.
Side of house - a little more room there.
Milling yard - about 4 containers worth.
Stashes on various mates properties etc - lost count . . . . .

Time to make something - I think :D

[dai sensei]

IEven the offcuts are valuable I have been taught. The offcuts of the offcuts have found a place also. But to top it all off I am now being advised, coached, shown, told, how to resurrect wood that is just holding together and not even suitable for firewood as their is more gaps and holes than actual wood.

I am sure the person who invented the use of resins to rebuild wood was thinking of one particular wood worker and unfortunately I have had the bad luck to be mesmerized and coached by this one fanatic. :rolleyes: :D

Now who could that be :rolleyes::U

[artme]

[QUOTE=STAR;1026174]I have the same problem. Especially since joining this forum and being around and being educated into why a piece of wood should not be discarded lightly. Peter[/QUOT

So our education program is a success.:D:D:p

[munruben]

Waldo and Mike, you put us to shame. I would be embarrassed to show pics of my stack of timber. Must admit, I don't throw much away. Even the short bits are kept in the "one day I might need it" heap.

[Pat]

Let's see, 1 x 3x3m shed almost full, flat stuff and turning blanks. Turning blanks under two benches in the shed, the lean to beside the garden shed. It took me half a day to fit in a pack of shorts into the wood shed. Now I have to find room for the Purpleheart lenght . . . :U

[wheelinround]

Let's see, 1 x 3x3m shed almost full, flat stuff and turning blanks. Turning blanks under two benches in the shed, the lean to beside the garden shed. It took me half a day to fit in a pack of shorts into the wood shed. Now I have to find room for the Purpleheart lenght . . . :U


Should not have told me this Pat :D means I'll have to keep all that macadamia and English oak for myself

When you pick up your goop I can take it off you and store it Pat :U being a mate and all i promise I won't use much of it:;

[Pat]

Should not have told me this Pat :D means I'll have to keep all that macadamia and English oak for myself



Ray, I always have room for more timber:U

I have a little space under two small benches free for the Macca and Oak :q

[Waldo]

Waldo,

Those racks that look to be big dowels in 4x2 uprights seem a great idea. Are the dowels horizontal or angled up slightly?

Gonty, the dowels are angled very slightly.

[Afro Boy]

Here's my latest attempt at organising my wood pile. There's still slabs and other pieces on the other side of the garage though. Overall, I'm pretty happy with it. Let's see how long it lasts!

http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=115472

[robyn2839]

heres how i organise my timber, am going to build a small shed off back to house it all one of these days..bob

[orraloon]

I feel a lot better after reading this, knowing I am not the only one who keeps all the small offcuts. I am starting to have a problem now that I dont have the wood fire to free up some space. Should never have started on pens. I only do one or two now and then but any offcut large enough to have a blank in it gets hoarded somewhere.
Regards
John

[silentC]

I built this for all the offcuts I can't throw away.

[Waldo]

:aro-u: Beaut idea. :2tsup:

[DJ’s Timber]

:whs: a bloody great idea, consider it copied :U

[silentC]

Glad you like it. A couple of important details if you do make one:

The sloping part is divided into about 5 compartments and the compartments have a flat bottom. I found that without the flat bottom, the lengths all wanted to slide to the deep end and it was a pain to load up.

[Groggy]

The sloping part is divided into about 5 compartments and the compartments have a flat bottom. I found that without the flat bottom, the lengths all wanted to slide to the deep end and it was a pain to load up.Nice design, I wish I had the room for one. What is the purpose of the shelf/bench in front?

[silentC]

This might help:

[Groggy]

Ahh, an LS1012/3? I have the same one and while it is a good tool it makes a heck of a mess. It seems pretty clean behind it, have you got a secret to catching the sawdust? I have just started using bicycle inner tube to join the mak vac port to my shop vac. It helps give a better seal. My shop vac hose and the mak port are the same size so the bike tube is a perfect joiner piece.

[silentC]

It's an LS1013.

Regarding the sawdust, my method comprises a gap between the box it's sitting on and the wall behind it. The dust falls down there and once in a blue moon I suck it out with the dusty. My daughter calls it "feeding the elephant" :)

[robyn2839]

love the design, I also, will have to make one...............bob