Crowded Shop

[Milton Shaw]

Wonder if anybody else has the same problem I have. I have a nice 40 x 60 shop that is well equipped for woodworking, metal working, auto repair, plumbing repair(pipe threading), lawnmower repair, and welding. The problem is that it's not in a 40x60 it's in a 28x30 plus a storage trailer. I need to eliminate some stuff and cannot decide what should go and what hobbies I need to cut back on but all have had something done in all of them in the last 12 months. I have invested in tools and equipment for the last 55 years. Any suggestions. Thinking about it maybe even a 40x60 is not big enough for all I have.

 

[thooks]

I would start thinning it out.

Find a young'un that shows some interest. See what they might be interested in - i.e.: small engine repair, auto repair, even woodworking. Think about an approach to them to show them the old tooling is better/valuable than the new stuff.

Maybe restore an old tool with them- that would teach them repair, how to find missing parts, fabricate solutions, prep/paint/etc. It would teach them about the mechanics of tooling, how to use the tool, etc. Might spark some interest.

I wish someone would have grabbed me by the noggin and did this. There was more of an abundance of older woodworking tools 15 years ago. Same with mechanics tools.

That way you could "move" some stuff out and most likely maintain the use of the tools at another location....and have someone to fix a few things for you in the future.

 

[Brand X]

Shoe horn?

I made a list of the things In my shop.. Same size 26X32. It's all about making things flow, and being able to see where things fit.. Sometimes the type of machines can limit some of it, but it is unreal how much space there is in 800 SQ ft.. Setup correctly...

 

[Boilerhouse]

Really not enough background info to give any solid advice. I do all the things you do, and I have a 24 x 30 shop and, in my opinion, lots of room. So what is it that we do differently. I have a shed to keep non workshop stuff in, like lawn mower, snowblower etc. I also keep shop equipment in the shed if it is something I don't often use, like the engine hoist. I also purge things to make room for more important things. When the metal lathe came home, the beer fridge left. I will soon be consolidating some storage to make it more efficient. It is amazing that, when you pull a drawer open, how much of the volume is air instead of tools. This should improve both shop functionality and aesthetics.

 

[larry_g]

I'm probably your age, retired and a shop full of equipment. I took a hard look at what I want to do, what I need to do, and what I do for others. Plumbing was the first to go. I'm not going to be replacing iron pipe so no need for a threader and associated parts. I'm not going to be doing heavy repair work so the stuff to do that can go. I'm done being prepared to repair what ever someone else drags into the shop to have me fix. It can be a ball and chain that keeps you from what really pleases you to do.

Do you have enough wood stored away to keep 10 men supplied for the next 10 years? Do your machines stay clean and oiled just from use, or is it an effort to tend to them so they don't rust? Is all this serving you, or are you serving it?

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Brand X]

Pics of your shop would tell a lot about things.. Having good, well laid out storage is a huge key to having room for machines, and being able to use them..There is quite a bit of difference between the 60X50 shop I was in for a while,(not mine) and the 32X26 I own now.I probably have as many large tools, and most well equipped home shops, and everything flows great..Even room for a full size dually to work on, if the need ever arises. I found room yesterday for a 62 inch work bench without compromising one inch of floor space. Sometimes it takes a lot of trial and error to get things right, but not at the first shot..

 

[cvairwerks]

Might be worth looking at making some tools mobile and other do double duty. A fitted scarificial top over a table saw can make a nice work/ assembly bench and not take up more space. It would mean that you would need to think and plan ahead some, but that’s just working smarter.

 

[fartymarty]

Crowded shops are my favorites. Could we see some photos? Maybe with photos we could come up with some ideas?

Wheels on everything. Rarely used stuff needs to go outside under a tarp or in a storage shed/lean-to depending on weather/rodent resistance. Is there attic space available or room to make a storage mezzanine? Again photos would be helpful. What's in the storage trailer now?

 

[BajaScout]

Crowded shops are my favorites. Could we see some photos? Maybe with photos we could come up with some ideas?

Wheels on everything. Rarely used stuff needs to go outside under a tarp or in a storage shed/lean-to depending on weather/rodent resistance. Is there attic space available or room to make a storage mezzanine? Again photos would be helpful. What's in the storage trailer now?

That is how I do it.

 

[Farmer J.]

2 stories that may help you.

My BrotHer in Law used to go around his farm every winter and get rid of anything he hadn't used for the last 3 years. Rarely did he ever regret not having it.

Whilst I was moving in to a farm some years ago my predecessor, a pleasant 65 year old chap was clearing stuff out from under the workshop bench. He said "I put this stuff under here when I was a teenager, and never used it, and forgot I ever had it so it has been no use to me at all"! He then built another massive building next to his retirement home and packed it full of useless junk like offcuts of plywood he couldn't bear to throw away. He told me a few years afterwards that he wished he had just sent it all to an auction as he didn't have room to move in his new building anyway..

 

[2oolhound]

Pour a 30'x40' slab beside your shop and place a shipping container at the far side of it. Then cover the area between with a large roof and close the ends off. Cut large door openings in the side of the container and your existing shop and you'll have close to that 40 x 60 shop you wanted.