Something just clicked…..

[Strouty]

Strouty, I think you had the right idea about that green Lista cabinet. After seeing the pics you posted and the hardware you keep it really does not fit your working theme. Take the $500 from selling it any turn it into more usable drawers and the type of storage you can use. The end result will be a more usable shop storage system which has been your big goal lately.

The long term goal is to have all my grey shelving replaced with 18" deep Lista storage wall, then I can have bulky things on a shelf, with the smaller bits that go with it in a drawer below them. I can see that this will be the best use of space, right now I have things in multiple place because I have drawers in one are and shelves in another. I am glad you see what I am talking about, makes me feel just a bit less insane.

 

[Kev442]

Pffft, no offence taken.
I now have a working pole building, which beats a storage pole building hands down. I built it to work in it, then I got overenthusiastic myself with a zillion projects. Now I am working my way out from under.
It is the reason I always cheer you on when you decide to store less things in the shop, especially since you bought the moving van trailer. I honestly think your metal storage rack could leave the shop now too, as you have side opening doors on that trailer and an awd lift truck.

 

[Strouty]

I am done for the night, I have this tiny bit left to do tomorrow.



The area looks clean, still need to find a home for several small bins, but I think that will be fairly easy, just need a break.









This is what I ended up with for scrap, then you can see all the bins that I emptied, they are going tonight to get recycled.






Lastly, these are the areas that I want to tackle tomorrow.

 

[Strouty]

Pffft, no offence taken.
I now have a working pole building, which beats a storage pole building hands down. I built it to work in it, then I got overenthusiastic myself with a zillion projects. Now I am working my way out from under.
It is the reason I always cheer you on when you decide to store less things in the shop, especially since you bought the moving van trailer. I honestly think your metal storage rack could leave the shop now too, as you have side opening doors on that trailer and an awd lift truck.

I figure the steel will be later, I have too much to do right now, but I agree it doesn't deserve the space that it has. The good thing is those racks are worth a ton, because they are nice vintage cast iron bases.

 

[Strouty]

One thing that I forgot to do is to go through the lista drawers, I think there is a bunch of miscellaneous hardware in them as well. Kind of funny that I would forget about them, guess I got tunnel vision. The good part is that I think I can come up with a couple more empty drawers from doing that.

 

[dlcwent]

Your effort is certainly showing Strouty. And next time you need something for a project, you won't be wasting time looking for it. Good job my friend.

 

[86turbodsl]

Looking super strouty!

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk

 

[Strouty]

Thanks guys, today is looking like it will be an even bigger improvement as long as I can keep the cold from knocking me out. Yesterday was throat, today is throat and stuffed up.

The plan is to go through the lista drawers, then tackle the temporary table, then the leftover parts from yesterday. After that I am going to work on the work bench and try and get things cleared completely. Depending on how long that takes, I would also like to get some things ready to go out in the trailer, that means I may have to go out and move some things around in the trailer, but it will help the shop long term, so the effort should be worth it. I am still in toss mode, so hopefully I can find some more stuff to go. The dumpster is fairly empty, so I have room to get rid of stuff.

 

[Strouty]

It is gorgeous outside, part of me wants to abandon what I am doing and do some outside work, I may combine the two and switch off in chunks. It is supposed to be 70 and there is no humidity, so it feels really nice.

 

[legenddc]

Thanks guys, today is looking like it will be an even bigger improvement as long as I can keep the cold from knocking me out. Yesterday was throat, today is throat and stuffed up.

The plan is to go through the lista drawers, then tackle the temporary table, then the leftover parts from yesterday. After that I am going to work on the work bench and try and get things cleared completely. Depending on how long that takes, I would also like to get some things ready to go out in the trailer, that means I may have to go out and move some things around in the trailer, but it will help the shop long term, so the effort should be worth it. I am still in toss mode, so hopefully I can find some more stuff to go. The dumpster is fairly empty, so I have room to get rid of stuff.

Might I suggest putting a label or tape over all the stuff you're organizing and put the date you did it on the label. Update the date when you grab something out of it. That way you can see in 2 years what hasn't been touched and should be discarded.

Could be something as simple as a red dot sticker = 2016, blue one for 2017, etc.

After seeing all sorts of threads about people saving loads of hardware I'm really thankful I'm only 2.5 miles away from Home Depot and it's only a half mile out of my way for my commute. I do keep stuff on hand, but it's mostly leftovers from other projects.

 

[Strouty]

Interesting concept, I don't usually subscribe to the toss it after x timeframe though. Too many things are cyclical in my work, so I may not use something for ten years, but then I use the hell out of it for a while and it makes me money. That is probably the biggest thing, I am trying to separate what makes me money from what causes me headaches. Maybe that can be the color codes.

 

[nine4gmc]

70*, it got down to 70* here last night, it'll be close to 90* today and humidity is high with rain in the forecast tomorrow. You should definitely try to mix up inside/outside work while it's nice out!

Sent from my SM-T230NU using Tapatalk

 

[legenddc]

Whatever works for you, I was just thinking it might help with the what to dispose of later on. The business side certainly throws a wrench into things, but at some point in time it might be better to clear off a shelf and re-purchase it in 10 years when you need it.

As you get better and better organized you'll come up with something that works. Either way, loads of progress, especially lately. The most important thing is I think you've changed your mentality so as business picks up and available time in the shop slows down I think you're better equipped than ever to handle it.

 

[Strouty]

Thanks legend, it really is tough with the business side mixed into the regular stuff. I think the biggest issue I have is that the stuff I am going through now has NEVER been gone through. I always had lots of bins and places to put stuff, then there were the auctions where I bought entire pallets of hardware and supplies. I am learning a lot from this thread, I hope to keep things under control for the future. I think the problem that I have with tossing the business supply is that having them allows me to do almost anything that I need without having to wait for a shipment, sometimes that can make the difference between getting the job or not. I try not to hold onto cheap stuff or things that are outdated, most of the hardware for the business end is either 3/8" stainless or 1/2" galvanized. There are lots of mixed in pieces and parts, but when something is galvanized or stainless it is pretty hard to tell if it is one day old or 20 years old. Once I get the conex as the dedicated space for the tower/antenna supplies, it will make things a lot better.

And Nines, I agree, today is going to be a bit of the outside stuff, I just wanted to get through the inside mess while I was in that mode. I emptied two and a half drawers from the lista setup, now I am working on the miscellaneous bins that are floating around on the shelves.

 

[neonlazer]

70*, it got down to 70* here last night, it'll be close to 90* today and humidity is high with rain in the forecast tomorrow. You should definitely try to mix up inside/outside work while it's nice out!

Sent from my SM-T230NU using Tapatalk

I was about to say, sounds alot like here! Hello from across the basin!(laffy)

 

[Strouty]

When it gets like that I won't want to go outside, I will try and stay inside with the AC blasting!

 

[nine4gmc]

Hey Neon! My mom lives over that way.

 

[Strouty]

Got things to a manageable point, overall it stinks, because I just keep finding more stuff. I thought I was all done, then I looked inside one more box and it has tons of stuff in it. At least this stuff was supposed to be in some wall mounted bins, but I am not sure that I want to use them, they are much flimsier than I would like. I went through the stack of gray metal bins as well, decided to keep the huge socket cap screws even though they have surface rust, they will clean up if I need them, I bet they are an expensive bolt to buy and yes I have used a few over the years.

 

[bimmer1980]

Dang..... Note to self, don't buy random pallets of hardware..... ;-)

Otherwise, good progress on getting the usable stuff sorted and organized...

Honestly, if there is some of the super random stuff, instead of spending the time sorting and organizing, either scrap it or try this: Take a picture of it, make a couple of notes and store the pictures and notes on your computer in a folder for random stuff. Then put the actual stuff far away in one of your outdoor storage units. This way, if you are working on a project and you need something super random, you can take a quick look at the pictures and then see the notes for where it is stored. Then you are not burning Premium Space in your expense drawers, but you still have a decent record of where it is at in the "cheaper" storage.

just a random thought......

I will say, I was in my shop the other day looking for some hardware that I thought I had....It was driving me nuts looking for it... Ultimately, I don't really have a lot of extra hardware, so I usually just make a shopping list and buy specifically what I need for that project....

Regardless, it might be worth it so set a time limit on how much more time you want to spend sorting hardware.... We are getting in to nice weather season, so think about how you want to spend your time... Personally, I think you got enough hardware sorted and usable that I would call it a day and focus on getting some projects done inside and outside of the shop...especially those that make money for you.....

 

[Strouty]

I could do the picture thing and use my Evernote account, that may be a good idea once the premium space is full. I did take a break and go outside, started moving some of the empty containers to the conex, well I found a dozen more things that needed sorting. This week is going to be my last focused sorting/organizing time, after that it will be based on the weather and how good or bad my elbow feels. I figure I will treat the conex the same way I am treating the shop, nothing in the conex that is not for business, of course this is much easier said than done. The conex has a good third of it stuffed with personal junk, so I will have to work at that slowly, I could move it all out and into the shop, but then the shop would look like it just puked all over the place. I really need one more conex, then I can have one for business stuff and one for personal/hobby stuff. I know I have the other boxes, but they are not tight like the conex and I am always fighting mice, so I limit what gets stored in them for now.

Yesterday I felt pretty good, but today the cold is dragging me down. I have taken some meds and it helps, but I just feel foggy, I really want to go to sleep. I am going to sort the remaining stuff that came from the conex, then I am going to head home. I will post some pictures before I leave, I also owe Nines some pictures of the swing machines.

 

[Strouty]

This is what I found in the conex, of course I did not dig around so I am sure there is more.




I got it all sorted and put away, so at least that is done, there is still a bit of a mess, but I think it will go quick tomorrow.







More buckets of scrap, I think I have nine now.

 

[Strouty]

As promised Nines, more sewing machine pictures, if you need more, I can easily get them tomorrow.

 

[86turbodsl]

Industrial machine?

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk

 

[Strouty]

Yeah, two of them. I bought them I guess a year and a half ago? Nines said he could tell me more about them, eventually I am going to use at least one of them.

 

[86turbodsl]

Old sewing machines are cool. I bought an old husquevarna for my wife and went all thru it. It is a mechanical engineers dream. Full of cams, links, levers, etc.

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk

 

[nine4gmc]

Unfortunately the pics are too dark for me to make out anything but a silouett, it looks like one is a single needle and one is a double but other that that i cant see. Next chance you get, post the model numbers found on the front right side of the machne heads.

Sent from my SM-T230NU using Tapatalk

 

[Strouty]

I guess the model number of one of them is a 112w139, not sure if the other one has the tag anymore.

 

[nine4gmc]

Okay that's the dual needle, google singer 111 and click images to eee if thats the single needle machine.

Sent from my SM-T230NU using Tapatalk

 

[Strouty]

That does look like it.

 

[nine4gmc]

Yeah, you scored! Idk what you paid but those are both sweet machines, you can download the manuals to find out how to thread them and what size needles you'll need. The 111 was the most common upholstery machine made, my Consew and 90% of the other machines out there are clones of that machine. Im not real familiar with the 112 but the manual is online too so you should be able to figure it out easily too.

I highly recommend you get a servo motor to replace the clutch motor on there but make sure you're going to use them first, the servo motors are $200 each. They allow you to set the speed and sew a single stitch at a time, all the way up to like 3,000 stitches per minute. The clutch motors on there now basically spin at about 3k spm and to sew slow, you have to "slip the clutch". Think of it like a 3,000 horsepower car on a gravel road, trying to take off without spinning the tires but instead of letting off the pedal carefully, you're pressing it carefully.

Sent from my SM-T230NU using Tapatalk

 

[Bob Heine]

I went through the stack of gray metal bins as well, decided to keep the huge socket cap screws even though they have surface rust, they will clean up if I need them, I bet they are an expensive bolt to buy and yes I have used a few over the years.

Strouty, those socket head cap screws are probably close to a buck a piece but it's OK if you see them as scrap. Rust diminishes the value of hardware to the point that I've thrown some out that I should have kept. I bought a vibratory tumbler from Harbor Freight along with some media. When I'm working in the shop I just throw a couple of handfuls of rusty hardware in the tumbler and turn it on. When I'm ready to quit for the day I shut off the tumbler and use a magnet to pull the hardware out. If it's clean, I throw it in a bucket for sorting -- if not, the tumbler gets turned on again during the next project. I bought the small one for less than $50 (20% off coupon).

http://www.harborfreight.com/5-lb-metal-********-tumbler-67617.html

 

[Strouty]

Nines, if I recall the machines cost me $165 each after fees. I will double check the model, now that I know it looks more like a serial number. I will also try and get some better pictures with more light on them.

Bob, that is a really good idea, I have a thing that may be able to be converted into a vibratory tumbler. So now I need to do some investigating on that front.

 

[shortykorte]

Great progress. Some of the hardware is very unique/unusual to me. Any history on it? You could make a display board and do a "Guess what it is" game.

 

[bczygan]

Okay that's the dual needle, google singer 111 and click images to eee if thats the single needle machine.

Sent from my SM-T230NU using Tapatalk

So 9's,

What machine would you look for to do zig zag stitching in 4oz. Dacron sailcloth. It would need to be a long arm machine due to the width of the material. And where would you look for one?

Bill

 

[Craptain]

So 9's,

What machine would you look for to do zig zag stitching in 4oz. Dacron sailcloth. It would need to be a long arm machine due to the width of the material. And where would you look for one?

Bill

I have sewn sails with a 50 year old domestic machine. Don't over think it.

Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk

 

[TAMPAGT07]

Hey Strouty, the ladies are wanting to know if you could make them some negligee, with your sewing machines....

 

[Strouty]

Tampa, I am not sure the local fabric store has enough lace to complete the job. I may have to order from multiple states to get that much material.

Nines, I found out that the second one is not a 111, it is a 107W1, assuming that would be a 107?

I am currently moving some stuff outside, trying to beat the rain, not sure how much I can get done, so there may be no pictures, sorry for the quick update, gotta get back to it.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

Tampa, I am not sure the local fabric store has enough lace to complete the job. I may have to order from multiple states to get that much material.

They don't need much (Just a few yards each).... They like thongs... Maybe you could use some bridge tension wire, as I would be swinging from lady to lady...

 

[bczygan]

They don't need much (Just a few yards each).... They like thongs... Maybe you could use some bridge tension wire, as I would be swinging from lady to lady...

You be careful there Tampa.

We don't want to hear you lost your grip and fell into......well, you know.....!

Bill

 

[Strouty]

Shorty, some of the hardware eludes me too, I think I may have to start one of those threads where people try and tell you what something is with nothing other than the pictures.

Tampa, what about a zip line? It could take you to the tunnel of love, the tunnel of love, the tunnel of love (in my best internet echo), or to chocolate palace, you choose.