Tips for an organized workshop

Aug 24, 2009 33 Replies

Get down to Staples, or Office Depot this week. It's probably the last week, they will have back-to-school supplies.



I use pencil boxes (those large translucent plastic things) to hold small screw drivers, drill sets, etc. Beats having them roll around in my tool chest. Come in two sizes, small and large. I get both.



I also use the plastic slider boxes as well. You buy pencils for marking, no? They are a good place for them.



Erasers - I got 12 of those Stadler plastic erasers for the price of



4!

Etc., etc. Anyone else has good tips like these?



Sharpies are also on sale as well. Tho I didn't get them this week. I have enough for the moment.



MJ


What in the world do you use ERASERS for? Do you make mistakes????

I still have the one they gave me in kindergarten.

RonB

What did you pay for the modern equivalent of a cigar box? Walmart has them for $1.00. Walmart even sells the school uniforms. My girlfriend looks hot in the short-skirt model (I play the wicked headmaster).

On sale, this week at Staples, $1.00, in large and small.

If you have pictures, will you share?

MJ

Hell yes I make mistakes but I don't use an eraser to fix them. I use my negative kerf saw blades for that!!

Gordon Shumway

The wise man learns from other people's mistakes. The average man learns from his own mistakes, and the fool never learns, because he doesn't make mistakes.

What is the difference between an oriental and an occidental?

The occidental learns from his mistakes.

The oriental learns from the mistakes of others, it's cheaper.

Lew

Remember those erasers we used to put on the pencils after the original pencil eraser wore down? They work great as a cap for the air fitting on my nail guns to keep dirt and crud out of the gun when not in use. I saw Handbills tool is selling caps that do the same thing for $2 each. Two dollars (about one pound and four, Jeff) buys a dozen or more erasers.

Regards, Roy

Over here we call them rubbers. That caused some confusion in a posting I made some years ago.

Jeff

I thought I was wrong once . . . but I was mistaken.

Dave in Houston

And, while there, drive around to the back of the store and check out their Dumpster. I found a UPS, a paper shredder, pencils computer cables and, at New Calendar time tons of desk-size calendars that i use as scribble pads for myself and my grand kids. The dated diarys and such are not worth much to adults, but kids can get a lot of play time out of them.

Be sure to place your Green and White "Diver Down" flag where folks can see it before "going in." (;

"Over here we call them rubbers. That caused some confusion in a posting I made some years ago. Jeff"

Yep, no one "over here" would ever admit they fit. (;

Use different types or colors of tape at each end of all your portable corded tools. When you need to unplug it from the tangle of cords you can find the one you need right away. Works on entertainment centers too.

Beyond that, once you get the place organized don't post any pics of it here or they'll think you don't actually do any work ;)

Actually I've come to the conclusion that we are all exactly as organized as we need to be. Necessity is the mother of organization.

-Kevin

I made a mistake once: I thought I was wrong, but it turned out I was right.

-Zz

ehem. :-)

"I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken."

That of course, means you were thus wrong... :)

--

I don't use stand-alone erasers in the shop, but when I am drafting a desgin I will use one, sometimes with a metal erasor shield. Two pencils with erasors are great for guiding small wood pieces on a bandsaw table. Avoid ink pens on wood.

You just dated yourself. When you mention drafting using erasers and a metal erasing shield I guessing you have drafting experience going back to at least the late 70's. I got my drafting table training during the mid 60's using similar tools. I was trained in CAD during the Late 70's/early 80's but was moving into other branches of aerospace by then. I still dig out the old drafting tools when I am working on a design problem.

It is discouraging to see how little college engineering students learn about drafting when they finish school.

Ron

Personally I find CAD to be OK for preparing a finished drawing but not so much so for brainstorming.

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