How about "The Shop" - What is yours like?

[vinito]

Today I started digging back into what has turned out to be a restoration project. It started out as a much smaller specific thing that has mushroomed, but that's not really a surprise.
Anyway at first scan I realized that my work area is just awfully laid out to be very functional. I have so may things spread out now that it's becoming difficult to walk around and that is not healthy of course. Then I realized that this whole time I don't even have any sort of bench to work on either. I've been taking smaller assemblies in to my job since I have after-hours access to it and there is plenty of bench space there. But it just seems a little stupid and certainly less than ideal to not have some sort of even minimal bench in my own work space. This is because it's normally just a garage and not a work space, but still...
So for the next few hours my plan is just to straighten things up so at least I can get around to do stuff and have things, including tools, much more organized than it is currently. And I think if nothing else I'll convert the top of the table saw, which isn't being used at the moment, to be a minimal workbench. It's amazing how doing just a couple little things like this can really change your experience to be much more comfortable. I guess I find myself here because at the beginning the scope of the project was a whole different beast than what it has evolved into, but it's amazing that I thought I could get anything at all done with the "shop" in the condition it has been in.
Anybody have some neat tricks about how their work areas are set up that help things go smooth or just help a lot? The next few projects in my queue are : replacing axle and idler bearings, sprockets & chains, removing all hydraulics to empty the shell of the machine so I can then clean and paint, tidy up the brittle wiring, fix the hacked-together engine exhaust pipes, then a whole lotta re-assembly. Seems pretty basic, but I'm sure you old hands have a couple neat tricks. I wish I just had a 30x60 building with 12' ceilngs to work in - maybe some later date, hehe.
Sorry if I'm just rambling on here. I'm just taking a little break to warm back up before I go out to finish organizing the shop.

 

[farmshop]

Shelves, racks hooks to get things up off the floor. A simple rolling cart/bench is a great help so you can move it to the job or out off the way when not used. Our future plans are to add a lean to on to the shop for misc storage to get more usable space. Some people will use a shipping container for this too

 

[vinito]

Shelves, racks hooks to get things up off the floor. A simple rolling cart/bench is a great help so you can move it to the job or out off the way when not used. Our future plans are to add a lean to on to the shop for misc storage to get more usable space. Some people will use a shipping container for this too

Several good ideas there, thanks! I like the rolling cart. I've always had those at the places I've worked but buying them new always seemed more expensive than what I thought it was worth. At this point it hits me as being more worthy. I have enough storage space (barely) so I don't need to go there at this time. But I sure could do more to make the space I do have more organized and useful. I spent a few hours today moving stuff around and putting things away and it helped a TON.
Keep 'em coming.

 

[Tazza]

Several good ideas there, thanks! I like the rolling cart. I've always had those at the places I've worked but buying them new always seemed more expensive than what I thought it was worth. At this point it hits me as being more worthy. I have enough storage space (barely) so I don't need to go there at this time. But I sure could do more to make the space I do have more organized and useful. I spent a few hours today moving stuff around and putting things away and it helped a TON.
Keep 'em coming.

If you find a good way, i want to know too
Sadly when i need to work in my shed, i have to push stuff out of my way. I think i have too much stuff, or the shed is just too small. I keep telling myself that i will clean it up one day, that day has still not come.

 

[vinito]

If you find a good way, i want to know too
Sadly when i need to work in my shed, i have to push stuff out of my way. I think i have too much stuff, or the shed is just too small. I keep telling myself that i will clean it up one day, that day has still not come.

Hehe. I can't imagine anybody being worse at this than I am. But once in a while I can clear away a space enough to work on a current project. My spot isn't as open as I would like by any means, but it's five times better then it was a couple days ago, which is kinda sad but I can get around it at least.
Today I made a dolly for the body of the thing. I had four heavy-enough swivel casters so I just made a simple 2x4 cross frame to tie it together. This will help quite a bit.

Here's a video if the embed code works. If it doesn't work, here's a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPeoTBWmMro
Now I can strip the axles and idler assemblies off to get them re-bearing ed and re-sprocket-ed.

 

[farmshop]

Hehe. I can't imagine anybody being worse at this than I am. But once in a while I can clear away a space enough to work on a current project. My spot isn't as open as I would like by any means, but it's five times better then it was a couple days ago, which is kinda sad but I can get around it at least.
Today I made a dolly for the body of the thing. I had four heavy-enough swivel casters so I just made a simple 2x4 cross frame to tie it together. This will help quite a bit.

Here's a video if the embed code works. If it doesn't work, here's a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPeoTBWmMro
Now I can strip the axles and idler assemblies off to get them re-bearing ed and re-sprocket-ed.

Heckler you made the dolly you can make your own cart. Mine is made from a 2'x4' piece of 1/4" plate and some short 1 1/2" sweet steel tube. If your not beating on it to hard wood would work some 4+4 and plywood some bolts and your good to go

 

[Tazza]

Heckler you made the dolly you can make your own cart. Mine is made from a 2'x4' piece of 1/4" plate and some short 1 1/2" sweet steel tube. If your not beating on it to hard wood would work some 4+4 and plywood some bolts and your good to go

Simple, yet effective. Sure does make moving it around easy.

 

[mmsllc]

Simple, yet effective. Sure does make moving it around easy.

THAT is a great idea. The only thing, I would have done differently would have to fabricate it out of steel. That way you can move it around as you reassemble it or move heavier / assembled machines around. Just my preference, though. I did watch the video. It does seem to work good.

 

[SkidRoe]

Hehe. I can't imagine anybody being worse at this than I am. But once in a while I can clear away a space enough to work on a current project. My spot isn't as open as I would like by any means, but it's five times better then it was a couple days ago, which is kinda sad but I can get around it at least.
Today I made a dolly for the body of the thing. I had four heavy-enough swivel casters so I just made a simple 2x4 cross frame to tie it together. This will help quite a bit.

Here's a video if the embed code works. If it doesn't work, here's a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPeoTBWmMro
Now I can strip the axles and idler assemblies off to get them re-bearing ed and re-sprocket-ed.

That is really slick!! I think that I would also go with a steel one, then maybe add some legs in the corners to elevate it a bit.
Here is how I have moved mine around and elevated it to work on it:

Cheers - SR

 

[Tazza]

That is really slick!! I think that I would also go with a steel one, then maybe add some legs in the corners to elevate it a bit.
Here is how I have moved mine around and elevated it to work on it:



Cheers - SR

I'd love a car hoist like that, would make things so much easier to work on.

 

[SkidRoe]

I'd love a car hoist like that, would make things so much easier to work on.

It is definitely one of those things that once you have it, you can't understand how you got along with out it.

 

[vinito]

It is definitely one of those things that once you have it, you can't understand how you got along with out it.

Forget the lift. What is that below it? Is that bare floor ??!!! I haven't seen that around here for years.

 

[farmshop]

Forget the lift. What is that below it? Is that bare floor ??!!! I haven't seen that around here for years.

Yup bigger loaders are slick for moving skids our 621 payload has moved several dead loaders