Must Have Shop Items

[ovrszd]

Btw I choose NOT to be baited by ovrszd.

Quitter...…

 

[flyerdan]

Another thing that's good to have is wire terminals, a soldering iron, heat shrink tube, and a bunch of wire. I've got several wiring harnesses from parted out vehicles that I've kept, can often find the right gauge and color of wire for what I'm working on, if I need to match it. Also, helicoils are nice for fixing stripped things, I got a nice metric kit on ebay for under $30. Like to find an SAE set for that good of a deal.

 

[dragoneggs]

Losing track of what all has been mentioned. Takes more than a lifetime to get it all but a good solid dedicated workbench that is free of clutter and 220v power. Clamps... never have enough. A big compressor. Storage area for all your wood and metal cutoffs. I am trying to build new space just for that.

 

[lennyzx11]

Don't forget eye protection and make it a habit using it. Full face shields for any grinding chores.

I’ll go with this one. Take the time and buy a box of safety glasses. If you wear reading glasses, get the kind with the magnifying lenses built in. Then... take 3 or 4 or 5 pair of them and scatter them around the shop in strategic locations. Table saw, compound miter saw, router table, work bench, etc. Then they are handy.
I’m rinsing cedar dust still out of my eyes tonight after trimming a stud and was too lazy to go over to my other shop and get glasses.
While you’re at it scatter pencils, markers, and tape measures all over the **** place!

 

[Gem99ultra]

Aside from all the usual stuff, I stumbled onto one very useful shop item- a wheeled, hydraulic lift table that is infinitely adjustable, height wise, with its foot pump. Things that I've used it for so far:

Back your pickup up to the garage, slide your load onto the table, set at tailgate height, and roll the load over to wherever you want to work on it.

Use the table as an extended work support, setting its height to match the main table you are working on. For example, supporting a long piece steel at the height of your chop saw. If the main table is higher than the max height of the hydraulic table, use some 4x4 as shims.

Set the height of the table so that your workpiece on it is at a comfortable working height.

As above, but set a heavy vise on the table to clamp the workpiece. I've done this for holding a piece to be welded at a comfortable height. The vise can be set on the table without bolting it down if it's heavy and there's not much side force involved.

Plus, it's a handy surface on rollers, even if you don't need the lift.

This looks similar to the one I bought from a roving semi truck tool show. Mine leaks down eventually but the frame can be blocked at a certain height with the proper length of wood:

5 lbs. Capacity Hydraulic Table Cart

I agree with adding the hydraulic lift table jmc mentioned. Normally I'm not a HF supporter - BUT their lift table is one of the handiest things in my shop. I would recommend going to the 1000 pound table. HF's price is a fraction of what everybody else is trying to charge, but the quality is very good, sans the casters.

 

[Oaktree]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is a radio. Gotta have some tunes while I'm working!!

I'm jealous of you guys that have a decent-sized dedicated shop. Mine's basically one side of a 2 car garage (both sides in the summer, but my wife insists on parking her car inside during the winter...the nerve of her!!). I keep my tractor on my side in the winter, so that limits space even more.

Then again, all I have for heat is a 45 year old Fisher woodstove that takes forever to warm the (non insulated) garage up, so I really need to plan ahead to do any winter projects.
Still better than what I had at my previous house, which was an 8x12 shed, barely big enough to keep my tools out of the weather. Any time I needed to do anything it had to be outside.

 

[ovrszd]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is a radio. Gotta have some tunes while I'm working!!

XM Radio unit plugged into a docking station. On all the time in the shop. Additional docking stations in the vehicles I want tunes in.

 

[HarryVanderpool]

Tight fitting, 9 mil mechanic's gloves.
If you need to remove them in the middle of a job in order to eat, just send a blast of air from your air gun and they slip right off.
I use the same pair for days on some projects:

9 mil Nitrile Powder-Free Gloves Medium, 5 Pc.

 

[ovrszd]

Tight fitting, 9 mil mechanic's gloves.
If you need to remove them in the middle of a job in order to eat, just send a blast of air from your air gun and they slip right off.
I use the same pair for days on some projects:

9 mil Nitrile Powder-Free Gloves Medium, 5 Pc.

I've never owned a pair.

 

[the old grind]

TOTAL ABSENCE of tiresome radio commercial onslaught, trendy music, and other needless, socially accepted, redundant BS. (see signature)
No need for pushy customers who'll trade quality or fit for big hairy rush. Too often their distraction fosters crap I can't be proud of. For them I can only say:



It a workshop, not a clubhouse. I haven't listened to music radio since Country went Pop in the early '90s.

Sufficient traps to keep mice and red squirrels from nesting and peeing everywhere that's out of sight.

 

[dragoneggs]

Tight fitting, 9 mil mechanic's gloves.
If you need to remove them in the middle of a job in order to eat, just send a blast of air from your air gun and they slip right off.
I use the same pair for days on some projects:

9 mil Nitrile Powder-Free Gloves Medium, 5 Pc.

Good tip on using air. Heard that before but haven’t tried it. Got to remember for next time. I use the HF 5, 7, and 9mil gloves depending on the job.

 

[Doofy]

If doing a lot of automotive type work in the Shop make sure to get an exhaust hose kit to vent out the exhaust. Carbon monoxide can make you sick or kill in a very short amount of time.

 

[Doofy]

If doing woodworking, these work very well at keeping your vacuum filters clean and the dust down (protecting your lungs). Very cheap and simple to use. Dust Deputy Cyclone Separator Retrofit Kits | Oneida Air Systems

 

[flyerdan]

Having plenty of clamps is good, when HF had a sale I loaded up on C clamps. Even something simple like a box fan can keep the shop non-toxic if you can have the door open. I've got one that I set up at the back and it will blow out the welding fumes without disturbing the shielding gas, or keep any exhaust fumes from building up.
My shop is close enough to the house that I can beam signals from the computer via an FM transmitter. iHeart radio and audio files so few commercials.

 

[bigtiller]

If doing woodworking, these work very well at keeping your vacuum filters clean and the dust down (protecting your lungs). Very cheap and simple to use. Dust Deputy Cyclone Separator Retrofit Kits | Oneida Air Systems

That's a good one also.
My dust collector gets a free ride...

 

[Gary Fowler]

Good list of needs. Things I have:
110V electric tools-5 each 4.5" grinders with different wheel on each one, 9" angle grinder, 1/2 electric drill, 1/2 drill press, bench grinder, jig saw, table saw, 7 1/4" skill saw, 1/2" impact wrench, 300# electrode oven for my welding rods complete with electrodes, soldering iron, small 110V MIG welder, 3 air compressors, hand held belt sander
220V: AC/DC welder
20V stuff: 6 drill motors, 5.5" skill saw, Sabre saw, leaf blower,. Air powered tool: die grinder, ratchet, impact wrench 1/2" and 3/4" drive, air chisel, 90 degree drill
Attachments include an anvil on a moveable block, heavy duty rolling work table with vise, Oxy-acetylene rig, 3/4" drive socket set, 1/2" drive socket set, 3/8" drive socket sets, SAE end wrench sets 1/4"-2", Metric end wrenches 6mm-50mm, at least a dozen assorted screwdrivers, several assorted pliers, impact sockets 1/2-1", lots of shop towels, paper towels on roller, 2 rolling tool boxes to keep the wrenches, etc. in, 4 rolling floor jacks, 2 12 ton hydraulic jacks, 100 gallon diesel tank with 12 V pump, RTV900 for hauling and transportation.

Things I would like: Plasma cutter, 220V MIG/FCAW welder, large supply of scrap steel(hard to come by here)

 

[Big Barn]

Good tip on using air. Heard that before but haven’t tried it. Got to remember for next time. I use the HF 5, 7, and 9mil gloves depending on the job.

Good tip! Works well on latex love gloves also.

 

[two_bit_score]

XM Radio unit plugged into a docking station. On all the time in the shop. Additional docking stations in the vehicles I want tunes in.

I use an Echo Dot in the building. Get anything I want on that. Fox business news to sports to music.

 

[Big Barn]

I use an Echo Dot in the building. Get anything I want on that. Fox business news to sports to music.

I have Alexa.

She is great for metric conversions, elephant jokes, as well as story telling. She can also notify me of price reductions of tools on my Amazon wish list although I haven’t enabled that function....

 

[man00]

Dunno know if its been posted or not but to run all these nice tools don't forget