Smart Shop tips!

[ovrszd]

I would most likely fumble and the ball bearing would fall into the intake manifold....

Oh man,, just had a mental vision of that scenario............

 

[Big Barn]

Oh man,, just had a mental vision of that scenario............

And then tearing the engine down only to discover you must have dropped it on the floor and it rolled off somewhere....maybe

 

[ovrszd]

And then tearing the engine down only to discover you must have dropped it on the floor and it rolled off somewhere....maybe

Awww,,, stop it...... I can't take anymore......

Plays right into my OCDness.....

 

[JK22]

I came up with this yesterday. I seem to always be looking for a tape measure. Shop is still under construction so tools don’t have permanent homes yet. I put 5 of these picture frame hangers around my shop. Bent them out slightly and used longer nails than what came in the packaging. Now tape measures have a home and are easily accessible. I have 5 tape measures in my shop, but I’ll probably add more hangers as I go. The idea is that the tape gets hung either on a hanger or my belt as soon as soon as it leaves my hand. Not necessarily a specific hanger, just any hanger, that way it’s visible and accessible and I spend less time wondering around my shop looking for the darn thing.

 

[JK22]

Hemmed and hawed over whether French cleats were worth it. Initially did a small 32” test section and decided to take the plunge. As I’m finishing out my shop on my own and I’m more of a quick starter than a planner, I really like the versatility of being able to get stuff off the floor right now, but have the flexibility of relocating and organizing as I go. I went with 45 degree cuts and stained the cleats for a more finished look. I intend to continue the cleats all the way down the wall but have to cut and stain some more wood first. I considered 30/60 miters, but 45 seemed to work just fine and is pretty dead on with the built-in gauge on my table saw. Saves me the time and trouble of messing with the angle finder when I need to cut more.

 

[Big Barn]

View attachment 661122View attachment 661121 I came up with this yesterday. I seem to always be looking for a tape measure. Shop is still under construction so tools don’t have permanent homes yet. I put 5 of these picture frame hangers around my shop. Bent them out slightly and used longer nails than what came in the packaging. Now tape measures have a home and are easily accessible. I have 5 tape measures in my shop, but I’ll probably add more hangers as I go. The idea is that the tape gets hung either on a hanger or my belt as soon as soon as it leaves my hand. Not necessarily a specific hanger, just any hanger, that way it’s visible and accessible and I spend less time wondering around my shop looking for the darn thing.

Good idea!,

 

[Sodo]

Finally got a laser tape measure. Its 330feet long and accurate to 1/32. Leica Disto D2 $115
And it shows the last measurement on the screen. And will add the two (or subtract) if you want.

And more. Much more. It will multiply 3 dims for cubic feet volume. It does Pythagorean calculations of distances you cannot measure, for example tree height.

Very happy I got on board. Sometimes im a little too curmudgeonly and Luddite, which of course is a tiny minority on TBN. But happy I jumped over that line. Cuz I still have a lot of stuff to build before I go to pasture. Yikes better keep busy!

 

[Industrial Toys]

I just swept out my shop of debris, (I have no idea how all that dirt gets in there), looking for a screw (from a terminal block) that I dropped into a generator, and don't dare start it now. It was right near the rotor. I didn't find it as I inspected the piles. :confused3:

My work bench bottom has only a few inches of clearance, and I have learned to put a piece of lumber lengthwise just a foots length in, as everything that ever fell down would fall under the bench and to the very back!

 

[Big Barn]

IT. Where the heck is your sense of adventure ?????

 

[Ford850]

I mentioned this before but it's worth repeating.

I have 2 of the HF 250lb retrieving magnets. I keep them each wrapped in a 'thick' plastic bag, like the ones Menards uses (compared to the thin walmart bags). I put both magnets in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket and drag or bounce it along the ground to clean up nails, screws, steel scrap in burn piles, etc. When the bottom gets covered I hold the bucket over the 'trash' barrel and lift the magnets to release everything collected. It keeps the magnets clean, especially with the bags, and is simple to collect, drop, collect, drop.
Last week after cutting and drilling some steel, I realized a 1 gallon bucket can be used with a single magnet and it even easier to use indoors.

 

[JK22]

I mentioned this before but it's worth repeating.

I have 2 of the HF 250lb retrieving magnets. I keep them each wrapped in a 'thick' plastic bag, like the ones Menards uses (compared to the thin walmart bags). I put both magnets in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket and drag or bounce it along the ground to clean up nails, screws, steel scrap in burn piles, etc. When the bottom gets covered I hold the bucket over the 'trash' barrel and lift the magnets to release everything collected. It keeps the magnets clean, especially with the bags, and is simple to collect, drop, collect, drop.
Last week after cutting and drilling some steel, I realized a 1 gallon bucket can be used with a single magnet and it even easier to use indoors.

That’s clever... I grind inside my shop and I’m constantly dealing with metal dust. I might try to fashion a similar solution near my grinding station to collect dust as it’s generated. I’ve looked into downdraft stations but either too expensive or too much time to DIY.

 

[Ford850]

That’s clever... I grind inside my shop and I’m constantly dealing with metal dust. I might try to fashion a similar solution near my grinding station to collect dust as it’s generated. I’ve looked into downdraft stations but either too expensive or too much time to DIY.

That grinding mess might be more stone grit than metal. I don't think I ever tried in on mine though. But for metal shavings it works amazing, especially compared to a brush or broom.

 

[JK22]

That grinding mess might be more stone grit than metal. I don't think I ever tried in on mine though. But for metal shavings it works amazing, especially compared to a brush or broom.

My magnetic roller sweep picks most of it up, so your concept should work. I’m thinking about inverting your concept and putting the bucket upright with the magnet underneath. Even if it only catches half the dust, I’d be way ahead.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I saw a youtube channel where the guy was removing stuff by hand from a Princess Auto Magnetic Sweeper. I have the same one and did the same thing for a while not realizing you could pull on a handle and have the stuff drop off! Those pickup things in various styles are so cheap on sale, you just can not have one.

 

[BukitCase]

Agree on the mag pickups; I have one of the HF 36" sweeps (no longer available) for one area, a 30" for another, and at least 3 of their approximately 3" round ones. The area where I normally use my mag drill is gravel floor, so after the "curly fry explosion" I just blow everything onto the floor and run the sweeper around listening to the clickety-clack. One pull over the scrap barrel and done... Steve

 

[Big Barn]

I saw a youtube channel where the guy was removing stuff by hand from a Princess Auto Magnetic Sweeper. I have the same one and did the same thing for a while not realizing you could pull on a handle and have the stuff drop off! Those pickup things in various styles are so cheap on sale, you just can not have one.

Dang. I was hoping mine was the same but it wasn’t.!!

That’s what I get for the ten cereal box tops and $1.99 postage and handling special.




Pretty sad day when when a Princess Auto product would be a major upgrade for a tool I have.

 

[ovrszd]

That is sad Terry. And surprising.

 

[Big Barn]

Tools are like animals, Richard. I love them all

 

[John0829]

Me being frugal, i.e. cheap, I use a bunch of magnets from old microwave ovens. Tie a cord to em and drag em over the area but I do cover them with cheap aluminum foil first to make removing the metal bits easy. My wife bought a cheap roll around magnet at one of the box stores that we still must use the foil on to make removal of the metal hassel free.

 

[JK22]

Me being frugal, i.e. cheap, I use a bunch of magnets from old microwave ovens. Tie a cord to em and drag em over the area but I do cover them with cheap aluminum foil first to make removing the metal bits easy. My wife bought a cheap roll around magnet at one of the box stores that we still must use the foil on to make removal of the metal hassel free.

Neat idea but aluminum foil is expensive! I just brush everything off with a shop cloth or a bench brush.