I’m about to undertake my semi-annual clean down of the shop. The Augeas stables come to mind. Blow out all the rotors, check plugs, check TS and lubricate, check and anoint all planes, chisels, sharpen drill bits, wax all brightwork (metal- not nautical), remove old glues from clamps, clean out pulley bay on drill press and check belts, throw outdated finishes and old paints out. Vacuum everywhere, oil where needed. Adjust tolerances (sleds, miter gauges, fences), sharpen or replace planner / jointer blades. etc.etc.
Question: how much, what and how often …if at all, do you GI your shops?
John
Replies
I just hook a air jet on my compressor, open all the doors and windows, and blow all the dust out of the tools and off the walls and ceiling. 20 minutes and your ready for a beer.
Edited 3/12/2008 6:08 pm ET by 9michael9
Leaf blower works well also.
yep
I tried the leaf blower to clean out the "dust" and it really made a mess of things. I found that dust had blown into all the drawers, and also ended up chasing it around the shop. I feel that the shop vac is the best solution.
I try to clean up every day as I hate to enter a dirty shop the next day. I sharpen planes, chisels, etc after each major use. Planer and jointer blades are replaced when they are dull.
I feel that a clean shop is a happy and enjoyable shop. I work alone. I am 75, which may explain my fussiness.
Tex, I work pretty much the same way as to routine sharpening and cleaning. I like a clean shop also. I can stay more focused and work faster. I was just wondering if people generally took care of their shop and how often or just waited till it all "exploded" in a woof of sliding corner stored wood and clamps, smoking machines and Charlotte's web in every cranny.I started doing a finer job while back when my DW431 belt sander roared with smoke and a few sparks. It had been used a lot over the years so I figured it was dead. So I bought a DW433 - a real pig. Then I took apart the 431 and the brushes and motor were clogged with dust. Blew it all out and cleaned it and it works like a charm now....I little more TLC at the right time may have kept the new pig out of my shop.John
Boilerbay - I lived on a boat for 10 years when I first retired. I soon learned the rule of "a place for everything and everything in its place". On the boat, it could be dangerous to not be able to find a tool in a hurry when needed. In my shop, I try to follow the same rule. I save lots of time and frustration by not having to hunt for a tool I know I have. I also try to resist the urge to move a tool to a more logical location. I know where it is now and I won't remember where the most logical location was tomorrow!
Tex,"I also try to resist the urge to move a tool to a more logical location. I know where it is now and I won't remember where the most logical location was tomorrow!"I have that problem with the beeswax in the tape drawer.John
my shop was taken hostage about 18 months ago. ive been chipping away at getting it back. the house remodel needs, and my attention to same, assumed priority over my need for creative expression. there is light at the end of the tunnel and i am cheered. when i do get back to it,i look forward to cleaning and greasing the wheels,so to speak.
enjoy!
eef
90 PSI with the air cleaner on works fine.
GW52
Amen
Fire up that big air compressor, open the doors, put on a dust mask and blast away.. when big tank runs down fire up the little aircompressor and blast untill big one catches up!
I've found that stopping to use a snow shovel to shovel the piles into trash cans about midway thru the shop makes the whole job go faster.
Those 35 gallon rubbermaid garbage cans make quick work out of hauling shavings and sawdust I think it's about 22 snow shovels full per garbage can so less than a hundred shovels full and you're ready for the second half of the shop..
When I get really busy I do that twice a week and if I'm doing a lot of rough planing I'll skip all the middle steps and just have the discharge of the planer aimed outdoors.. That way every couple of hours or so I can shovel aside the pile of shavings and make space for more..
Just for information I've filled 40 yard dumpsters this way! All packed down shavings
I've been planing a lot of cypress, I moved the planer to the center of a large tarp. Made it easier to dump the chips into garbage bags. It's amazing how many neighbors want cypress chips for mulch in their flower beds. Don't even have to haul it to the curb, they come to get it when they hear the planer stop :-)
Ray
Can't do that when you are doing black walnut.. put it on the ground, things die
Wish I could get some around here, only a few small sticks left in my stash. We're heading North in June on vacation, of course, I'll take the truck and visit all the little sawmills I can find on the trip :-)
How often? Whenever I feel the "guilts" (not like the NY Governor; excuse, ex-Governor) and then I do penance.
No - really - I like to "keep it clean"! I sweep regularly, so I don't track shavings, etc. All of my tools are in drawers under the bench(s) so they remain clean. I attach all hand, powered tools to my Festool shop vac and all large power tools are connected to the Oneida Dust Gorilla by means of "green Box" automatic blast gates.
As some one once said, "Prevention is 9/10s of the law." Or something like that.
Frosty
"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922
After I finish the current project I am determined to clean the shop, really clean it and build the shelves from the wood that's sitting there on the floor for ........ What I haven't figured out is what to do with all those small pieces of plywood left over from the 2 kitchens and various other projects that are sitting on a table and in boxes around the shop.
Any thoughts?
ASK
Make a very artsy scrap box? In a Piet Mondrian style with great brilliant garish primary colors so you can find it, or maybe some jigs. Or just a trip to the landfill:-)John
After making all the jigs, and the scrap box my other thought was to nail or glue them together and paint it and put the modern piece of sculpture out on the lawn.
ASK
If you put it out on the lawn, wouldn't you risk those guys from DYI or HGTV would come along and return it all back to it's natural state. And then leave it on your stoop, ring the bell and run away?
You could start all over again and make more scrap...John
Not the front lawn, in the back yard behind the garage perhaps.
ASK
Morning Doc...
I'm in the shop 6-10 hours a day at this point. With the weather in Atlanta 12 months is allowed with about 9 of them with the doors open. I have all the dust collectors (cyclone.. DC for SCMS.. 6 Shop Vacs various places for ROS's.. etc.) and a over-head Jet.
About every 3 hours I open the doors if not already open.. put the dust mask on.. and start in the back with a 140 mph electric leaf blower (tried a gas once.. but you don't want to go there with carbon monoxide fumes) and blow her out. Go upstairs for a cup of coffee and let it settle with the over-head on.
About every 3 months I will take part of a day and vacuum dust and spider webs from walls.. light fixtures.. clean dust from nooks and crannies with a mechanics brush and blow those out with a compressed air hose.
And can you still find fine dust particles? Every day... Reality is well.. reality. :>)
Highest regards to the corp-man... aka Doc....
Sarge..
Heh Sarge,How do you keep the doors open this time of the year? I used to live just east of midtown- you know where..the land of limousines for getaway cars after a double murder...
If I remember correctly the green fog is just about due for it's spring appearance. Green wood, green cars, green asphalt, green cement, green roofs and none of it Irish. This the time of year that was the best in Hotlanta. Then the heat. Ah, but then fall - the second most beautiful time in the south - proceeded of course by the green fall fog. Sawdust is nothin compared to the greening of Atlanta ;-)But then sawdust and the magnolias blooming at 2 in the am on a still, clear hot midsummer's night... Worth stayin up fer. Maybe with a long julep. (no sugar, no mint...)Semper FiDoc
I have natural gas heat when needed, Doc.. but opening the doors happens a large portion of the time March through November in the day-time. 69* today with the doors open all day as I have been shellacing after paying a visit to Suwanee Lumber this morning. At night they get closed and the heater goes on. Takes about 8 minutes to bring it to 68*-70* where I like it.
In summer we have the heat.. but fortunately my hose is on a slope and my shop (two car drive under) is under the house. Another 900 sq. feet behind that is 1/2 basement and what I call rear shop. The outer main gets no hotter than about 78* as I have thick pour concrete walls down there and the house is surrounded by hard-wood.
None of the 12' between $500,000 + homes for me. My closest neighbors house is about 50 yards away with most over 100 yards. The house is at the end of a cul-de-sac that backs to another cul-de-sac with most lots at least 1 1/4 acre. Hardwoods separate and in the summer.. you have to look very hard to see the houses around me.
And yeah.. pollen will start in about a week or so... the doors are definiteyl closed during the period of greenish-yellow wonder. It's our snow.... ha.. ha... ha..ha..ha..
Semper Fi.. Doc
Sarge...
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