This is not what my workbench currently looks like. *Turns around and looks.* Well, not exactly, at least.
I’ve been doing some serious spring cleaning, organizing, and sorting, and it’s been a chaotic and tiring mess. I have a lot of tools, but not a lot of space. And this is just talking about personal tools. Test and review samples come in all the time and add to the volume.
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I think I have worked out a good method of sorting my tools and equipment. “Essential” tools that I might need at a moment’s notice, as well as my more valuable tools, will stay close by. Less frequently used tools and review samples I have decided to hold on to for comparison or editorial purposes will go into off-site storage.
One corner of my largest storage space is now reserved for tools and accessories that will be donated to non-profit organizations or good causes.
But there’s still a problem – how do I determine what’s “essential” and what’s not? What I’ve been doing is sorting through everything, emptying out totes, bins, boxes, and drawers, and have noticed a trend.
I like to keep a clean workbench, but it never stays clear. Looking around me, every flat surface is occupied. There’s a Pelican case, Festool Systainers, and a tool bag on top of my Beta tool cabinet. A Bosch L-Boxx and random equipment on my maple-topped cabinet. Lighting equipment, a drill press, saw, ruler, and IR thermometer on one office cabinet, a camera, torque wrenches, and hand tools on the other. The workbench itself is currently covered with several wrench sets, cordless drills, sockets, 18V batteries, and new purchases.
I cleaned off my workbench three times this week already, gathering everything into industrial totes that now line the hallway wall. The idea is that I finish decluttering the room and closets, and then populate the drawers and docked bins and tool boxes with essentials.
I know, deep at my core, that regardless of how clean and clear I can get my worktops today, they’ll be cluttered again tomorrow. It’s a consequence of having more tools and equipment than places to put them, but I know it’s not just me.
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Every flat surface is an invitation for clutter.
jeff_williams
What do you make with your tools?
Stuart
In April I will be focused on organizing everything. A new simple book case for parts organizers and lighting equipment, practice joinery for a long-planned fossil and mineral organizer, and a responsive scratch-built computer case mod that I know makes no sense. At the least.
Testing for ToolGuyd has eaten into a lot of my free time, but once I’m caught up there should be more time for a long list of projects previously halted at various planning stages.
That’s also part of the reason for the cleanup – too much stumbling over tools leads to a lot of wasted time.
Mrs. ToolGuyd
The obvious answer is that he makes a mess with his tools.
Mitch (route246)
I think you are overstating the obvious. The “clutter” you show in the top photo would be considered spotless, pristine and sanitary in my shop. I could post a pic of my workbench top but it might break my lens because it is so ugly. 🙂
Stuart
That’s not really clutter, but a tool dump I did for a late-2011 post to show how many tools I purchased from Sears. Still, I can never keep flat surfaces clutter free.
Small industrial bins helped for a while, but working with Bosch L-Boxxes is helping most. This way, if I know I need something in advance, I bring the module in for storage.
Once cleanup is complete, hopefully in a week or so, I’ll snap a photo or two of the setup.
My setup is sanitary, though – it has to be since I also use the space as an office and photo studio.
Steven B
It’s odd. Every appropriate surface in my workshop, and many inappropriate and unstable ones have clutter on them. My office is tidy, my kitchen is pretty clean. I always wondered why my workshop is a dangerous disaster. My best guess is that I know what I am doing in the rest of my house, but I am always learning new things in the workshop and improvise more than I expect to. I am slowly making the tight space cleaner by making obsessive compulsive storage furniture, cabinets, etc.
John Sullivan
May I claim “dibs” on any [especially Woodpecker] tools that you deem non-essential in the cleanup and purge?
Just kidding– well, not really.
Stuart
haha, that’s a good one, like I would ever give up any of my Woodpeckers tools. =)
What might you be interested in? I give away and donate review samples all the time, personal tools on occasion as well.
Javier
Stuart you should make a contest to see who has the most messiest toolshop workplace and give away bosch lboxxes and or dewalt boxes, I forget what the dewalt ones are called I think tstack.
Stuart
It sounds like a good idea, but contests like that don’t usually receive a lot of interest or responses.
Mati
Stuart, may I ask you possess the same type of Picquic screwdriver that I do, except the color of my Teeny Turner is yellow. I would quickly learn this is 3/8 inch bit holder, not 1/4 inch, but exceptionally helpful in the work I’ve done. Such as electronics works I’ve done to name a few. What work have you done with your Picquic screwdriver.
Also may I ask you a question about a product on your work bench. Several years ago and I think this was during the time Toolguy’d was in it’s early stages you had taken a picture of a Irwin brand USA made locking pliers. Now I am not sure if you owned that pair, but I see you have a Craftsman needle nose locking pliers on bench. Purely out of curiosity, what ever became of that USA made Irwin locking pliers or is just in another tool box?
Stuart
Technically, the pink was in my wife’s, I have a blue one that’s hiding out somewhere. And I think you meant that the bits are 1/8″, not 3/8″. This is a “micro” bit size that’s not very common, but I’ve been slowly accumulating more micro bit holders and bit sets. The last thing I used it for was to remove the screwed-closed cover of a small 9V battery box. I do have a few good sets of precision drivers, otherwise the Picquic would see a lot more use.
The photo doesn’t show all of my hand tools, just many/most of those that I purchased at Sears over the past few years, including a few purchased the week the photo was taken. The Craftsman locking pliers set was maybe $10 on sale since it was around the holidays. Might be made in USA, I’ll check later.
I still have my USA-made Irwin Vise Grips, and use them every so often. I keep a couple in my tool cabinet alongside a few Grip-Ons.
My tool collection has gotten way out of hand in the past few years, with a couple of tools purchased solely because I think they’d be interesting for review. But then since functionality of a tool I already own is duplicated, the new tools don’t see so much use and review is delayed. And after moving a year ago I haven’t really sorted everything back to an organized and efficient state yet, hence the current efforts.
Mati
Ah 1/8 inch, for some reason I put a 3 instead of a 1. Yeah I personally own a Wiha ESD safe micro bit holder and I honestly wish Wiha would expand their line of precision screwdriver bits, but alas I don’t think that will ever happen.
Frankly, with all due respect, I’d be very shocked if your locking pliers set was actually USA made, as a while ago, I actually bought myself a vintage USA made Craftsman curved locking pliers and after doing some research, found out these were made in early 1980’s.
Would be cool to see a updated image of your Irwin USA made locking pliers or maybe a posting about locking pliers, as I learned some pretty interesting information Wilde Tools when I called them about the vintage needle nose locking pliers I bought recently as well .
Might even give me the chance to hear your opinion on the Grip On brand of locking pliers as well.
Stuart
Darn. =(
Dug out the Craftsman locking pliers this weekend. Made in China. 3 for $10 with lifetime guarantee still wasn’t too bad.
I’m a big fan of Grip On locking pliers, and if anything ever happens to my USA-made Vise Grips, I’ll likely replace them with Grip Ons. One thing I really like about them is how the unlocking levers are easier to toggle.