earthscratcher
Senior Member
I just spent an hour looking for the tools and parts to do a half hour job. what are guys doing to make your shops run smoother has far has knowing where stuff is?
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shop organization ?
- Thread starter earthscratcher
- Start date
crane operator
Senior Member
My shop is a rolling disaster of half empty 5 gallon pails, unfinished projects, broken 2 strokes, and various hair balls left from a border collie that's been gone for 10 years.
Truck Shop
Senior Member
Clean up after every job is completed & put tools away--No one gets to eat or drink beer
till the shop is in order.
till the shop is in order.
Nige
Senior Member
Locks on the tool box(es).
Clean up after everydays work is more my style
thepumpguysc
Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2010
- Messages
- 7,542
- Location
- Sunny South Carolina
- Occupation
- Master Inj.Pump rebuilder
If u do a lot of “bench work” hang wrenchs on a peg board or lay them in a wrench rack on the bench..
Special tools go in a drawer or multiple drawers..
And as stated before, pick up after every job..
It doesn’t take but a second to use the air hose to blow off the bench and floor..
Here’s something I do/use..
I started buying “puppy pads” and tacking them to my work bench..& working on those..
They soak up all the fuel and oil that comes off/out of the pumps..
Once torn down and wire wheeled and blasted, I fold the pad up and toss it in the trash and put out a fresh one for the rebuild…
Special tools go in a drawer or multiple drawers..
And as stated before, pick up after every job..
It doesn’t take but a second to use the air hose to blow off the bench and floor..
Here’s something I do/use..
I started buying “puppy pads” and tacking them to my work bench..& working on those..
They soak up all the fuel and oil that comes off/out of the pumps..
Once torn down and wire wheeled and blasted, I fold the pad up and toss it in the trash and put out a fresh one for the rebuild…
stinky64
Senior Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2017
- Messages
- 901
- Location
- java center ny
- Occupation
- big truck wrench/fixer of things
I agree completely with the put everything away and clean up after every job, but these days as soon as I enter my shop the beer fridge is usually my first stop. Correction: start fire then visit fridge.
I have stared using old filing cabinets for storage . One big thing i started doing is have a shelf,cabinet or some place to store parts for projects this saves me a lot of time and headaches . Its hard to do but anything thats laying around that you THINK you may use someday throw it away. Most of you know i am cleaning my Parents farm up were my stuff is to. This job has been a great life lesson in what is important and what is in the way of what you want to do.
Birken Vogt
Charter Member
I've been cleaning up my shop lately. I have a huge box that I am throwing the "might throw away" NOS parts into. Many parts have made it in and out of that box several times in the past week. I can't decide. Remembering how much they cost new but also have been paying rent on that spot on the shelf all these years and could put something better there.
jonno634
Well-Known Member
Are you working alone in the shop? Then keeping track of tools shop be relatively easy. We Clean up at least after every job. We also try to do a general tool put away, if we can’t finish one of the current projects (waiting on parts etc), this allows us to find tools to work on another project. Every Friday, we sweep, clean bench, etc. as the shop may get used on the weekend for a non-farm project and tools need to be findable. Tools have a specific place they are stored.
We even marked a place on the bench, that is for tools we have borrowed off of the service Trk (so when we need to take it somewhere, all its correct tools are on it).
We even marked a place on the bench, that is for tools we have borrowed off of the service Trk (so when we need to take it somewhere, all its correct tools are on it).
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earthscratcher
Senior Member
1 on the weekend up to 4 max during the week, but short term. I just need to clean my act up and be a better leader/organizer. its like organized chaos around here! I have a hoarding disorder with out a doubt!
a good friend of mine that comes and stays probably once a month is very anal retentive, his motto is, if you move it three times in a row without using it, it goes in the dumpster.its beautiful around here for about a week.
I have worked in shops were the tools are furnished and shops were every worker had there own . Hate is a strong word but its about the way i fill about places that furnish tools. The place i work part time has maybe a 15 workers 4 are mechanics or maintenance but just about all do some wrench work every month . They have 4 service trucks 2 shops . Its a deal the guys that are not full time maintenance are all so delivery drivers that do set ups. I cant blame them but they dont clean up and put stuff back real good because they are very busy with deliverys . I could write a book about what is wrong with this place and how to improve it but its just about as easy to do the work and go on knowing its not a forever job.
Mobiltech
Senior Member
The best way I find to handle my hoarding tendencies is to put the things I don’t use but can’t throw away in a pallet box to move to cold storage.
The problem with multiple workers is that one mans tool is another mans garbage and they throw it away or hide it under a bench.
If you work alone you can get away with leaving tools at an unfinished job but with 4 you will need to make sure everything gets put away daily.
The problem with multiple workers is that one mans tool is another mans garbage and they throw it away or hide it under a bench.
If you work alone you can get away with leaving tools at an unfinished job but with 4 you will need to make sure everything gets put away daily.
Truck Shop
Senior Member
Most of this thread involves--just how much space you have to perform any work. Now if your
working jobs that are 40 hour consumers, then some crap can pile up, but that becomes a
hindrance also. I have never been lucky enough to have space to waste {a spot for everything
and everything in it's place. While changing out a transmission & or clutch once out sweep out
reclaim/wipe tools down & repile them. Same with engine work, spilled fluids of any kind cleaned
up no wallering in it or tracking around. Average transmission change in my shop which included
removing one fuel tank for access, and changing flywheel about 7 hours one guy sometimes less,
4 hours with two or less. Hunting for tools dragging air hoses through dirt/caked grease on a shop
floor is way harder to do. I only had one 100' bay and one 70' bay to take care of 170 piece of
equipment--so very important to keep it clean. Never had L&I or Osha give me issues.
*
working jobs that are 40 hour consumers, then some crap can pile up, but that becomes a
hindrance also. I have never been lucky enough to have space to waste {a spot for everything
and everything in it's place. While changing out a transmission & or clutch once out sweep out
reclaim/wipe tools down & repile them. Same with engine work, spilled fluids of any kind cleaned
up no wallering in it or tracking around. Average transmission change in my shop which included
removing one fuel tank for access, and changing flywheel about 7 hours one guy sometimes less,
4 hours with two or less. Hunting for tools dragging air hoses through dirt/caked grease on a shop
floor is way harder to do. I only had one 100' bay and one 70' bay to take care of 170 piece of
equipment--so very important to keep it clean. Never had L&I or Osha give me issues.
*
LandonRobinson
Member
Organization is going to be your best friend...
Two of the biggest time and space wasters are "What ifs" and "Maybes"... at a previous job we had a shelf full of metal stuff that was individually wrapped in plastic wrap and around every four months we had to clean all of the dust and debris off of it, unwrap them, oil them, re-wrap them, and then put it all back...
I had a talk with the office boss about it and what he said was that when you fall for the "What if we need it some day?" or "Maybe we could use it for something" you just end up with boxes and bins of "what ifs" and "maybes" and then you have to store them, he then told me to get some pallets and move it all outside and he was going to call the recycling guy and it all went away.
Having all of that go away made a re-occurring chore go away and gave us more free time to work on other things and that in itself sparked a huge re-organization project that ended up modernizing the shop for the better, so my point being... is that if you have a bunch of stuff that has just been sitting around for months and has never been touched just get rid of it it will be a relief to have it gone.
Tools...
Separate your Metric and SAE tools into their own drawers that will cut your search in half, screw drivers, nut drivers, wrenches, pliers, sockets, punches, scrapers, etc. all get their own drawers, or at least a divider that will keep them separate, mark the drawers with some kind of label so that if someone is helping you they know where to look.
My main roll-a-way has the following labels "Machining Tools", "Scrapers and Punches", "Wrenches", "Torque Wrenches and Pry Bars", "Plumbing", "Ratchets and Sockets", "Automotive Diagnostics" (special tools), "C-clamps", "Air Tools", etc. everything is grouped in a way that it is easy to find.
Parts...
Nuts, bolts, O-rings, hose clamps, lug nuts, screws, plugs, etc. should all be put in parts cabinets in their own drawers, and if you can separate the screws and bolts by length, electrical parts like terminals and wire nuts should go in their own drawers as well by color and type.
Any unfinished projects that have been put on hold should go into plastic bins and then clearly marked and zip-tie the lids down so that nothing gets lost or misplaced, then move it to some safe out of the way place.
Chemicals and spray cans should all be put in one place and not be scattered all over on random shelves.
And finally... things that should not be in the shop in the first place should get moved elsewhere.
Two of the biggest time and space wasters are "What ifs" and "Maybes"... at a previous job we had a shelf full of metal stuff that was individually wrapped in plastic wrap and around every four months we had to clean all of the dust and debris off of it, unwrap them, oil them, re-wrap them, and then put it all back...
I had a talk with the office boss about it and what he said was that when you fall for the "What if we need it some day?" or "Maybe we could use it for something" you just end up with boxes and bins of "what ifs" and "maybes" and then you have to store them, he then told me to get some pallets and move it all outside and he was going to call the recycling guy and it all went away.
Having all of that go away made a re-occurring chore go away and gave us more free time to work on other things and that in itself sparked a huge re-organization project that ended up modernizing the shop for the better, so my point being... is that if you have a bunch of stuff that has just been sitting around for months and has never been touched just get rid of it it will be a relief to have it gone.
Tools...
Separate your Metric and SAE tools into their own drawers that will cut your search in half, screw drivers, nut drivers, wrenches, pliers, sockets, punches, scrapers, etc. all get their own drawers, or at least a divider that will keep them separate, mark the drawers with some kind of label so that if someone is helping you they know where to look.
My main roll-a-way has the following labels "Machining Tools", "Scrapers and Punches", "Wrenches", "Torque Wrenches and Pry Bars", "Plumbing", "Ratchets and Sockets", "Automotive Diagnostics" (special tools), "C-clamps", "Air Tools", etc. everything is grouped in a way that it is easy to find.
Parts...
Nuts, bolts, O-rings, hose clamps, lug nuts, screws, plugs, etc. should all be put in parts cabinets in their own drawers, and if you can separate the screws and bolts by length, electrical parts like terminals and wire nuts should go in their own drawers as well by color and type.
Any unfinished projects that have been put on hold should go into plastic bins and then clearly marked and zip-tie the lids down so that nothing gets lost or misplaced, then move it to some safe out of the way place.
Chemicals and spray cans should all be put in one place and not be scattered all over on random shelves.
And finally... things that should not be in the shop in the first place should get moved elsewhere.
Birken Vogt
Charter Member
Every part has to have its own bin for that ONE PART NUMBER ONLY. Otherwise the fast moving parts will get taken out and the slow moving parts will stay and the fast moving parts will never get reordered because it still looks like there are parts in the bin. Even if you only keep 1 or 2 of some slow moving part it needs its own bin.
1693TA
Senior Member
My shack is 70X100 and I can't walk a straight line from the front to the back since closing my operating shop and claiming the place as my storage room. At that time I did terminate storage agreements off site however and everything condensed to one parcel. If there is a horizontal place available, I pile crap on it. Then I'll remember, "I have one of those", spend some time looking to no avail, then purchase another only to find the original later. Not that bad all the time but seemingly so.....
When the shop was operational there were five employees. I paid them the last 1/2hour of the day to group clean the shop so it was always presentable and productive. I also paid a janitorial service to change the walkway runners, wash the office and building windows, tidy up the bathroom(s), break area, and little things like that. It all worked well. I don't clean much at all but I don't leave tools strung about. I always seem to need the one I forgot to put away then have to find it.
When the shop was operational there were five employees. I paid them the last 1/2hour of the day to group clean the shop so it was always presentable and productive. I also paid a janitorial service to change the walkway runners, wash the office and building windows, tidy up the bathroom(s), break area, and little things like that. It all worked well. I don't clean much at all but I don't leave tools strung about. I always seem to need the one I forgot to put away then have to find it.
Truck Shop
Senior Member
Parts--Tires----All part of a major shop, but not necessarily/and a separate run item from
a organized shop. A parts room is of it's self and a total separate job. I ordered parts everyday
6 days a week, with a fleet the trick is running out of parts for a series of trucks in a fleet
that only used those designs so as not to get stuck with NOS. I kept allot of high dollar items
radiators, CAC's, clutches, input shaft kits, turbos, water pumps, air compressors, exhaust parts,
all sorts of seals and bearings, plus a whole area for Carrier Refrigeration units. Suspension,
brake, all the special lighting and lighting repair parts, air valves air dryers and related kits.
Tires minimum on hand at any time 75 with a average total of 300.
And enough parts, including crossmembers and landing gear for Utility refer trailers.
Allot of crap, not just a few nuts and bolts and a sensor or two.
Cleaning the restroom was Jeffs job, low man on the pole.
a organized shop. A parts room is of it's self and a total separate job. I ordered parts everyday
6 days a week, with a fleet the trick is running out of parts for a series of trucks in a fleet
that only used those designs so as not to get stuck with NOS. I kept allot of high dollar items
radiators, CAC's, clutches, input shaft kits, turbos, water pumps, air compressors, exhaust parts,
all sorts of seals and bearings, plus a whole area for Carrier Refrigeration units. Suspension,
brake, all the special lighting and lighting repair parts, air valves air dryers and related kits.
Tires minimum on hand at any time 75 with a average total of 300.
And enough parts, including crossmembers and landing gear for Utility refer trailers.
Allot of crap, not just a few nuts and bolts and a sensor or two.
Cleaning the restroom was Jeffs job, low man on the pole.
OzDozer
Senior Member
Earthscratcher - When you've sorted your shop, I've got a friend who needs some pointers, too. Even his shop is only half-finished.
He hasn't heard of shelving or drawers, everything gets stored on the floor, and he has all these little walk trails between the parts, components, tools, and nuts and bolts!
What makes me chuckle - he installed a 4 post hoist - and it gets used to store filters on! LOL
He hasn't heard of shelving or drawers, everything gets stored on the floor, and he has all these little walk trails between the parts, components, tools, and nuts and bolts!
What makes me chuckle - he installed a 4 post hoist - and it gets used to store filters on! LOL
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Truck Shop
Senior Member
Good job for skid steer and a dumpster.