ingenious workshop solutions?

[whm_fab]

Hi Folks,

ive been doing a bit of googling, but not coming up with much, so i thought id ask the all seeing all knowing community here!
in the next month or 2 i should finally have my ned workshop air/water tight and almost ready to move all my tooling etc in. im looking for interesting storage and other solutions for the workshop that maybe someone has done, or is there even a website that lists cool stuff?

now that i finally have the space i always dreamed off instead of cramming things in every nook and spare hole i could find, im hoping to get some good idea.

im talking along the lines of say, drill bit storage? before, i had about 100's of drill bits and milling cutters in a little storage box in the bottom of my tool box. now i have the space to have them accessable and store them properly. any ideas?

corded power tools? how do you store yours?

lathe tooling?

cordless tool charging station?

stock storage - mainly stainless tube, but also bar, some sheet, etc

any cool ideas id be happy to hear

 

[cumbriasteve]

In one corner is my metal bashing / small project tack and weld area, the steel is up out of the way and it's surprising what such a small set of brackets can hold, at times there can be over 100 lengths of assorted profiles of flat, round and box.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Bisley filing cabinets. The small draw variety.
Great for keeping small bits in order and accessible.

 

[adamfitz]

Will keep am eye on this. Just bought a flat which has a 7x8ft brick built store which I intend on using as a man cave. Need some ingenious ideas to maximise space!

 

[Ashley Burton]

I've just recently bought some clear storage boxes for my corded power tools. I keep the cables tied up to prevent them tangling. Keeps everything together & its easy to see what's in which box

 

[Arclikeharrypotter]

Large polstore style cabinet for all tooling, nuts bolts etc. With dividers.
Welding related stuff on shelves under workbench. Clamps hanging on a rail off the side.
Grinders on a rack hanging on the wall.
Steel on rack, small off cuts box.

 

[MoreWellie]

I have a couple of old freezer baskets attached to the wall on hooks and drop corded and air tools in those

I also use freezer baskets for small oil and fluids containers only those are slid on to shelves

Helps if you have had a failed chest freezer at some point

 

[Burdekin]

I use a lot of this type of hook and bigger ones to hang stuff that I use often on the wall. https://www.screwfix.com/p/smith-locke-standard-double-storage-hooks-zinc-plated-60mm-5-pack/2846p

Also magnetic blocks/strips screwed to the wall and tidy tray holders on the wall.

 

[rtcosic]

View attachment 153254

Whenever possible store thing above shoulder height or head height if the projection is more about 150mm/6" ( so you don't bump your head in passing.

I have a shelf at the height of the top of door running all around my garage. Keeps stuff off the floor and walls and maximises the free floor space for assembly work etc. It is wide (or deep) enough to take 45 litre boxes.
These http://www.reallyusefulstorageboxes.co.uk/35litre-really-useful-storage-box-c2x12529639
are good as the lids stop most dust and grit and being clear you can see what is in them. My sons have these based on my experience of opaque lidless ones.

 

[maz0]

Not sure how much space you have, but I eventually got fed up with all my machine-mart shelving and went for the heavy duty stuff. You can find Dexion shelving second hand on gumtree/ebay for peanuts if you get someone shutting shop. It can take between 1 and 3 ton depending on the bars you get. I have full stripped down series 2 on one shelf at the moment. The amount of floor space I've recovered is amazing.

 

[stuvy]

Iv got home made hooks that my grinders slot into like an iron hanger, and I number the plugs on everything so
1 is a slitting disc and
2 is a flap
3 is a grinding stone
so much easier and quicker to find plugs when your rushing around

 

[8ob]

Lista draws and cupboards of all shapes and sizes, 200kg per draw and you can still close them with one finger http://www.richardsonsuk.co.uk/lista-drawer-cabinets-200kg-drawer-load/c344

Come up s/h all the time for cheap, the amount of gear you can load into them is insane.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

For corded tools, I roll the power cable(s) up and secure them with that 'hook & eye' stuff [can't remember the right name atm and it's out in the shed ], cut off a bit from the roll and it's job jobbed.

Then hang them up on the hooks @Burdekin mentioned.

 

[angellonewolf]

this is the way i have wrapped cables for 20 years no need for any ties or velcro

 

[clift_d]

Counter-coiling is the best way of stowing cables as it puts the least strain on the conductors, but you do need a velcro tie or re-useable cable tie to stop it unravelling. I know it looks a faff but once you've done it a few times it becomes second nature.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

I dont coil cables.
Replaced all my power tool boxes with systainers.
Plenty of room inside to lay the cables ontop and to the side of the tools.

Hate seeing people wrapping cables around tools.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Bisley filing cabinets. The small draw variety.
Great for keeping small bits in order and accessible.

I agree. I've got 6 x 4 large drawer cabinets in a row and they are far more useful than shelves for small items.

 

[Rannsachair]

Drawered cabinets are my favourite:

that one is 5' 5" tall so stores lots.

Wall mounted Dexion type bins are useful for fasteners etc. also home made wooden storage for frequently used tools at lathe:

I like old drill stands:

Even the modern Chinese cheapies are handy:

 

[addjunkie]

If you have space and are lucky, plan chests work well. As do the filling cabinets like wardrobes, keeps flying dust off things.
If i could afford it, lista drawers

 

[Rig Pig]

A row of pegs on the wall for large spanners that don't fit easily in a toolbox, and my plan for milling cutters and lathe tools is to make some draws with partitions like a bit like a cutlery draw instead of the current rummage box setup I have at the moment.