Stuff you have fixed today

[Pete.]

It's not so much the amount that's important, but rather just the doing. Any amount achieved is a step forward.

Often times the hardest part of getting stuff done is getting started doing it. It's why I am so adamant on keeping a tidy workshop - nothing puts you off more than the prospect of starting a job in a place that's already a tip.

 

[MattF]

Often times the hardest part of getting stuff done is getting started doing it. It's why I am so adamant on keeping a tidy workshop - nothing puts you off more than the prospect of starting a job in a place that's already a tip.

Much as I hate to admit it, I'm partially at that stage. I'll never be totally free of clutter, but I do try to keep my workspaces something resembling tidy, & I always tend to clean up after doing some work.

 

[500e]

How right you are Pete
Working in a tip is really depressing even if it's not your tip

 

[Barking Mat]

Much as I hate to admit it, I'm partially at that stage. I'll never be totally free of clutter, but I do try to keep my workspaces something resembling tidy, & I always tend to clean up after doing some work.

Every Thursday afternoon at work (in winter), the end of the week, we spend half an hour, putting tools back, clearing up, emptying various bins, sweep the floor, that way on Monday morning, you're not walking into a workshop war zone. Well that's the plan, and we try.

 

[500e]

We had a rule in garages last 20 minutes floor swept any oil on benches, floor, cleaned thoroughly, all tools hung on shadow boards, no one left till they were all there, personal tools if any in boxes and locked
After a while any new people got the message that keep it clean as you go was the fastest easiest way to work
I hate working in a tip, rant over

 

[JOEPRO]

Often times the hardest part of getting stuff done is getting started doing it. It's why I am so adamant on keeping a tidy workshop - nothing puts you off more than the prospect of starting a job in a place that's already a tip.

Yes nothing more discouraging than in the middle of trying to get a job done then losing time or indeed hours looking for tools due to bad organisation.

I take bouts of getting lots of work done but no tidying then when i start losing time looking for tools have to spend a couple days sorting it out again which I'm doing now. But also installing lots of tool wall magnets etc to keep them easy to find.

 

[Barking Mat]

Yes nothing more discouraging than in the middle of trying to get a job done then losing time or indeed hours looking for tools due to bad organisation.

I take bouts of getting lots of work done but no tidying then when i start losing time looking for tools have to spend a couple days sorting it out again which I'm doing now. But also installing lots of tool wall magnets etc to keep them easy to find.

It's all about organisation, something I'm getting better at, as I get older.

 

[qwakers]

i find the minute i tidy up and put all my tools away i cant find anything i need. whereas in my usual organised chaos i just have to remember where i last used it.

 

[Barking Mat]

i find the minute i tidy up and put all my tools away i cant find anything i need. whereas in my usual organised chaos i just have to remember where i last used it.

Depends if you work with other people.

 

[Pete.]

i find the minute i tidy up and put all my tools away i cant find anything i need. whereas in my usual organised chaos i just have to remember where i last used it.

I used to think that way but the truth was that if I dismantled anything sizeable the tools would soon get lost among the bits. Nowadays every tool has a place it should be - not on shadowboards or in sets either (although I do have several 'sets') but each tool of a type will be in a drawer with tools of the same type. Here's a few of my drawers' contents:

Flat screwdrivers
Phillips/posi screwdrivers
Torx stuff
Driver bits
Metric allen keys
Imperial allen keys
Metric spanners
AF spanners
Whtiworth spanners
Pliers/grips 1&2
Soldering stuff
Welding stuff
Welding rods
Chuck jaws
Collets
Reamers
Air tools
Metrology 1&2
Scrapers
Wire brushes
Tin snips
Grinding wheels
Pop riveters & rivets
Puncture repair stuff

And so on....

Done like this I truly know where any tool is or should be - in it's proper drawer.

 

[Barking Mat]

I used to think that way but the truth was that if I dismantled anything sizeable the tools would soon get lost among the bits. Nowadays every tool has a place it should be - not on shadowboards or in sets either (although I do have several 'sets') but each tool of a type will be in a drawer with tools of the same type. Here's a few of my drawers' contents:

Flat screwdrivers
Phillips/posi screwdrivers
Torx stuff
Driver bits
Metric allen keys
Imperial allen keys
Metric spanners
AF spanners
Whtiworth spanners
Pliers/grips 1&2
Soldering stuff
Welding stuff
Welding rods
Chuck jaws
Collets
Reamers
Air tools
Metrology 1&2
Scrapers
Wire brushes
Tin snips
Grinding wheels
Pop riveters & rivets
Puncture repair stuff

And so on....

Done like this I truly know where any tool is or should be - in it's proper drawer.

I've a 6 drawer Halfords industrial cabinet, spanners, screwdrivers, adjustables, measuring, taps and dies...
Blah, blah, blah, God send to organisation.

Tried to take a photo, it's too dark out back.

Even wife and daughter, borrow tools and put them back.

Screwdrivers, jewellery making etc.

 

[Blue Chips]

It's all about organisation, something I'm getting better at, as I get older.

I think I'm developing more method in my madness as I age, and "organization" (organisation) might be related to "method," although some might say "madness."

My fits of organization tend to come in waves, with a natural period of oscillation determined by the loss rate of visible workspace. When I was out in the shop yesterday trying to find an empty spot on a workbench, I could feel a cleaning wave coming on, which will probably hit about Wednesday or Thursday of this week.

I have lots of labeled bins, boxes, drawers, racks, etc., and I can "usually" lay my hands on what I need when I need it. It's been complicated, however, by working at two locations. I should probably devise some kind of check-out system so that I can remember what tools I'm using at our other place (our 'old house' project). I'm derelict in my organization duties in that respect, which has sometimes led to the purchase of duplicate tools, although much of the duplication is an intentional labor-saving strategy to avoid having to haul so many tools back and forth several times per week...and also, TBH, because I like buying tools.

 

[Wildefalcon]

It's true, being tidy does help. One of the reasons I lost last year is I was tidying and sorting several decades of useful stuff. I've more to do, but most of the fixings are now sorted and I've a wall of Lin bins with some sense of order.

I'm also sorting my workshop photos at the moment, so I can find the history of projects easier.

 

[RWD3M]

....Even wife and daughter, borrow tools and put them back.....

 

[Dr.Al]

View attachment 385114

I can see how you'd be gutted if someone borrowed the old box of safety matches or the scrunched up tissue

 

[dobbslc]

Yup, me too.

Well also just years of working full time, then doing odd jobs at weekends, and just 'always' being at it.

There's a French comedian Coluche, who said, what is a life, if you're always working.

Even my wife tells me to stop and spend time with the kids etc and she's a bloody slave driver

Every Thursday afternoon at work (in winter), the end of the week, we spend half an hour, putting tools back, clearing up, emptying various bins, sweep the floor, that way on Monday morning, you're not walking into a workshop war zone. Well that's the plan, and we try.

So you pack up on Thursday and don't return until Monday?
Sounds like a plan, I'll put that to the boss next week...

 

[Scalarocco]

So you pack up on Thursday and don't return until Monday?
Sounds like a plan, I'll put that to the boss next week...

We do four on/three off where I work. Long work days, but to have a three day weekend is worth it.

 

[Barking Mat]

Three day weekend in winter.

Over summer, still 4 days at work, but every Fri / Sat / Mon in then juggle cover in the week, one Sunday in three, is breakdown cover.

 

[addjunkie]

We do four on/three off where I work. Long work days, but to have a three day weekend is worth it.

For a while I did 3 on 4 off, 3 on 5 off…….weeks….couldnt make it up, some folk hated it. I thought it great. Though 2 on 3 off wasnt so bad.

 

[500e]

For years I worked 6.5 on none off
Boys today