Workshop storage

[tulsk]

This is a plea to established workshop owners really. I am in the process of rearranging/decluttering my workshop and what I'm interested in is seeing how other members address "open" type storage of work-a-day items like gauges ,screwdrivers, chisels, abrasives etc.
I have already noticed on some workshop shots that people are quite ingenious at maximising space, and having the most used stuff close to hand. I reckon if members would be kind enough to post such photos it would be interesting and useful to us newbies with "evolving" workshops such as myself , thanks John.

 

[syntec4]

Hi John,
If I ever find a layout that I am totally happy with i'll let you know. :roll:

I tend to change mine as the mood takes me. Usually when I'm having a good 'clean - up' session.

For small Hand tools etc I like the magnetic holders you can get from Tool station etc. I have a few Snap-on ones as well, but they are no different and cost about 5 times as much. DAMHIKT... The only thing I would say is be careful putting anything with a blade/point or edge on them, you don't want to catch your hand on something whilst reaching for another tool. Chisels for example are left in a Vinyl pouch which is hanging on the wall.

I have OSB Walls, so moving stuff is not a problem and very quick. I install shelves and attach the Magnetic holders to the front edge. I use bits of scrap and offcuts to make custom tool holders with appropriate sized holes to hold specific tools. This way you know if something is missing in a pile of shavings as well.

This is a fairly recent picture of my bench area.

This is the other side of the workshop. When I last replaced the kitchen at home, I kept some of the drawer units. This one under the bench is the 'Abrasives' section. It also has Brushes in one draw, New sanding belts and disks in another. You will also see some 'Veg' trays. These can be scrounged form Asda or Tesco's if you ask nicely. They stack up if you fold the handles out and fit inside each other when empty. I use these a lot for storing 'Miscellaneous' items.

Cheers
Lee.

 

[tulsk]

Hi Lee, thanks for that, just sort of thing I was getting at. I have just been looking at thewoodwhisperer site. He was doing a podcast workshop tour during which he pointed out his "french cleat storage system" gave me some food for thought; containers can be brought down to bench then hooked back, makes reorganizing easy too. Thanks again John

 

[Adam]

Heres a few - you can see how I've arranged things....

The workshop evolves over time, as I got more frustrated with clutter and moved it up - onto the walls. Invariably some things then get moved to within arms reach (i.e. sandpaper last picture, right at the top), and other stuff, like push sticks get moved near the tablesaw.

 

[Chris Knight]

John,
Use drawers rather than shelves wherever you can - they hold a lot more in a given volume of space and keep the dust off stuff.

Look at every machine that occupies floor space and see if it can be mounted on a mobile base, preferably on top of some form of storage. I used to have a Scheppach TS2000 mounted on a small filing cabinet on a mobile base and it was a very useful set-up.

 

[DomValente]

You may find some useful ideas here.
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... ht=sanctum
The front of the 8' by 4' bench has cupboards for power tools and the back has a sloped shelf running the whole length to hold planes.
The tall cupboard holds all sorts and you can see a pull out shelf which holds router bits.

Dom

 

[dedee]

This is my main hand tool storage cabinet. Pictures taken a few years ago now so no longer this tidy

Andy

 

[woodbloke]

This is how I've got my 'shop arranged, mostly everything I need is on the wall in front of the bench and my planes are underneath:

These shots were taken about Sept last year and I've rearranged one or two things since then but it's basically the same - Rob

 

[Bodrighy]

I want a shed!!!! some of you guys have cupboards bigger than my workspace

Pete

 

[mr]

Rob doesnt your offcuts bin end up full of shavings? On a more serious note how close is that grinder to the piles of shavings and dust on the floor? ie whats a safe distance. I daren't use my wee grinder at the moment cos of the fire hazard. In fact I daren't show you my messy hellhole full stop.

Cheers Mike