What are your methods in organizing your tooling and material stockpile?

[ome]

Thank you for all of your informative posts.
Todd, your shop looks so clean and organized. I wish I could get the shop to that level of neatness and organization, impressive!
thanks to all,
jon

Ps Thanks Harvey, Very funny :roflmao:

 

[Walltoddj]

It's hard to keep every thing organized but you can to a point. I find that if I start putting things away I tend to forget where that was till I stumble on it the next time. I've got four roll arounds with tools, cabinets with more tools, and pegboard to hang tools. I find it very hard to put them all in one place because I like to have a set for the metal shop and another in the main car shop so I'm not chancing what I need, that and the fact I've three and four sets of most from work, home, and in my truck.
I need to get some pics of my shop but it's getting better with time it's only been seven years since I moved into it. yes that's the second Bridgeport to the right of the gray one need to get it running.

Todd

 

[Harris Creek Central]

Thank you for all of your informative posts.
Harvey, uour shop looks so clean and organized. I wish I could get the shop to that level of neatness and organization, impressive!
thanks to all,
jon

I think you mean "TODD". I didn't have any pictures, and my shop is nowhere near as clean as Todd's space. I would have to move into my Model Railroad to show anything close to his neatness.

Harvey
in Kelowna.

 

[hman]

As far as hand tools go, I've come up with a way to get lots of storage area in a relatively small space - interleaving "doors" spaced about 4" apart, so both sides can be used. I certainly envy Brian Coral's beautiful setup, but ad hoc addition of new tools tends to keep the "neatness" factor at bay in my shop. I'm just glad I can add (or delete) as needed.

My "best" trick is the 2" wide webbing, screwed down at intervals to form loops, used to hold various pliers, etc. (see first and second photos). Note that there are also a couple of metal multi-drawer cabinets visible in the first photo. I use these for all kinds of fasteners, small tools, etc.

PS - I've tried pegboard a couple times over the years, but it just doesn't seem to allow as dense a "tools per square foot" arrangement as what I'm using now.

 

[dtberry11]

My system is to put away at least 5 things each time I enter the shop, which does no good when I take out 50 more. Then complain to the wall about the clutter and blame my boy for not putting things away. It seems he has moved every piece of metal working tool and supply any time I need it. And, he joined the army a year before the machine shop existed, old habit I guess. I sure miss that boy.

 

[outalive]

For storing my metal I welded up an "A" frame rack with an expanded metal shelf in the center to hold small pieces. I use roller cabinets ie. "tool chests" to hold hand tools, open shelves hold most of hand held power tools. biggest problem is stuff gets so dusty so quickly.

 

[Harris Creek Central]

I now have a gremlin that is hiding stuff on me. I was given a little crank that I was to make a duplicate. I made two for good measure, now I can't find the original anywhere. Good thing I made two while I was at it.
I cast an aluminum motor mount for my Unimat milling set up. I had it in the basement with my Unimat lathe, I took it out to my shop to drill the holes, set it down and haven't seen it since.

 

[HBilly1022]

I spend half my life looking for something I just put down.

A year ago I bought a metal cutting bandsaw. It came with a table for using it in the vertical position. I was concerned that my grandsons would get hold of it and just drop somewhere and I would never find it. So I put in a safe place. I still haven't found it despite looking for hours. I,made a new one. The good news is that the original one is still in a safe place. Lol.

 

[Surprman]

I had been storing my material stock under my mill workbench. It was not easy to see what I had. I found a great wire rack at Target (they have three sizes - I got the middle size: perfect for my sho)p. The rack was only $35

Rick