Shop Organization

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beck3906

Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2005
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2,153
Location
Belton, TX 76513
I've said for way too many months I needed to build cabinets and organize my shop, so I finally decided it was time to do something about it. Instead of large cabinets, I opted for a French cleat system. This allows me to tailor the storage to the need. I also used a lot of small scraps laying around the shop.

Here's the initial set I have.
 

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Rick, great job on your shop. It should save you a lot of time trying to find things as you work thru a project. Thanks for sharing your ideas. I am sure some of us will steal some of your design ideas and us them in our own shops.
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Everyday I'm vertical is a great day
 
Looks more like a showroom instead of a shop. Very nice!!! Now I've lost the urge to go out to my shop & look through my cluttered mess....:smile:
 
Back when I used to read a lot of wood-work mags, I remember one guy that lamented having spent a great deal of effort building extensive shop cabinetry with door closures. He discovered that in use, open display of all that "STUFF" was preferable. Here you have seemed to have done that just right, along with the flexibility of the cleat system. It looks great, and looks like it works great also. Nice job all the way!!
 
A bunch of folks on here may already know you and your approach, but I don't, so I'll ask...

I love the french cleat system (why is it called "french"?) Anyway, I see a couple of trays of blanks standing on end, several sections of plastic bins.

Is all of this just for penturning? or also general woodworking? For pens, can you tell us more about your process and organization method? For instance, what's in the plastic bins and why you do it that way? Are you casting your own blanks?

Sorry if not appropriate questions for this thread, just trying to learn. Will be moving this year and want to set up my next workspace as efficiently as possible. My current shop is great for woodworking, but not very efficient for pen making.
 
Great job! I did the same thing, just didn't use as many cleats. WOOD Magazine had published a set of plans for a bunch of wall fixtures that hung from a cleat system. I made some from their plans, but also had a lot of fun designing and building my own fixtures to hold various tools and jigs. I think this system is one of the best in terms of organization, usefulness and flexibility for shop storage.
 
Can I hire you to do my shop, live just down the road?

Rick, While you are down here in SA doing Richard's shop, I'm just a couple of miles away - then we can get started on my cluttered cavern!! :eek:

You are well on your way to a model shop - it looks great and I'm envious!! I see why there hasn't been anything about a Central TX meeting lately. You have your priorities right and you will have something to be proud of.

Thanks for showing.
gordon
 
Now I can say I learned something today. I didn't know what a French cleat system is so I googled it and then watch a you tube video of a guy making one for his closet (I think his shop is bigger than my house). It's kind of like upside down slat wall.
 
Nice wall organization, but whats up with the mess on the benches? Just kidding, very nicely done. I find myself torn between cleaning and organizing and making stuff with the limited time I have to spend in the shop. You made me decide I need to take the cabinet doors off of my work bench cabinets.
 
Well, first of all, you done an amazing job and created a great way to keep things organized and visible. I appreciate a well organized work-shop and I can say that, I experience it a few times in my life, particularly in the first few weeks a building a new work-shop however, things start to change slowly, things are not put back when they should (do it later, tomorrow...!), new things start to be added/come in, space start to be reduced and not everything goes back into the wall space and off the floor, and when you least expected, the beautiful organized work-shop, is a mess...!

Sometimes, will continue that way until we die or move elsewhere however, it gives great pleasure to build a proper, organized and functional work-shop, at least, once in a life time so, congrats mate, you achieved that...!

In fact, the system you used and all the cabinets that suit different needs, if someone was to make a living out of making these things and sell them in shops, either assembled or flat-pack, I'm sure many of us would buy them and get our stuff a lot better organized, I've seen solutions there for most of the items/tools that we all have in our work-shops, laying all around the place, huh...!

Well done,

Cheers
George
 
Beck 3906, if you would, what type of mandrel is that in the third pic, last one on the right with a stainless shaft? That looks like just what I am looking for.

As to the 'cleat' system and shop--Wowzers! I am a horrible pig as far as my shop goes, and I don't have on overabundance of space-so I would really like to learn more about what you have done, I was just ready to start a thread about how folks stored their Morse taper items.

Thanks for the share!
 
Can you come organize my hubby's shop? I think having the ability to organize like this is a gift. I think your ideas are great because like items are together and everything is visible. Your sandpaper organizer reminds me of the teacher mailboxes that were in old schools. Excellent job!
 
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