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I’ve got a question for everyone that has a personal workshop (whether DIY’er or PRO)
Do you find yourself making custom cabinets and storage for all of your stuff? Or do you use anything that fits and works?
I personally have collected many cabinet units while doing remodeling, and have used quite a few of them in my shop. I am always way too busy to take the time to build beautiful cabinetry for my shop, and I see no reason to spend the time if I can use a salvaged cabinet. Heck, I don’t paint them, or refinish them – I just hang ’em and use ’em. Sometimes I make small storage units or shelves for other units and use whatever leftover material I have on hand. It sometimes is a mismatched lot, but I don’t care.
My wife and neighbor made the comment that they thought I would have a beautiful set of cabinets, shop storage, and tool storage set up becaue I am so persnickity when I am working on a client’s job. My philosophy is that I need storage for supplies, tools, accessories, etc… and I personally don’t care what they look like. They serve their purpose, and they take extremely little time to install. My shop is neat, organized, and comfortable for working in. I build cabinets, do wood working and other jobs in my shop, and I am content. My shop is for business mostly, and gets very little use for personal things.
I saw a show (New Yankee Workshop) where Norm was building a set of storage cabinets for a small shop. He had a small fortune in materials, and he took a long time to make these cabinet/storage units. My wife wondered why I didn’t do all of this for my shop. TIME is why. If I had the time and wanted to spend a lot of money on these things, I would. Otherwise I use recycled and salvaged materials. I think this is perfectly normal and ok, others think I am a cheapskate, or just don’t care about the looks of my shop.
Question for you is: What kind of set up for storage do YOU have, and do you spend lots of money making them look perfect, or do you go for the practical and cheap way?
James DuHamel
Replies
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I don't think I have EVER bought anything except tools for my shop, James. I use left over materials for all my jigs and devices. I'm with you; as long as it does what it's supposed to do, I don't care what it looks like...well, maybe a little, but not much. I spend enough time and energy making things in there to the best of my abilities. When I'm off, there's plenty I want to do besides dovetail a box for my router.
*Yah, I know what you're saying. All my storage in my shop is 2x4 and leftover OSB/Ply right now, but one of these days, when I get time, I'm gonna build myself some REAL storage cabinets...
*James,
View Image © 1999-2001"The first step towards vice is to shroud innocent actions in mystery, and whoever likes to conceal something sooner or later has reason to conceal it." Aristotle
*Recycled to the max. Organized to the point that if I forget or someone moves something, I'm screwed. Hate to pitch anything that might have a use to me or others. Odds and ends ain't the word for it. Good to hear I'm not the only unsuitable for a mag. layout.Some of the pcs. bring back some fine memories.
*I try to keep somewhat organized just so I don't spend more time looking for something than I do using it. No special shelves or storage here-my workbench is an old dresser and right now my router table is a 1X10 held in a Workmate.As you guys have observed, it's not what goes into a shop-it's what comes out of it.
*James, I have Jim Tolpins' "The tool box book", bought it used on Ebay & enjoyed looking through it. It's amazing the time and money some of the people in that book spent on their boxes. I know I'll never ever make anything like that to keep tools in, I could build a shop quicker than I could build some (most)of those boxes. Joe H
*Spending time getting organized, including making specialized storage systems, is worth it. Spending money to make them anything more than utilitarian is an indulgence. If I won the lottery one of the first things I'd do is outfit myself with a sweet shop, for now it's stricktly what's practical. Mike
*I spent 8 hours building a outfeed/workbench for my unisaw. Had to! makes me money. I agree with you on not spending any time building fancy cabinets/ shelves.Boxes still work great!Clever recyclingThere was an article in FWW about this cabinetmaker who rebuilt his garage into this fab shop complete with fine little wall cabinets. I couldn't help but wonder if his wife was out getting laid while he worked away on his shop cabinets. hehehe......
*Old cabs, leftover stuff. It's just a matter of utility. It's not for photos for a fashion magazine, it's a place to work. But I try to keep it organized.
*the shop....oh, you mean the front porch and the rented garage across the alley! Maybe next lifetime I'll organize a custom outfitted shop.....I'm still putting off making all the little boxes I need to make full use of the van's bin/shelf system! About once a month, I say, This weekend...I'm gonna get some 1/2in ply and make boxes that fit every bin....then "this weekend" comes...and I'm either working....or glad that I'm not working! I've found most pro's don't have the time or extra money to put into the fancy stuff.....a new job or a new tool is always in the way. If it was just a hobby.....you'd have the time, money and inclination to do it. Jeff
*Personally I think you are going to be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn't have the same set up that you do,(recycled cabinets,shelving and racks made of whatever was leftover etc.) I would imagine anyone who actually has a magazine photo quality shop is probably a dilitante who hasn't ever actually built anything themself for fear of scratching one of those cabinets. My own workspace is your typical "leftover 2x4 and plywood" workbenches and storage areas. Works fine for me. My last house I had several cabinets which I had ordered for the kitchen and then changed the kitchen layout. Consequently I wound up with a real nice classy looking workshop area in the garage
*I remember an old timer / mentor from when I was a kid. After he filled his house up (and presumably all of his friend's houses) with the finest furniture I had ever seen, he finally went to work on his shop. By then he needed make work projects to feed his habit!
*My workbench is made of solid cherry. the tool storage is quatersawn oak with ebony trim. Ipe is the wood of choice for all my shelving, and if you believe this I'll kiss your arse.Shop? What shop. I have a bunch of stuff thrown together with drawers that were built wrong and scraps that I salvage from tear-outs. I'm not wasting my time building fine stuff for me. I could care less. If you can find a shop in this picture, you're a better man than I. Ed.
*Wow Ed,What finish did you use on the cherry? I find even the smallest little project can scratch a good finish :)
*Mine isn't always this clean and orderly.
*My shop is recycled stuff workbench a bunch of recycled 2x & 4x i did spring for some mdf for the top and self plus casters, cabs are recycled pine and ply recycled from a cab job starting to organize the work bench(make some doors so i can lock it so the kids dont get into it) w/a bunch of recycled pine. I do have a pal whose got a beautiful workshop, hes a full time carpenter organized to the tee beautiful cabs dove tail drawers, I dont know when he has time to make any of it hes working cant to cant.
*Just out of curiosity, and after seeing Ralph's pictures, how big a shop do most of you guys have? Mine's 24x48', but I build walls in it...so it kind of needs to be big.
*Another here in the category of surplus/leftover cabinets, from old metal file cabinets to cardboard boxes. Lots of shelves made to fit wall space from 1x12 pine salvaged from tubing crates. Regardless of para 348-5 in NEC, conduits between floor joists are used to support/store moulding, etc. Shop uses nominally 1/2 of basement, 32ft by 35ft, still too small, so also use the ping pong and pool table more than 1/2 the time. Kids had a darkroom when they were still home, now used for door/kitchen hardware and wire storage. Quit drinking fine wine a while back, wine rack in cellar now all electrical parts storage - nice cubby holes. Did make 3 matching oak/teak toolboxes to hold grandfathers' antique tools for myself and Christmas presents for 2 sons, otherwise tool boxes are garage sale stuff.
*I use the cellar in the house that I rent an apartment in and the little old landlord couldn't be happier, of course I end up doing a lot of house upkeep. Anyhow, all of the electric tools in their own little house to prevent too much abuse in the truck, and I use what I can pick up by hook or crook, preferably heavy metal shelving/cabinets for other hand tools and parts, and apart from the heirloom antique bench - plenty of saw horses for projects. Most often used hand tools hang on a tool board above the bench, there is never enough room either.
*Mine is a dedicated garage typical 2 car. im fortunate to have a storage addition 12'x15 built onto the garage w/ a seperate enterance. It might become a mil room in about 6 mos. In which case I'll be building a shed in the backyard for storage." i aient giving up my shop."
*I've got quite a mish mosh of cabs, some oak, some metal with laminate inserts in the fronts, One gry modern base cabinet. The rest is 2x, 1x, cdx. Make it your own. I agree that time is our greatest enemy. We all have so much we want to create, our shop is for us. As long as it's a place that inspires us, and allows us to do our very best work, that's what's important.
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I've got a question for everyone that has a personal workshop (whether DIY'er or PRO)
Do you find yourself making custom cabinets and storage for all of your stuff? Or do you use anything that fits and works?
I personally have collected many cabinet units while doing remodeling, and have used quite a few of them in my shop. I am always way too busy to take the time to build beautiful cabinetry for my shop, and I see no reason to spend the time if I can use a salvaged cabinet. Heck, I don't paint them, or refinish them - I just hang 'em and use 'em. Sometimes I make small storage units or shelves for other units and use whatever leftover material I have on hand. It sometimes is a mismatched lot, but I don't care.
My wife and neighbor made the comment that they thought I would have a beautiful set of cabinets, shop storage, and tool storage set up becaue I am so persnickity when I am working on a client's job. My philosophy is that I need storage for supplies, tools, accessories, etc... and I personally don't care what they look like. They serve their purpose, and they take extremely little time to install. My shop is neat, organized, and comfortable for working in. I build cabinets, do wood working and other jobs in my shop, and I am content. My shop is for business mostly, and gets very little use for personal things.
I saw a show (New Yankee Workshop) where Norm was building a set of storage cabinets for a small shop. He had a small fortune in materials, and he took a long time to make these cabinet/storage units. My wife wondered why I didn't do all of this for my shop. TIME is why. If I had the time and wanted to spend a lot of money on these things, I would. Otherwise I use recycled and salvaged materials. I think this is perfectly normal and ok, others think I am a cheapskate, or just don't care about the looks of my shop.
Question for you is: What kind of set up for storage do YOU have, and do you spend lots of money making them look perfect, or do you go for the practical and cheap way?
James DuHamel