Worst or most cluttered workshop!!

[doug hodder]

The Blue Collar Show has a contest for the most red neck yard. How about a contest for the worst or most cluttered shop. I got this idea from reading a thread and people were complaining about not being able to find their tape. My thing is fighting cords, electrical, welding, air hose etc. You know what? Not everyone works like Norm Abrams, but a lot of us turn out some incredible projects. I've got a friend that has all the jigs and an incredibly clean shop, but outside of cutting boards and an occasional high chair, there isn't much. Results talk, BS walks. Any interest? Doug Hodder

[Nitetimes]

I might be pretty hard to beat in that contest. I'll get a couple of pics tomorrow if I get time.
Do the words, "You ain't seen nothin' yet!" mean anything to you?

[doug hodder]

Whoops, I screwed up, I should have posted this in general discussion. I hope no one is too upset with me. I guess I was too busy fighting the cords in the shop. Doug Hodder

[David Grason]

Well, right after I complained on that other thread about my not being able to find my tape measure, I did a thorough cleaning of the entire place and MAN what a difference! It's so clean it's downright mentally sick! But I have to admit that it sure has made working out there enjoyable again. I'm going to go with the suggestion that someone put up about doing a cleaning at the end of every work day.

[SteveH]

Most clutered shop contest? Y'all don't stand a chance!

[Georgeandpat]

I'm glad that I'm not the only one. For the most part, I don't have great tools. It's the Indian, not the arrows, right? Yes, my garage is also a mess (like my desk at work) albeit a somewhat organized mess. It's frustrating, however, when it gets to the point where you waste a half hour looking for something you just saw the day before.

[dboyd]

I would rather take a beating then to clean my shop again!!! I just built two trailers at a friends bigger shop and now it is time to move them into my shop and start the wood working. it took me three days of hard arranging and cleaning to make enough room for the two trailers. I am still not done but I have enough floor space now. Oh no the benches are next( where did you think the stuff from the floor went?) I hope that I keep it clean and organized this time, but I doubt it. I sure hope I didn't throw away anything that I might need in the next twenty years. I did notice, when looking at other people's construction photos, there is no mess; How do they do it? My shop always looks like a bomb went off when I am building anything. I am current working on a ten step program to eliminate this clutter I surrond myself with, wait one minute, if I could move two steps in my shop It would be better. Don

[Nitetimes]

Well, I took some pics today. Keep in mind that this is after I spent 4 hours cleaning up, shoulda took them first but I forgot.

[SteveH]

Nitetimes,

OK, OK, I concede.

You've got me beat hands down.

[Guest]

Hey Nitetimes,
That's lookin' pretty "good" there.
Just curiuos... Have you ever been called a pack rat before?

Hey Doug,
(I got busy and forgot to get back to you)
I think you have a winner!
BTW- I know what you mean about your buddy that could cut boards...
When I was working nights in a local saw mill during my college days, I befriended a coworker that talked a good talk. He invited me over to check out his shop and low and behold... He had everything you could ever imagine, especially his hand tool selection.
The funny thing was... he never used them from what I could see. That shop was more like one big trophy case.
Some time later, he asked me if I could help him on a project he was doing. Turned out, I was right. I had had to show him even the simplest of things, like how to use a wood chisel.
He got real upset with me, when I used one of his hammers to tap on a chisel, because it left a mark on the steel cap at the end of the handle.
He was building a head board for his water bed. He later asked me if I had time to finish it for him, I did... but not in his shop or with his tools.

[Nitetimes]

I get called a pack-rat all the time, kinda get used to it after a while. Believe it or not I have taken 2 loads of stuff to the scrap yard in the past few months. Most of what is left in there now is either tools or stuff for projects I have going.
I'm one of those people that has at least one tool for just about anything, but I know how to use mine and they do get used.
I am a welder by trade, an electrician by accident, worked construction for a while, work on all my own vehicles (and kids) body work and mechanical. You tend to aquire a lot of tools when you do that many different things.
I just recently finished building all my kitchen cabinets from scratch, couldn't buy them to fit the area the way I wanted besides I'm cheap.

[doug hodder]

Hey Nitetimes...........is that a wheel bubble balancer in there? Nice touch! I've got so much stuff piled up on the floor I have to lean onto the work bench to reach something on it. My workbench is what becomes the catchall. The table saw becomes a workbench also, as does the bow of the boat, at least to hold materials. I'm going to repost this request for cluttered shops on the General board. I'll offer a 50$ gift certificate to Home Depot for the tool/ material of your choice. Repost yours. Thanks Doug Hodder

[Nitetimes]

Yep, that's a bubble balancer, want it? I can't seem to give that thing away.
Workbench? I haven't seen the top of that in years!! Ditto on the table saw work bench, my quad gets most of the saw horse duties, poor thing takes some abuse. I have shelves hanging from the rafters for lumber scraps that are too big to throw out.
In all honesty tho it looks pretty good in there now, I added ten feet out the back a couple of years ago, before that there was (occasionaly) a path thru from one end to the other, careful where you step. If you spent a few hours shuffling stuff outside you could get one end of a car in to work on it.