Tips for the shop

[Firefyter_Emt]

Ok, here we go onward with a great thead (I hope)....

Here is something I use for hardware storage, These sherbet containers work great for screws & nails, ect.. The best part is you get to eat it the sherbet first! I like the tops on these containers because they are set into the lid about 3/4" of an inch, which make them stack great.. So what ideas do you all use?? Any really cool things to store stuff in (other than some big old bin racks..)

[GRMhick]

I use alot of the large disposable ziplock storage containers for storing screws etc ($5 for 8 at the grocery store :-p). For nuts and bolts I use clear containers which I believe are used for fishing tackle. I have 2 thin ones for nuts and washers, and a thicker one for bolts. It keeps them all organized by size and thread type, making it really easy to know what you have and to get it quckly.

Also, I use alot of large plastic stroage tubs on my sleving. Everything stays in them, 4 to a shelf. Really easy to get to stuff (I am jsut out of room so I have piles of junk on the floor in front of them )

[71RCKCRZR RYAN]

wtf is sherbert...........its sherbet.......at least thats what i eat its good too.......i like the rainbow sherbet.......mmmmmmmmmm goooooooooood

[Firefyter_Emt]

sherbet Huh?? I like the lime myself!

[Lemoore-on]

So much for a great thred, uh

I use just about any jar I can get, and those new plastic Foldgers coffee cans are cool. I need to re-organize and label them so I dont have to open each one till I find what I'm lookin for.

My old man had a rack of baby food jars. He nailed the lids to a board, hung it overhead above the bench and you just screwed the jar up into the lid. I think I'll try this with Peanut butter jars

[D60]

I like DiGiorno pizza boxes for smaller templates; the thinner cardboard is easier to work with and more precise than corrugated. I suppose cereal boxes would be similar

[GRMhick]

Originally Posted by D60

I like DiGiorno pizza boxes for smaller templates; the thinner cardboard is easier to work with and more precise than corrugated. I suppose cereal boxes would be similar

And old phone book covers!!

[frankenfab]

My tip:

This is for filling transmissions, differentials, or transfer cases. You can get inexpensive plastic oil pumps at most part stores. Fit them to a 1 gallon jug. Put a piece of brake line in the end of the clear plastic line. A bend in the brake line helps keep it in the transfer case or differential fill hole while pumping the oil in. Cut a hole in the top of the jug, near the handle, and fit a rubber electrical grommet in it. This is a place to store the brake line when not in use (to avoid a dripping mess).

You can also make a version without a pump. Just put a brake line through the jug cap that reaches the bottom of the jug. Use a blow gun on an airline to pressurize the jug. Place it in the nozzle storage hole to force the oil down to the bottom of the jug, up the brake line, and out.

[doctor_cad]

Holy fawk Frankenfab, thats a good idea. I have been screwing around with a drill pump thing and spewing oil all over everything... Thanx for the tip!

[Firefyter_Emt]

No joke!! I love it.. I will be making that. When I put the Red Line in my Heep, I had to use a small hand oil pump can!! Think about refilling it 8 times a quart!!

[Firefyter_Emt]

Well, how's this? I hate my oil funnel leaking all over the place. So, I made this one day...
Someday it will hang on the wall... someday

[frankenfab]

(Be sure to regulate your air pressure down low)

Here's some plans I drew up for my "pump-less" version:

[ironpig70]

if you did not know i had kids you will now

first on the back wall of the garage there is pg board so i took an old plastic large diaper wipe container and fasten it to the wall with flexible plumbers tape. it now holds my funnels.

i was at wal mart doing some school shopping for my daughter when i found some plastic pencil containers there rectangular shaped and not very deep so they fit well in drawers and are ideal for screws, nails, and such and at 50 cents each pretty cheap.

lastly i have 5 week old twins and they eat a can of formula a week and since we buy only one kind the cans are all the same size so i am planning on making a rack to hang on the end of my upper cabinets to hold said cans somewhat of an oversized spice rack. and with 30 cans(eventually) i believe i will be able to have quite a nice hardware selection

[FSJ Man]

What we used for large assortments of nuts and bolts was to take old freon cans. The kind that are the size the propane bbq grills use. Cut the tops off ground down the ruff edges and stacked them 4 high and about 6 wide. Weld the edges together and voila nice storage for extra motor mounts starter bolts and other large items.

[frankenfab]

This thread didn't go too far. It could be a great one.

BTT with another tip:

When working on engines, transmissions, etc., the shop manual usually says to use a lint free rag. What is a lint free rag? A cut up sheet is pretty good. I would call it low lint. The closest I have found to lint free though, is to use coffee filters for rags. The no name brands are very inexpensive.

[BlackSkies7]

A good tip for the shop..

Keep it clean!
Ive seen many people get hurt from some jackass leaving tools laying around or not cleaning up spilled antifreeze and oils.
Also when working make sure to have the handle of any floor jack in use or not in use in the "up" position. Those things can knock you on your ass real quick.

Keep air hoses away from your welder ( or welding) , weld splatter destroys hoses.

[glfredrick]

I found that Big Lots stores sell lots of plastic organizers that are really handy for nuts and bolts and stuff. They have several types, one is the tip-out bin that comes in small (about 2" x2") and large (about 4" x4"). I mounted mine overhead and I have filled them with a good selection of grade 5 hardware from Tractor Supply or Farm and Fleet. I use the enclosed, divided box type organizers for weird parts - cotter keys, Ford fuel line clips, brake parts and fittings, etc. I also have a larger one that I use for all the tubes of "lotions and potions" needed for car work.

I also picked up a bunck of small plastic tool boxes, and use them to store all my specialty tools. One is full of punches and chisels, another for files, also pullers, cutters, drills, tap and die, sanding supplies, etc. They work great, and let me just pick up the box I need when I need that stuff.

I use a lot of coffee cans for other parts and supplies - mixed nuts and bolts, hose clamps, etc.

I have to be really organized because my shop is just a 12 x 12 garden shed with a loft. I have enough stuff in there to fabricate almost anything, plus motor, trannny, differential, wood and electrical tools, so it has to be really compact.

[MossMan]

I'm with IronPig. Formula cans and diaper wipes boxes are a great thing. Now I just need to build a rack for them.

Also, baby food jars. My wife's grandad used these and glued/nailed the lid to the bottom of a shelf. Then you put screws, bolts or whatever in them and when you need something just look up and unscrew/grab the one you need.

[fj40guy]

Shelving.... only twist is my top shelf has only 6" of clearance... yes, custom made for that ##$%^ Christmas wrap box that doesn't fit under the bed.

Other tip... second shelf perfect for coolers (not all are the same height!) and clear boxes for camping gear. Easy to "grab and go".

[fj40guy]

Next one. Scrap 1" thick pine. Routed the groves for the shelves.
1/2" wood dowel to keep spray cans from falling off. About 6"
deep... deep enough for two rows, not so deep that I loose cans
in the back. Next to the outside door (now were I did I leave the
WD-40 again?)

Tom

[Junk Driver]

Hey, now thats an idea to copy!!

I think I will make mine one deep for all spray cans, short ones on top, tall ones on 2nd and 3rd shelf, then a deeper one to hold 1L bottles of oil, etc. but... on the inside of a cabinet door.

[OlBlueCJ7]

I like to use an old liquid laundry soap jug (the kind with the push button spigot on it) for my antifreeze. Makes it easy to mix, since the soap jug easily holds more than two gallons, and is convenient to dispense with the button spout.

[KLF]

Make friends with someone that does a lot of kitchen remodeling. They get all sorts of cabinets that are heading to the dumpster, which are great for the garage.

Muffin baking pans for holding and organizing hardware when you're doing a tear down. If it's a big project that's gonna be apart for a long time, use egg cartons, write on the lid above each section where the part came from. No guessing when it's time to put things back together.

The Cambell's tomato soup plastic jars are great for storing hardware, very durable and see-thru.

[Urban Wheeler]

I knew a guy who put a big (10 x 10) piece of carpet down in his garage. Made it nice to lay down and slide under without a creeper. Drive around on trash day and find some laying out, or go to a carpet store and pull some out of the dumpster. I know this is not storage, but it helps to make the shop a nicer place.

[meangreen]

I like to use the new lays plastic contaniers for welding rods, I have them set up on a 1x1 frame and have 8 of them at a 45 degree angle that way while I am welding they are easy to just grab and go and I can change rods without sorting through all the boxes of welding rod. I also changed all the open spaces in my garage into shelfing (I don't have any insulation in the garage)all I did was hang 2x4's between the studs and added small 1/2x1 across the front so nothing falls out.