I think this post fits the intended topic of this section.
I am sick and tired of my shop in a mess all the time. I have made some progress in getting rid of excess junk and unfinished projects. Yesterday I commited myself to clean the nasty work bench. I cleaned it before and decided to allow some items stay on the bench full time since, either they are in use or under repair.
That theory did not work. So, I am commited to keep the horizontal surfaces in my shop clean and clear.
My work bench is made of left over 2X6 lumber from when I built my barn. The bench top is 34" deep (my maximum reach). It is nearly 8' long and it is on four polyurethane 3" wide 4" diameter casters so I can move it easily.
First thing I cleaned the bench top throwing much of the stuff away. I also returned tools to their proper location.
With the bench top cleaned off I can see the problem is in the top. I used 2X6 lumber edge to edge for the top. The top is uneven, it soaks up oil and grease. Bolts, nuts and small parts fall into the cracks.
I wanted to put on a 3/4 thick plywood top to even out the 2X6 lumber. Typically big box home suppliers do not stock Sanded plywood anymore. I found 3/4 MDF (medium density fiber board) which is hard and smooth and suits my purposes. I applied the MDF to the bench top.
Since the MDF will still absorb grease and oil the top will soon look ugly again. I went to my local metal building fab shop and requested a piece of 26 guage galvalum steel. The shop cut and bent the steel to my specs. I applied the steel to the bench top and only put screws in the front so that oil can't soak into the screw heads.
The only thing allowed to remain on the bench top will be the drill press.
MDF sheet - $27.00
Steel Sheet - $57.00
On my main bench I use plywood but my standup bench is where I generally do specific rebuild projects like carbs and brakes etc. My house is in a constant state of construction so I usually have spare hunks of sheetrock laying around. This is where I use the sheetrock. Every few months I swap it out for a fresh piece. Makes a nice clean white surface to work on carbs and such.
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Psst. oh and by the way CHANGE YOUR BELTS!!!!
Very nice, love the steel top. I used several coats of poly on top of plywood, will be good for a while, I can always sand and re-coat. Thing is I built it only 18 inches deep, so I just have room to work, no room for junk to accumulate!
The rule of arm's length states that any space on a work surface that is farther from the normal place where you sit or stand to work than you can conveniently reach will fill up with junk.
Accordingly, I built my permanent bench with an old post formed Arborite kitchen counter top for the main work surface. I setit up so that the structure was wide enough to let me put a 4 or 5" wide piece of plywood between the top back edge of the countertop and the wall to provide a place for the junk I want to accumulate off of teh work area.
When I'm doing major work I kick the wife's car out of her side of the garage and set up the temporary bench - a piece of plywood about 2' x 6' supported by saw horses. I can accumulate as much junk as I want on it because it has to be cleaned off completely when it is taken down in the fall so that she can park inside for the winter.
I also have some portable work tables (similar to Workmates) that I can put beside the machine I'm working on to hold the tools & parts needed right there and an old Workmate that I can clamp parts in on the driveway when I need to grind/wire brush/file &c.
Last summer when I ended up working on several parts of the 650's engine at the same time (eg. prepare the GL1100 stator while waiting for the camchain tensioner parts) I ended up with effectively 4 benches, but when the project was done I was back to 1.
I never know what I am going to do next. So I need to be flexable.
I have no benches in my garage. I have those crummy service carts from harbor freight. I have 8 of them. One for each project and two for tools. I have 4 welded pipe saw horses. I put plywood on them for workbenches when I need one. I have anchors in the concrete floor that I bolt the vice, bench grinder,bender,anvil to. This way I can reconfigure my garage to anything I need. 8)
With adequate lighting and heat/cooling it has been
bible study space,barbeque epicenter,block party central, extra bedroom & ect.
Timothy Mark Fisher
Catalina Arizona
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I have those crummy service carts from harbor freight. I have 8 of them. One for each project and two for tools. I have 4 welded pipe saw horses. I put plywood on them for workbenches when I need one. I have anchors in the concrete floor that I bolt the vice, bench grinder,bender,anvil to. This way I can reconfigure my garage to anything I need. 8)