A couple 5 minute shop projects

[crokett]

We bought this house 2 years ago. When I moved my shop all I really did was move it. For most of the 2 years things have been helter-skelter. Now that the house work is winding down I got a few minutes yesterday to do some quick things. I am a firm believer (in my shop at least of function over form). This all only took 40 minutes or so but my shop is much more functional and I've recovered several square feet.

First was a clamp rack so my clamps aren't in a jumbled mess in the corner. I took a 5" wide 3/4 ply cutoff and cut 3/8" wide 1 1/4" long slots in it 2" on center. Screwed it to the ceiling joists and instant clamp rack. You can make it as long as you require. Also easily expandable.

Took some more ply cutoffs and cut them to 16" long. Screwed blocking to the wall studs spaced the width of my cutoffs, then screwed longer pieces to the blocking to form a mortise. Stick the cutoffs in the mortises and ran a single screw through into the stud. Instant lumber rack. And depending on placement of hte blocks, adjustable for height as well. I like it so much when I finish the wall I will cut the sheetrock to keeo the mortises.

Took some shorts of 12/2 Romex left over from various projects. Cut to about 6" lengths and looped one end over a water pipe. Wrapped some extra ground wire around and fastend twist-tie style. Bent the free end into a hook and now have a perfect place to hang extension cords and the odd tool. Spaced 2 apart and my level is hung there. If you cut back the sheathing on one end and twist the wires together you can drive a screw between them and fasten to a wall.

[lcm1947]

Sounds like some good ideas David. Isn't it nice to get back to normal. Keep coming up with ideas like that and you'll probably find some more space. I plan on doing that some day but I can still find things so I'm good for awhile.

[big tim]

David,

I'm a little slow I guess, but I can't quite visualize the 3rd. paragraph, the "Lumberrack"
Could you please clarify
Thanks,

Tim

[crokett]

Sure tim. My shop still has exposed wall studs. So I took some cutoffs and cut them to 16" long (13" + 3" of stud width). It was a division of an existing length I had to start with. This is arbitrary - make them as long as you need. They happened to be 5" wide but could be narrower I suppose. Then I cut pairs of blocks 3x3 square. I screwed each pair to the sides of the studs and spaced them 5"+ a smidge (a technical term) apart. Again, the blocks could be say 2x3 or even 1.5 by 3. I was just working with scraps I had.

Then I screwed an 11" piece to the face of the blocks so that there was a mortise formed by the stud on one side and the longer piece on the outside. Then I stick the 16" long piece in the mortise and pin it to the stud with a screw all the way through to the stud. Not really necessary but peace of mind for me. If you do all this with 2x4s they will hold even more weight.

[LinuxRandal]

Playing devil's advocate

We bought this house 2 years ago. When I moved my shop all I really did was move it. For most of the 2 years things have been helter-skelter. Now that the house work is winding down I got a few minutes yesterday to do some quick things. I am a firm believer (in my shop at least of function over form). This all only took 40 minutes or so but my shop is much more functional and I've recovered several square feet.

In all honesty, now that your shop is a little straighter, do you think it would have been more usefull with house projects (easier to find or do stuff)?

[crokett]

In all honesty, now that your shop is a little straighter, do you think it would have been more usefull with house projects (easier to find or do stuff)?

Of course. But when we first moved in I made sure all the tools I used on regular basis were accessible. Everything else was crammed in corners, etc. So next thing for me to do is go through my drawers and sort things out. I also have yet to build the last wall divide the utility room and my shop.