How do you file/store manuals & docs?

[BenW]

I'm trying to make my tool manuals a usable (or at least tidy) part of my shop instead of a heap of recyclables gathering sawdust.

Bought a planer from a guy a while back & he plucked the manual out of his shop's filing cabinet & gave it to me, no fuss. Wish I'd asked him his organization method, because every time I try to decide on one I get conceptually crossed-up.

My plan is to do as he did, filing cabinet with hanging files. And will keep the spare parts/loose tools in the file with the info. Probably purchase & warranty info, too. I guess my real question is, do you...

(a) File at all? (If not... what?)

(b) Organize by...
- manufacturer? (that's not how I generally think of my tools)
- tool type? (was it "saw" or "circular" or "Skil... wait, that's a manufacturer)
- categories/sub-categories? (finish tools, air tools, air finishing gun... hmm)
- chronological by purchase date? (my current stack method)

Thanks for any input before entropy completely takes over.
--Ben

p.s. Same question can be asked of intended/completed project info. I'm not to a critical mass of that yet. But if you want to share some thoughts, I'm interested.

[JimDantin]

I tend to store manuals in either expandable file folders (the kind with dividers) or in rigid filing boxes like this
http://www.officedepot.com/a/product...:referralID=NA

The key for me is to keep them in one place, not organization. The house-related manuals stay in one folder, shop stuff in another. The kitchen appliances are all in one flexible folder that's in the bottom of a drawer in the kitchen.

[pelligrini]

There's a stack on the open shelves in my shop attracting dust, mixed with drawings I've printed. There's a couple piles in my office. There are several upstairs in a woodworking mag pile. I'm sure there are more in a couple "ought to hold onto that" boxes in my office closet. The file folders I got for them a couple years ago are still empty.

There are PDF manuals on my shop laptop and on my office computer in no particular places either.

[LCHIEN]

I bought a small plastic hanging file box with lid and handle from office depot - files about 10" deep. Hanging folders about 10-12 in number labeled A-B, C-D etc,
I file by machine type, e.g. band saw stuff goes in B, Table saw in T, Compound Miter saw in C, etc.

[Knottscott]

I staple the receipts to the inside of the manual and file them in a filing cabinet.

[cabinetman]

I keep owners manuals in Pendaflex folders together, but in alphabetical order. Drawings are something else. Clients folders (11"x17") are kept individually in Pendaflex files, alphabetically. Rolled plans are kept on a deep shelf with an index label referencing the file folder for that client.

Tool and material catalogs that are punched or can be punched are kept in three ring binders.
.

[charliex]

I'm with Loring & Jim.. File box in shop. Categories are large machines, small pwr tools, hand tools, etc. Only takes a few seconds of searching to find what I need. I staple the sales receipt inside the front cover of each manual.
Chas

[HarmsWay]

In binders by manufacturer. I enter everything in a database (update about once a year) to aid searching. The database has everything for the house - not just the shop - but the shop binders are separate. There is also a binder in the shed for tools like mowers, chain saws, weed eaters, etc. The database tells me which binder stuff is in and makes it easier to search. It can also print out tables of contents for the binders for a hard copy version. I also use the database to record information for insurance such as serial numbers, purchase price, etc. I was going to put photos in but I haven't yet.

Bob

[RAFlorida]

Got a metal filing cabinet in the shop,

with hanging folders. Keep 'em organized by the type of tools. All the lawn equipment, the well with motor and tank, so on and so forth. The shop tools' manuals are in there and it makes for easy and quick finding when necessary. Years ago I would keep those manuals in the house in the other filing cabinets, and that made for unnecessary trips back and forth to the house-workshop.

[twistsol]

I have a file cabinet in the office by my shop. I keep everything sorted brand. This typically leaves me with at most 10 manuals in any one category.

Receipts are all scanned and maintained in NeatReceipts/NeatWorks on my Mac and it lets me add serial numbers into the database. I can search by a number of keywords, date, vendor, and all receipts are are run through OCR.

[sparkeyjames]

I open the file cabinet drawer that is specifically reserved for manuals and such. I toss it in close it and wipe my hands. No organization just a big ol pile of manuals and such in there. When it reaches the top I'll organize with file folders and put them on the built in hangars (the drawer is deeper front to back than it is top to bottom) There are years worth of room left in that drawer.

[Pappy]

File?????

Mine are all around here somewhere's. Shop, workroom, file cabinet, on top of my drawing table....

but they are here....

I think.....

[jabe]

Metal file cabinet with hanging folders in no particular order. Manuals that I used often will be on a shelf in a 3 ring folder. Also staple a copy of the sales reciepts in the respective manuals.

[smorris]

There is a drawer in the workbench devoted to manuals. It's getting kinda full so maybe I need to get a box to dump them into. I can always find what I need in a few minutes of rummaging in that drawer. Some I use a lot, like the dovetail jig, those are on a clipboard hanging on the wall.

[cwsmith]

I started off years ago, by keeping them in open pocket folders (the rust red type).

I now place each one in a plastic bag (made for documents) and place those in a large plastic folder with velcro fastened flap.

However, I make it a point to download PDF copys for every tool that I have. For the old 70's tools, I have scanned them and made PDF files for them. For me, it's much easier to locate and to view... as I can blow them up on the screen if necessary.

I also scan all the receipts and even those little partial page instructions that you often receive with some tools, electronic items, etc. My scanner has become a very important tool and I use PaperPort software to enhance and make the PDF files. I also keep a database on all my tools, which includes the brand, model, serial number, purchase date, price, and basic stuff like RPM, amps, hp, etc.

CWS