Minor stuff I forget to do in the shop when working

[leehljp]

that's a good excuse for another set of tools. You can keep the newer, better ones in the shop. Oh heck, they should both be equally good... Buy two new sets of upgraded tools, yeah, that's the ticket.

That was what I had when I lived in Japan. I had a Ryobi thickness planer here and a PC thickness planer there, BT3000 in Japan, 3100 here, numerous other tools. Now I have a "plethora" of tools! I need SPACE now!

It sure is nice to have a good set of hand tools in the house and an equally good set in the shop!

[capncarl]

Does leaving your truck running count? I parked my truck under its shed, put it in park and listened to the remainder of the newscast on the radio. When it was over I turned the radio off and went in the house not realizing that the engine was still running. I noticed it running that night when I walked the dog for her final patrol. I guess that if I hadn't caught it the poor dear would have run through the whole weekend until I went to work the following monday! opps.

capncarl.

[gsmittle]

A couple of times I've forgotten to close/lock the entire shop. Discovered it the next morning. Fortunately, nothing was taken, but since my house was broken into in December, I'm not pushing my luck.

g.

[Bluto]

One thing I learned very early on was to never leave stain drenched rags wadded up. The oil can heat up and cause a fire. Fortunately this never happened, but after working in my dad's shop one day and leaving the rags in a pile, he told me of the fire danger. Since then I have never forgotten.

That is thought to be the cause of the fire that destroyed Jack London's magnificent Wolf House a few days before completion...well worth a visit if in the CA wine country BTW, now a State Park.

http://www.jacklondons.net/house2.html

[durango dude]

Most common offenses:


a) leave blade up on TS
b) forgetting hearing protection when running vacuum (it's a very loud Ridgid)
c) leaving batteries plugged into chargers (my cordless is fairly new 12v - but I wonder if that's a hazard).
d) thoroughly covering driveway when I stain.
e) changing before I start working (my woodworking is more impulsive than planned).

I'm pretty good about eye protection (in general), and hearing protection (with the router and planer).

I don't really have dust collection system or an air cleaner --- and should really consider both, some time soon.

[Bruce Cohen]

Pretty good list- I'm thinking maybe you have a hidden camera in my garage! Although it only took one 4 am air compressor cycling (right below our BR) to remember that one.

One other one I often forget: releasing the spindle lock/index pin on my midi lathe after changing chuck or face plate.

jdon,
With the exception of a lathe (I don't turn), we must be twins or something. I'm always forgetting to turn off the compress (never buy an oil less again), its loud enough to hear about 5 miles away. I keep praying it will either burn up or break so I can get another (oil). I'm getting real sick of my wife punching me at 3 AM to go down and turn it off. The garage (shop) is also right under the bedroom.
Bruce

[Bill in Buena Park]

2. Put on the ear muffs
6. Set bandsaw upper guide height just above workpiece
7. Start the vac or DC for the tool I’m using
8. Change the RPM speed of the DP to the appropriate speed
10. Shut down the air compressor when I leave for the evening
11. Turn off the laser on the Miter saw

Those excerpted above are mine, in addition to forgetting to turn off lights and leaving the door unlocked when thinking I'll be returning shortly. Variant on #7 - being too lazy to connect the DC to a tool thinking "it won't be that much dust..."; then on #11, laser on the DP - fortunately, I always turn this on in tandem with the DP task light, so as I'm shutting off shop lights, the task light is the reminder. Additionally, there's not remembering to check all the gates on the DC system and wondering "where's my airflow?"

[LCHIEN]

jdon,
With the exception of a lathe (I don't turn), we must be twins or something. I'm always forgetting to turn off the compress (never buy an oil less again), its loud enough to hear about 5 miles away. I keep praying it will either burn up or break so I can get another (oil). I'm getting real sick of my wife punching me at 3 AM to go down and turn it off. The garage (shop) is also right under the bedroom.
Bruce

fix the plumbing leaks so it won't cycle so often.

[lrr]

The thing I forget to do most often is tension the blade on my bandsaw. I've found an effective reminder:

[LCHIEN]

The thing I forget to do most often is tension the blade on my bandsaw. I've found an effective reminder:

i'm the opposite: I always forget to de-tension it afterwards.

[gsmittle]

Last Saturday I had to air up my truck tires. Today I was checking the generator in advance of the coming storm and sure enough, the compressor cycled. I'd left it on all week.

g.

[LCHIEN]

darn, got home at 11:30 tonight and as I got out of the car I faintly heard the compressor cycle off... been on since after lunch, forgot to turn it off when I closed the shop for the afternoon.

[dbhost]

Wait, air compressors can be turned OFF?

Hmmm. Not sure which way the lever on mine is the off position honestly... I just let the drain valve go, and if it tries to cycle, I know to throw the switch the other way...

[LCHIEN]

Drain the Compressor?
Darn another thing I even forgot that I forget.

[atgcpaul]

On several occasions I have forgotten to turn off the overhead IR heaters. Longest was just overnight, though.

Snow day so got some shop time in after I shoveled the drive and walk. Anyway, turned the heater on while working, went to HD for a sheet of melamine, and came back to a cozy warm shop. Doh!

jdon,
With the exception of a lathe (I don't turn), we must be twins or something. I'm always forgetting to turn off the compress (never buy an oil less again), its loud enough to hear about 5 miles away. I keep praying it will either burn up or break so I can get another (oil). I'm getting real sick of my wife punching me at 3 AM to go down and turn it off. The garage (shop) is also right under the bedroom.
Bruce

I don't use my compressor much. I blew out my dust filter last night and closed up the shop for the night. Went back in there this morning for some road salt and the compressor kicked on while I was in therw--luckily. Double doh!