How messy is your shop?

[thekl0wn]

Just out of curiosity, how messy does your shop stay? This is a major sore in my side... The shop I work out of isn't mine, it's actually my father's. The problem is, I'm fairly systematic, and tend to keep my areas clean, and I clean up after myself... On the other hand, my father is none of the above. And it's only gotten worse since he was injured last summer. He was 100% out of commission for most of last winter, and it was only me in the shop, and I had the place spotless. The condition now is dismal! :mad:

I just don't understand how someone can spend that much money on something, and get it setup nicely, and then trash it... His theory is that he knows it bothers me, so before I do anything out there, I always clean up. :mad:

So, how clean do you keep your shop?

[Don]

I need to get some pics of mine online. I don't put stuff back while I'm working on a project, consequently I spend a lot of my time looking for stuff. Sawdust and shavings don't bother me so much while I'm in the middle of something. Wood chips piling up on the floor is a testament to "getting something done." I do metal work too though, I can't stand metal shavings, cuttings and scraps on the floor.

Floor space to me is a valuable commodity, I work hard to store things off the floor. The strange thing about shops though is that it is no indication of what will be produced out of it. I've been in some that would catch fire if someone sneezed hard, the work coming out of it was beautiful. I've been in others that we're shrines to tools and machines, only to have rough knick-knacks produced intermittently.

I love my shop though. I've spent as much time in shops than in homes I'm sure.

I need to get some pictures up . . . soon.

All the best, Don

[Terry Mac]

K, good poll. The last time my shop was clean, was when it was built. I've always believed that a cluttered shop is a sign of genius. "cough cough"

I'm curious to see pics of everyones shops. I'll take some this weekend and post'em. :eek:

Post your shop pics guys.

[thekl0wn]

I'll be in the shop tonight provided UPS made my PE drop! :D I'll get some pics of the sty! :rolleyes:

[DIYer]

I keep mine reletively clean. My garage doubles as my shop, so if I want to get the cars in at night, the shop gets cleaned and packed away....every night. I'm not so anal about keeping the shop clean...really I'm anal about keeping my car clean, so it takes priority over that space. Fortunately, I can just barely get both cars squeezed in with the workbench folded down.

[Terry Mac]

My shop is the garage. I started building the addition, garage and utility room, about 2 years ago, and its still not done! All the original demolition led to a kitchen refurb too. *sigh*. The shop is somewhat functional at least. Well here goes. :eek:

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/sh20w/shop/00004b.jpg

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/sh20w/shop/00013a.jpg

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/sh20w/shop/00011a.jpg

[Don]

Is that a homemade telescope?

dawjr

[Terry Mac]

Is that a homemade telescope?

dawjr

Yeah, its a 6" reflector with altazimuth base. That one was a prototype made about 15 years ago. There were a few others made for friends. A 10" reflector I made was a monster. It was given to a local technical college.

[AMF]

Good poll, I myself like to keep things as clean as possible, but to a point. once or twice a year I give the shop a thurough cleaning, then blow it down with a leaf blower, I have to keep the dust to a minimum as my shop is heated by wood. There are 2 main problems I have when keeping my chop clean: limited space, and people that arent as clean as I. My shops small and I've been lucky enough to get alot of cut offs and unfinished furniture from shop closeouts, so every nook and cranny is full of stuff, plus I stil have a fridge and freezer in the shop (wil be moved soon if I have my way!). The second problem is I have a freind who uses the shop periodically (he has some of his tools that we share so i cant say no) and he always leaves the shop looking like a bomb went off; cutoffs on the floor, tools everywhere, glue on all the tables (planer, tablesaw etc) and stain or paint everywhere. Drives me nuts, and her alwasy seems to show up after i've cleaned it.
Well theres my rant! lol

[Domer]

My shop is also my garage like many of you. My wife likes the furniture I build but hates the saw dust I track in. So she has trained me to clean up. I cannot say I clean after each session but pretty much. It is amazing to me how much easier it is to work and find my tools in a clean shop.

I hate to admit it but my wife was right when she tried to convince me to clean up the shop.

Domer