The Great Cleanup of 2012 - Part 1

[Kathy Marshall]

I don't think it comes as any surprise that my turning environment will never compete with the likes of John Keeton, Steve Schlumpf or most of the rest of you. I tend to let the shaving, cut-offs, scraps and everything build up until I can't work around them anymore, and then clean up just enough so I can get back to turning.
Last weekend I put up a new 6' x 8' shed next to the shop. I had a 60 gal compressor that I needed to start using, but it wouldn't fit in the shop, so a new shed, a 220 receptacle at the service panel and a long extension cord and I was in business.
Obviously the compressor didn't take up alot of space in the new shed, so I started thinking about what I could move out of the shop and into the shed to free up some shop space.
And so begins "The Great Cleanup of 2012".

Part 1.
As you can see, this is going to be a big job!
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I started out by clearing out all the wood, containers and miscellaneous stuff surrounding and covering the drill press and horizontal boring machine. Next was tackling the drill press (which I've never been able to use before because it runs on 220). I measured the drill press and the inside clearance in the shed, then double and triple checked it. It would just barely fit, the trick would be getting it in and then maneuvering it into an upright position.
I managed to get the DP out of the shop and down the ramp, but then I enlisted the help of my neighbor after visions of me not being able to hold it and dropping it after tilting it enough to get through the door, or getting it in and finding I wasn't able to lift it back upright.
Even with the two of us, it took some creative maneuvering and in the end we had to remove the top cover, but we finally got it upright and in position.
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Next was the horizontal boring machine. It's pretty heavy at just over 300 lbs, but luckily it's on a mobile base. So down the ramp it went and onto a piece of plywood, raised the ramp back up and layed down another piece of plywood to make a road and ramp into the shed, and everything is in it's place.
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Then it was time for the wheelbarrow and shovel. So far I've taken out 10 loads of shavings, 7 of which were just from the pile behind the lathe. I also managed to find my Thompson 1/2 bowl gouge which was buried about 1/2 way down in the pile :eek:.
Got out the dust collector/shop vac which was in storage due to a lack of space in the shop, and cleaned up everything the shovel missed. As a bonus, there's enough room left in the shed to house the DC so I'll be able to use it regularly.
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So after about 8 hours I had one small section done, and I was such a hot, tired, dirty, sweaty mess that I couldn't get into the house and the shower fast enough!
Next up will probably be the workbench. No telling what treasures I might find buried in that mess!
More to come...

[philip labre]

I'm not showing my pics, but don't feel alone Kathy.

[Doug Herzberg]

"I was such a hot, tired, dirty, sweaty mess that I couldn't get into the house and the shower fast enough!"

A steel shed in August in Phoenix. You are a glutton for punishment or some kind of sun worshiper. Of course, I'll be freezing in my glass house this winter while you're basking in your clean shop.

I'm not showing pictures, either, but I feel better now. Good luck. Stay cool.

[Tim Rinehart]

Too funny...but strikes closer to home than most of us would like to agree! I chuckled on the finding your Thompson gouge! I tossed out a stronghold chuck key with shavings a couple years ago, and I spread my shavings in wooded area behind my shop...even tried taking a metal detector to find it. It's still out there, but it cost me a pretty penny to replace. Reason enough for me to stay ahead of the buildup of chips.

[kevin nee]

That shop is neat compared to mine. Big clean-ups only last a day anyway.

[Tom Winship]

Kathy, how many rattlesnakes? Do you ever see them there?

[Roger Chandler]

Applause, Applause! I think if you can get the bench out like you were speaking of, you will be surprised at the room. If I were in your situation, however........I would build a smaller one..........maybe not as long and narrower.........to put against that wall for having a horizontal work surface........a few 2x4's and a piece of plywood, and you are in business, and can utilize that space in very creative and useful ways. When you have larger projects......do you assembly in the shed with the larger bench............should be a workable situation.

Nice when you get a fresh start.

[Bill White]

Well, all of us were sayin' that ya needed to clean the shop, but we just couldn't figger out how without hurtin' your feelings. :)
You know I'm jokin'.....
Bill

[Rick Markham]

Looks like you made a dent in it :D I feel your pain, my house looks like a shop exploded in it :eek::D

[Reed Gray]

'You know it is time to clean up the shop when you have to get down on your knees to turn' from the late Roger Michaelson, and from some one I don't know, 'my shop is so small, I have to go out side to change my mind.'

Really your shop isn't that messy. I think I could actually use 10,000 sq. ft. with no problem. When I moved from my 400 sq. ft. shop to my now 864 sq. ft. shop one of my friends told me that I would be surprised at how fast my new bigger shop would fill up. I said, it would take about 4 hours. Enjoy the extra elbow room.

robo hippy

[Jon Nuckles]

Great progress, Kathy. I am one of the clean up after every session types, but I still lost my Oneway big bite when shoveling away the shavings. Glad your gouge didn't meet the same fate!

[David DeCristoforo]

Oh crap. There goes the last of the great ones. The outlaws. The holdouts. The scofflaws who thumb their noses at the "clean police". Next thing ya know, you'll putting in carpet.

[Jeff Nicol]

I tend to clean off a spot each time I need to start something new. This morning I had to do some emergency trailer rewiring and by digging out all the electrical stuff I made a terrible mess in differnt areas in the shop as I moved around finding all the correct stuff! So when I went back in to finish the paper and my cup of coffee it was waiting for me when I went back out. Well it took about 30 minutes to clean up the mess that took me about 10 minutes to make, it is always easy to make a disaster, but seems like it takes forever to clean it up!

Like others have said we all have some not so clean shop areas, and we leave the cleaning stuff to the professionals, whos names we have already seen!

A MESSY SHOP IS A BUSY SHOP!

Jeff

[James Roberts]

I love this piece! The juxtaposition of tools and wood, the clever use of sawdust and shavings, the subtle intricacies of shadow and gloom, the inviting darkness of the back of the shed. A tour de force if ever there was one. Magnificent!

Only one thing bugs me...you peeked in my shop for inspiration, didn't you? And you never said "hi" or nuthin':(.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Kathy I ain't showing a picture either but I did take four 30 gallon trash cans full of chips out last Thursday. Amazing the room, what you find and it still isn't cleaned.

[Jerry Marcantel]

I've seen her shop, and she just has too many nice tools. Now, she has too much empty space. Good job, Kathy...
When I clean up, I have to sift all my shavings to make sure there's nothing but wood being thrown out. ........ Jerry (in Tucson)

[Donny Lawson]

Kathy, I think your doing a fine job. I've been working on mine off and on for a while now but it gets messed back up pretty fast. Just take a small section at a time.

[Kathy Marshall]

No real progress to report. I took yesterday off and just vegetated on the couch, it's been a long time since I've done that and it sure felt good!
Today I picked up a shelving unit to fill the hole left left by the bandsaw and boring machine. It's only 18" deep so still leaves a good sized aisle, nice and heavy duty so it will handle a good load. I'll be able move some of the tools and stuff off of the workbench and hopefully get them neatly stowed away.
And after that of course I had to dirty up the floor again while I worked on finishing up a bowl. A storm moved in so I didn't quite get it done, but standing in a metal trailer, surrounded by metal machines during a pretty wild thunderstorm just didn't seem to be a good idea :eek:.
As a side note, it's surprising just how much all those piles of shavings muffled the sound of the lathe. It's much louder now with the sound echoing off of the metal floor and walls.

Kathy, how many rattlesnakes? Do you ever see them there?
Tom, I've only seen (killed) 1 this year. I mostly only see them in the dogs yard (their special snake bark lets me know when there's one there), I'm sure there's more that I just don't see and I try to be careful when digging through the woodpile (never stick hands in place I can't see into).

Applause, Applause! I think if you can get the bench out like you were speaking of, you will be surprised at the room. If I were in your situation, however........I would build a smaller one..........maybe not as long and narrower.........to put against that wall for having a horizontal work surface........a few 2x4's and a piece of plywood, and you are in business, and can utilize that space in very creative and useful ways. When you have larger projects......do you assembly in the shed with the larger bench............should be a workable situation.

Nice when you get a fresh start.
Roger, the workbench is going to stay, it's just going to get unburied! No telling what little treasures I'll find.

Well, all of us were sayin' that ya needed to clean the shop, but we just couldn't figger out how without hurtin' your feelings. :)
You know I'm jokin'.....
Bill
Who is "all of us"? I'll need a list of names....;)

Oh crap. There goes the last of the great ones. The outlaws. The holdouts. The scofflaws who thumb their noses at the "clean police". Next thing ya know, you'll putting in carpet.
Not to worry David, I think we all know the state of cleanliness will be fleeting, but maybe, just maybe it won't get quite so bad, and the only carpet going in the shop will be the next carpet of shavings that doesn't get swept up!

I love this piece! The juxtaposition of tools and wood, the clever use of sawdust and shavings, the subtle intricacies of shadow and gloom, the inviting darkness of the back of the shed. A tour de force if ever there was one. Magnificent!

Only one thing bugs me...you peeked in my shop for inspiration, didn't you? And you never said "hi" or nuthin':(.
I was wondering if it might be gallery quality, I just hesitated to suggest it until you confirmed my suspicion.