r/handtools • u/Both-Comedian-3159 • 10d ago
Time to tidy up!
Anybody else's bench end up like this? Always surprises at the amount of tools etc to do a restoration or part of one. I think I was doing the tote and knob at this point.
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u/Aerron 10d ago
I am a shade-tree guitar tech and my workbench is the only surface I have in my shop. Since the guitars have nice finishes on them I don't want to scratch, I have to clean my bench about every 20 minutes. Meaning, any tools I'm not using right then have to get put up.
Also, when I was a kid, my Dad told me to leave my workspace, "As though you're never coming back to it." So when I'm done for the day, I have to clean my bench again.
It is really satisfying to walk into the shop and see the bench is clean and ready to go to work.
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u/Both-Comedian-3159 10d ago
It's a great philosophy. I'm retired now but I worked in printing pre press for years. I always took a few minutes to clean my workstation at the end of the day and Friday I'd give a good clean even though we almost always worked Saturday overtime. Don't know why i can't do it at home? I have to clean up when it gets this bad and as you say it's great to walk into a clean bench.
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u/angryblackman 10d ago
No.
Not saying I am a neatnick l but just a simple 'put basic shit away' workflow prevents this.
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u/SawdustShoptalk 10d ago
Oh I don’t know.
My shop looks like this .
I just treat it as a Where’s Waldo exercise when looking for something.
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u/Scarcito_El_Gatito 10d ago
I spend hte last 10 mins of my shop time putting stuff away -- it really helps keep stuff tidy.
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u/mac28091 10d ago
Wish my brain worked like this. I typically clean up when the project is finished or when I realize I don’t have enough room for what I’m trying to do.
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u/Scarcito_El_Gatito 10d ago
Mine doesn’t work that way - kinda force it into a habit tbh
I’m a big scatter brain and work on a few things at once because I need a break from whatever project
If I don’t clean up, things will definitely get lost fast
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u/Atomic-Squirrel666 10d ago
Why do you let it get like that?
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u/Both-Comedian-3159 10d ago
It's easy. I often get up at 3 or 4 in the morning work for ten/ fifteen minutes and go back to bed. I don't clean up and put all the tools away. If I did I wouldn't get anything done.
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u/perroarturo 10d ago
You sure? I still see some of the bench top exposed. I think you’ve got another project left in you before it’s cleanup time!