May 12th 2020 - Clean up -Update

  I have been working for several hours each day in my workshop for the last couple of weeks.  I still have a day or two's work ahead of me but the progress is most satisfying, albeit, almost invisible.  Being able to stay at home for several days at a time had emboldened  me to begin a serious shop clean up, which became a total shop overhaul.  We moved into this home 11 1/2 years ago and my wood shop slowly and inextricably gathered tools and materials.  The gathering together of tools and materials was slow and the chaos was insidious.  

  The process began with me unloading and re-stacking my wood rack.

before

That photo doesn't show the piles of wood in other sections of the shop. It does give a feeling for the gathered chaos however.  Behind and beside were other piles of lumber, most, now are fire wood.  It is slightly depressing to discover how much of your treasured wood is truthfully just fire wood.

after

 I took the time to prop up the bottom shelves and support the upper two shelves with straps, the rack had looked to sag a bit over time.  Once I began, things just seemed to gather momentum.

Next came clamps. On October 21st 2011 I published this photo of my clamps.  It is now 2020 and I have at least twice as many  clamps.

before

 Yesterday they all came down and I remounted them.  Twice as many clamps fill the same space now they are in one place and accessible.

  As well as giving all those clamps a place to live I racked up all my spring clamps.

  Over the years clamps came home with me from wood shows and other events and only now do they have an organised place to live.

  The gradual collection of tools, finishes and other materials caused my space to become un-workable.

My hand saws were spread about collecting dust and not being useful.  I changed that by moving my saw till, and hanging other saws and tools on my movable shelving unit.

back side

                   

  The saws that are needed are at hand, the saws that are collected are out of the way.  I also have two IKEA bag/rag collectors on the back of the cabinet.

November 2015 is when I adapted these two STEN Ikea units. May 2020 is when I unpacked, repacked and reorganized the contents.

  Last week I moved the wall mounted cabinets and today I am throwing more wood and useless craft materials out.  My collection of Craft related stuff is the last hold out and the shop with by like something out of my dreams. (for a while)

  As this moving and re-arranging has been going on there have been several small projects going on.  I bound a book of A-Z paintings. If you are interested in book binding go to SEA LEMON on Facebook. Jennifer does a variety of crafts but has an entire section on DIY book binding.

  I finished a purple and gold walking stick for my Grand Daughter. I repaired a picture frame to my Grand Son's drawing of their cat. I added a lid and began to use a small parts organizer to sort screws and nail etc.

  I am making  a tool box and have taken down four unnecessary shelves to open up my work space by making the shop less cave like.

  It has been busy, enlightening (less is more) and some what satisfying.  I have a really nice piece of old oak that floated to the top, now is needs a quality project, and I have the space in which to do it.

cheers, ianw

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