Cleaning the Shop


bbarry9999

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Just curious if anybody has a regular PM, Cleaning Schedule for their shop.  I just finished my Christmas projects and thought this would be a good time to do a deep cleaning.  While doing this I realized I really should have done more along the way.  My issue isn't so much the clutter as as it is just the cleaning, dusting, wiping down equipment etc...

 

Thanks

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

BB

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Best wishes to all 'wood butchers' . I sorta clean when it becomes apparent that cleaning is called for. My bigger issue is picking up after using a specific tool. I would love to have someone following me and replacing things were they belong. Also one of my'resolutions' is to excercize better dust collection discipline, "Oh it's only this one cut......." I am with Bankstick, after the lathe, clean up is required. On a nice weather day, I open the doors, run all the mobile tools outside and turn the leaf-blower loose.

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My shop is a mess and it's driving me nuts!!!  I usually clean up at the end of each session. One habit I added this year is I put the tools I will need for the next part of the project next to it. That reminds me of where I am in my workflow so I get right to work. Now that I'm finished with Christmas gifts I'll do a deep clean, shop reorg and sharpen, clean, and adjust every tool over the next couple of weeks. Then back to it. 

Merry Christmas to all!

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I actually did do some cleaning today. I burned a bunch of cutoffs but it was so muddy going to the burn pile I gave up before I was finished. I did some vacuuming done and cleaned off my table saw and out feed tables. I have a thing about keeping my table saw clean. Everything else can be dusty but not my table saw. Just a quirk that I have. I didn't get done cleaning but I did get a nice Christmas Eve nap in! Merry Christmas everyone!

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My shop is a mess and it's always a mess. I do put tools away on a weekly basis, but sweeping is a monthly chore and none of my equipment has ever been "wiped down" other than cleaning up the work surfaces.

A lot of times I feel like "messy shoo people" are underrepresented on this forum because most people won't admit to being a member of the club. I know I'm not the only one...

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I too clean as I work, put tools away after each use, sharpen plane irons and chisels at the end of the day if needed. I totally despise walking through plane shavings after planing so they are swept up regularly through the day. My shop is small (12' X 22') so there isn't a lot of room for unnecessary clutter or debris.

 

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My FIL who has dementia has a messy, disorderly shop. He didn't used to be that way, but I think age and inertia just led to a "aw, leave it there" mentality. I found a monthly list of "Shop Maintenance Tasks" in WOOD magazine and put together a full-year schedule. My FIL is on board with it, mostly because I do the work. :D

December has things like safely dispose of old finishes, clean shop clutter, and replenish missing abrasive grits. Other months have tasks that range from checking the planer table infeed and outfeed tables, clean table saw blades, or drain condensate from compressor tank. I find this list pretty simple as there are only four or five things each month, many of which are easy to knock off, and I figure on doing one per week throughout the month -- easy enough for me and my FIL to work through. A healthy shop is a happy shop. Side benefit: I get familiar with my FIL's tools and get them into shape for more involved projects.

I'd post the list here, but as most of the content came from WOOD, I'm respecting copyright. If one of the mods wants to take a look at the list and give thumbs up or thumbs down, I can post it with an okay.

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Sweep as needed.  Shop vac and wax  after each project.  Maintenance day on large tools including greasing threads and waxing tops every 6 months or so.  I should probably have a written list but I don't.

Tools put away as I finish with them.  I hate not know exactly where they are.

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I thoroughly clean after each session, even if a project requires multiple sessions with the same tooling.  I "clean as I go", stopping multiple times to return tools and suck up loose dust/chips.

I vsccum and blow out the shop (ridgid jobsite blower) after every session.  Then I run the air cleaner for 60 minutes after I leave.  I enjoy going out into a clean shop and I am willing to do the work to make it so.

The old mantra "a place for everything, and everything in it's place" is my shop code!

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Twice a year, whether it needs it or not..

ha!

I'm actually trying to improve my process, and cleaning is a big part of that. I think as others have said, the more things have a clearly defined place, the easier it is get them safely returned. I've noticed that after I built a little dedicated spot for my chisels, they are more organized and easier to return if I do get a little messy. I'm working on having similar spots for every tool. It takes time... especially when you keep adding new tools!

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4 hours ago, Pug said:

I thoroughly clean after each session, even if a project requires multiple sessions with the same tooling.  I "clean as I go", stopping multiple times to return tools and suck up loose dust/chips.

I vsccum and blow out the shop (ridgid jobsite blower) after every session.  Then I run the air cleaner for 60 minutes after I leave.  I enjoy going out into a clean shop and I am willing to do the work to make it so.

The old mantra "a place for everything, and everything in it's place" is my shop code!

Pug, does the leaf blower really work. It would seem like you're just rearranging dust? I have one but have never used it in the shop. If I used it now, it would be like the dust bowl of the thirties. 

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7 minutes ago, K Cooper said:

Pug, does the leaf blower really work. It would seem like you're just rearranging dust? I have one but have never used it in the shop. If I used it now, it would be like the dust bowl of the thirties. 

I use one as well Coop..  I just kick the doors open, put a fan on to help blow it out the door, put on the respirator, and go.

I actually do it 3 times..  I let the dust settle for about 30 minutes between cleanings with the leaf blower.

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