Wood Storage and what to do with leftovers

Currently am working on cleaning up my shop and getting rid of some of the cutoff pieces of wood that I have been saving. I had good intentions of keeping the cutoffs for future projects but they never seem to work with the project that I am working on. I am working on sorting through the cutoffs and separating them into a pile for the fire pit and another for sale/free. In the future I am going to always have two bins that I can put cutoffs in as I am working so that I do not end up with a stock pile of cutoffs. I am sure that there are many uses for the cutoffs that I have sitting around the shop but what I must do is weigh the pros and cons of keeping it in the shop. After going through the pros and cons the cons out weigh the pros at this time. I hope to have updates soon with photos of the lumber storage.

Shop Reorganization

I do not have a current project in the works so I am going to reorganize the shop. Currently I have a big shelving unit in one corner which tends to collect a lot of dust and stuff. it is pretty deep so things tend to get pushed to the back and lost. I am going to take this shelving unit out to create more floor space. I will be replacing this unit with one that is smaller and has wire shelves. I also have an assembly table(old desk) near the door. This table comes in handy when staining or putting things together but tends to get in the way more than it helps. My plan to replace this will be a folding table or saw horses. The other standard tools in my shop are the miter saw, table saw, router table and drill press. My goal for the reorganization is to utilize all the available space. I will post photos of the progress and let you know how it goes.

Stain and Finish Storage Completed

I just finished my latest project and had some time to complete my stain and finish storage I wrote about in a previous post. The problem that presented itself was a lack of storage for my pint and quart sized cans. Due to my shop size I got rid of one big shelving unit for a smaller one and did not have shelf space for these cans. So I came up with a simple alternative solution for this problem. I had some leftover 2x4's lying around my shop that were on there way to the burning pit when I realized I could use them for shelves between the studs in my wall. After a few cuts a couple of screws problem solved. This storage solution not only got the cans out of the way but it was practically free since the material used was going to get burned this weekend. Below are a few photos of the finished project.

Mobile Base

Since my stain/finish storage project is on hold until I finish my latest project and apply the finish I do not plan on doing any cutting of wood. I just applied the last coat so it should not be too long before I get back to that project.

I do have a product review for a mobile base. I recently purchased a mobile base for my table saw. I purchased the Port-a-Mate mobile base from Menards. This unit was reasonable priced at about $45. I have a contractors style table saw in the shop and need to move it when I need floor space to work on finishing or assemble. I usually push the table saw into the corner against the wall. This was tough to do before without the mobile base because I had to drag it over to the corner. It took a little time to assemble the base and get in under the saw. I would saw that it took about 15-20 minutes to figure out the size I need and put all of the nuts and bolts together. Once I finished Assembly and put it under the saw it was easy to change from a stationary position to a mobile position. Now I can move the saw with ease by simply pushing two levers on the wheels. So far the product has stood the test of my shop and the demand to move my table saw. I would recommend that you take a look at this mobile base if you are looking to purchase one for your shop.

Stain and finish storage

The next project that I am going to tackle in my basement shop is to come up with a storage for the quart size stain and finish containers. I am trying to maximize my floor space by reducing my shelves so putting them on a shelving system is not going to be an option. Since a few of the walls in my shop are unfinished and I can put some shelves in between the 2x4's I think that I have found my solution. This should allow me to free up some space on my shelves and keep the cans out of the way. This should keep them organized, out of the way and within reach. As this project evolves I will post photos and keep you updated.

A little about my shop

I currently operate my small woodworking business out of the basement of my home. I have been working out of my basement for about a year now. My shop is tucked away in the corner of my basement. The shop is in the shape of an "L" and shares the space with some utilities. Over the past year I have changed the layout and have come up with ideas that have helped me better utilize the space. There can be many drawbacks and challenges when working in the shop but there are also many positives. Some of the positives of working in a basement shop are that it is heated and close to home. Some of the drawbacks are that you need to carefully plan your projects and make sure that they will make it up the stairs and out the door. There is also the problem of dust getting everywhere and trying to manage to keep this to a minimum.