Shop/Garage Organization ???s

[broncocraigellis]

OK, here's the deal: I'm building a buggy. I don't want to start the buggy in a dirty/unorganized garage/shop. I was going to use this week to bend the chassis, but I've put it on hold until I finish this organization and storage project.

I need your experience in organizing garages/shops. Here's my situation: My parents are gracious enough to let me use their two-car garage to build stuff, but it has no organization scheme. I'm working on that, but it takes longer since I don't live there. My apt. obviously has no shop space.

I just want to hear your opinion on what tips or tricks you've used to help get organized and store things.

I'm reworking a workbench to have at least one shelf below to store scrap metal/wood and jackstands. That one will be about 20"x 60".

The other is a welding/vise/grinding table that is 30"x 48" I'm thinking of building a nesting cart that fits under this one.

All of these will be mounted on locking casters, so they can be moved for cleaning, etc...

Now, what about storing spray paint, quarts of oil, antifreeze, and tubes of grease?

I'm thinking about doing a couple of wall-mounted cabinets for that stuff.

Then, I'll do some form of pegboard to store misc. items.

We have a bolt bin over at another location that I'll hopefully bring back over to dejunk a couple of 5 gallon buckets that are now full of random nuts, bolts, and screws.

If there's a theme to this, it's reworking stuff we already have; the new welding table is currently a six wheel dolly that has both of our Lincoln Idealarc 250 and Sureweld 225 sitting on it, and the longer, skinny table holds a toolbox and misc. junk ATM.

The two stick machines are for sale, too.

I'd love to hear your suggestions. Thanks.

[rccolacc]

I'm in the same boat as you after moving in to my new garage (thanks Mark). I have no shelves or anything either, and I think I'm just going to cut a bunch of MDF into 12" wide strips and make shelves or something. I've got too much spray paint and carb cleaner just sit on top of my workbench. I've had good luck with using the big rubbermaid tubs for storing large stuff I don't use that often. The nice thing is they stack well by themselves...
I've seen bolt bins and stuff at Lowes, and also peg board hooks, but where do you get the actual peg board from? I've only seen small sheets of some plastic stuff at Lowes, but not the big 4x8 sheets. I was wondering where you get it now that you mention it.
Good luck on the organizing. I'm sure you'll feel a lot better about everything when it's done.
-RC

[Busted Knuckle Racing]

Did somebody say bolt bins?

[krimes13]

The peg board is on the other end of the store. It's by the paneling / beadboard and crown moulding and such. If you need it smaller than 4X8, to get a good straight cut and make it eaiser to get home, get them to use the stand-up saw in the very back corner behind the lumber.

[broncocraigellis]

Nov 25, 2008 10:01:58 GMT -5 Busted Knuckle Racing said:

Did somebody say bolt bins?

Yes, sir.

[rccolacc]

Did somebody say Fastenal discount?

[Busted Knuckle Racing]

Nov 26, 2008 10:38:29 GMT -5 rccolacc said:

Did somebody say Fastenal discount?

Of course you get a discount! You just have to drive to Clinton to get it... haha

[broncocraigellis]

Yeah, the spray paint, oil, and misc. stuff that accumulates on top of tables and shelves has me rethinking how to store them. I'm going to shoot for a wall-mounted cabinet that will hold all that stuff.

My main goal is to get everything off the floor.

I revamped one of the tables today and put it on casters with brakes. I have to brace it which will create a shelf for jackstands and misc. pieces of wood I use for persuasion.

I think I need a 4x8 sheet of the pegboard. How does the 1/4" hold up? Anybody used the plastic or metal pegboard?