Shop Organizing

[pro70z28]

A While back there was a thread on this site about using a hitch receiver to organize shop space.
I had a couple hours yesterday afternoon & a couple more this afternoon, so I thought I'd get organized for the upcoming "Z" firewall build. I've got some sheet metal tools that have been under the bench for a good long while now. So, I chopped up an old attachment I had for my first track loader that was just collecting dust in the corner. It had some slip tubes on it (like a receiver for the hitch). I used some angle iron I had in the shed and made this deal up. I put it on an outside corner of the shop so I'd have plenty of workin' room.



I bought a stretcher/shrinker at a car show a couple years ago. No mount so it hasn't been used yet.



Harbor Freight Planishing hammer. Might call it new old stock. I've had it for a long time too, but never used it.





I've used the bead roller a couple times. Clamped it in the band saw when I DID use it.

I'm wondering about a wing (table top) on each side of the bead roller to help feed the stock through? or maybe it would just get in the way? Any thoughts?

I still plan to make an attachment to hold the bench vise, and one for a small welding table. I'm gettin' tired of saw horses

that's what I've been up to this weekend. And, thanks for the hitch receiver idea. This is going to make life in the shop much better.

[tom37]

Nice work. Looks like it should work out well for you. I had to snicker when you said you may make one for a little weld table and a vise. Sorry but I had a vision, if you do like myself and get a little rough with the table or vise you could have problems. I'm not knocking your design at all, just stating that Murphy's Law chases me around all the time.

I wouldn't think you would need a extra table so long as you had a helper for the really large pieces. Saw horses arnt all bad, I picked up a set at HD a couple years ago that set tall enough for someone 6 foot tall. The down fall is there plastic.

I hope to see pics of your firewall project.

Tom

[pro70z28]

Thanks Tom.
I don't do much heavy work, but the stuff I do I end up having to set up right beside the camaro. I've had some close calls with things slipping off the saw horses, clamp coming loose, etc., coming close to a ding in the quarter panel a time or 2. I don't have much free space in the 1 stall shop. Some day the camaro will have paint on it. Then the saw horse set up won't be an option. Table would be something like an 18''x24'' top which is more table top space than I usually work on. If it seems to be too much I could always put posts under the outside corners to help support the weight.

[tom37]

Oh I understand man, I can defiantly see where a table even if it was a small one would be an asset. One day I want to have a real shop, well at least bigger then the 15 by 30 that I have now. It has to fit all my mechanic/wood/metal and all the misc junk. That does not leave much room left over. I know I shouldn't complain since there is guys that only have a metal shed to work in. I guess maybe its more wishfully thinking then complaining.

Tom

[pro70z28]

I welded up the welding table tonight. I cut the supplies kinda' close. I have 1/2 pc. of filler rod left, 20 PSI of argon in the second tank & the 20''x20'' table top was the biggest pc. I could get out of what's left of a 4'x4'x3/16'' sheet of steel. Not very big but it's bigger than the scrap pc. of plate I use to clamp to the saw horse. I had to see how sturdy it was so I got on it and jumped up & down. It's good to go.



Bracing under the table. Gettin' low on that stuff too, but I got er' done.

[strube1369]

Might be small, but it looks plenty stout! Nice job.

[tom37]

That looks good pro70z28.

In reality I bet you will have just as much room as alot of us have when you figure the extra stuff we have sitting on our bench's. Yours will never be cluttered, and I am thinking thats a good deal. Mounted on the corner like it is, could be very nice as well.

Nice work

Tom

[pro70z28]

Thanks Tom. I need to make a rack (or racks) on the wall to store these things. I think I'm going to clean out that corner in the background and store them there. I'm not gettin' any younger, so close and convenient is a good thing.

[SpyGuy]

Now THAT is a really nice setup for your metalworking stuff. I like the idea of having it on the trailer-hitch system, so you can quickly swap one tool out for another. Only thing I would do slightly different is to add a slide-in leg on the front of the table with an adjuster, just to help take some of the weight off the wallmount - other than that, GREAT job!

[pro70z28]

Thanks Spy Guy. I'm looking forward to using this stuff and having it not be scattered all over the shop.
I thought the same thing about a support, but I got up on it and jumped up and down on it with my 200 lb. carcass and it didn't even flex. I still plan to build a mount for the bench vise. That one I do plan to put a "Support to the floor" leg under. Just because there are times I might be beating on it with a hammer from time to time. As solid as the mount is, the shock of a hammer over time might not be good. Being on the outside corner & tied into the adjacent studs on each side make it pretty solid. I have some threaded re-bar that I plan to make an adjustable leg with. Maybe I'll make it interchangeable with the table just in case the need arises.