I'll tell ya something, you don't know what you have till you clean the old shop up! I am stripping out my cabinets of supplies, the finishing supplies cabinet, the hardware cabinet, the spray gun cabinet, and I forgot I had half of what I am seeing! Not too mention I am coming across items I forgot I had, yet I went to the big box store to buy anyway, I am finding 3 of the same items simply because I either forgot I had them or could not find them, and I went and bought another.

Right now I am going through the finishing supplies stuff, about a dozen Minwax cans that must be 8 years old, since I don't use Minwax anymore they are old and crusty, going into the trash.

I cleared out my hardware cabinet and half of that is going to dad's home for his "catchall" bucket of fastners and hardware. I just fired up the compressor so I can blow the cabinets out, came in to escape the noise.

Ok, back out we go! CHAARRRRGE!

What prompted this? I went out this morning to get reacquainted with my and realized, I need to get organized, this is ridiculous, I cannot work in chaos! Wish me luck!

John,

 

You know, I just can't relate to this problem as my shop is pristine and spotless with no duplicate items in the cabinets.

Oh I've seen your shop Allen! And I know your nose is growing by the minute!

Still cleaning up out here, got a bunch of hand planes that will be going into our classifieds section here at TPW, so stand by you hand plane collectors!

I got some work done today I'll yell ya! Half the shop is done. Next weekend I'll get the other half done and ready to work again!

After I organized things and vacuumed of my cutoff bench/hand plane stable, I thought I'd take a shot of my hand plane lineup. I miss these guys, and they miss me! My son sure has been getting some use from them though!

And here is one of my prize possessions , a lazer engraved plaque made for us by Mark Wilson, sight challenged veteran. He made this last spring and shipped it into us with a kind letter of thanks for all we did for his wood-shop. To see Marks story click on Mark Wilson.

The Hines VA Center for the Blind sent Mark home with his laser engraver as a graduation gift from their woodworking program for the blind. And Mark made us a wonderful plaque that I have absolutely cherished. He signed it on the back as well. 

And last but not least, whenever I clean up my shop, I have run into this little stick over the last 10 years, it always pops up, I never throw it away, it just gets moved from one end of the shop to the next, and I have treasured it since my daughter, at that time 6 years of age, shaped it with her tiny little hands and an old Stanley Bullnose hand place. She clamped up that stick, and just went to town, it was another one of those babysitting moments where dad needed to do some work, and daughter needed something to do, she just sat there and shaped and shaped, I have no idea to this day what she was making, neither does she now being almost 17!

Regardless, I cannot throw it away, so I just keep moving it from one location to the next!

Now that you are finished cleaning up your shop, drop by and clean up mine for me. I would enjoy the visit.

I know the feeling John. Every time I clean up in my shop I run into all sorts of "lost" tools and supplies! I need to get busy out there and get it organized and clean. I'll get the elfs to help out.

Now that you are finished cleaning up your shop, drop by and clean up mine for me. I would enjoy the visit.

Like I have always said in the past John, I work for food!

I know the feeling John. Every time I clean up in my shop I run into all sorts of "lost" tools and supplies! I need to get busy out there and get it organized and clean. I'll get the elfs to help out.

Harry, came home from work tonight and jumped back in, and I found 8 straight slot screwdrivers! How many straight slot screwdrivers does a guy need! I am making up a tool collection for my son out of all the spares I have.

Like I have always said in the past John, I work for food!

If that's all it takes, come on over!

Well I do like my prime rib! Still want me to come over and clean?

Wieners are the minimum wage. You gotta be an expert in the field to earn Prime Rib.

To be an expert takes practice. Practice means doing it over and over again. I don't qualify. 

 

John, Tell your daughter that she makes a fine stick. Such a piece would have a place in my shop, too.

Wieners are the minimum wage. You gotta be an expert in the field to earn Prime Rib.

To be an expert takes practice. Practice means doing it over and over again. I don't qualify. 

 

John, Tell your daughter that she makes a fine stick. Such a piece would have a place in my shop, too.

I'll yell her Gene!

Ya I must admit I am asking for the sky in my wage request, but I figure if I ask for the rib I may get chicken!

The only prime rib we have you have to take the ring off the edge to eat it. The edge is kinda red.

Do you smoke it or just eat it right out of the fidge, John.

Do you smoke it or just eat it right out of the fidge, John.

Right out of the fridge Gene, I don't smoke.

frame that stick John and give it to he on her wedding or some other special occasion

frame that stick John and give it to he on her wedding or some other special occasion

I like it John, and it's a deal, I will!

  A clean shop is a sure sign of a sick mind.

  A clean shop is a sure sign of a sick mind.

And I'm feeling pretty sick lately Larry!