Exiled
What do you do when you have too many things for the available space? Something has to go, that’s what. Like in those lifeboat movies where they pick someone to go over the side.
I’ve mentioned I’m about to redo a shop wall to better organize storage, consolidate dust collection and provide a better workflow pattern for machine placement. That wall currently has a band saw, miter saw on a mobile cabinet, combo sander and drill press on another cabinet base, plus a planer and lathe each on separate mobile cabinets or stands.
To make it work, one of those tools has to go somewhere else. But there is no somewhere else it can easily go, at least not in the sense that it’ll always be up and ready to use. It’ll have to be stored out of the way, and yet remain accessible.
Choosing the tool was fairly easy. The band saw, combo sander and drill press get used for nearly every project I do so their place is assured. I don’t use the lathe often, but its size would make it both difficult to store somewhere and drag it out to use, plus it’d require a bit of setup to do so each time.
The miter saw draws the short straw, and I guess that’s OK. I probably use it more often than my lathe, but not that much more often since I do most of my cutoff work on the table saw. Plus it’s lighter and more self-contained than my lathe. It’s even easier to tote because of the locking handle on top. I’ve got a spot picked out, on the lower shelf under my assembly table/outfeed extension behind my table saw.
Logical choice, right? Yeah, but I still feel odd about it. I’ve had that miter saw for a long time, and for certain chores it’s far more appropriate than anything else. It’s just that in recent years I’ve gravitated more to the table saw for crosscutting in the shop. Outside the shop – like when I was building my 10×10 shed – it was perfect. But since I had to carry and tote it outside for that task, relegating it to the carry-and-tote category of storable tools inside seems logical.
But I’ll miss seeing it in its accustomed spot.
Till next time,
A.J.
November 21st, 2010 at 7:12 am
As I read your list I mentally tagged the chop saw as the passenger to go into the water. Not because it’s any less useful but because it can easily be made portable, thus may be stored under a work bench or in a cabinet until needed and quickly mounted to a work bench or multi-purpose base cabinet when needed.
Good choice!
November 24th, 2010 at 1:12 pm
I would suggest that your miter saw be mounted to a tray that folds under one of your work benches or inside of a storage area. Therefore accessible as need arises and still portable for off site use.This seems to be the suggestion for kitchen mixers, sewing machines and several shop notes in the publications..
If not an option, then heave the item overboard.
November 24th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
Never mind putting tools someplace else, just convince my wife that I need a bigger shop.
November 24th, 2010 at 4:53 pm
Sigh, I’ve already relegated my chop saw to under the bench. What’s your next choice?
November 24th, 2010 at 7:44 pm
Everything in my shop is on wheels. A few years ago I hosted a shop tour and called one section of my shop “the parking Lot”. They all laughed. I said Hay guys it really is. The only way I can operate is to pull out the tool I need and put it back in it’s hole when I finish.