saturday shop improvements advice and ideas

cbailey · Jan 7, 2019

hi all
after last Saturdays success, with improving the work-lights include the CNC machines from compact fluorescent to LED, i've decided to devote Saturday mornings to improving the shop and making my life easier, what do people think to the following shop improvements for this upcoming Saturday.

coolant cleaning/filtration system: the coolant in my machine is getting fairly stinky, with something like a tramp skimmer or agitator etc.

tooling rack upgrade: i'm just starting to get above what existing storage i've currently got for BT-40 holders potential for a big overhaul.

they are both are things that jump out to me as requiring immediate attention does anyone have any ideas on how to go about these projects, bearing in mind i'm not looking to break the bank so, diy money saving ideas are encouraged just as much as links to products.

i,m also keen to hear ideas you have had for shop improvements, as they might be relevant for my shop.

cheers

C

Hazzert · Jan 7, 2019

Aquarium bubbler for the coolant tank usually does the trick. We use Ometa Hycool coolant which lets us keep the individual components of the coolant at their proper concentrations instead of adding everything at once. We don't have any real bacteria issues with our coolant any more.

Oldwrench · Jan 7, 2019

Get some good-quality shopping cart casters and weld up a couple of rolling tool racks—like a shop cart, only with holes. Make sure the holes can't mar the tapers. High-density particle board works fine as long as you support it under the middle with steel. If you want to mill the holes in a steel plate, make them the right diameter for snap-in plastic grommets...

Bobw · Jan 7, 2019

Oldwrench said:
High-density particle board works fine as long as you support it under the middle with steel.

Years ago, I couldn't bring myself to spend $400 on a Huot cart, so a $50 cart from Tractor Supply
was called into duty.. Particle board shelfs.. I put 50 holes in the middle shelf, worked
great for about 4 years... And THEN, I came in one Monday morning to tool holders all over the
floor.

Just one or 2 3/8" or even 1/4" rods added for support probably would have prevented that..

Made a replacement out of some 3/4" nylon I had kicking around. And for the record, that
was NOT fun to cut with a hole saw, I should have just milled it out in a machine.

Mike1974 · Jan 7, 2019

Buy some benches from Sam's club. Those things are really cheap and durable for the price. Maybe retrofit one for toolholders or whatever...

Comatose · Jan 7, 2019

Aquarium air pumps really help prevent the coolant stink and they're cheap and easy.

Spinit · Jan 8, 2019

cbailey said:
hi all
after last Saturdays success, with improving the work-lights include the CNC machines from compact fluorescent to LED, i've decided to devote Saturday mornings to improving the shop and making my life easier, what do people think to the following shop improvements for this upcoming Saturday.

coolant cleaning/filtration system: the coolant in my machine is getting fairly stinky, with something like a tramp skimmer or agitator etc.

tooling rack upgrade: i'm just starting to get above what existing storage i've currently got for BT-40 holders potential for a big overhaul.

they are both are things that jump out to me as requiring immediate attention does anyone have any ideas on how to go about these projects, bearing in mind i'm not looking to break the bank so, diy money saving ideas are encouraged just as much as links to products.

i,m also keen to hear ideas you have had for shop improvements, as they might be relevant for my shop.

cheers

C

All good projects. Glad you got other things done that really help things.

Miguels244 · Jan 8, 2019

Start by fixing the stink.
It’s unhealthy and corrosive...and it stinks.

LKeithR · Jan 9, 2019

Oldwrench said:
...Get some good-quality shopping cart casters and weld up a couple of rolling tool racks...

Kind of an oxymoron ain't it? I agree on the idea of the carts but I've seen more "rolling" structures rendered less
than useful because the builder used cheap casters or casters that were too small for the job. Quality casters of
a decent size can make a world of difference in how easy it is to push a cart around...

mjk · Jan 19, 2019

I also couldn't justify $400+ for a nice 40 size cart, but tired of what I had, holders lying on a shelf
Bought one of the $150 tool carts off the bay and added what others had mentioned.
Good casters can make a pos cart very usable.
I also have purchased 3 dedicated carts for keeping hand tools and small fixtures next to machines from the unmentionable store and done the same. Each machine has become home to a set of hand tools that have clogged my other tool boxes.
I added a pc of 3/4" ply to provides support to the bottom shelf/casters
Used real bolts and nuts to assemble.

eg: There really is a need to have 3 of the same screwdrivers if it saves you 100 steps a day.

M. Moore · Jan 20, 2019

The coolant fix is a must do maintenance item, not a shop improvement item.
The tool racks are a good sat project.

I would also suggest hanging tools on or near machines that need a wrench etc for adjustments or whatever. Having the dedicated tool hanging in its own spot is a real time saver and also just looks good.
Tools thrown down in trays or on top of the machine get lost or taken elsewhere. I try to hang tools right where I can grab it without looking when I need to use it, that helps make the shop invisible.

IWUP · Jan 21, 2019

These are pretty handy if you have a cart already
LOT OF 4 TRAYS FOR #4 CAT4 CT4 BT4 NMBT4 CNC TOOLHODERS STORAGE RACKS | eBay
Same for these collet holders
ER 32 RACK HOLDS 32 COLLETS-CNC MILLING-TURNING-EDM.NC | eBay

BugRobotics · Jan 21, 2019

IWUP said:
These are pretty handy if you have a cart already
LOT OF 4 TRAYS FOR #4 CAT4 CT4 BT4 NMBT4 CNC TOOLHODERS STORAGE RACKS | eBay
Same for these collet holders
ER 32 RACK HOLDS 32 COLLETS-CNC MILLING-TURNING-EDM.NC | eBay

Purchased a set of these recently for CAT40 tooling. They didn't quite have enough room with my pull studs (my CAT40 tooling measures about 4.65" from gage line to end of pull stud) but a 1" riser on the ends did the trick. Decent quality for the price.

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saturday shop improvements advice and ideas

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