Organizing the shop.
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Spike188
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Organizing the shop.
Organizing and cleaning the shop has become a full time and ever consuming task.
Sorting Clearing trays and bins of years of collecting is daunting. The number of incomplete allen wrench sets is astonishing. Separating small metric from imperial wrenches take lots of time. Once the organizing is complete restoration of the 646LBH can began in ernastine.
Spike Colt - 9 & 10, Case - 108, 118, 444, 446, 448, 646, 646bh, Ingersoll 4016, 4118AH
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RoamingGnome
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Re: Organizing the shop.
You are welcome to pick through my incomplete allen key sets and look for ones you are missing - mine are mostly metric though...
When I "retired" I emptied all of the drawers in my tool boxes into empty 5 gallon buckets so it would be easier to get everything moved from truck to basement at home... I think I was eventually tripping over a dozen or more buckets downstairs.
Crazy how many sets of multiple tools you can acquire just so you don't have to bring tools home
- or stop work when that 5mm allen key slips out of your oily hand
and disappears into the dark greasy belly of a machine
often suggests I should get a table at a swap meet and trying selling the surplus tools...
But because the majority are not 'brand names'
like Snap Off or Mac I suspect they might eventually end up at the scrapyard where I'll get $ 0.17 a pound for them... 
When I "retired" I emptied all of the drawers in my tool boxes into empty 5 gallon buckets so it would be easier to get everything moved from truck to basement at home... I think I was eventually tripping over a dozen or more buckets downstairs.
Crazy how many sets of multiple tools you can acquire just so you don't have to bring tools home
- or stop work when that 5mm allen key slips out of your oily hand
often suggests I should get a table at a swap meet and trying selling the surplus tools... But because the majority are not 'brand names'
'68 Case 195, '84 Case 446, '88 Ingersoll 222 - and 1965 Case 530ck (fullsize backhoe)
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DavidBarkey
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Re: Organizing the shop.
Grab your welder and start making these during winter months .RoamingGnome wrote: ↑Thu Jul 31, 2025 12:21 pm You are welcome to pick through my incomplete allen key sets and look for ones you are missing - mine are mostly metric though...
When I "retired" I emptied all of the drawers in my tool boxes into empty 5 gallon buckets so it would be easier to get everything moved from truck to basement at home... I think I was eventually tripping over a dozen or more buckets downstairs.
Crazy how many sets of multiple tools you can acquire just so you don't have to bring tools home
- or stop work when that 5mm allen key slips out of your oily handand disappears into the dark greasy belly of a machine
![]()
often suggests I should get a table at a swap meet and trying selling the surplus tools...
But because the majority are not 'brand names'like Snap Off or Mac I suspect they might eventually end up at the scrapyard where I'll get $ 0.17 a pound for them...
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Dave
Mad Tractor Builder
Mad Tractor Builder
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JSinMO
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Re: Organizing the shop.
I try to keep my shop half way organized and cleaned up. My problem is I can’t bring myself to throw things out. I’m convinced as soon as I do that’s when I’ll need it. So back on the shelf it all goes! Looking forward to the LBH build!
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Harry
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Re: Organizing the shop.
Organizing the shop is an on going process. The problem for me is after organizing and tools have been moved. Where did I move them to? Yes, looking forward to the 646 lbh build. Spike I do have another Onan CCKA if you need one.
Harry
1973 444, 1974 644, 1976 446, 1977 646, 1986 226
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Spike188
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Re: Organizing the shop.
More shop organizing today. Added shelves to 2 tables. Used the mill to shape the ends of ligh gage 2" tubing to fit around 1-1/2" pipe for a no welding needed fit.
12 load beams for redirack were found on Facebook @ $7.00 per beam. 4 off the beams were 5-1/2 feet and perfect for adding 2 shelves to the top of a rolling work bench.Yesterday we tied in the gasline running to the shop and added a take off for hooking a natural gas bbq to the deck. We got a bit creative and managed to complete the connection using threaded nipples from our spare parts bucket.
Spike Colt - 9 & 10, Case - 108, 118, 444, 446, 448, 646, 646bh, Ingersoll 4016, 4118AH
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Spike188
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Re: Organizing the shop.
Another Marketplace find. 9ft tall, 42" deep, 7 x 12ft long with wire mesh shelving. picked up at 4:30 and set up by 7.
Spike Colt - 9 & 10, Case - 108, 118, 444, 446, 448, 646, 646bh, Ingersoll 4016, 4118AH
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DavidBarkey
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Toolslinger
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Re: Organizing the shop.
While I am by no means orginized, I have been getting better... That said, I am at the point I need to orginize my unused orginizational equipment...
Waiting in the wings are a few sets of pallet racks, half a dozen gray metal shelves, 3 bakers racks, 4 bolt pigeon hole racks, and a few metal cabinets... Haven't figured out quite what I need to put in or on them, or what building to put them in, so they're scattered here and there almost mocking me by taking up space I could really use to get orginized...

Waiting in the wings are a few sets of pallet racks, half a dozen gray metal shelves, 3 bakers racks, 4 bolt pigeon hole racks, and a few metal cabinets... Haven't figured out quite what I need to put in or on them, or what building to put them in, so they're scattered here and there almost mocking me by taking up space I could really use to get orginized...
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Spike188
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Re: Organizing the shop.
A few hours this morning makes a lot of difference
Like @DavidBarkey said, keeping our trophies out of the weather is important. One change on shelving the cart will be storing it upside down.
Spike Colt - 9 & 10, Case - 108, 118, 444, 446, 448, 646, 646bh, Ingersoll 4016, 4118AH