Top 10 Tips for Workshop Organization and Safety

No matter how large or small your workshop is, there are always ways to make it function better.

Here's a list of 10 creative storage ideas, organizational solutions, and general workshop improvement tips.

Hammer storage

Sure, you can simply hammer some nails or dowels into a board to hang your hammer, but here's a way that is more secure and looks better. Attach a chest handle, usually used for lifting large boxes, to your tool board. Mount it upside down, so when the board is hung up the handle will fall open and the hammer will fit right in.

Power cord organization

Do the cords to your power tools always seem to be in the way when you're cutting or drilling? To keep them out of the way when you're working, take a screen door spring and put an "S" hook in either end. Hang one "S" hook from a convenient spot in your work area. Loop your power cord through the lower "S" hook, so it hangs out of the way while you're working.

Creative clamping

If you're working on a piece of wood that needs to be vertical while you work on it, here's an easy clamping solution. Take two sliding C-clamps and clamp them near the bottom of the wood on both ends. Then clamp the clamps to your workbench. Now, both of your hands are free to work.

Hammering small nails

If you're having trouble hammering a tiny nail without hammering your fingers, simply push the nail through a small strip of paper. Use the paper to hold the nail in position, then hammer. When you're finished, tear the paper off.

Making wood filler

When you need to fill an unsightly gouge in a piece of wood you're working on but are out of filler, you can easily make your own. Take a small container and fill it with a bit of wood glue. Next, take some of the sawdust left over from your project and stir it into the glue, making a thick paste. Pack your custom-made wood filler into the hole and let dry.

Storing dowels

You can make a great dowel rod holder by using different lengths of ordinary plastic downspouts. Use downspout brackets to attach the downspouts to your workbench or wall, and cut small wooden blocks to plug up the bottom ends of the downspouts.

Extension cord storage

To keep your long extension cords from getting tangled, store them in a 5-gallon bucket. Simply drill a hole, an inch and a quarter to an inch and a half in diameter, on the side of the bucket towards the bottom. Pass the plug end of the cord through the hole and feed the rest of the cord into the bucket. When you use the cord, just pull out as much as you need.

Preserving wood filler

To prevent a can of wood filler from drying out, simply cut off a small piece of a sponge and pour a small amount of wood filler solvent onto it. When you're done using the filler, place the sponge inside the can and put the top back on. The solvent on the sponge will keep the filler moist until your next use.

Keep screw tops from sticking

After a few uses, the screw-top caps of adhesives often get glued closed due to the adhesive drying in the threads of the top. To prevent this from happening, wrap some Teflon tape around the threads in a clockwise direction a few times. Snap off the tape, screw the cap back on and now you've got non-stick threads.

Organize sandpaper

A great sanding job requires several different grits or grades of sandpaper, from coarse to fine. The trick to keeping those different sandpapers organized is as easy as using an expandable file folder. Label each tab with the sandpaper grit numbers, then file the coordinating sandpapers into their correct slots.

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