# Any timber storage ideas ?



## LarryS. (6 Mar 2008)

So I've got a workshop thats about 15 feet long and triangular shaped (10 feet one end, 4 feet at the other)

Anyone got any good ideas for wood storage ? At the moment its spread around the room taking up valuable space :


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## dennyk (6 Mar 2008)

Hi Paul
I have the same problem triangular garage .18ft at one end 5 ft at the back end. It as about 20 ft long

I resolved the problem by building a storage shed in the back yard against the yard wall it is 13ft by 3ft 6in, it is about 8ft high, it has 3 shelves fixed to the wall and I store all my good timber in it, but still not enough to store my rough sawn timber so I laid 3 off 4 ft x 4ft pallets on the concrete yard and sticker the boards and covererd the stack with a tarp and left the ends open to allow the air to circulate.

I will have to stop hoarding wood


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## LarryS. (6 Mar 2008)

Denny,

Unfortunately I've got no space directly outside the workshop (its built into a slope) so I'm after an indoor solution


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## Karl (6 Mar 2008)

Paul

What about putting some storage high up, near the ceiling. Check out this picture






That, believe it or not, is my garage door, as seen from the inside of the workshop. I am planning on putting some 2' deep storage directly above the door frame, which will span the 8' width of the shop. This will provide useful storage, particularly for all those bits of timber which aren't needed straight away.

Cheers

Karl


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## LarryS. (6 Mar 2008)

karl,

I hadn't thought about putting up above my head but for sheet goods and long lengths that makes good sense, first though I'm going to have to do the job I've been dreading, boarding the ceiling :





:shock:


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## Rich (6 Mar 2008)

Paul, after your latest projects, I'd think we'd be asking for YOUR advice
on solutions, anyway, there's lots of storage space in my w/s, so I'll look after it for you, :roll: :lol: :lol: 
Rich.


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## LarryS. (6 Mar 2008)

Rich":rklnocw4 said:


> Paul, after your latest projects, I'd think we'd be asking for YOUR advice
> on solutions, anyway, there's lots of storage space in my w/s, so I'll look after it for you, :roll: :lol: :lol:
> Rich.



the sawdust is in the post !


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## oddsocks (7 Mar 2008)

karl":2eoxs1b2 said:


> Paul
> 
> That, believe it or not, is my garage door, as seen from the inside of the workshop. I am planning on putting some 2' deep storage directly above the door frame, which will span the 8' width of the shop. This will provide useful storage, particularly for all those bits of timber which aren't needed straight away.
> 
> ...



I did something similar last year - my up and over door has a metal I beam across the top that I just rested some chipboard (ex wardrobe sides) in and for good measure fixed with two screws. The other edge of the board is fixed via simple vertical battens to the rafter with a L metal repair bracket connecting to the chipboard for load (fix this to the chipboard first, then determine level and screw the batten to the joist). In total the job took about 10 mins.
I don't use this for timber but put all my cans of paint, oil, cleaners etc etc - this freed up the floor space so I could stack my timber.

Dave


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## devonwoody (7 Mar 2008)

Your storage problems are only minor compared to mine, I haven't thrown any timber away in 6 years.


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## Waka (7 Mar 2008)

devonwoody":345n1bk7 said:


> Your storage problems are only minor compared to mine, I haven't thrown any timber away in 6 years.



DW you must have had that skip a long time :lol:


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## OPJ (7 Mar 2008)

If you had a pitched roof, it would've been ideal because you could store larger and longer lengths of timber in the roof space above the ceiling joists...

I made a simple small offcuts bin with different compartments for... small offcuts! I try to limit the amount of stuff to what I actually intend to use in future. You've got to be quite strict and decide on what you can really use.

I'll try to get some photo's of it up over the weekend. I think the book I took it from was called '_Woodshop Storage Solutions_'.


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## LarryS. (7 Mar 2008)

OPJ":2t7j5o4y said:


> If you had a pitched roof, it would've been ideal because you could store larger and longer lengths of timber in the roof space above the ceiling joists...
> 
> I made a simple small offcuts bin with different compartments for... small offcuts! I try to limit the amount of stuff to what I actually intend to use in future. You've got to be quite strict and decide on what you can really use.
> 
> I'll try to get some photo's of it up over the weekend. I think the book I took it from was called '_Woodshop Storage Solutions_'.



cheers olly i'd appreciate some pics

paul


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## OPJ (8 Mar 2008)

Hi Paul. This is what I was talking about. I did take it from a book titled, _Woodshop Storage Solutions_, which has some other good ideas for general tool and machine storage (including the use of cabinet stands, would you believe! :wink: ).






I find it works well to organise smaller offcuts - you can even seen some of my 'stock' sizes in there too.  The different compartments make it so much easier than the old dust bin I used to have, which ended up looking like a game of Kerplunk at times!  

I have it mounted on two castors at the back, with a block of wood below the front edge of the base, so it can't go anywhere on it's own. I still need to make the handle, which is fixed vertically up the back. The author of this article also added a scale to the back, so you can see if something meets your minimum length or if it should be chucked.

It is not _the_ definitive solution for me, as the following photo's will show...
















In this last shot, you can just see _another_ shelf in the distance to the right, loaded with more offcuts of oak! :roll: I'm sure I could consolidate all this shelving in to the one area at some point. I'd love to get rid of the bigger shelving units (and some of my mum's junk! :wink: ), I reckon I'd have an awful lot more space to store whatever I want.

I don't have anything for sheet materials currently but, the best idea I've seen is where you have a section for this hinged against the wall, so it can swing out and be viewed and accessed much more easily. It was in Good Woodworing a couple of years ago; might be able to dig it out from the pile if you'd be interested. But again, you need clearence space around it so it can swing easily without obstruction.

My growing problem, though, seems to be shavings. Nobody wants them so, I have to keep going back and forth to the Green recycling bin at the local "Recycling Center". Great for cleaning your hands when they're covered in oil though. :wink:


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## Digit (8 Mar 2008)

I've recently had to buy a shed! 
As regards the shavings OPJ, if it's convenient to you try your local pet shop, some will take 'em some won't. An advert in your local supermarket might work as people use them as litter for Rabbits, Guinea Pigs etc. 

Roy.


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## OPJ (10 Mar 2008)

Thanks Digit, that seems like a good idea but, whenever I pick up a handful of "shavings", there's also a large cloud of dust which rises too. Can't see that this would be ideal for small animals and I know that there are companies that sell 'dust extracted' wood shavings for this purpose.

I wonder if they take donations from little people like us? :shock:


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## OPJ (13 Mar 2008)

Paul, the latest issue of _Good Woodworking_ has a pretty good article on general workshop storage (including timber), if you might be interested.

There's also some more shots of the swing-out plywood storage-thing I mentioned earlier.


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## LarryS. (13 Mar 2008)

OPJ":25y8p377 said:


> Paul, the latest issue of _Good Woodworking_ has a pretty good article on general workshop storage (including timber), if you might be interested.
> 
> There's also some more shots of the swing-out plywood storage-thing I mentioned earlier.



cheers olly, i've never actually bought a copy so this may eb the ideal time to start, you still planning to go to yandles show ?

paul


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## LarryS. (14 Mar 2008)

Inspired by Olly's idea I made the following just now out of some spare scraps :





here it is in action :




Its cleared the wood from underneath the useless bench so thats going next !

I may make some additional sections for it when I have a bit more scrap wood left over


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## OPJ (14 Mar 2008)

Yes Paul, I'm still planning on heading down to the Yandles show in a few weeks. I'm gonna try and get down on the Friday but, that's still to be arranged with the other guy I'm going with.

That reminds me, I really need to find myself a job - I'll be very tempted to buy a lathe if they have any good deals on but, I really shouldn't be spending anything more than what I can afford...


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## Shultzy (14 Mar 2008)

Paul, I've had my eye on a morticer like yours - is it any good?


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## LarryS. (15 Mar 2008)

Shultzy":264hu00o said:


> Paul, I've had my eye on a morticer like yours - is it any good?


Shultzy,

I'm not able to give you a very good answer because of two things :
1. It's had hardly any use yet because I am just getting started in woodworking
2. I've never used any other morticer, so have nothing to compare it against

however, when I was at the axminster store buying it the rep. suggested it was a very popular model with home users (and I did have a budget to spend more but he recommended this one). The other thing he suggested was that the actual chisels are very important in the mix, for now I've bought the cheap chinese versions but he said if I wanted serious use to go for japanese chisels.


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## OPJ (15 Mar 2008)

Alternatively, Shulzy, I'm very happy with the Fox 5/8" morticer from Rutlands.  

You don't have the clamp or sliding bed of the Axminster, meaning you have to hold the work against the fence (or make a jig), but it has good capacities for a morticer in this size and price range.

Whatever you decide to go for, I echo what the Axminster rep. told Paul; to get the very best out of these machines, you have to buy good quality chisels. I really like Axminster's Japanese ones, personally. They're also A LOT cheaper than Clico's English patters bits.


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## Woodmagnet (16 Mar 2008)

Olly, try freecycle for getting rid of the sawdust/shavings :wink:


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## OPJ (19 Mar 2008)

Thanks Kevin, that's a great idea!  

Paul, I just bought a very interesting book on workshop storage from Amazon by Wood Magazine; How to Build a Great Home Workshop.

You can probably find some of their stuff on their website, but there's was one idea I really like; a flip-top cabinet, with a different small machine (sander, grinder, scroll saw, etc.) on each side (one on top, one below). All you do is flip it over, lock it in place, and the other one hangs below.


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## NeilO (19 Mar 2008)

Olly, that flip top cart sounds the business, but wouldnt the water fall out of my Tormek???? :lol: :lol:


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## exigetastic (19 Mar 2008)

For the cost of the tormek I thought it came with "magnetic water" 

Si


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## Digit (19 Mar 2008)

Get a kettle, waste not want not. :lol: 

oy.


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## LarryS. (19 Mar 2008)

OPJ":33hd91w4 said:


> Thanks Kevin, that's a great idea!
> 
> Paul, I just bought a very interesting book on workshop storage from Amazon by Wood Magazine; How to Build a Great Home Workshop.
> 
> You can probably find some of their stuff on their website, but there's was one idea I really like; a flip-top cabinet, with a different small machine (sander, grinder, scroll saw, etc.) on each side (one on top, one below). All you do is flip it over, lock it in place, and the other one hangs below.



Am off on holiday in the mornign so will have a look when I get back, thanks


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