Ideas for shop organization

Discuss your workshop and related equipment

Moderator: FORDification

Post Reply
User avatar
Brokenarrow
Preferred User
Preferred User
Posts: 410
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2009 1:28 pm
Location: Western Oklahoma

Ideas for shop organization

Post by Brokenarrow »

I've decided it's time to start the restoration on my '68 mustang and would like some pics/ideas on how to get my shop organized for it. I've already started on some benches and shelves and moved some stuff (all ford parts) around. I'm going to tear the car down completely and plan on keeping all bolts and small parts bagged, labeled, and organized so I can keep track of everything. I've never done a restoration so any and all experienced advice will be appreciated.
'68 SWB f100, 401ci FE/C6, '68 Mustang fastback (restoration in progress)
Image
2013 F150 KingRanch (ecoboost), '48 8N tractor


"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."
— John Wooden
User avatar
averagef250
100% FORDified!
100% FORDified!
Posts: 4387
Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2006 12:58 am
Location: Oregon, Beavercreek

Re: Ideas for shop organization

Post by averagef250 »

I don't know how to achieve what your after. Vehicles take a very large area to disassemble completely and keep track of parts. I've found the best solution for me is doing it in stages. Bringing a section in the shop at a time to work on start to finish. I have 1500 square feet with 2 full 10X30X10 bays devoted to whatever project I'm working on. Having a way to move the big parts like the bare body of your mustang or a cab, front clip or chassis from a pickup is a necessity for completing a large project in a timely manner. A forklift, tractor with forks on a loader or even a wrecker or boom truck works well.

I plan on moving to a 2500 square foot shop this summer with atleast 15' ceilings. My organizational solution will be pallet racking and a small forklift. I have plenty of shelving, cabinets, Vidmars and toolboxes, but pallet racking and a small forklift has been the most efficient way to store anything I've seen.
1970 F-250 4x4 original Willock swivel frame chassis '93 5.9 Cummins/Getrag/NP205/HP60/D70
User avatar
Brokenarrow
Preferred User
Preferred User
Posts: 410
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2009 1:28 pm
Location: Western Oklahoma

Re: Ideas for shop organization

Post by Brokenarrow »

My shop is 30' X 30' with 12' walls and a 4' wide loft across one end for storage. I'm building a 12' long workbench with shelves underneath and I'm thinking maybe some more shelves for stackable containers. I have a cherrypicker and also an A-frame I can move inside if I need it. I guess what I'm asking for is advice from others who have done restorations as to what order I should tear things apart in so as to keep things best organized :hmm: Does that even make sense? :roll:
'68 SWB f100, 401ci FE/C6, '68 Mustang fastback (restoration in progress)
Image
2013 F150 KingRanch (ecoboost), '48 8N tractor


"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."
— John Wooden
fordman
100% FORDified!
100% FORDified!
Posts: 22329
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2005 8:17 pm
Location: Kansas, Ottawa
Contact:

Re: Ideas for shop organization

Post by fordman »

i have done several tear down to part out and only two that where just parts replacements. so i know what a bolt looks like and what it goes to. some smaller screws and stuff i do put in sandwich bags so they dont get lost of mixed up with other stuff. but mainly all the bolts for everything pretty much go in whatever container i have at the time. one truck i put all the bolts into ta center console cup holder thing the truck had in it when i got it. one truck is a large peanut can./ one is a large metal coffee can. last year when i did my 4wd i used a five gallon bucket. mainly because i had so many larger parts to save for that rebuild. or parts replacement.
now on to how i took the truck apart and in which order. since the engine was gone we had pulled the front clip off of the truck and put all of that in the bed. i then took the cab off. i then could get to the transmission and front frame to do everything i wanted to it. i should have at least spray painted the frame. but i wasn't after a restoration. i was only after replacing bad parts for better ones. if i would have went any further i would have pulled the transmission and transfer case then the bed off. and then i probably would have started getting the rear end and front end cleaned up repaired and then painted the frame and axles to make the foundation of my truck something to build on. then basically i would have put everything back in the same order i would have taken it out . now when i pulled the cab off. i did remove the doors to lighten up the cab as well as the seat. that made the cab pretty lite. i would probably do the mustang about the same way pull the front clip remove the engine and trans then take the rest of the body off. and then start doing the frame and axles. each part of the build wouldn't get done until i was ready to do it. i wouldn't take apart anything until i was ready to deal with it. that way i could remember where things came out of and how they were suppose to go back in.
User avatar
Brokenarrow
Preferred User
Preferred User
Posts: 410
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2009 1:28 pm
Location: Western Oklahoma

Re: Ideas for shop organization

Post by Brokenarrow »

I plan on stripping it down to the shell ,doing the floorpans,suspension, and underbody myself,then sending the body out for paint. (BTW, there is no frame, it's a unibody car.) When I do tear it down it's going to be down for awhile. There will be a ton of bolts, clips, trim, and small parts to be stored. I have a compressor, sandblaster, mig-welder, plasma-cutter, grinders, chopsaw, and all kinds of airtools. So I'm set up to do the work but I know it will take a lot of time. I think I'll just take a lot of pictures and try to catalog everything as I tear it down, then hope for the best. :pray:
'68 SWB f100, 401ci FE/C6, '68 Mustang fastback (restoration in progress)
Image
2013 F150 KingRanch (ecoboost), '48 8N tractor


"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."
— John Wooden
mrsnicks
Blue Oval Fan
Blue Oval Fan
Posts: 728
Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2006 11:02 pm
Location: North Carolina, Cameron

Re: Ideas for shop organization

Post by mrsnicks »

Wander on over to http://www.garagejournal.com and browse through the forums.

I'm a member and it's ALMOST as good as this site.

Patrick
Chevrolet
Can Hear Every Valve Rattle on Long Extended Trips

1969 F100 4X4 Highboy 390 3sp
1969 F100 SWB 2wd Auto 351w
1972 F100 Ranger XLT 302 Auto

http://mrsnicks.blogspot.com
http://www.fordification.com/galleries/ ... ?cat=10336
User avatar
Brokenarrow
Preferred User
Preferred User
Posts: 410
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2009 1:28 pm
Location: Western Oklahoma

Re: Ideas for shop organization

Post by Brokenarrow »

Perfect , Just what I was looking for. Thank's a lot :thup:
'68 SWB f100, 401ci FE/C6, '68 Mustang fastback (restoration in progress)
Image
2013 F150 KingRanch (ecoboost), '48 8N tractor


"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."
— John Wooden
User avatar
Brokenarrow
Preferred User
Preferred User
Posts: 410
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2009 1:28 pm
Location: Western Oklahoma

Re: Ideas for shop organization

Post by Brokenarrow »

Been doing a bunch of cleaning, rearranging, and building. Built a corner workbench w/ pegboards and some shelves for storage. I never claimed to be a carpenter :hmm: but I think it turned out pretty good. I still have a bunch more tools to put up (ran out of hooks). Sorry, no before pictures :oops: :oops:

Image
Image
'68 SWB f100, 401ci FE/C6, '68 Mustang fastback (restoration in progress)
Image
2013 F150 KingRanch (ecoboost), '48 8N tractor


"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."
— John Wooden
Racer Z

Re: Ideas for shop organization

Post by Racer Z »

The pictures look good. Your ideas sound good.

I've never done a full tear-down. Partly cause I just don't have the space. Our shop looks like something exploded in the center and landed on all the edges. We have florescent lamps in a "U" shape that cover most the shop. One more over the bench and one more over the tool box.

We have a big work bench (was already installed) and a heavy movable work bench. I find the movable bench to be my favorite as I can get to any side of my object. Two can work on the same object from opposite sides and the bench can easily be relocated when need be. It was the perfect size when we rebuilt our transmission. And now it is proving itself as we work on the dashboard of our 240Z racecar.

One wall is shelves (not nearly strong enough, one section collapsed) from wall to wall and floor to ceiling. In the corner is our air compressor with enough line to go down the driveway and across the street. (It's amazing what a person collects if they live long enough.) The grinders/wire wheels/buffers are all on pedestal stands so we can relocate them as needed. The arbor press is small and can be slid around easy.

The shop is the typical two-car-garage, about 20x20 and not nearly large enough. Now that we have extra motors, trannys and even a diffy, there is not enough room to pull a car inside. We usually roll some stuff out just to have "breathing room" before we can do our work for the day.
User avatar
69rangerf100
Blue Oval Guru
Blue Oval Guru
Posts: 1381
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2007 8:14 pm
Location: Dallas, Georgia
Contact:

Re: Ideas for shop organization

Post by 69rangerf100 »

well im jealous i wish i had that garage
David

Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today - James Dean

Daily Driver - 1998 Honda Accord
Wife's Ride - 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
Project - My Dad's 1969 F100 Ranger 390 w/ 3spd manual coming soon PS, PB, A/C and alot of paint and body work - Miss you Dad
http://s936.photobucket.com/albums/ad208/69rangerf100/
mhobryan
New Member
New Member
Posts: 31
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2009 4:44 pm
Location: Detroit, MI

Re: Ideas for shop organization

Post by mhobryan »

I've done a few 'restifications' . Best advise I can give, is a Sharpee, and zip lock bags are your friend! I use both the gallon size and the quart size zip lock bags, try to keep things categorized by natural assemblies (e.g. "alternator bracket and bolts"). I then put the tagged bags into milk crate(s). One other thing: I also label even obvious stuff, although this is more applicable when doing just an engine swap. Why do I do this? It's much easier to find a tiny vacuum line or coil wire when it has a 2-3 inch piece of light colored masking tape on it. :D For me it makes it a lot less likely for me to overlook something.

The other thing, is that I am ubber anal about immediately putting my tools back in their rightful spot as soon as I am done using it. I may repeat some motions, however, I'm one of those absent minded folks that puts things down and then forgets where I put it... def. saves me time in the long run.
User avatar
basketcase0302
100% FORDified!
100% FORDified!
Posts: 6805
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2006 7:11 am
Location: Hawthorne, Florida

Re: Ideas for shop organization

Post by basketcase0302 »

Brokenarrow,
Your shop looks nice man! :thup:
Something I've had in place for some 18 years is the use of "lateral filing cabinets" for tool and part storage. You can sometimes find these on CL for next to nothing, (and at around 20" deep X 42" long X 30"-32" tall they slide right under most work benches)! :thup:
Jeff
http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... 22&t=46251
SOLD-71 F-350 dually flatbed, 302 / .030 over V-8 with a "baby"C-6, B & M truckshifter, Dana70/4.11 ratio, intermittent wipers, tilt steering, full LED lighting on the flat bed, and no stereo yet (this way I can hear the rattles to diagnose)! SOLD!
Many Ford bumps / one 76' EB / and several dents through the years.
A lot of "oddball" Ford parts collected from working on them for 34 years now!
2008 Ford Escape 4 x 4
User avatar
Brokenarrow
Preferred User
Preferred User
Posts: 410
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2009 1:28 pm
Location: Western Oklahoma

Re: Ideas for shop organization

Post by Brokenarrow »

Thanks for the complements guys. I plan on "baggin' & taggin'" all the small stuff, and I have several big tupperware tubs that will fit nicely under my bench and on the shelves. Also have some old stackable coke crates that are real handy. To anyone who has a tall enough garage or is planning to build one, I highly recommend building a loft as I did. It's kind of a catchall but it's handy for the stuff that normally clutters up your floorspace. Mine is made from 4" C-purlin and 3/4" plywood,& hung with 5/16" cable. BTW, anyone notice my custom made air-tool hanger? I drilled and slotted some holes in a piece of an old aluminum diamond tread pickup bed-rail. :D
'68 SWB f100, 401ci FE/C6, '68 Mustang fastback (restoration in progress)
Image
2013 F150 KingRanch (ecoboost), '48 8N tractor


"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."
— John Wooden
User avatar
Mancar1
100% FORDified!
100% FORDified!
Posts: 5390
Joined: Thu Jun 10, 2010 8:13 am
Location: USS Gramps Garage (DD-727) Tehama County, Northern Ca.

Re: Ideas for shop organization

Post by Mancar1 »

Good looking shop
May your sails stay full, and your knots not slip. Unless a slip knot.
Once I thought I was wrong, but I was wrong.
Life is a banquet, and every days a feast.
68 F-250 CS 390 C-6 P/S A/C front disc. 2nd owner.
2016 GMC Terrain Denali 301 HP V-6 AWD.
2009 Silverado Crew Cab, V-8, 4X4.
DD-727
DD-806
AE-35
LSD-39
AS-41
AR-8
Post Reply