Layout & Workshop Cleanliness

I like to have a clean workshop, but that's about the extent of it. I am a slob! I may spend hours cleaning, but months of working in an increasingly messy environment go by before the next partnership with Mr Clean. I'll post some pics tomorrow.

Don

Art,

Now, I don't feel alone in this world. I stressed this to my children when they were young. I'm proud to say that each are the same way.

God Bless,

"Pappy"

Hello Art

     I am not quite sure what you are asking. here are some pics from the last run meet at your house which will give us a better idea of what you mean. Please take this as a compliment from some one who admires your excellent work.

Best

Ray Marion

Art:  I aspire to your ideals.  However, if I ever cleaned everything up, I'd never be able to find my stuff!   

Chugman,

There is nothing wrong with being organized and clean.  It make projects easier when you don't have clutter in the way.

My shop, garage, work bench, and home are all kept organized and clean.  Make life much easier.

great topic to bring up as I am trying to clean up and rearrange the house and get ready to put up a Christmas tree. As I hooked up my computer and found out that its dead.  Thank God that I have this 5 year old laptop that my brother got for me when I was laid up in the hospital.

I try to keep things neat and organized as well, I also get hassled about my 'place for everything and everything in it's place' house keeping, OCD I think my family calls it. Some times they even come down here and re-arrange all my neatly organized stuff.

Actually I think I am somewhere in between kind of messy and sort of neat. I can let something I am working on go for a few days until I'm finished or at least to a good stopping point, but I do put my tools away when done for the day. If I don't put them away, I can't find them the next day.

No, when I work on a project, a clean workshop and layout are the last thing I think of.

Chugman, I'm like you to a "T" & I would have to guess it's from working in a professional mechanic shop for 14 years. We kept the bays clean & neat not only for our own benefit, but customer relations reasons. Now at home, I like it neat so I know where everything is, just like at the shop, & the customer relations translated into visitors to the layout. I want them to be impressed & not be distracted by a big mess. Your work reflects back on you & I want it to be organized & neat because I try to be professional about it & I don't like cobb jobbing things together. 

Yeah, I would like to have the organizational gene.  Best I can tell you is every time I try to get organized another project presents itself and the mess continues.  At least now i try to keep my drills in an index and my taps in a row.  I guess my collets are in order too, but not clean.

No - here is what I want - just 1/2 of the clean gene, and keep the part that has me making things.  I have no desire to be obsessive.

Here's a recent photo of my workshop.  As you can see, I had a few ship models out.

I'll get it cleaned up, eventually.

George

I try to keep a clean and organized workshop but clutter has a way of accumulating. I do sweep and vacuum the floor and other surfaces frequently. Keeping the layout clean is a real problem because of the desert dust here in Arizona. I have an air filter but the dust still accumulates. I do vacuum to top of the layout from time to time. Two things that help with the dust are a paintbrush and a silicone treated dust cloth. Workbench surfaces get cleaned periodically with spray cleaner and paper towels. I also wet mop the bare concrete shop floor every couple of months. The water comes out black. I wish i'd laid down vinyl flooring or an epoxy coating when I moved in. It would be easier to keep clean. 

The first thing they taught me in cook school in the army was clean as you go!

If you keep up with it as you go it never gets too bad....

I like everything clean and organized.  However, for me it depends on a few variable factors.

1) First it depends on what level of construction I am currently in (right now, constant).  If I'm doing a lot of cutting of lumber that will take a few days I'll wait until I complete an area before I clean it up.  I like to get from point 'A' (the start) to point 'B' (completion) as fast as I can, so unless dirt and debris are in my way I wait until I'm done to clean it up. 

2) Clutter is directly proportionate to the storage space I have vs. the growing train inventory.  Right now during my redesign I'm relocating items that I won't be using until much later (scenery, buildings, etc.) to a spare bedroom as I lose storage space under the layout where I am making changes, then move the displaced trains into the vacated storage areas.

3) My wife is a self proclaimed 'pack rat'.  Not anything near a 'hoarder' but she has some personal possessions stored under the layout.  I don't mind as it's a small price to pay for having the whole basement…errr, Train Room 'to myself'.  I don't want to damage anything during deconstruction.  Negotiations are pending.

Now, once heavy construction is completed (yes it WILL happen) then touch up painting, room decor and thorough cleaning will make it a comfy and fun place to run trains and entertain.  Then I can keep the area and layout clean as I go from there.

But remember what they say, a clean desk is a sign of a sick mind!!    

I agree with RD. Clean as you go. 

Art,

If I dont keep it clean, I have a hard time working out in my garage workshop. I don,t mind having the bench full of tools and materials while I am building a project, but when it is complete, I have to clean everything up as it is a part of the job.

Alan Graziano

I usually don't clean up until I'm thru with a project. I posted a similar question a few weeks ago about work benches.

It's all part of the hobby.   Eventually you get to the point were finding the tool you need takes more time than actually using it.  (So organization has some importance).

I am with you 100% Art. During my career, I could not stand a cluttered desk or office. This has carried over to me train room.

I learned a long time ago that "neatness is the key to success".