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Went out to the workshop today and got excited about starting up on the 5 instruments I have in progress again. and ended up spending all day cleaning and organizing. It's been so long I don't even remember where everything is lol Anyone else have this problem?

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https://www.instagram.com/fostinoguitars/
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I usually start cleaning when I can't find something! I have 4 projects right now, all different. I have other ones in boxes. Maybe I need more boxes!

I did put all my clamps, except the wood screws, on a 1/2 dowel yesterday. They were on short dowels I had drilled into the back. It was a dumb idea, and the holes were just enough too big; so they would sometimes fall off.

Edit, Yes the shop could use a cleaning! The boxes only fit unbuilt instruments. Once they get necks or ribs on, they don't fit.

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Why be normal?

Yes, many times, I spend more time looking for a guitar jig/ template/ tool THAN I DO USING IT.

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Measure Twice,

Karl Borum

If you've been out of the shop for awhile AND then you clean it up, put things away, you have a double whammy! An accumulation of birthdays is no help either.

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Always write a detailed note with a sharpie regarding function on a jig when you make one. I always come across several when I clean out a drawer that I have no idea what I made them for.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

I’m with you for sure. Shop time increases and decreases based on the day job. A few years ago I started to break processes down into chunks that can be reliably done in one evening. Keeps me from leaving something on the bench only to return a week later and spend time figuring out where I was.

The other thing that has helped me immensely is organizing things into small systems where every is there for the task at hand. Drilling tuner holes? Grab the box with all the bits, templates, etc.. putting in a pickup, grab that box. Yes I end up with multiples of bits, etc… but I’m making that up in time savings not hunting.

Time itself is my most valuable resource in the shop. If I can make that time more efficient in any way, I do it.

Brad


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

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I finally learned to do this after I kept running across cauls that I didn't remember what I had used them for, and small wood blocks that I knew had the perfect dimensions for a specific task that I could not remember either. Very frustrating problem easily solved. I just have to remember to keep doing it.

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

Had to come out front to join this conversation. I just had this happen today. Started digging through my jig pile(s). Where is that thing? Is this it? No. This? No. This!? No!! Dang, it has to be here somewhere. Wait … there it is, smack in the middle of my work bench, right where I put it yesterday. Okay, I’m dumb. Going back under my rock.

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George :-)

I was never a very tidy worker in the workshop but guitar making absolutely forced me to become much more so. We use so many specific tools and jigs that one just has to learn some discipline. I came a bit late to labelling but learned the hard way.

Cheers Dave