There were some topics here in regards to organization of tooling. I need some ideas that are one step “zoomed out”.
I have two 4 drawer lower tool chests. I started with one dedicated to the mill and it is more or less filled up with tooling/work holding/metrology/spares. I emptied the second one since it was lightly/barely used with the idea that I would subdivide and then instead of one being full, I would have some breathing room and while I’m doing that, I would get some of the internal drawer organization. I’ve found resources and ideas for assembled tool tags/labels to link that up to renumbering and organizing the tool offset table in the machine and my Fusion library.
I also have a stainless steel work table in another part of the workshop area that I could clear off and assign to “machining only”.
In an ideal world, where would each of these things be located in relation to the mill (440)?
I would understand that there is overlap of some concepts for production but I’m not really doing production (yet).
Overall, what I see is that in commercial operations, you have designated areas and storage for:
Setting up tools
Measurement
Setting up your work/work holding
I don’t have unlimited space but it seems like it would make sense to use whatever space I do have to get things situated for a better workflow and that alone will help to save me time overall…
The only way to be organized like you see in the tooling accessory brochures is if you have workstations that only do one job and only need these 5 or 20 tools to do that job and one set per station. If your doing everything you need all the tools but only one set.
I wasn’t figuring on buying multiple sets of tools given everything is effectively at arm’s reach for just one operator (me) but to try and lay out the workspace where I’m not going to constantly chase my tail.
If I start with the footprint for the 440 at about 5’ by 4.5’ then how many more of similar sized rectangles would be recommended and what goes where in them? Say that I have another rectangle that size to the left of the left end of the 440 in that diagram and then two more such that the four of them form a 2x2 grid and the 440 is in the top right rectangle (in the bottom left) and the operator console as I have it stays to the right of the machine, inside the rectangle.
I’d start by considering which tooling you use most commonly and locate that within easy reach of the mill. As a simple example, I use drill bits on most jobs and the size varies by the job, so I keep a 115-bit index within a few feet of the mill. I keep a storage rack that holds 8 tools right on the mill and load that with the tools for a specific job. There’s a table right behind the mill operator (me) for stock, finished parts, and whatever hand tooling is needed.
The first basic decision seems to be ‘machines against the wall’ or ‘machines out in the middle’. Then you can arrange boxes and worktables around them.
Adam Savage of Mythbusters fame has some videos where he goes into his ‘first order tool retrieval’ and occasional shop rearranging that are worth watching for a home shop that always has too much stuff in it.
Everything on wheels that can be is also most useful IME.
I use a right hand style work area with tools and control to the right of machine setup on a 4 drawer tool box. I have a bunch of 10 tool racks that I switch out tools in or use the entire rack as is for a given project. The rest kind of comes over time. you notice what you use the most and it will gravitate to the work area. I don’t like walking around much so I have things like calipers, mics, utility knives, soft hammers, allen wrnench sets on every work bench or work area.
I would setup and get going, then note what you do and what tools you need and then create a way to organize them where you need them.