Maintaince of tool shop.

[Alex Cormier]

How does your team maintain tools int he work area like drill bits? my team has a huge problem and it all started since the first day of building 3 years ago. any suggestions on how to keep the drills in better shape and complete sets? thanks.

[Erics626]

Yeah, I know what you mean. Our shop is a mess, but my suggestion for keeping track of your drill bits is this. Always keep your drill bits in one place, and when you are done using the drill bit, put it back in the proper space for it. If you are able to keep all your drill bits in one place and neatly orgainzed, you will spend much more time building and less time looking for tools.

[Kyle]

We hug and talk to all of our tools. It keeps them happy and healthy

[Billfred]

Traditionally, the 1293 method of fixing up our work space is as follows:

Step 1) Mr. Orr comes to me (it could be any mentor--I just usually happen to be the one to catch this) and asks for me to get the room fixed.
Step 2) I find freshmen, idle students, or both.
Step 3) Place them in the back room, and tell them to start organizing, cleaning, and shuffling things to the point of organization.
Step 4) Check in after five to ten minutes.
Step 5) Offer advice and guidance on how to fix the room up.
Step 6) Repeat steps 4 and 5 until finished.

One of the big adjustments to being a college student in FIRST is shifting from doing the stuff to teaching students how to do the stuff*. Let's just say this was the easiest adjustment for me.

*Alright, so I still do stuff. Omniwheels don't reassemble themselves, you know.

[- Raven -]

Originally Posted by Erics626

Yeah, I know what you mean. Our shop is a mess

Pfft, isn't everyone's? I've no idea how many drill bits or other tools we've lost so far... haven't checked, y'see. I think the general idea is just to leave things in vaguely the same place as you found them, and then worry about finding them again when you actually come to need them. Too lazy to do it any other way.

Meh. I'm sure we'll start being a bit more tidy/organized soon enough. Maybe next year...

~R

[george56]

Originally Posted by - Raven -

Pfft, isn't everyone's? I've no idea how many drill bits or other tools we've lost so far... haven't checked, y'see. I think the general idea is just to leave things in vaguely the same place as you found them, and then worry about finding them again when you actually come to need them. Too lazy to do it any other way.

i completely agree

[greencactus3]

well if you have a 'shop' as small as ours you randomly sit on dril bits and everything you dont need to find and the time you do need to find it, it seems they just disappear. and when you find something else to do the job and finish it, the original tool you wanted magically appears. i dont think we're the only ones that tools like to slack off on
*edit wohoo! 4digits of posts!!*

[KTorak]

Simple fix, be like us and not have your own work area, therefore you use the autoshop after school and have to pick up everything every night, and when you go to the machine shop (where the teacher dislikes the team), you become very good at clean up and putting things back where you found them.

[EricH]

Even easier, have a drill index for drill bits (we have one plus a set of bits, hole saws, etc.), a rack for socket sets (we have two, and one includes screwdrivers and open-end wrenches), and have all your files in the same place. Also, as soon as something is used, put it back in its place. Remember, "A place for everything and everything in its place".