By The Staff of Classic Motorsports • Photography As Credited
Humble car cottage dripping with memorabilia? Palatial pro shop with floors you could eat of of? No matter what your workspace, it could always be better–more e cient, more comfortable–with another tweak, trick or tool.
That’s where we come in. Here are 80 shop tips culled from our editorial staff, …
good read 
A great list and all 80 of them are excellent. I have two cautions however.:
If building a loft or shelving over an air compressor, leave at least 18" above the motor open. Ya gotta keep the beast cool.
Baby food jars are glass and shatter into evil little curved shards. I find small plastic peanut butter jars great. They are clear, a little larger, never get too hard to open and seldom draw blood when dropped.
At least that is my theory.
Great read! I'm already thinking about how to dispose of the old wooden desk I have on stilts to be used as a workbench. Time for an extreme garage makeover!
great article! I have one of my own to add: don't buy 5 pks hardware from the big box stores. I've found it invaluable to buy nuts and bolts in boxes of 25-100 from Mcmasters or the equivalent and I find it's not much more than the 5 packs.. The same applies to wire, connectors, small 12v components, hose clamps, etc. I also buy most small small screws in stainless. It's rare nowadays that I have to take an hour or more to make the trip for 1 little piece.. I value the time it saves more than the small cost increase (if any). And sign up for Amazon prime for the bigger or 1 of a kind stuff - I can almost always wait 1-2 days.
In reply to Coldswede : I use old diskette boxes and plastic peanut jars
I have boxes of coolant test strip jars from work that I use instead of glass jars. Screwed under a counter or set in a wire slide that are great for holding misc small parts.
Consider using wire shelving with wheels. You can stack bins, boxes, boxed tools (power tools, special brake tools, buffer/polisher, etc.), chemicals, spare parts, etc. on them and move the whole lot out of your way when not needed. Some have the option for wire bins/drawers. Those are great for shop rags or polishing cloths.
Had to smile on rereading this after several years. #1 needs editing...it should read:
1. DON’T SKIMP
Good tools last a lifetime, including being thrown across the shop. :)
In reply to Coldswede :
Great suggestions!
In reply to The Staff of Motorsport Marketing :
Read this years earlier and have done most of it. One trick I don't think I saw.... Cut up 2'x 2' squares of cardboard from old boxes ECT. Lay them on bench, work area or wherever to keep things clean. Good for spray painting small parts.
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