The Dirty Dozen

12 Not So Easy Steps to Organizing Your Bench

There are few hard and fast rules for organizing the tools on your bench. However, several general guidelines can be helpful and make your bench more practical, convenient, and comfortable to use. If your bench is so disorganized that you have trouble finding things, then the following 12 steps will help you get things in order. I’m not going to say it’s going to be easy. In fact it maybe down right painful.

However, if you do follow these 12 steps, I guarantee you, that you WILL become more productive as you will no longer waste time finding your tools. For the rest of you who already have a fairly well organized bench, you may not need to follow the steps in detail. However, they will provide useful guidelines to help you tweak your bench to maximize your efficiency while working.

Step 1

Clear off your bench. Remove Everything! Take all the tools and place them on a worktable. (The floor works fine if there is no place else in the shop) Be certain to empty all drawers. This is a good time to clean your bench. Remember there is precious metal in that dust, so send all dirt and debris to a refiner.

Step 2

Sort all tools into one of six groups.
Group #1 Your favorite tools the ones you use all day every day.
Group #2 The tools you use at least once a day.
Group #3 The tools you may not use everyday but at least once a week.
Group #4 The tools you use occasionally but less than once a week.
Group #5 Tools you do not use anymore. However, as you paid good money for these tools you can not bring yourself to throwing them away.
Group #6 Tools that are broke or completely worn out. All tools that have no useful purpose in their present condition.

A good healthy dose of honesty is needed here. Not every tool you have belongs in the first two groups. What tools belong in which group varies from jeweler to jeweler. For example; A jeweler who sets many stones but does few sizings would place their tools differently from a jeweler who does mostly sizings and chain repair.

Also, one jeweler’s favorite file maybe a barrette file, while another jeweler prefers the flat side of a half-round file. Each of these jewelers would place their barrette and half-round files in different piles.

Step 3

Sit in a properly adjusted chair at your empty (and clean) workbench. This is a good time to adjust the height of your bench if needed. Then visualize your workspace. To be an efficient and productive worker you need to keep the workspace clear. A jeweler working at a bench has a very different workspace than someone who works at a desk. When working at a desk the workspace is the desktop. Here papers are worked on and jobs are processed.

However, for a bench jeweler the workspace is primarily the bench pin. A small portion of the bench top is also used at times for workspace, and needs to be kept clear. The remainder of the bench top (the majority of it) is used to organize your tools and jobs to be processed.

A properly organized jeweler’s bench does not have a bench top cleared of all tools. This is directly opposite from what is taught in most books on organization. The bench is different from a desk, the work is different, the tools are different, and different principles need to be applied in organizing it.

Step 4

Text Box: Tool Placement Place tools used most often with-in your primary reach. Place other tools with-in your secondary reach. Take all the tools in the first group, and put them away on your bench. As you use these all the time, they should be easy to get to and put away. Keep in mind your workspace as described in step 3. Large tools should not be stored too close as they may be in the way when performing work. Also keep in mind the natural movement of your arms and hands while working, and place tools accordingly.
For example, a pliers rack can be mounted on the front edge of your bench centered in the path your hand moves to begin work. Then when you move your hand from its normal resting position to work at your bench pin it can pick up a pair of pliers on the way. When work is finished you can put the pliers back on the rack as your hand moves away from the bench pin. If the rack is properly placed the pliers are picked up and put away with out effort. It becomes a natural movement and no thought is given to do it.

Your favorite file or hammer can be placed in the tool tray just above your lap tray. Place it right next to the natural resting position of your hand while resting on your lap tray. Then when needed take hold of it while bringing your hand up to your work. When finished, put it away as you place your hand down to rest.

A saw frame can be placed on a hook on the leg of your bench. Position the handle of the saw frame is at the exact spot your hand reaches when you place your arm comfortably at your side.