12 Shop Upgrades that you NEED in your shop!

Wow! A shop upgrade video that wasn't a series of "buy this, buy that, ...". Great advise. Thanks!

Wishlist for the win! I got tired of my family buying cheap crap I didn't need. The other nice thing is you can add quantities if you want multiples, AND you can set priorities, so if something is a "eh, that'd be nice" you can lower the urgency so people can see stuff you really want. Sure, I might not be as surprised as I used to be, but I only get things I can actually use now. Great video!

For me, I live in North Dakota, putting in spray foam insulation, hanging heaters and an insulated door for my shop was a massive improvement!! I can now work in the winter without freezing things off. Plus the insulation helps in the summer too.

Great video! For shop bench pads (glue ups/sanding/protecting furniture/etc) buy cheap thin type yoga mats. I get mine at Five Below for about $5. I then cut them in half for more flexibility. Also great for when you have to work on the floor doing plumbing or baseboards, etc. Fold them over for extra knee padding.

Over the span of forty years, about half of my shop tools were birthday, Father’s Day, or Christmas gifts. The wish list can be on Amazon, or a clipboard pad. I appreciated seeing the way you approached organizing. That’s one of my big challenges but worth the effort.

Lights! Definitely! Good list of suggestions, you've got me thinking about a few of them. Thanks!

Great tips. Thanks

I’m just getting into it, so this video was so full of very useful ideas! Thank you!

Great advise. Thanks!

Great video

Great video! Good idea on adding air drops. Probably will add that to my shop soon.

Great video, thanks for putting this together. Short, to the point, very practical. Gonna have to buy another one of your shirts over this one!

Great tips.

Yes sir, all great upgrades. I’m happy to say that I’ve already completed some. I guess great minds think alike. The folding portable table is a great idea, especially when trying to save space. I had a small table from my mom that I wanted to use as an out feed table, but even with casters, it’s too low. It’ll be a staging table when I start repairing/refinishing some old antique painting frames. Great video.

I put hex lights on my garage. It was a massive improvement over the standard 4ft light.

1. I really like the info, craftsmen and projects on Woodworker's Guild. I subscribed once and was inundated with ad material. That's the only reason I left the publication. 2. Like you I got the VEGA fence. I have to admit it was a game changer for my contractor's saw. I also contacted VEGA directly, got the correct fence info from a tech for my saw and bought it directly while on the phone. And cheaper than any online site. Direct sales, correct info and a person that speaks clear English! I love it! They are good people. 3. I fabricate my lumber rack with shelving from Lowes. The specs said it holds 170 lbs per shelf. It's worked great for 5 years now and much less expensive. 4. 20 years ago I bought a 2-tray rolling hospital cart at a sale. I constructed a plywood top for the upper shelf and mounted all my sanding/grinding machines. I just roll it wherever needed and then back out of the way. It's heavy duty and works great. 5. I whole heartedly agree about the hardware organizers. But I bought mine from Amazon much cheaper that any big box or discount store. I also labeled each one with the contents. I have found that storing them vertically side-by-side saves a ton of wall space. Labels are pasted on the ends. 6. Yoga mats are really good and cheap work mats. 7. Sorry for the epistle. LOL I am opinionated. Thanks.

I did not see any comments on dust collection. This is a upgrade that everyone needs. There are lots of options from shop vacs to homemade filters using a box fan to getting a dedicated vacuum system.

I made a shop clock from my old motorcycle front brake rotor. Excellent shop deco.

Some good ideas there, and surprised by how many of them I had done as well. The Amazon wish list is a good idea, until someone spots something has gone, and the realise you have been spending again.

I have the luxury of having a stand alone metal building for a shop. I put a wooden floor in it that is a lot easier on the back. I also am more prone to leave the hardware that I buy in the box it came in. I store it on shelves made from 6 foot fence pickets.