Something almost every woodturner can relate to is the struggle to keep all the smaller tools, bits and bobs organized. Bushings for pen turning in particular seem to go missing or get mixed up often, which is frustrating when all you want to do is get turning. Over the years we’ve found some simple ways to keep the woodshop organized so the focus can be on our craft. Follow these tips to keep your woodturning area tidy and efficient.
Storing bushings for pen turning
One of the most common problems pen turners face is lost bushings. After all, they all look sort of the same and are not marked. People often forget which bushings go with which pen and project kits. We’ve had the same problem, so we came up with a solution. We created the bushing stand, which is an easy-to-assemble storage option. This set-up lets you keep each set of bushings separate, labeled and accessible, which sure beats scrambling around, measuring every bushing you find with calipers. The stand comes with fifteen containers, labels and a storage rack and can be adjusted to two different heights.
If you’re more of a do-it-yourselfer, consider hanging on to small containers that can be closed and labeled, like pill bottles, for bushings storage. It doesn’t need to look pretty, it just needs to work!
Organizing drill bits and other small woodworking tools
Another common problem is storing drill bits and pen mills. It’s just too easy to put these to the side while in your creative flow, swearing to remember to put them away later, and then just forgetting about them. Reading those tiny numbers etched into the side of drill bits is next to impossible for a lot of people. A really simple solution that we use in our workshop involves a scrap of wood. Simply drill a hole with the size of bit you want to hold and repeat this with each drill bit you want to keep handy in your organizer. Don’t forget to ream the hole out just a little to make it easier to take the drill bits in and out.
We’ve used a label maker to label the drill sizes, but as you can see in the photos below, you can also just use a black marker and handwrite the drill sizes on your block. And any type of wood will do – we like to use what we have available in the shop, but you can be as simple or fancy as you like.
We’ve used a similar approach to create a pen mill shaft and cutter head storage, as well as one for your adjustable ring mandrels.
Keeping track of wood pen blanks
How many times have you gotten a new exotic wood pen blank and thought to yourself, “Of course I’ll remember what kind of wood this is!” and thrown it in a box with the rest, only to realize later on that you have no idea what it is? Grab some plastic bins with lids from the dollar store or Canadian Tire, slap a label on them and keep your pen blanks separated. For those stray pieces that won’t fill a container on their own, just write the name of the wood on a sticky label or the blank itself and add it to a container that’s just for assorted blanks. It’s amazing what a few inexpensive containers and labels can do to clear up space in the workshop and simplify your workflow.
Woodturning supplies in Canada
You go to the woodshop to turn, not to spend the day searching around for lost tooling or blanks! That’s why just taking a few small steps to staying organized can make such a difference for enjoying your woodturning time. William Wood-Write had been in business since 2006, and over the years we’ve tried just about everything to organize the shop. If you have a storage solution to share, tell us about it on Facebook or Instagram. Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter for sales, tips and discounts on all your woodturning materials.
