Cleaning Up The Workspace

As the economy has been shutdown and we've all been keeping "isolated," it's been a good time to get projects done. While some people have been able to work on new/old bike projects, I had only just finished one when this whole thing started, so another bike was off the table. So instead, I took time to clean up and organize my workspace. As projects go, it was long overdue.

My workspace is a tight, fairly cramped little room in the back corner of my basement - so when it gets messy and disorganized, it's amazing I'm able to get any work done in there at all.

I should have taken some "before" pictures, but honestly I think I'd be too ashamed for anyone to see what a mess it had become. Suffice it to say, I spent many days sorting through boxes and dividing things into piles of "Keep," "Sell," and "Trash." It was shocking how much junk had accumulated over the years.

This is the first time I've been able to see the whole top of the workbench in many years. At the far end of it I currently have my truing stand, though after I shift a few things around the shelf underneath, I'll move that down below.

I also cleaned up the shelves in the back and organized them a little better. You can just about see a few vintage Campagnolo boxes stacked in there. They're empty, but for some reason I don't want to throw them out. Some people actually collect them - so maybe I should sell them on eBay. The wooden box in front there is where I keep my collection of Campagnolo tools.

There they are. I always wanted that full Campagnolo tool kit that came in a big wooden box. I have most of the basic wrenches/spanners, as well as the headset race setting/removing tools, but none of the cutting or facing tools. And I just "make do" with this home-made wooden box.

A few years ago I wrote about picking up this old library card catalog. I figured it would be a great place to store/organize a lot of my spare parts and small components. Surprisingly, roughly three years later, only half the drawers were filled because I've been so bad about organizing. They're all full now, with freewheels (some NOS, some "like-new"), new-old-stock chains, headsets, bottom brackets, shift levers, and more. I was able to clear a lot of stuff out of boxes and off the workbench by putting so much of it in those drawers.

Speaking of freewheels, I've still got a few hanging on the peg board. How did I end up with so many of these things? Most of these were "take-offs" from old bike projects, but seemed like they'd be usable with some cleaning. Considering that most of the bikes in my collection still use freewheels, as opposed to modern "cassettes," I always hesitate to get rid of any of them because the time might come I'd find a use for them. But there are a couple that are so tight in gearing range (like 13-19, or even 13-21) that if I'm truly realistic, I should sell them. Who even uses that kind of gearing these days?

Another peg board, and a bunch of old cranks and chainrings in a variety of sizes and bolt-circle diameters.

Reproduction of an old Campagnolo components poster.

My workstand which I picked up from an old bike shop that was going out of business. It was old when I got it, and that was probably 25 years ago.

Several sets of wheels hanging around.

I've got two of my bikes hanging on this 2-bike carrier that I must have built 30 years ago.

The main tool box. So many components and parts come with stickers in the package. What else are they for, if not for sticking on the tool box? This one's fairly new (well, last year), so it still has room for lots more stickers.

It took a while to get it to this point - but it should make working in my nook a lot more comfortable.