Charlie's Garage Rules

GARAGE RULE BOOK

Every garage or shop needs rules of some sort. If nothing else it makes things flow smoother. You will have your own whether you realize it or not. These are mine.


SAFETY RULES

1. Safety first!
    Anything that can get me hurt should be done as safely as possible. Failure to observe safety rules can result in injury or death not to mention the cost of getting medical attention or the cost of a funeral and the emotional suffering that will accompany it. I don't drink, so the possibility of losing a couple years worth of beer money doesn't motivate me. Losing the entire garage improvement budget for a couple of years, not to mention getting nothing done during recovery does motivate me!

2. Know what to do in the event of a mishap.
    A. Don't panic. Calm myself or I will be worthless in working the rest of the list.
    B. Do I need to escape? Get out now if necessary. I know the escape route. It's my responsbility to clear the area of visitors as well.
    C. Assess the situation. 911 is the immediate answer if the situation is life threatening or too big to handle quickly. Things like a fire my fire extinguisher can't handle, or someone trapped under something, or someone passed out, or squirting blood, all merit a 911 call.
    D. I know where the first aid kit is.
    E. I know where the fire extinguisher is.
    F. I know where the water hose is.
    G. I know ice is the remedy for a burn and I know where to get it quickly. Use cold water in a pinch or anything from the freezer.
    H. I know how to do a compress.
    I. I know that the paper shop towels will serve as compresses in an emergency.
    J. My belt makes a great tourniquet.
    K. I know enough CPR and First Aid to save someone.
    L. Somebody knows I'm working in the garage.
    M. The phone is somewhere I can reach it if I'm on the floor.
    N. There is a way to get to urgent care or the emergency room if I think I can get there safely.
    O. If there is any doubt call 911.

3. Wear safety goggles when using power equipment. Better yet, put them on before starting the project, period.

4. Wear hearing protection around noisy situations. I already have tinnitus and don't need it to get worse.

5. Wear breathing mask around painting and wood cutting projects. This includes hand sanding!

6. NEVER reach in or over rotating equipment. This includes running cars from the front.

7. NEVER wear gloves around rotating equipment. While this is intended for things like my drill press and lathe, it includes my hand drills. The last thing I need is to watch my glove get sucked in followed by my hand and then my arm. At least if I get too close with bare skin I'll only come away with an abrasion, a cut, or a missing chunk of my body. Besides, cut-off injuries can be sewn back on by the doc while twist off injuries end up in the bio-hazard bag.

8. NEVER work under or crawl under functioning equipment or a car without employing adequate safety bracing. If nothing else place an inflated car tire under the equipment. Even a small car will kill someone trapped under it, and the tire can be the difference between a broken bone and a funeral.

9. NEVER assume a cinder block will not shatter or break under the applied load. At a minimum place a piece of 2x10 plank between the cinder block and the braced piece of equipment. Also provide a secondary fall back brace such as an inflated car tire under the car or equipment. I can say from experience that a bare cinder block can easily shatter especially if the jack slips and the car comes down on it suddenly.

10. ALWAYS click the cordless widget to safe when not using it. I had a drill I was carrying with other tools and the trigger got pressed as I was carrying it. The drill wrapped up my shirt and only the quick thinking to just drop everything prevented it from ripping the shirt right off my body along with pinching off skin and other body parts. If there is no safe position or switch, take the battery out when transporting it.

11. ALWAYS have the fire extinguisher within arms reach when working with solvents, gasoline and any running equipment. Be sure to shake up the fire extinguisher before beginning work if I suspect it to be a baking soda type extinguisher. Shake the extinguisher before firing it as well. Think of it as a rattle can of paint that must be shaken up before getting decent use out of it.

12. ALWAYS account for the adjusting tool before starting the equipment!

13. The garage shall be NEAT AND CLEAN AT ALL TIMES! Clutter and filth are safety hazards and I will avoid this situation all the time.

14. Know the escape route and make doubly sure it is not blocked or cluttered.

15. Any situation that can cause harm and is not previously identified in the safety rules must be given proper attention to reduce the risk of injury or not be attempted to begin with.


GENERAL RULES

1. I am the king in my garage. My rules are LAW. I also obey my own rules.

2. Do not rush! Rushing is the habit of attempting to complete a project in as short a time as possible. This creates the temptation to cut corners, skip steps, and ignore safety rules. Instead, focus on completing the operation at hand as efficiently as possible. Once efficiency at the operation is achieved, then it is possible to work more quickly. 

3. Cleanup anytime there is a mess.

4. Trash generated during the course of activities goes in the trash can immediately. Bulk trash goes to the bulk trash container immediately. Scrap items go in the scrap bins immediately. Re-purposed items and materials go in their respective bins and containers.

5. Cleanup and put away tools, equipment, and materials after every project. This includes sweeping the floor, dusting the equipment, and cleaning tools. If a project is a multi-day project then put away the tools and equipment, organize the workspace so it is neat, and leave just the project parts on the workbench.

6. Projects waiting on parts, tools, materials, or time to complete them are clutter. Box, label and store all stalled projects. Include a date to revisit the project on the label.

7. Clean the garage at the end of the day. Give myself at least 20 minutes to sweep the entire floor that the broom can reach. Remove all trash to the bulk trash can.

8. Nothing is stored on the floor. If it doesn't fit on a shelf, then put wheels on it as soon as the budget allows it. If there is no room on the shelves, then it is time to scrounge some shelving. If there is no room for a shelf, then it is time for a garage sale.

9. Garage Sales: Never sell tools unless they are my third set of something. The only exception is a hated tool that does not perform or function as expected. Never sell equipment unless I have no room for it, I never use it, have no possible plans to use it or it is broken and repair is not intended or practical.

10. Visitors: There will be visitors from time to time. Make sure they have a place to sit, something to drink, and feel welcome. Make sure they are the center of attention. Make sure they know what is unsafe to mess with, especially without supervision. If working, make sure they understand where the first aid gear is and how to use it. Visitors that are unsafe(also known as children) must be supervised directly, not left alone, and removed as soon as practical or when the visit is over.

11. The garage must be thoroughly cleaned the first weekend of every month. Blow off and out everything, dust everything, pull out everything and sweep under it and generally remove all dust and accumulated grime.

12. Chock wheeled equipment or vehicles if they might move during use.

MAKING STUFF

1. If I take the time to make something, I must make the time to make it well and make it stout. It is not completely made until it is painted.If the design proves to be defective or unsafe I will redesign it or discard it.

2. Take pictures of the work in progress.

3. Most throw-away items can be re-purposed, the only limit is the imagination. Do not overload the re-purposing bins. I am not a hoarder so excess items must be regarded as trash or scrap and discarded.


GARAGE ORGANIZATION


1. The garage is organized into zones of like items, tools, materials, and equipment. Some equipment and tools can be used for multiple things, so the decision of where to put multipurpose items depends on the  most likely use.

2. Everything has a place and the only time it is out of place is when it is being used or when cleaning the zone it occupies.

3. Label the contents of containers and shelves as much as possible and label as I handle or use a container.

4. Nothing will be stored on the floor. If it is too big to place on a shelf then it gets wheels. If there's no room on the shelves then it is time to make or aquire shelving. If there's no room for shelving, then it is time for a garage sale. I will make exceptions for safes, fixed, and heavy equipment.



TOOLS


1. The most important equipment in the garage is my mind. All other tools are an extension of the mind.

2. Tools and equipment will be neat and clean. They will be out only when in use.

3. Rube Goldberg contraptions will be avoided whenever possible. I am not a mouse or monkey and will not put myself in harm's way in this manner.

4. Rusty tools are an abomination before the king. When discovered, bought, or used, they will be de-rusted, polished, and painted or waxed. When other finishes are merited then they will receive the appropriate finish before use. Words such as patina are fancy phrases used by wine gulping Antiques Road Show addled morons that have no proper concept of tool maintenance. Therefore 'patina' constitutes tool neglect and will not be tolerated in my garage.

5. Broken tools are not to be used. If they can be repaired they must be repaired immediately. If they can be re-purposed, they will go to the appropriate bin for re-purposing. Otherwise they will be discarded immediately as a safety hazard.

6. Tools that must be sharp to function will be checked for sharpness and sharpened if necessary before use.

7. Tools that must have the correct shape to function properly must be checked and properly shaped before use. An example is a screwdriver; worn screwdriver tips cause damage in use and will be avoided. Same goes for any tool that depends on proper shape to function.

8. Inferior tools usually yield inferior results. Never buy junk tools, unless it is an emergency, the tool is unlikely to break on the first use, and the tool will likely be used only once. Never buy badly worn tools regardless of the supposed value.

9. Tools I make will be as stout as my skills allow me to produce within reason. If I cannot make a suitable tool that operates safely, then I will abandon the attempt and seek a manufactured version of what I need.

TABLE SAW

1. The table saw blade will be down when not in use.

2. The hands will not ever be found beyond the front edge of the saw blade when in use.

3. NO REACHING OR LEANING over the saw blade when it is exposed from the table top or running.

REVIEW

1. Review the garage rules periodically. Once a month is fine.

2. Keep a printed copy of the garage rules in a labeled binder on the workbench.

3. Hand write new or modified rules right into the garage rule book and update the rule book as soon as it is practical to do so.

4. Deficiencies discovered in the safety rules require immediate attention. New safety rules and modifications to existing safety rules require updates to the rulebook immediately.