The Joys and Jumbles of 5S Woodworking
So, let me tell you about this thing that’s been taking over my garage lately—5S woodworking. You might be wondering what the heck that is, and trust me, I was too until I found myself in the middle of a project that turned into quite the adventure.
Picture this: It was last summer, hot as all get-out. I had just decided that I was going to redo my workshop area in the garage. Now, I used to think I was organized enough. You know how it goes: put the saw somewhere over there, toss the wood in that corner. Sounds simple, right? Well, I learned life is a little more complicated, especially when you’ve got half-finished projects and tools scattered like confetti from last New Year’s Eve.
The Clutter Conundrum
I grabbed my favorite mug—got a little coffee in it—dotted with those speckles that always remind me of childhood. Nothing like the smell of fresh coffee to get the creative juices flowing, right? Anyway, there I was staring at the mess, and it hit me. If I didn’t get this together, I’d never finish the projects I wanted to tackle, like that rocking chair I promised my little niece. She’s been asking for it for a couple of birthdays now.
I started to dabble in this 5S stuff, which, if you didn’t know, is all about sorting, setting in order, shining, standardizing, and sustaining. Sounds fancy, right? But honestly, it’s more like making your workspace manageable so you spend less time searching for tools and more time actually working.
First Steps and Fumbles
So, I rolled up my sleeves and thought, "Alright, let’s get ‘er done." I grabbed a roll of trash bags and just started with sorting. I can’t tell you how many old screws and random pieces of wood I found—some looked like they had been there since the dawn of time. I mean, I don’t even know what I’d been saving them for. And just between us, I had a dozen different clamps, all varying sizes but instead of being a neat set, they looked like a jigsaw puzzle gone wrong.
Wow, that was a mistake! The sheer amount of wood dust that was floating around had me sneezing my brains out. I remember wishing I’d worn a dust mask. I guess you can say I learned the hard way that keeping a clean workspace isn’t just about having a tidy area; it’s also about being safe.
And oh, don’t even get me started on the tools! I’ve got a DeWalt circular saw that I absolutely adore, but I realized I hadn’t charged the battery in—probably months. So, there I was, trying to make my first cut on some nice oak I scored from a friend’s old fence, and boom—the battery was as dead as a doornail. Laughter erupted from me and went echoing through the garage while I shook my head at my lack of foresight.
The Shine and The Shamble
Once I got over the initial chaos, I decided to move into the “shining” part—cleaning everything up. Man, that was satisfying! I quickly learned that you want to keep things clean—the smell of varnish and sawdust in the air, combined with sunshine streaming through the open garage door, made it feel like a scene right out of an old movie. But then came the part where I had to “standardize” everything. Honestly, I began labeling everything. I even put up some pegboards to hang tools.
You know those little moments when you realize you’ve turned into your father? Yeah, I had that moment when I was proudly placing labels on the shelves—“Saw Blades,” “Clamps,” “Scraps.” My mother would have laughed at me if she saw how seriously I was getting about my little workshop.
But then, just as I was feeling all organized, I hit a snag. I had carefully sorted wood for my niece’s rocking chair, and when I went to grab it, I honestly couldn’t remember where I’d put it. It’s like I had to retrain my own brain to think in a more systematic way. Kind of funny, really; there I was, a grown man, feeling like a lost child in a candy store. Eventually, I found the pieces—huge relief!
Building Something Real
Once I had everything sorted and fairly tidy, it was time to get building. There’s something almost magical about shaping wood. The sound of the saw, the feel of the grain under your fingers, that moment when everything just comes together—it’s all just incredible, you know? I put on some old country music, just the way my dad used to do when he worked, and lost myself in the rhythm of crafting that chair.
Then came the moment. Picture this: I had just sanded it down, all smooth and beautiful, and I could practically hear my niece’s little giggles as she imagined herself rocking back and forth. I almost gave up when I had to glue the joints together; I was sweating bullets—thought I’d messed it up. But when I finally set it up and saw it standing there, sturdy and solid, I couldn’t help but laugh. “I actually did this!”
The Final Touch
When I brought that chair to her, her eyes lit up. And let me tell you, every ounce of sweat and dust was worth it. Who knew a little organizing could lead to something so rewarding? I realize now that it’s not just about woodworking or for that matter, 5S—it’s about reclaiming that joy in creating something real, something that matters.
So if you’re thinking about diving into woodworking or even just trying to get your own space in order, just go for it. Seriously! Don’t let the chaos scare you away. If I can figure it out being the scatterbrain I am, I have all the faith you can too.
