Got tired of looking for scraps of paper to write on....

[great white]

I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m forever looking for notepads, scraps of paper and that sort of thing to do a quick calculation or to write down a measurement I don’t want to foget.

But to be honest, that was always a PITA and not overly useful when at the lathe.

So I went to the local thift store and picked up a couple cheap dry erase boards. Buck a piece, can’t beat that!

I also dont have a lot of room in the shop/garage, so they had to be small and easy to out away. But not mounting them somewhere also means they’re not very useful at the lathe.

So I came up with a “scrap pile” solution. An old piano style hinge from something I can’t remember what, and a couple pieces of thin wall swuare tube (I think it was from an old bathroom stand or something) and a bit of figurin’ gets me this:

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It pivots up out of the way when I need it stored, but can swing down to where I can write on it. With the piano hinge, I can swing it over so I can see it from the headstock (or anywhere else in the garage).

It even came with a marker holder attached. Last thing was a bit of string and a rag to wioe it clean when done.

Overall, I’m oretty happy with the way it came out! All for less than a buck!

Last thing I have to do is work out a sorinf mech so I can move it up and down and have it stay where I out it. Right now, the lower arm just has a hook/spring that I can move up and down the pegboad holes.

Just thought I’d share some “junk pile engineering”.

 

[BtoVin83]

I just write it on the back of my hand, wet erase though.

 

[tmenyc]

Like your white boards! For me, it became a chance to use a notebook that had been waiting its turn...but I quickly discovered that my usual exclusive use of fountain pens (I'm a vintage pen restorer, why I have the lathe) was not compatible with oily fingers, so I had to dig up a felt marker and put it with the notebook. My wife came in and, of course, immediately noticed the marker, and made a comment to the effect of "what it took to get me to not use a fountain pen..."

Tim

 

[rgray]

I like that idea.
Just this morning I was making 3 of something. I had one the correct length 1.328
Measure the second and it's 1.363, so I grab the calculator and figure the amount to remove.
Then measure the third and can't remember the original length, so I have to remeasure the first, by then I'm not confident I
remember the length of the third, so I remeasure it.
It can be a vicious cycle.
If I have scrap paper I write it down and save myself a lot of time.
That dry erase board would get plenty of use here.

 

[WalterC]

Good idea.
I use a cork board and tack the drawings up.
You can also glue flat pieces of cork anywhere around the machine.

 

[Firstram]

I like that idea.
Just this morning I was making 3 of something. I had one the correct length 1.328
Measure the second and it's 1.363, so I grab the calculator and figure the amount to remove.
Then measure the third and can't remember the original length, so I have to remeasure the first, by then I'm not confident I
remember the length of the third, so I remeasure it.
It can be a vicious cycle.
If I have scrap paper I write it down and save myself a lot of time.
That dry erase board would get plenty of use here.

And I thought I was the only one...

 

[just old al]

Personally I am a fan of the old-school clipboard.

When I'm working on a project in the shop - if it has plans they get held on the clipboard - and it goes on a hook on the wall behind the machine. Any significant page I'm working on is flipped to the front and is easy to reference.

Several blank sheets (or a pad of quad-ruled paper) live in the clip as well for the inevitable note taking.

Not fancy, not stylish...but it works.

 

[SamI]

I like the idea of having one next to the lathe. Like you I use whiteboards in the workshop to pop reminders on. I also use it to create a shopping list - every time I take something out and note that I am running low then up it goes. That way, when I'm next putting in an order with a tooling supplier I can stock up while I'm at it to save on postage costs.

My only complaint is that I find if I put calculations on them I always need to refer to them after they're wiped off! Because of this I usually carry a small note pad in my top pocket. It's amazing how many times I end up referring back to sketches, calculations or notes from weeks back. That could be a sign of me starting more projects than I finish though!

 

[Winegrower]

Along these lines, I bought a handful of cheap (couple dollars) calculators and stuck one on each machine tool...saves a lot of looking around. And reduces the mental agony of “It’s 1.352 and needs to be 1.268, how much on the radius is that.”

 

[rgray]

Personally I am a fan of the old-school clipboard.

I have 2 in the shop at the moment and aso use them for drawings of things built.
Draw ahead of time or draw as I progress.
I usually have a small note pad to jot down things or do math on. Some of it is then transferred to the drawing or never needed again.
That is where the erase board would work well for me.

I also use it to create a shopping list - every time I take something out and note that I am running low then up it goes

Very good idea. I usually have something that I know I needed but can't remember when I'm doing an order.