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The New Year is a great opportunity to evaluate your goals and take stock (no pun intended). During the year we all get so busy that it is easy to let the shop maintenance pile up. Actually the maintenance tips I have described here should really be performed as needed, which is probably more like once a month or more. A clean, well-functioning shop makes all projects go easier and more importantly, safer.

By David Marks

Now is the time to schedule the work that needs to be done. Let's start with some obvious shop cleanup--shoveling out the sawdust and shavings. As you clean, you will come across all kinds of interesting stuff. If you are like me, you might have a hard time throwing things out because you think you will use them someday. I find a good system is to get some cardboard boxes and label them: Stay, Go and Maybe. The Go boxes get disposed of, and the Maybe boxes can be given a harder look once you have finished putting the stuff in the Stay boxes. I find if something has been hanging around the shop for years and has not been used, then it is taking up valuable real estate space and it is time to go. Also, you might find useful items that you can donate to your favorite charity.

Next up are the stationary machines: table saw, band saw, planer and jointer, are what I refer to as the four basics, and after that comes the drill press. The list goes on from there. All of these tools have moving parts, which need to be cleaned and lubricated. Air compressors, even small ones, are an excellent tool for cleaning. Put on the dust mask, goggles and ear protection and blow the dust out of the motors, gears, trunnions and all the moving parts. If you do not have an air compressor, then a shop vacuum will work.

Wood resin, oxidation and dust can stick to moving parts, making them stiff, so I like to clean as many parts as I can with a solvent like naphtha and a brass brush. Make sure you wear eye protection, have good ventilation and wear nitrile or solvent-resistant gloves. Be careful not to get solvent on any of the ball bearings. Even though most bearings are sealed, it is best to be cautious.

Once everything is thoroughly cleaned and dried, it is necessary to lubricate the parts. I recommend the dry lubricants that are available in pump sprays or aerosols. They keep the mechanisms working smoothly without attracting sawdust, as grease does. For the difficult-to-reach areas, try the penetrating dry lubricants.

Another important factor is the tabletops of the machines. Again, clean with solvent, and then follow up with a fine steel wool, Scotch-Brite nylon pad, or 600-grit sandpaper. Finish up with a dry lubricant spray, and you will find your machines are once again a pleasure to use.

Actually the maintenance tips I have described here should really be performed as needed, which is probably more like once a month or more. A clean, well-functioning shop makes all projects go easier and more importantly, safer.

(Master craftsman David J. Marks hosts Wood Works on the DIY Network. For more information, visit www.djmarks.com.)