I was thinking the other day (lookout!) when the guy I work with showed up to do a plastic laminate countertop and didn’t bring any solvent for cleaning up. He said he almost forgot the J-rollers and a couple other tools.
I know he won’t listen to my ideas, but thought this was a good enough one that I would share it here:
Make lists of various jobs you do and the tools necessary for each and laminate them. So, under the heading “Plastic Laminate” list, “contact cement, roller and cover, J-roller, solvent, rags, router and bits, marker, file, sandpaper, belt sander, sand paper and block, miter saw, laminate scoring tool, utility knife, shop vac, drop cloth,” etc. (and if building the blanks, add “drill and bits, screws, bisquit joiner and bisquits, carpenters’ glue, clamps, clips to attach top to cabinet, flat bar, level,” etc. You can put the list on card stock and laminate it and even check the tools and materials off with a dry erase marker as you load the truck.
It seems like every job we do, there is one necessary tool or material that is missing. If you had a deck of check lists, you could just pull out the right one or two for the jobs you are doing and make sure you have everything. Gets expensive running to the store for another J-roller (when you have five at home!).
Replies
I had the same idea, because I like most of us (right?) have a lot of duplicates in things, such as paint brushes, trays, shovels, etc...
Just the other day I had to install two small laminate counter tops and add the end caps and side splashes. What did I forget? Laminate trimmer...off to the store to get some files to do this job. I have a bunch of files at home already....
I had the idea, now I just need to do it. The laminate cards is agreat idea.
stemreno
Maybe it would be a good idea to take a few digital pics of the actual workplace and then use that visual as the checklist. You'll have all the tool laying around in the open right?