Appreciation post: My messy bench just nailed a tough fix

Most guys say a clean shop is best, but my jumbled parts let me spot the bad capacitor fast. Happy my way paid off this time.

3 comments

3 Comments

stellag591mo ago

Wonder how you handle that mess to find things fast. Do you have a system, like grouping parts by type, or is it all memory? I've seen organized shops where people still waste time looking for parts. Your messy bench might let you spot issues visually because you're used to the setup. What tipped you off about the capacitor? Was it something obvious like a bulge or just where it was sitting?

dakotab271mo ago

See that drawer with 22 random capacitors under my bench? The one labeled 'misc electrical'? My system is basically 'vaguely near where I last saw something like it'. You're right though, the chaos DOES help sometimes. Spotted that bad cap because it was sitting next to three good ones, and its top was slightly domed like a tiny pancake. In a neat bin, it would have just looked normal.

morgan.daniel1mo ago

Man, my garage is a total disaster but last week I spotted a stripped screw just because it was rolling next to some good ones on my bench. Sometimes the mess works for you.