Rule 30 of 31 · Chapter VI — Finishing and Shop Habits
Clean as you go
Why this rule exists
A cluttered shop is a slow shop and a dangerous one. Offcuts on the floor are trip hazards right next to spinning blades; tools buried under shavings get knocked to the floor or lost; a surface piled with junk has no room left to work safely. Tidying as you work, not in one dreaded heap at the end, keeps the danger down and the momentum up. A clear bench and floor let you focus on the cut instead of the chaos around it.
In practice
Put each tool back where it lives when you're done with it, not later in a pile. Sweep or vacuum offcuts and shavings off the floor around the machines before they build up, especially right by the saw. Keep your bench clear of everything but the current task and the tools it needs. Deal with spills immediately, and treat oily finishing rags with real respect, since they can self-heat and catch fire, so spread them flat to dry or seal them in a metal can.
When it doesn't apply
Mid-cut is not the time to tidy; finish the operation safely first, then clean. And a dedicated glue-up or finishing session naturally leaves a mess until it's done and cured. Clean at the natural breaks, not obsessively between every pass, but never let clutter build to where the floor and bench become hazards.