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                        Looking for workshop ideas

                        3976 views
                        27 replies
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                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Looking for workshop ideas
                        Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, May 27, 2004 10:44 PM
                        I have achieved the American dream. My wife and I have just built a house. I was able to incorporate a workshop of my dreams. I have a 20x15 room, well lit, with Heat and AC. I have room to build and display. I installed a air cleaner and I also have a paint booth. The best part...I have running water and a bathroomTongue [:P]

                        My question is this. I'm looking for ideas for my workbench. My work bench is a 3 foot wide sheet of countertop over top of 2 base cabinets. I got a real good idea about putting piece of glass down to put directions under, thus keeping the directions clean. Also ideas about paint organizers and magnifier lights. Does anybody have any other work bench or work shop ideas???

                        Any idea will be appreciated no matter how big or how small.

                        Thanks!
                        Chief 7
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                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, May 27, 2004 11:11 PM
                        G'day,

                        I'm one of the lucky few that work in the Hobby industry, the hobby shop I was working in had several of the old Humbrol paint stands in a storeroom, which was to cleaned out, being told everything was to go to the tip, I managed to convince the owner to let me have them. I kept two and gave the rest away to my model making mates.
                        I bought a free standing wardrobe and removed the doors, to keep everything in it's place, paint stands, model kit boxes, compressor, tools and my work bench is just an old desk, with a spot light over each end nothing special but it works.

                        Regards
                        Rob.
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                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 28, 2004 1:51 AM
                        I'm looking for ideas myself, I have a room and my sons offered to build a work bench but I'm having trouble deciding how to lay it out. Being Left handed, I want all the tools on the left, but I don't think thats really pratical. I have decided to build a back board on the office desk I'm using and using tall medicine bottles that I gotten over the years, I want him to drill holes that I can insert them into to place paint brushes, pins, markers and various other tools in. If anyone has any photos of their work spaces, I'd love to see them.

                        Don Alien [alien]
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                        MusicCity
                        • Member since
                          January 2004
                        • From: USA
                        Posted by MusicCity on Friday, May 28, 2004 5:25 AM
                        In the "General Modeling" forum there is a thread entitled "Pics Of Workbenches" that has a lot of pictures of benches. You guys might get some good ideas from that. Here is a link to the thread:
                        http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=19301
                        Scott Craig -- Nashville, TN -- My Website -- My Models Page
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                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 28, 2004 5:33 AM
                        The first 2 were taken during construction.
                        http://www.armorama.com/modules/photopost/data/500/277DCP_0841.jpg
                        http://www.armorama.com/modules/photopost/data/500/277DCP_0845.jpg
                        This shows the paint rack in it's current & final place. the bandsaw has since moved out, And a spraybooth has moved in!
                        http://www.armorama.com/modules/photopost/data/500/277DCP_0854.jpg

                        HTH

                        Matt
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                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, June 9, 2004 12:50 PM
                        I'm looking at building a workbench myself. One suggestion I have is to incorporate a block of polished granite in the bench. I do some light machine work at home, and I first became familiar with the granite surface plates through that activity. Now I am going to buy another one for my model bench. The accuracy is +/- 0.0001 inch so it's really flat. A 9x12 inch block weighing 30 lbs costs about $15, and an 80 lb 12x18 inch surface plate is only $27! (The shipping may cost more than the block.) Having a flat surface that doesn't flex is a great help for modeling and lots of other building activities.

                        When I get done I hope to have a spray booth at one end of the bench, the granite surface plate at the other, and a plate glass-covered work area in between.
                        Report Abuse
                        Foster7155
                        • Member since
                          July 2003
                        • From: Pensacola, FL
                        Posted by Foster7155 on Wednesday, June 9, 2004 2:45 PM
                        The only suggestion I can make after completing my hobby room six months ago is this: when you think you have enough shelf space planned...DOUBLE IT! I've already filled the shelves as I had originally planned, but failed to properly anticipate room for growth and model display.

                        Robert Foster

                        Pensacola Modeleers

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                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, June 12, 2004 4:39 PM
                        QUOTE: Originally posted by Foster7155

                        The only suggestion I can make after completing my hobby room six months ago is this: when you think you have enough shelf space planned...DOUBLE IT! I've already filled the shelves as I had originally planned, but failed to properly anticipate room for growth and model display.

                        yeah you never can have enough shelf space, im constantly building shelves more my models and equiptment, but when i goto college in a year ill be living at my old house that my parents still own in Portland TN, and there i have a entire garage to put my workspace in, its about 12X 25 all it needs is AC and heat. then i can put all the shelves i want, it all ready has plenty though.
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, June 12, 2004 6:20 PM
                        Guy's,

                        I posted my pics of my work area on the forum, I don't have a garage so I have the spare room of my unit as my work area. I make a few sujestions about paint racks and stuff, any old cabinet with draws or shelves and a few wire baskets make a good tray for storing paint. I got a couple of old paint stands from the hobby shop I worked in, when they were being thrown out. Storage of made up models is another problem, where to put them. I had to buy a couple of second hand display cases, which measured 7' wide x 3' deep x 4' high, only problem is getting glass selves at $150.00 a shelf. I also use two 5' high x 4' wide x 2' deep Libuary shelves to store books and made up models in.

                        Rob.


                        Rob.
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                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Monday, June 14, 2004 5:42 PM
                        The best table area you can have is a piece of granite block I was lucky to bring one home from a contruction job and works graet for everything.
                        Report Abuse
                        Hoser
                        • Member since
                          January 2003
                        • From: Foothills of Colorado
                        Posted by Hoser on Tuesday, June 29, 2004 8:28 PM
                        The 'bench' I have is a used drafting table about 4' wide by 3' deep. Completely adjustible, it's covered with a piece of self-healing 'anti-static' mat I got from the dumpster of an electronics firm.
                        "Trust no one; even those people you know and trust." - Jack S. Margolis
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                        clfesmire
                        • Member since
                          June 2004
                        • From: coastal Maine
                        Posted by clfesmire on Wednesday, June 30, 2004 9:14 PM
                        The current workbenches I have are 30" deep by 24 feet long constructed of 1 x 10 boarding boards. I cover the tops of them with 1/4" lauan plywood and when they get nasty I unscrew the lauan and replace it as it is cheap. One area I have for detailed modelling is 1 1/2" butcher block (I build kitchen cabinets for a living) on it I have an Omnigrid mat. One thing to remember is to make a "backsplash" for those times that you cut a very small whatever from the sprue and it goes flying. The backsplash keeps it in front of you so you don't have to get down on youre hands and knees (very important at my age) to look for it.
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                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Friday, July 2, 2004 7:13 PM
                        Don't forget lots of light, keep the work area well lit.
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                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, July 3, 2004 1:12 AM
                        I have a 4x3 folding table covered in newspaper that I share with my wife (new does stuff I dont understand with yarn). I have a light mounted to one side and folding chair. easy up and easy down. Have my small assortments of painst atools in a multi large tackle box.
                        Now we gonna change things around since she sees how serious I am about this. Gonna take the old bookself that we were gonna toss and make it inot a storage area for me.
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, July 3, 2004 8:53 AM
                        if you got 300 square feet of work space, it seems to me what you need is time to work in it. you can find tips anywhere on work shops, but the best idea is to outfit it the way that is the most comfortable.( also, keep it uncluttered, clean and free of hazards.)
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, July 3, 2004 11:58 AM
                        QUOTE: Originally posted by MusicCity

                        In the "General Modeling" forum there is a thread entitled "Pics Of Workbenches" that has a lot of pictures of benches. You guys might get some good ideas from that. Here is a link to the thread:
                        http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=19301


                        yeah what Scott said........
                        and just make sure everything's within arms reachSmile,Wink, & Grin [swg]
                        Report Abuse
                        Aleksander
                        • Member since
                          January 2003
                        • From: Poland
                        Posted by Aleksander on Sunday, July 4, 2004 6:52 AM
                        I found a cork board, hanging in front of me, very useful - you can pin up plans, photos, pictures or small notes (i.e. what paint or part is needed).

                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, July 4, 2004 1:51 PM
                        A refrigerator, for cold drinks. i can't model without having a soda. and a tv so when your letting you parts dry you could watch a little tv. and snacks you have to have lots of snacks......yum
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, July 25, 2004 10:45 PM
                        My workbench is a solid core door slab layed across two saw horses. It was originally for building R/C planes(nice and flat). The R/C became too expensive and I needed something to do when the weather wasn't great, so I'm getting back into plastic modeling. I have a lot of small clear plastic storage bins for all the little odds and ends. The clear plastic makes it easy to see what's in each one, and like gunney says, lots of light. I hate poor lighting in my workspace(i.e. shadows).
                        Report Abuse
                        drodrig
                        • Member since
                          July 2004
                        • From: west of houston
                        Posted by drodrig on Thursday, July 29, 2004 12:33 AM
                        I am using an old computer desk and added plastic shelves to have some shelves. My compressor sits on the floor connected to a switchable powerstrip. Since i have mine in the garage I keep decals in bags due to the humidity here in south east Texas. I am looking for a small radio to have some tunes going while I am working away.

                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Friday, July 30, 2004 5:03 PM
                        Well I finally got started on it. Gave the table back to my wife and gonna buy myself one. Everything is moved and the space is made for my up coming table and chair.



                        Report Abuse
                        wibhi2
                        • Member since
                          March 2003
                        • From: Brooklyn
                        Posted by wibhi2 on Saturday, July 31, 2004 12:12 AM
                        I work in a 6x12 room. It's a disaster area , not fit for man or beast - partly because I am a pig and pak rat and it's the only room in the house where I am allowed that and the other part is my daughter (who is also a pig and pack rat) has decided she wants bench space right next to her papa.

                        but out of all this, I do have one suggestion for paint storage. Barring that you can not find racks - look for spice racks at . They are great gor storing paint bottles and don't take up much projection space.
                        3d modelling is an option a true mental excercise in frusrtation
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, August 5, 2004 7:52 AM
                        I hope gunney keeps his resin dust out of his snacks...yum. I've blamed my behavior on glue, but maybe its the fixer fumes from my dark room. Hmmm? :)
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, August 5, 2004 11:09 AM
                        Its funny how we modellers are so meticulous with our models, yet such disasters when it comes to keeping our rooms organised and neat... I can't be in my room for more than 10 minutes without having my tools strewn all over the place hahahah...
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, August 5, 2004 11:14 AM
                        Yep......and since (mine's in the bosement and i just replaced some plumbing) It's a even Bigger mess!!!!
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, August 5, 2004 12:13 PM
                        LOL! You could always start building Navy ships! Captain [4:-)]
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                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, August 5, 2004 3:35 PM
                        I have pictures of my "work shop" how can i post the pics? Sign - Dots [#dots]
                        Report Abuse
                        Anonymous
                        • Member since
                          November 2005
                        Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, August 7, 2004 12:54 AM
                        I have cork board backing to pin up stuff, an over hang shelf with the super bright lights i forget what they are called, a spray booth with a big magifine glass light and book cases fill with various books and a lockable cabnet to keep my models safe from others in my house
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