"Enjoying" your workshop?

[OT Dean]

I recently bought a new magnifying arm lamp to replace my old one and finally got back to work after weeks of inactivity due to an unusually humid summer.  (You might think Duluth, MN, being on the northwestern end of Lake Superior, summers would always be humid, but I’ve lived here through 26 of ‘em and this one seems to have been exceptionally so.)   My new lamp has given me a sort of shot in the arm, modeling-wise, a welcome improvement to an already pleasant place to work.

 

The workshop is defined as a place to work (often a “4-letter word”).  But there are different kinds of work, right?  Also, I’ve heard it said that if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life, which should apply to your workshop.  I try to enjoy myself in the workshop, and part of that enjoyment is having a pleasant place in which to work.  I’ve had projects that turned into pure drudgery, but I’ve been lucky for the last couple of decades, gradually adding tools to make work easier and trying to keep things organized to avoid frustration, which can kill the mood in a hurry.

 

Right around the turn of the new century, I had another of those episodes that disprove that old saw about old dogs and new tricks (the last one was when I bought my first computer at 47 and was soon writing batch files to make it easier to use).  I had previously used a huge old kneehole desk with very long drawers and a pullout writing board above each drawer column.  I’d found these so handy for work that I’d incorporated it in my new purpose-built 24x48 workbench.  But once more found myself frustrated by having to stop work to hunt down tools I’d just set down.  Yes, friends, I once again proved that age doesn’t matter when it comes to learning: I bought a tool caddy from Micro-Mark—after first checking to see if my LHS had one—and trained myself to put tools back in their receptacles any time I don’t plan to pick it back up.  I still occasionally find tools accumulating on the pullout and adjacent workbench and stick ‘em back where they belong.

 

One of my earliest purchases, at the suggestion of my older brother, my mentor, was a little 12-drawer parts cabinet, with a steel carcass and clear plastic drawers.  It served me well for over thirty years, until I went back into o scale in the early ‘90s.  With failing eyes and figuring I’d never again have a model railroad, I decided to build old-time locos and cars for display—and my own satisfaction.  When building a new 2x4’ workbench, I remembered the problem I’d had with the parts cabinet resting on the back of the workbench: the inevitable junk that accumulates in front of it made it difficult to pull out the bottom drawers.  I decided to put a foundation under the three feet of cabinets of O scale parts—and I highly recommend it!  I used 1x2s on edge, screwed to the bench top with long drywall screws (how’d we ever get along before them?).

 

I’m sure some of you older guys also have suggestions for the newer guys on how to make their workshops more enjoyable; let’s hear from you!  Meanwhile, I’m enjoying myself—Back in My Workshop Again!

 

Deano

[gmpullman]

I'm glad to hear you're enjoying your workbench (maybe it should be renamed to your "creative space" or something other than that four-letter word) Deano.

My "creative space" is more like something that envelops me, like a womb, and on some days — when conditions are right — I can spend hours surrounded by the scent of fresh styrene, Labelle oil and hot solder and flux with all the tools-of-the-trade at hand, an old Bogart or Gary Cooper movie on the big screen and, depending on the time of day, a nice cold beverage nearby 

It is one of the best forms of therapy for me and I cannot believe how fast the hours pass when I'm in the chair and being creative... or if my attention span is not there, I'll reach for a car kit so that I can still be productive but not have to put too much brain-power into the process.

One of my recent "improvements" to my space was to install a few magnetic tool holder strips within easy reach. I have them on the front edge of a shelf and I can reach up and grab the tool I need and I don't have to paw around the bench to look for it.

http://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Duty-Magnetic-Tool-Organizer-Racks/dp/B009038ZY6

There are others available but these were good for me.

Happy Modeling! Ed

[farrellaa]

Deano,

I recently upgraded the storage area on my workbench (one of them!) to make finding and having easy, convient access to the scratch building supplies. I added stroage trays for sheet styrene and slide out bins for strip and shapes. This alone has made vast improvement in my 'relaxation' while building or modifying a model. It just takes a little imagination and use of 'on hand' supplies to pull it all together. I did a similar thing with my acrylic paint bottles, but just didn't make it big enough; that will be another project.

   -Bob

[NittanyLion]

I use a relatively cheap Ikea desk as a workbench.  It has a bolt-on shelf that hovers above the work surface, as place to stick the work light and other things, and a two shelf bookcase-thing in place of two of the legs.  Its some sort of metric nightmare that approaches 29 inches by 58 inches or something.

Its cheap and semi-disposable!

[Southgate]

Can't have too much workspace!  And can't be too organized.

Heres a look in the door of my layout room-shop. Layout is above, below it is mostly work space.

Looking a little to thje right of the room:

This big ol desk is a recent acquisition (free!). It and the one next to it have materials and such organized in the drawers.  Most tools are in the cabinets above, but the most handy ones are in that little organizer; exacto knives small files, tweezers, etc.

Further down is machine shop stuff, the lathe is on a desk my late dad had from my earliest memory. More tools and materials in it's drawers.

Back in the right corner is soldering station and parts storage table top is a hollow core door. That big cabinet on the floor is storage for projects, and some machining tools. On top of it is kits and little projects.

Another workbench, made from a heavier door, has a big section of removable scenery on it. Easier to work on it down here, then set it in place. Note more tool storage under it. Also, I found some apple boxes that are more flat than tall to store materials and projects in. Way easier to access the contents than deeper boxes

Finally, a 1/25 diorama shares some space here too. The bed gets used occasionally when we have company, it pulls out.

This work space under the layout has developed over a period of time. The good thing what ever you do: have a place for everything, and keep everything in it's place. Like Bob's nice pictures above, being organized is huge! I spend a lot of time out here and have to keep it nice for my own sanity. Yes, I get messy and it gets out of hand, but I always clean up, regroup and start in again.

[BRAKIE]

All the  years I've spent in the hobby my enjoyable work "bench" has been a student desk with drawers to keep my bigger tools and paint in,a small part organizer I use to storing small parts and  a large plastic storage box full of Athearn BB boxes that is filled with  cannibalized locomotive and freight car parts.

I keep my modeling tools in a medium size tool box.

[angelob6660]

My work bench back in the day was a desk with a three way lamp on the left side and a cup of tools on the right side. Its basic and simple. 

Now that desk has been converted into another organization place for my Kato passenger set cars, auto racks, and maxi well cars.

[rrebell]

What I have found handy is cork  bulletin boards on the back of doors and any unused space, doors are covered in them and I pushpin packages of styrene strips in order on the back, real orginized. Use another for strip wood etc.

[BroadwayLion]

Workbench of LION

ROAR

[joe323]

My workbench  is being disassembled as I type since the Stapleton yard last part of the SIW is being boxed up and underneath it was my bench.  However once the remodeling  is done I will finally have a workbench free from my wife's  encroachments I hope. 

[-E-C-Mills]

When its picked up it looks like this...

I got a new tool box for my birthday!  (and cleaned up the bench to reorganize the tools and other junk)

New Tool Box

by Eric Miller, on Flickr

[dstarr]

Been doing some upgrading to my shop as well.  Repainted the floor. You may notice that I hadn't removed the masking tape from the new storage shelves when I took the picture.  Went to an estate auction of a model railroader and came back with a buncha stuff, parts, rolling stock structures.  I built the shelves next to the door to hold the new stuff and my old stuff which had been scattered about the shop in various places. 

[hon30critter]

Hey Deano!

I really like my workbench setup. Everything is within reach. I built the workbench out of masonite, plywood, 2x4s and 1x2s. It sits next to my computer desk and is the same height so, if need be, I can set up a 10' test track across the two surfaces.

The workbench is deep enough to allow a tool organizer to sit along the back with enough space for a medium size cutting board in front. There is also lots of storage space at the back of the workbench beside the tool rack for boxes containing all of my current projects and most of my locomotives. Above the tool organizer are three shelves which hold rolling stock, structures, vehicles etc. The edge of the bench is built so I can clamp my vise to it as needed. I installed an electrical outlet box with three outlets on the front right side. The box has a master shut off switch so when the switch is flipped all 120 volt items are off including the lighting. No chance of leaving a soldering iron, power pack or the DCC system on overnight.

In addition to the workbench I have four plastic storage drawer units. Two of them have larger drawers and they sit under the workbench. The other two have smaller drawers and they sit on either side of my chair facing towards me. The units contain all of the parts, materials and paints that I have. As I said, everything is within easy reach.

Here are a couple of pictures. It looks worse than it is:

Dave

["JaBear"]

Currently my work bench is the end of the dining room table which is good,

1) because of the open plan I’m close enough to the fire,

2)I can listen to the stereo  if I’m in the mood,or pay as much attention to what’s on the TV as I like,

3) if I get home first I can work on a project while I cook tea,

4) the ranchslider door provides a lot of natural light,

5) I can conVerse with her-in-doors,

6) and most importantly, because I quite like domestic bliss I keep the “Bench” far more tidy than I would downstairs in the basement.

 Cheers, the Bear.

[dknelson]

A messy workspace is, I think, a disincentive to begin a project.  I like to keep it neat and start a project while it is neat, but all too quickly my bench ends up looking more like Lion's.  When I eventually clean it up lo and behold I am newly motivated.  

Dave Nelson