Project for the New Year

[thumsup]

Greeting,

I have started to build some models for my N scale Railroad. What I’m finding is because it takes so long to find my tools, supplies and generally get started I’m getting very little done. So, I’m thinking of building a dedicated work station for all my modeling needs. I have a general idea of the design and would like to get some feed back from you fine folks here on Big Blue.

The specifications

Work bench 48” x 24” about 36” tall ± with drawers down one side (drawing to follow)

A hutch on top of the bench, 36” tall and 6” to 10” deep. With doors covering the upper shelf’s. (drawing to follow)

A magnifying work light and electrical outlet.

Storage for tools and supplies.

Construction material well be determined later to accommodate the design.
Any suggestions or ideas are greatly appreciated.

Happy New Year,

Joe

[nachoman]

A magnifying work light made my modeling much more pleasurable See my review in the product review forum.

Other than that, make sure your work area is comfortable. If you are not comfortable working there, you wind up carrying your tools all over, and losing them If that means installing a TV near your workbench so you can watch football while working, so be it :mrgreen:

[tomustang]

Sounds great so far, can't wait for the sketch I did something similar to your design 48” x 24” X 36” but didn't add a hutch.

[eightyeightfan1]

OK....
Take a picture before you start using it....
Then a couple of months of modeling.You'll still be looking for that tool you need.
I call it "organized chaos".
Well, thats what my workbench looks like.

Just a side story.
Better-Half thought she'd suprise me, by cleaning and organizing my workbench. You know what?
I couldn't find a damn thing!

[BR60103]

I'm using an old desk. I have a regular light (swivel with jointed arm), another with a magnifier, and an Ott light. The first 2 are in mounts screwed to the desk. My most used tools are on the desk surface unless my wife has had a tidying day. I keep a plastic clamshell case with modular plastic trays with a large selection of tools in the (categorized in each tray) that I also take to shows where I'll be demonstrating.
The desk is in the railway room. I have another in the back room with a full tool rack (for the prototype tools) which has a few shelves and lots more plastic trays. And more shelves with modular and non-modular drawer units. Modellers rule #57 1/2: Expandable drawer units will no longer be made in your pattern when you need to expand.

[LynnB]

I try to keep my tools in one area errrrrr room and then I take over the kitchen table when her back is turned.

[thumsup]

Problems posting

[thumsup]

What the hay, problem all week posting from work. Now it's working
Back to topic at hand.

Thanks guys for you input, very good suggestions. Off to tweak the plans so
I can post then.

Later

Joe

[Sumpter250]

make sure your work area is comfortable.

My workbench is in the basement. It is not comfortable, so most of my work is done on the kitchen table (I can get away with that....I live alone.) I am thinking about using an old computer desk as a starting point for a new workbench. The "machine shop", will most likely remain in the basement. The computer desk top measures 32-1/2" X 53". I can add to the "hutch", and I can add drawers as needed. I just have to decide where I will put it.
In the meantime, the kitchen table works just fine!

[thumsup]

make sure your work area is comfortable.

My workbench is in the basement. It is not comfortable, so most of my work is done on the kitchen table (I can get away with that....I live alone.) I am thinking about using an old computer desk as a starting point for a new workbench. The "machine shop", will most likely remain in the basement. The computer desk top measures 32-1/2" X 53". I can add to the "hutch", and I can add drawers as needed. I just have to decide where I will put it.
In the meantime, the kitchen table works just fine!

Same here, but the kitchen table I need for so many other things its consently move stuff off to make room. Then I lose it or break it. Friends tell me it's the OLD guy who lives with me, Huh, I live alone. Oh, I get it. Friends

I'm going to try posting a drawing of the Hutch part of the work station. It's 36" tall by 42" wide and 10" deep, with two doors on the top shelf. Designed to be mounted on the top of the base part.

Joe

[Fluesheet]

I like your design - my storage is all temporary which has advantages and disadvantages. Your dimensions are about perfect - you may want to go a little deeper to allow some along the wall storage for work in progress and the like.

Mine looks something, well exactly like the linked photos below. The work surface is 36" high and 30" deep and 8' long - I use a little more than half, the kids / public user get the remainder (though this is fluid - homework has occasionally occupied every inch!). All of my storage is temporary. The shelf below the main surface gets absolutely no modeling usage - maybe once the kids are in college I can clean that out...



Construction is a single sheet of nicely veneered 3/4" plywood. Don't skimp here - the rough surfaces on cheaper grades are fine for general work, but I've found that a smoother surface is best for my modeling. The supporting structure is a 2x4 lagged into the wall for stability, a 1x4 inset 10" from the front (to allow knee room). The relatively long unsupported surface has a little give if I push hard on it, but it's absolutely fine for the light work it gets. The legs are 1x3's which are bolted to the work surface supports and attached to the concrete via 2" "L" brackets to keep the table from being lifted. The angled supports are again to maximize leg room / minimize toe stubs. The work surface itself has it's corners cut and edges routed (1/2" round) to protect me from the times that I WILL bash my head on it. Lastly, 3 coats of polyurethane to seal the surface and make it the surface easier to maintain.



The table was kind of a shot in the dark when I built it, but has worked out very nicely.

Matt

[AF350]

I am taking the easy way out as I got 2 sets of steel and wood storage shelves For under $35 bucks will use one of them as a workbench to hold a Drill press a vise and any other tool needed to build trains from scratch as well as holding my electronic stuff the other one will be built as normal for storage also will have a small computer lab in same room(small room at that)when I find or build a computer work station that will hold 4 pc's as well as my Apple IIc and the old faithful Ti 99-4a

[thumsup]

Matt, that looks like a very functional work area and well built. Plenty of room for the crew. I'm placeing my work station in my computer/train room so space is at a premium.

I am taking the easy way out as I got 2 sets of steel and wood storage shelves For under $35 bucks will use one of them as a workbench to hold a Drill press a vise and any other tool needed to build trains from scratch as well as holding my electronic stuff the other one will be built as normal for storage also will have a small computer lab in same room(small room at that)when I find or build a computer work station that will hold 4 pc's as well as my Apple IIc and the old faithful Ti 99-4a

Hey AF350, Easy is good. My hobby area is in the house and all my woodworking tools are out in the garage so I don't need the drill press, sanders, saws and the like around the train room. Not to bad of a layout, I do more woodworking than train stuff for now anyway.

So if all works out right the drawing of the completed pair is below without dimensions. Now I have to determine what material to build it out of and the joinery for the actual construction. Pictures of the process to follow later,

Joe