boatman
SMF Supporter
YEA Rick he gives me the shivers down me back lolScary looking chap....I'm sure the coppers are after him for something......very "shiffty" if you ask me.
No scary stuff from me....
I share my little room with Rach,(Hers is the make up table BTW!!
)....
However,it has progressed in the last few years,i have to admit mind....
`tis a tiny room,so i have to keep things on a fairly tight leash,otherwise fings get outta hand!!
.....
So then,the bit i share with Rach....
Yep,that`s her dressing table mirror there
,but you gotta give a little eh?!!....
That`s the left hand side... As you can see,it`s a confined space,which has to be kept fairly clear... however,all Stash, Paints/gluing stuff/WIPs and materials are ALL kept in here!
Only exception is the A/B which is out in the garage,(I have Sleep Apnia),and completed models,which are in cabinets downstairs,anyway,tother side of my room......
That`s it really,one thing i would say though,i have several of these paint sets.......
... Yes,they`re a little extravagant i suppose, however,despite the fact that sometimes there are repeater colours,they are VERY useful i find
Anyway,that`s my set up,by no means top drawer,but it suits me... and fits in with " er indoors"!!
Andy
I share my little room with Rach,(Hers is the make up table BTW!!
)....However,it has progressed in the last few years,i have to admit mind....
`tis a tiny room,so i have to keep things on a fairly tight leash,otherwise fings get outta hand!!
.....So then,the bit i share with Rach....
Yep,that`s her dressing table mirror there
,but you gotta give a little eh?!!....That`s the left hand side... As you can see,it`s a confined space,which has to be kept fairly clear... however,all Stash, Paints/gluing stuff/WIPs and materials are ALL kept in here!
Only exception is the A/B which is out in the garage,(I have Sleep Apnia),and completed models,which are in cabinets downstairs,anyway,tother side of my room......
That`s it really,one thing i would say though,i have several of these paint sets.......
... Yes,they`re a little extravagant i suppose, however,despite the fact that sometimes there are repeater colours,they are VERY useful i find
Anyway,that`s my set up,by no means top drawer,but it suits me... and fits in with " er indoors"!!
Andy
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Panzerwrecker
SMF Supporter
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2022
- Messages
- 362
- Points
- 93
- First Name
- Los
My workbench journey has taken almost 15 years and what I would recommend wherever you build, is ensure you have good lighting. It's probably THE most important thing to consider so get the best you can afford. The tabletop overhead LED types are perfect. As for work surfaces a decent table with enough room for your needs is all you need but make sure you’re not hunched over it. Make sure the height works with your chair of choice. Your back will thank you for it.
If you have a dedicated room and you are not averse to a bit of DIY, then you can't really go wrong with the likes of B & Q stuff. Their kitchen cupboard carcasses work great, they have a multitude of door colours and they have adjustable feet. Their kitchen worksurfaces can be easily cut and they offer a multitude of leg types which are again height adjustable. Ikea is another good store and although a few extra pennies might be needed they offer some great stuff. Their wall storage and display cabinets in particular work well. Paint racks are available to buy but again these can easily be made. Bench cutting mats are available easily and you can even get military themed stuff now from some retailers.
I guess it’s all down to whether you buy it or make it yourself and ultimately how much you want to spend.
I started modelling again in around 2008. I started in a room in the house and painted in the garage, but it wasn't conducive with children and pets so after a few months I migrated to the humble shed. Ours was a dodgy lean to on the garage. It was chilly in winter and way too hot in summer and spider webs would be all over stuff the next morning, but it was a space I was happy to work in. It also leaked when it poured, and strategically placed buckets were called for continually. I think once I had spent a few years in the shed I figured it was a hobby I enjoyed enough to start making improvements. I suspended the floor off the cold concrete floor, ripped the leaky flat roof off and built a new gable roof which also made room for MORE STUFF I removed all the gardening tools I had worked alongside and gave the walls a lick of paint. Pics went up, new lighting, shelves, cabinet for the completed builds, homemade paint rack etc. All sourced from wood I already had and from B & Q.. I even treated myself to an oil heater! Now it looked like an actual hobby room.
Don’t laugh at my joinery
I left all my hard work behind in 2015 when I moved across the country and ended up on a small table again for almost two years. This time I was lucky enough to be able to start afresh and could look forward to a new workspace. A friend of a friend had recently started up his own business building bespoke garden rooms. I had him round to get an idea of what he could do for me. I only had a smidge over a 3x2m patch of land to work with so I had to think hard how I could make it work. The humble shed was far bigger at around 4x3m and I soon filled that up, so this needed real planning.
I ended up with a small bespoke room with insulated floors, walls, and roof, UPVC door and windows and plenty of power points. The floor was laminated so the carpet monster was no more! I had reached the mancave big time
Not only that, but I was like a kid in a sweet shop again, pulling all my gear out of storage boxes with half-built kits and projects I had completely forgotten about
The new cave taking shape
All ready to move in
The cave internally has undergone around four major reworks in the last five years as I strive to make it easier to navigate round. I did have a model cabinet but that made way for more working areas pretty quick! A spray booth was put in from the start with outdoor vents built in and unfortunately, due to its size dominates one corner of the cave. As you can imagine a 3x2m space it pretty small, so I really had to hang a whole bunch of stuff off of the walls and insure the worksurfaces comprised not only legs for under bench legroom but also cabinets to house tools and general modelling stuff.
Initial layout
Some funky DIY wallpaint
The cabinets didn't last long. More space required!
More bench space put in. The shelf queens are multyplying
It gets cluttered pretty quick so another rework is planned
During the pandemic lockdown it got a major makeover.
What I have now is individual little workspaces working left to right round the room as work progresses through the build, ending in a small space dedicated to photography. All associated tools are underneath or around each station, so I don’t have to go continually hunting for them. I am a slow builder and always have a multitude of projects on the go. To keep things in a semblance of order part builds, stagnated builds, builds waiting for more stuff' and general shelf queens are stored in those plastic storage boxes that can be stacked. Unfortunately, my procrastination is continually making my little space even smaller!
There are loads of pics of modellers benches online for inspiration. Right through from a happy hobby time at the humble dining room table through to some amazing bespoke hobby room spaces. In fact, I'm pretty sure there is a Facebook group dedicated solely to hobby workspaces now.
Best of luck
Los
If you have a dedicated room and you are not averse to a bit of DIY, then you can't really go wrong with the likes of B & Q stuff. Their kitchen cupboard carcasses work great, they have a multitude of door colours and they have adjustable feet. Their kitchen worksurfaces can be easily cut and they offer a multitude of leg types which are again height adjustable. Ikea is another good store and although a few extra pennies might be needed they offer some great stuff. Their wall storage and display cabinets in particular work well. Paint racks are available to buy but again these can easily be made. Bench cutting mats are available easily and you can even get military themed stuff now from some retailers.
I guess it’s all down to whether you buy it or make it yourself and ultimately how much you want to spend.
I started modelling again in around 2008. I started in a room in the house and painted in the garage, but it wasn't conducive with children and pets so after a few months I migrated to the humble shed. Ours was a dodgy lean to on the garage. It was chilly in winter and way too hot in summer and spider webs would be all over stuff the next morning, but it was a space I was happy to work in. It also leaked when it poured, and strategically placed buckets were called for continually. I think once I had spent a few years in the shed I figured it was a hobby I enjoyed enough to start making improvements. I suspended the floor off the cold concrete floor, ripped the leaky flat roof off and built a new gable roof which also made room for MORE STUFF
I removed all the gardening tools I had worked alongside and gave the walls a lick of paint. Pics went up, new lighting, shelves, cabinet for the completed builds, homemade paint rack etc. All sourced from wood I already had and from B & Q.. I even treated myself to an oil heater! Now it looked like an actual hobby room.Don’t laugh at my joinery
I left all my hard work behind in 2015 when I moved across the country and ended up on a small table again for almost two years. This time I was lucky enough to be able to start afresh and could look forward to a new workspace. A friend of a friend had recently started up his own business building bespoke garden rooms. I had him round to get an idea of what he could do for me. I only had a smidge over a 3x2m patch of land to work with so I had to think hard how I could make it work. The humble shed was far bigger at around 4x3m and I soon filled that up, so this needed real planning.
I ended up with a small bespoke room with insulated floors, walls, and roof, UPVC door and windows and plenty of power points. The floor was laminated so the carpet monster was no more! I had reached the mancave big time
Not only that, but I was like a kid in a sweet shop again, pulling all my gear out of storage boxes with half-built kits and projects I had completely forgotten aboutThe new cave taking shape
All ready to move in
The cave internally has undergone around four major reworks in the last five years as I strive to make it easier to navigate round. I did have a model cabinet but that made way for more working areas pretty quick! A spray booth was put in from the start with outdoor vents built in and unfortunately, due to its size dominates one corner of the cave. As you can imagine a 3x2m space it pretty small, so I really had to hang a whole bunch of stuff off of the walls and insure the worksurfaces comprised not only legs for under bench legroom but also cabinets to house tools and general modelling stuff.
Initial layout
Some funky DIY wallpaint
The cabinets didn't last long. More space required!
More bench space put in. The shelf queens are multyplying
It gets cluttered pretty quick so another rework is planned
During the pandemic lockdown it got a major makeover.
What I have now is individual little workspaces working left to right round the room as work progresses through the build, ending in a small space dedicated to photography. All associated tools are underneath or around each station, so I don’t have to go continually hunting for them. I am a slow builder and always have a multitude of projects on the go. To keep things in a semblance of order part builds, stagnated builds, builds waiting for more stuff' and general shelf queens are stored in those plastic storage boxes that can be stacked. Unfortunately, my procrastination is continually making my little space even smaller!
There are loads of pics of modellers benches online for inspiration. Right through from a happy hobby time at the humble dining room table through to some amazing bespoke hobby room spaces. In fact, I'm pretty sure there is a Facebook group dedicated solely to hobby workspaces now.
Best of luck
Los
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Blimey...
That looks pretty spectacular in its own right!!
Superb set up there Sir...
... Just look at all those paints!!!
That looks pretty spectacular in its own right!!
Superb set up there Sir...
... Just look at all those paints!!!
boatman
SMF Supporter
WOW the work you have done on your man cave is incredible do you hardly ever get to do some modelin lol
as what you have done i could never do all that to me it seems that your hobby is building man cavein lol 
but very well done im impressed
ATB
chrisb mtb ps love your man cave sign sayin BEWARE OF THE WIFE had me in stiches that SWMBO is not that bad is she ?
D
Deleted member 9328
Guest
Dave - I have considered this and decided to re-role a part of my garage and assign my workbench to a modelling bench. Need a stool, lights, etc. Its all coming together well after a major garage sort out and clean on the weekend. Will get pics up of this progressing too if anyone interested.
Taff,
one consideration is - what's it going to be like in winter? With the present cost of energy, you don't want to be adding another heated area...............
Dave
Taff,
one consideration is - what's it going to be like in winter? With the present cost of energy, you don't want to be adding another heated area...............
Dave
My bench is actually an old door that I found in the attic, the desk I got from a local charity was too small, the door is still a touch small but a vast improvement.
Wall hangers and tool tidy are from HobbyZone and I think they're available in the shop, I also have a on desk paint rack as a "ready rack" for whatever the current project is.
The spraybooth is now venting through activated charcoal filters as I am using more lacquers and didn't want to cut through the shed wall. (Though may yet.)
I've also replaced the mat for a larger one since taking this picture.
Wall hangers and tool tidy are from HobbyZone and I think they're available in the shop, I also have a on desk paint rack as a "ready rack" for whatever the current project is.
The spraybooth is now venting through activated charcoal filters as I am using more lacquers and didn't want to cut through the shed wall. (Though may yet.)
I've also replaced the mat for a larger one since taking this picture.
D
Deleted member 9328
Guest
Dave - thanks. Been considering this dilemma so the concept is to have the materials / stock organised in garage and then when I am on a part that I consider to be worked on, move it to the house!
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2018
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- First Name
- Bob
Working on a garage room
It's well insulated so should be nice and warm, if it's too cold got some thermal stuff to wear!
It's well insulated so should be nice and warm, if it's too cold got some thermal stuff to wear!
Remember to get an insulated storage box for the paints, Bob.
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- Bob
Good idea!
Jim R
SMF Supporter
Looks a great place Bob. You'll be able to relax in your own little world.
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- Bob
Only accessible by finger print recognition OR a cake and coffee!!!
I remember your space in the garage, looked good then ( about 5/6 years ago ) Andy .I though you did all your modelling work in there , or has it changed ?No scary stuff from me....
I share my little room with Rach,(Hers is the make up table BTW!!
However,it has progressed in the last few years,i have to admit mind....
`tis a tiny room,so i have to keep things on a fairly tight leash,otherwise fings get outta hand!!
So then,the bit i share with Rach....
View attachment 461241
Yep,that`s her dressing table mirror there
View attachment 461242
View attachment 461243
That`s the left hand side... As you can see,it`s a confined space,which has to be kept fairly clear... however,all Stash, Paints/gluing stuff/WIPs and materials are ALL kept in here!
Only exception is the A/B which is out in the garage,(I have Sleep Apnia),and completed models,which are in cabinets downstairs,anyway,tother side of my room......
View attachment 461244
View attachment 461245
View attachment 461246
That`s it really,one thing i would say though,i have several of these paint sets.......
View attachment 461247
... Yes,they`re a little extravagant i suppose, however,despite the fact that sometimes there are repeater colours,they are VERY useful i find
Anyway,that`s my set up,by no means top drawer,but it suits me... and fits in with " er indoors"!!
Andy
Good memory Mr.Race
Yes,indeed I did then, however,a certain Mrs.Smythe got fed up with me disappearing into said garage/workshop,and suggested me converting the box room
Did that,and happy to be in a better comfort zone.... Although Rach is probably now regretting asking me to do so!!!
D
Deleted member 9328
Guest
Thanks Ian. Are paint compounds greatly affected by tempature changes? Sorry - typical beginners question!!
NO paints like frost. To much heat is not going to do them much good either.
Might even be best to keep the paints in house and take them out as you need them.
Niho
SMF Supporter
My bench of madness lol, with a home made light arch.....
Nick
Nick