Developing a new modelling room

[BarryW]

I have signed contracts and am awaiting exchange on my new flat.

Hopefully I will have the keys within a couple of weeks and then I will have to decide which of two double sized bedrooms will be used as my modelling room.

People do take a lot of interest, judging from various forums, in modelling spaces and I certainly love seeing where others indulge their hobby whether large or small.

Getting that room sorted will be an equal priority to the new bathroom and fitted kitchen I will want.

So I thought I would have a thread showing the development of this ‘man-cave’ designed specifically for building models. In this I will share my thoughts and plans and I would welcome any ideas or inspiration you might have to help the process. Maybe we can all get ideas and tips from this, whether you are lucky enough to be able to what I am able to do,
or have to make do with a lot less.

So what do the two bedrooms in question look like. No photos yet as I don’t have access but I have drawn up a plan of each of the two rooms and entered some rough measurements.

The first room below is a little larger than the other.

The entrance and door swing is ‘recessed’ top right. Top left is a built in wardrobe door with its swing. There is a window on both the other walls. I have given a little thought to the positioning of build and spray areas marking them on the plan. I will want room for a bed-sofa as well and I have marked that position.

The other is slightly smaller.

The entrance is bottom left with the built in wardrobe door to the left. There is only one window on the opposite wall to the door. I suspect that this is the most likely room that I will use and have given more thought to the lay-out, as you can see.

Both rooms have pros and cons and I won’t decide on which until I can get in there with a tape measure. I suspect that I will get more shelf space out of the smaller room due to there only being one window and the door/cupboard lay-out. A lot of shelf space is important simply because I build in a large scale. On the other hand the other room, with two windows, will provide more natural light and I will be doing most of my modelling in future during the daytime period.

I will post pictures of both rooms and give my decision once I am in and have access.

I am planning to get a carpenter to install bespoke bench and spray areas in the process so there will be a bit of design involved there. I will also want to make life as easy as possible in limiting the activities of a carpet monster. Lots to work on and decide. It will be a fun few weeks ahead.

 

[Tim Marlow]

I have my own largish room and from my experience I would suggest this….
Work with your bench set up side on to the window. This maximises the light you get without dazzling you if it’s south facing. It also enables you to look away out of the window for a couple of minutes to refocus your eyes and reduce eye strain. I think that’s what you’ve drawn in the second picture but I could be wrong
You can never have enough shelf or cupboard storage space. The space above, or in drawers next to the bench, is the best place for the most used tools.
A dedicated finishing bench is also useful if it fits because you can keep the worst of the build dust off it, leading to cleaner finishes.
I have managed to set up my desk top computer screen between my two desks and it is fitted with an adjustable wall mounted support. This means it doesn’t take up desktop real estate and I can swivel the screen to be seen from whichever desk needs the reference pictures.
My light is adjustable, and again is mounted off the desktop, from one of the shelves, to preserve working area.
Give some thought to electrical sockets. You can never have enough of them either….and one fitted with a USB charge port is very handy.

 

[wotan]

Not from a modelling room but from other workshops, I would suggest looking at self contained cabinets mounted on wheels that can be moved around the room as and when you need them. A cabinet full of paints, another full of tools etc etc. This will enable you to configure a work area with everything that you need at hand which can then be repositioned for the next job.

John

 

[Tim Marlow]

A good quality chair on wheels with arms and lumbar support is also a good buy. We sit in it each time we use the room after all……

 

[spanner570]

...a beer cooler full of real Ale. Not too cold though! Unless you drink that awful lager stuff.....

 

[Tim Marlow]

...a beer cooler full of real Ale. Not too cold though! Unless you drink that awful lager stuff.....

Surely that lives in the garage Ron…..

 

[therapy]

I'll follow along Barry. Being able to design one's own dedicated space with few compromises is a real luxury.

I'm lucky enough to be able to use the smallest bedroom, though it's a shared space which doubles up as the larder amongst other things. All airbrushing requires me to head down the end of the garden and into the workshop.

I've got a window next to my workspace in the little room and a pleasant enough view, but it does lead to a fair bit of gazing out and daydreaming.....

Nick

 

[Gern]

Surely that lives in the garage Ron…..

'oo on Earth wants to walk all that way to get a beer!? Should be within arm's reach!

 

[Jim R]

Looks to be fun and a great opportunity to 'get it right'. As Tim says enough sockets in the right place is important. I didn't plan carefully enough and so have too many extension cables. Works ok but untidy. Get the chair before you decide on the height of the work surface. It's not just the seat and bench height but also the seat to floor distance so that your legs are comfortable. I'm lucky to have a spray booth and a photo booth permanently set up which is a bonus.
Very exciting for you. I shall enjoy seeing how it develops.
Jim

 

[Airborne01]

...a beer cooler full of real Ale. Not too cold though! Unless you drink that awful lager stuff.....

Lager? Come on people - this is an intelligent forum ...!

 

[What?]

Enjoy having that one room just for you. I got to do that a year or so ago and it's great.

 

[JR]

Looks to be fun and a great opportunity to 'get it right'. As Tim says enough sockets in the right place is important. I didn't plan carefully enough and so have too many extension cables. Works ok but untidy. Get the chair before you decide on the height of the work surface. It's not just the seat and bench height but also the seat to floor distance so that your legs are comfortable. I'm lucky to have a spray booth and a photo booth permanently set up which is a bonus.
Very exciting for you. I shall enjoy seeing how it develops.
Jim

My God, Jim , did I read the word " untidy " . That has given me a little hope for another application.

Excuse us for this Barry.

 

[JR]

I love my cave, but consider the size as well Dave. Each time I moved to bigger workshops I soon ran out of room !
This time my cave is about right, apart from not enough room for storage of my dios.
Sockets very true , plenty of double , I have 4 doubles now and at times use every one.
Tim's post just about covers everything.

 

[BarryW]

A quick update. I have just exchanged contracts and we are completing next Tuesday 24th when I will have access and one of the jobs will be to decide on which room.

 

[Deleted member 5496]

My view on work area Barry. My philosophy is all that I use is in reach without dashing out of my chair. All this my idea apologies if I have stepped on toes.

I would not set up my work bench near a window. You have in doing that

1 Completely ruined, could be called knackered, yourself for shelves on the wall to be able to reach direct
from your seat.

2. You need controlled light & light thro. a window is most uncontrolled. A blank wall where you
can have daylight LED lighting

3. When model making you are not looking out of a window. If I need a rest I go & look out the window & stretch legs.

4. Window open dust flies in over work top.

Also see so many with paint storage on the work area all taking up space. I choose paints from a separate
storage area. On average probably about 10 pots a kit.

Best worktop a kitchen work top thick & steady. Mine is on adjustable round legs

Shelves are just B & Q white Conti on wall post & bracket system giving easy adjustment.

This is mine. Old pictures a few changes since then. With me never ending changes.
Retirement after 50 years in architecture does not stop streaming ideas flowing (unfortunately sometimes)

My window is to the left of the paint unit to give ease of access for the vent ducting.

I am just surrounded by all that I have ever built. Would have liked a bit more finesse but living in a flat
now makes it difficult to build with out the garage & tools I used to have. But I am happy.

Apologies for spelling & words incorrect. One day I will check what I have written. But until that day

Laurie

 

[BarryW]

Thanks Laurie. You have some great displays and a nice workspace.

You make a good point about a window and dust but you do need good ventilation so there is a balance.

I am planning a large enough build area to give me plenty of build space with my HobbyZone modules surrounding it. I will have a spraying area separate away from my build area. I will have to vent through the window, which will need to be open a crack while I spray. I will minimise blown on dust by how I position the booth and I will vacuum regularly, certainly before I spray.

In theory I am fortunate in that I will have fresh sea air relatively free from dust and pollen. I say in theory because there is a fair bit of development going on in the Port currently (that will actually benefit me!) so I do expect some dust from that. There is the main access road to the Docks nearby but that is the opposite side and not right up close so any pollution from that should not be blown in and, anyway, prevailing winds tend to be from the sea.

As for light, you are correct but I will make sure I have plenty of task lighting in the right positions.

Been busy ordering broadband today and have been looking at options to buy an ‘off the shelf’ workbench solution rather than book a carpenter and wait for him. It does look as if there is a good option. No decisions on that yet as I will need to check measurements ‘in situ’.

 

[BarryW]

To give a better idea of what I am aiming at here is a picture of what I had in my garage.



You can see that the overall ‘internal’ width between inner Hobbyzone modules is 120cm, each module being 30 cm wide, the corner modules then give an extra 15cm each side of the three centre modules.

The depth of the workspace is important as well of course and the picture gives you an idea of what that is, without measuring it looks like about 50cm or so. I found that this amount of space is enough for large scale aircraft. I also intend to still have a turn to my right., as now and of a similar or even larger size as a useful space to place components during a build.

That means that overall I want a bench of at least 160cm wide (a bit extra to allow light fittings). A depth of at least 70cm as well is needed.

For scale you can see my A2 cutting mat on the bench which is around 60cm wide and about 42cm deep.

For the spraying area I want a little more space than you can see in the photo. Currently being right next to where I sand models is not the best of arrangements, convenient as it is. I am a bit more flexible about how big that area will be.

That gives you some idea of what I am after.

I have found on-line an L shaped office desk lay-out of the right size for the bench that may do the job. It’s a lot cheaper than getting a carpenter in, quicker too. We will see.

 

[Deleted member 5496]

Very nice Barry. You are neater than I am mine is a bit rugged.

Window, mine is at the end of the room, the work top the other with
the spray booth shielding the work top. I do however every morning
dust down with a window spray which keeps it near 100% dust free.

Builders. Leading a group of residents. Complained to the Contractor,
building 400 flats opposite, we getting excessive from the dust from
the works.

Answer from French Contractor.
"If you will live close to the sea (50yds away) you can expect a lot of dust"
I sent him a present of one of our Jersey fish species a large Spider Crab.
apparently they are short of them.

With a 3000 mile fetch west to the Americas I suppose a lot of dust can
be collected by the wind on it's way to Jersey.

Bizarre, Barry, I believe you will also be subject to dust from your French
Neighbours across the Channel

Laurie

 

[BarryW]

Like I said, Laurie, in theory. It has to be cleaner than being in the middle of a town though!

 

[Deleted member 5496]

Like I said, Laurie, in theory. It has to be cleaner than being in the middle of a town though!

If it is windy I pull down the venetian blinds (£8 each plastic B & Q)
Turn the blades partially up not reducing light. They will collect
for you the dust .