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judith wrote:What is the most important piece of equipment in your studio? Why? judith

Don't forget the computer, internet connection...

and of course, TV, stereo, mini-fridge, VCR, place to hang magnets, candy dish....

Steve

First, I am a complete and total slob, and anything that I can figure out to organize myself, I do: I have magnetic strips over the workbench for tools, buckets over the bench for paint brushes, xacto knives, pens, sharpies, etc. etc., I have bins to sort different colors of scrap, larger bins for scrap clear & black.

Also, I have some physical limitations, namely lousy wrists, so I had to think carefully thru what equipment to buy - for example, ended up with a pressure pot for the sandblaster b/c it has a foot switch - much easier on my hands, saves them for stuff I can't do any other way.

What I wish I had: a vacuum cleaner just for the studio, and a vent to the outside world for firing nasty bits.

a digital camera. just bought one, worth its weight in gold for appeasing Mom ("I never get to see what you're making...!") and maybe it'll come in handy if Brock ever wears a tux again...or if I ever figure out how to post pix to this board.

Cheryl wrote:a digital camera. just bought one, worth its weight in gold for appeasing Mom ("I never get to see what you're making...!") and maybe it'll come in handy if Brock ever wears a tux again...or if I ever figure out how to post pix to this board.

I won't. But I'm sure you'll find other uses for your camera. Brock

I am in the process of converting my garage from a make-shift studio into a full fledge studio, here are some of the things I've done so far. Applied Rustoeleum Expoxy garage floor coating to eliminate the concrete dust. I have four 8-foor double fluorescent lights. I've had two for a several months and am adding two more. My builder has found high quality lights that don't make noise and supposedly last for eight years so I don't jave to worry about changing them frequently. We are replacing all of my mismatched shelving with new matching shelving. I found great shelves at Sam's for less than $54 that hold 750# each. We're installing a 10 foot counter on one wall for all on my power tools. Custom built glass storage with glass cutting area in the same location.

I had to increase the size of the air conditioner which in Texas is very important. I use small space heaters. My small wet tools are in plastic tubs and will be on the counter. I use my larger wet tools outside on the deck.

I've been planning on buying anti-fatique mats. Those of you who have bought the bought the mats Home Depot make me think there may be a much cheaper alternative. Are you really happy with them?

Alecia

Phil Hoppes wrote:Ditto on Marty's comment on lighting. I have lot's of 8' florescent tubes. They work but I hate the flicker and the noise is terrible. I don't know if it is possible but if there is a way to quiet these things down I'd like to know. Can't afford to replace them for the moment. I've tried replacing some of the ballasts but that is pretty much a crap shoot. The one you replace with can be just as noisy if not noiser than what you removed. Florescent tubes also tend to put out a more yellow tone. It is quite noticeable when you take a photograph with them on.

Phil

electronic ballets. they change the 60hz to around 30k hz. your bulbs will last a LOT longer too. i have one on my reef tank, and it doesn't hum at all, and my bulb life goes up 300%.

what about a Hawaiian tuxedo??

Alecia Helton wrote:I've been planning on buying anti-fatique mats. Those of you who have bought the bought the mats Home Depot make me think there may be a much cheaper alternative. Are you really happy with them?

Alecia

cow mats. try a feed store.

Cheryl wrote:what about a Hawaiian tuxedo??

There are certain things that just do not go together, like shrimp ice cream, chocolate beer, (no matter what those Belgiques say), and Florida and fair voting practices, (read Stupid White Men by Michael Moore).

An Hawaiian tuxedo would be high on that list.

Mr. Blackwell

Charlie,

what on earth are "cow mats"?

Alecia

Alecia Helton wrote:Charlie,

what on earth are "cow mats"?

Alecia

You've heard of cow pads? These are bigger. Brock

Alecia Helton wrote:Charlie,

what on earth are "cow mats"?

Alecia

large rubber mats put down in cow stalls.

dags: http://www.loyal-roth.com/Cow_Mats.html

That has to be a joke!

Two things I would suggest:

Two vertical storage systems for glass. One is for whole sheets of glass, the other is for partial sheets (glass in use). I do the same for powder. The reason? It helps keep a control on inventory and it is a huge time saving at the end of the fiscal year when you have to do an inventory of remaining stock.

A portable cutting surface for large sheets. I use a 4ft x 2 ft sheet of MDF board. When work surfaces are cluttered I just lay the board on the floor and cut sheet glass directly on it. When not needed it just slides into a slot behind one of my benches.

The two suggestions others have made that I really agree with are to have separate clean and "not so clean" work areas, and use rubber matting on concrete floors.

Cheers,

Bob

I love the idea of being able to hose out the house on cleaning day but I'm content with being able to do the studio. - haydo

Hmmm .....hosing down the house.


I always thought that homes, especially for people raising young children are designed wrong. When my kids were little the design I always wanted for the eating area was a concrete floor with a slight slope to it. I would have a wood picnic table with the plates nailed to the table. At the lower end of the floor there would be a drain with a garbage disposal in the floor and a hose on a reel on the other end of the room. At the end of a meal all you needed to do was hose off the table, rinse the floor to the corner and flip on the disposal and WALA.....the room would be clean.

SPACE is KEY.... I have almost the whole back of a 2 car garage with lots of storage space under a metal top counter :) Rubber mats under foot for comfort and some warmth. Natural lighing and added Halogens (more warmth) Overhead heaters ! It snowed here last night :0)

Lots of glass too !!!!

Now if I could just get rid of the boyz things- I would have it ALL

Me Kim

Phil-Great idea. Only improvement would be at meals end, hose down everything- including the kids. A little blow drying action could be accomplished with one of those overhead blowers used in car washes(Might have to bungee the little ones down so they don't blow away). This system would have been really useful for my first two!

My solution to a toddlerized kitchen:
three hounds.
they clean everything, including the kid, free of charge.
wouldn't recommend it for the studio.

Phil Hoppes wrote:Hmmm .....hosing down the house.


I always thought that homes, especially for people raising young children are designed wrong. When my kids were little the design I always wanted for the eating area was a concrete floor with a slight slope to it. I would have a wood picnic table with the plates nailed to the table. At the lower end of the floor there would be a drain with a garbage disposal in the floor and a hose on a reel on the other end of the room. At the end of a meal all you needed to do was hose off the table, rinse the floor to the corner and flip on the disposal and WALA.....the room would be clean.

When I lived in Venezuela that's pretty much how we cleaned house. The bathroom had no shower walls and a big drain in the middle of the room, so hosing the room was no problem. We had no wood furniture so we hosed the family room dirt out the front door onto the balcony (where we lived) and hosed that off too. Life was simpler then....

Barbara