Help with design and building a new shop

[jim simmons]

I am going to rebuild my studio and need some advice and help with the construction.

[DonMcClennen]

I'd suggest you start with your local/municipal Building Dept. They can set you on the right course re: permits (what you can and can't do etc.) They also may have standard construction detail sheets and can guide you to the kind and amount of technical assistance you need. Local lumber yards often will recommend various contractors for concrete, framing, plumbing and electrical, etc.
Good luck....studio construction is exiting.

[Marty]

Rebuild how? New construction? Renovate? Just rearrange? What do you need/want?

[rosanna gusler]

put the windows up high to have light but keep good wall space.
what type of construction? how big. come on info info info. we are bored .

[Buttercup]

Jim, have you seen this thread?

http://www.warmglass.com/phpBB/viewtopi ... =2&t=41133

Might help. Jen

[jim simmons]

Yes I have.
Thanks
Jim

Jim, have you seen this thread?

http://www.warmglass.com/phpBB/viewtopi ... =2&t=41133

Might help. Jen

[jim simmons]

Well, here goes.
1 main studio is 30 ft x 20 ft
2 Auxillary space is 18 x 45
The main studio has hot and cold running water.
The auxillary one has cold water

Items include
Skutt 24 inch clam shell
Paragon gl24
Scutt 14 inch bead annealer
12 inch quick fire
A murphy firebucket
a torch working area for Jayne's bead making.

tile saw
12 inch lap wheel
Grinder
8 inch jewelry saw
rock polisher
harbor freight sand blaster
large wet belt sander.

The whole west side of the main studio is sliding patio doors.
no heat no air conditioning

A WHOLE LOT of BE sheet glass
A WHOLE lot of frit
A WHOLE lot of slumping forms.
All of the required hand tools.


This is a converted garage
Thanks
Jim

put the windows up high to have light but keep good wall space.
what type of construction? how big. come on info info info. we are bored .

[Marty]

That's tons of space but you should Insulate and heat for starters.
Kilns and Murphy in the aux. space with exhaust fans, also the sandblaster, ditto the compressor- far away and sound-enclosed (but w/ louvers for air circulation).
All your stuff is small- group the coldwork stuff for plumbing ease and put in a vent hood for the mists. If the coldworking stuff is intrusive to the "thinking" work, move it out of the way, maybe to the aux space (but you should get warm water for it). Put the flamework bench (with a hood) against the wall opposite the windows- you don't need a view when you're doing that.
You can split up your glass storage by type or by usage if you have to. Frits and powders can go anywhere, sheet should take up those nooks and crannies that otherwise would be useless. I've got transparent sheets in one place, opal sheet in another and frits/powders/stringer in another. Non-fusible is elsewhere.
Molds can go on wheeled wire racks so you can reconfigure as needed. I'm partial to the library stack layout- takes up floor space but spares the walls.
Don't lock yourself in to fixed tables if you can avoid it- varying height tables with locking casters will give you flexibility for future projects and different work habits or tasks.
Carts are a good thing- unload the kiln on one, wheel it to the grinder etc., wheel it to the blaster.......

Lots of light. Warm fluorescents all over, spots and narrow floods for task. Electricity readily available- you don't want to have to move stuff to get to an outlet and you don't want snakes of extension cords all over the place.

If you end up with blank walls (across from the patio doors), consider hanging sheets of mirror to multiply the light and give you an expanded sense of space. It may be disconcerting at first but you'll quickly get used to it and appreciate it. Even wide strips of mirror up high on the wall will help.

Maybe you need to fly me out there to help..........

edit: bakery racks (also on wheels) for kiln shelves, big molds, works in progress. And flat files under the work tables.

[jim simmons]

Thank you so much, Marty.
It will give me a lot to think about.
Jim

[Brock]

Beer fridge . . .

[jim simmons]

Draught or bottles (No cans)

Beer fridge . . .

[Brock]

I agree, no cans. You're in microbrewery heaven, whatever works for you.

[Haydo]

Brock, never fails to deliver the best advice.

peace, haydo

[Buttercup]

Here's a really neat, easy modification to a light table, especially for a small space:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/A-UNIQUE-DRA ... SS:AU:3160

If you want to tilt it you'd better leave the top shelf empty!

This is on eBay Australia so won't be live for long but it's worth a look. Jen

[Babette (Shawn)]

Wired for speakers/sound system. Music can be a great inspiration.

[lbailey]

I agree with Babette, music is a must. It's wonderful to dabble while humming/singing.

I just finished converting our garage into a dedicated glass shop (can't bring myself to call it a studio, studios are for artists). After months of fooling around with the planned layout I ended up putting suitable air, water and power on all walls so that I could change it later. I did pull 220 vac to only 2 walls so the kilns are going to be on one side of the room or the other. My cutting table already had wheels and everything else added has wheels now, work tables, tile saw, sand blaster, WBS. Don't have wheels on the kilns but may add them to the small one. I like the way the bigger one is leveled now.

I plumbed drains to the back of the property so waste water from the cold working tools leave the building. If building new I would have a floor drain for the splashes/spills and wash up and a dedicated wet work table with a drain. Just ran out of room for that. Compressor for the the sand blaster is in a separate building in the back, air plumbed to the shop. Added a double sink with counters on either side, heated and cooled now.

My primary suggestion is to liberally add extra air, water and power so you can change the layout later (and you know you will).

[Marty]

Wet work table- I've got plastic darkroom sinks, one 4' and one 6'. Cheap from B&H photo in NY (among other places). Gleco traps on both. This too: http://www.acitydiscount.com/Krowne-Met ... 18.1.1.htm

[jim simmons]

Cough,cough,cough. A little steep for my budget :>)

Wet work table- I've got plastic darkroom sinks, one 4' and one 6'. Cheap from B&H photo in NY (among other places). Gleco traps on both. This too: http://www.acitydiscount.com/Krowne-Met ... 18.1.1.htm

[Marty]

All that stuff could be homemade or scrounged- build sinks out of plywood lined with fiberglass and polyurethane, try scrap yards or used restaurant supply houses for the rest.
It all depends on how we decide to spend our time.

[Haydo]

Don't know whether you got to suffer those boxy shower cubicles with the enameled trays. I got one from a metal scrap dealer years ago and would love to get a second one later. Have it plumbed to drain into the wild garden as it's outdoors under the carport roof which is a luxury that I appreciate. peace, haydo