Building A Model Workshop

Hi guys! as you probably know i havent been around here long,from my previous posts i mentioned that i was in the process of getting out of a 2 year lay off from building models, seeing the work that a lot of talented people here do i was bitten by the bug again.

I also mentioned that i was in the process of rebuilding my workshop since its been neglected and turned into a dumping ground for junk in the past 2 years. I had to re evaluate my working space, as you can see from the photos below, my work bench was small and narrow. after doing so i listed what i though i needed.

1.Large Workbench: I needed to be able to work on a model with plenty of space, large enough that i can just walk away from a project without having to worry about loosing bits

2.Storage: My previous setup didnt have any storage except for a couple of shelves to keep my unbuilt kits,which really wasnt sufficient to do the job

3.Lighting: I had one lamp and that was it, so working late nights was hard on the eyes.

4.Functionality: I wanted to design it so that all my tools and paints are within arms reach, being organised enough that i can find things.

5.Comfort: Previuosly i had a rickety old chair bad space management,also needed a bit of entertainment to keep me occupied when mind starts to wander or wating for things to dry.

Here are some before shots, as you can see its a mess with a small table,bad lighting and no storage
http://www.modelautosports.com/images/pics/before1.jpg

http://www.modelautosports.com/images/pics/before3.jpg

http://www.modelautosports.com/images/pics/before4.jpg

I thought of an L shape design for my bench which made use of the space available,it is constructed from Recycled Marine Plywood, this stuff is awesome!!! it was dynabolted into the brick work so its solid as a rock,its now masked and ready to be painted in a Hammered Metalic Gray paint, its durable enoght to be relatively scractch resistant, plus it looks cool
http://www.modelautosports.com/images/pics/bench01.jpg

http://www.modelautosports.com/images/pics/bench02.jpg

Below is the finished worshop with new bench,revised lighting,new storage racks,shelves,organisers.also a TV to keep me sane while waiting for the paint to dry,
http://www.modelautosports.com/images/pics/bench03.jpg

http://www.modelautosports.com/images/pics/bench04.jpg

http://www.modelautosports.com/images/pics/bench06.jpg

Overhead shelving to keep my unbuilt kits
http://www.modelautosports.com/images/pics/bench07.jpg

http://www.modelautosports.com/images/pics/bench08.jpg

This shot shows my new chair and a shot of some of my storage racks below which can be wheeled in and out.
http://www.modelautosports.com/images/pics/bench09.jpg

All in all materials cost me around $80.00AU since a lot of the wood was recycled, most expensive thing was probably my leather arm chair which cost me $250.00AU lucky enough i got this thing half price since it was floor stock and they thought that the recliner was broken, but i manage to fix the mechanism and its good as new.anyway i thought i would share this little project with you guys.

cool work shop..

i see u got a life-time stock of models.. i wish that i would have soo many models too.

I saw a lot of oop kits in the middle rack.

http://www.modelautosports.com/images/pics/bench08.jpg

Looks good!
I wish you the best on keeping it that way!
I spent a couple of hours cleaning out my area last weekend, and realized that a couple of days wouldn't make much of a dent in the clutter. With almost all of the Motorsports dormant for the winter I really should spend that time between cleaning and building! lol
:p

looks very good, very well organised

That's a great space

now if i can get my room to look like that....

Looks great dude. I wish I had that many models.

looks like you're also into RC cars as well. Right ON!

Looks 1000X better!!! Great Job!

Whats that Red Chassis?!?!?! And can I have it?!?!

looks like you're also into RC cars as well. Right ON!

Yeah i also race 1/10 electric and nitro touring cars so i have to keep twice as much equipment on such a limited space,i have no choice but to keep it organised otherwise it would be chaos. the design of this bench was an L shape so that i can work on both sides either making kits or working on my RC cars.

Looks 1000X better!!! Great Job!

Whats that Red Chassis?!?!?! And can I have it?!?!

That chasis is a trinity evolution, which i sold on ebay a while back, that thing was a missile!! that would easily do 80+ on 8 cells. i originally had a Nascar body on it.

nice workspace, I like what you've done with the space you have, now if only I could do the same with mine!,
BTW I really like that Blue RC car in the last pic, what type of car is that, i dont really no to much about RC's but i'd love to get into it. It looks alot like the one that was in that Drifting RC video that was posted a few days ago, that would that be you?

nice workspace, I like what you've done with the space you have, now if only I could do the same with mine!,
BTW I really like that Blue RC car in the last pic, what type of car is that, i dont really no to much about RC's but i'd love to get into it. It looks alot like the one that was in that Drifting RC video that was posted a few days ago, that would that be you?


That is a blue S15 Sylvia GT, funny that you said that, im actually setting that up as a drift car,it wasnt me in that video :) , it runs a .15 size nitro engine equipped with a 2 speed transmission,carbon chassis,alloy shocks etc.. i know my RC cars very well so if you need any help just drop me a line, its always difficult getting started since there is so much available in the market.

question: In the 3rd pic; it shows 2 stacks of old model boxes/kits; from what i can see are monogram 70 chevelle, amt 7X Camaro, and AMT Nova. What kit is that beige mustang below the Nova?

question: In the 3rd pic; it shows 2 stacks of old model boxes/kits; from what i can see are monogram 70 chevelle, amt 7X Camaro, and AMT Nova. What kit is that beige mustang below the Nova?

wow you have a good eye!If my memory serves me right that would have been an old jo-han kit,which since i sold on ebay a few months ago..

you have a pm snk33y

I know all about lay-offs. I started modelling in March, bought something like 6 kits with photoetched parts, a compressor and an Airbrush, and threw it all in about July without ever finishing a kit. I expected my kits to look too good too soon, and basically got frustrated. I'm hoping to try and start up again sometime, but I don't know if I will or not.

I know all about lay-offs. I started modelling in March, bought something like 6 kits with photoetched parts, a compressor and an Airbrush, and threw it all in about July without ever finishing a kit. I expected my kits to look too good too soon, and basically got frustrated. I'm hoping to try and start up again sometime, but I don't know if I will or not.

i think its easy to get burned out doing models especially if things go wrong, however if you finish 1 good model dont be surprised if you suddenly crank out 3 models right after that one. at the moment it feels great being back in the swing of things, finding this discussion board helped me a lot to get motivated again. i think if i were you i would make a kit that doesnt require too much work eg no photo etched parts and just a curbside model, fujimi kits are a good example. thats what i did i quickly built an MR2 and now im in the process of building an EVOIII once i complete these i will take on bigger projects which im currently planning, dont give up on it just take a bit of a break, i guess i cant talk since mine took 2 years to get me building again.

Yeah, I had to take a break from building models after putting together a 1/4 scale Revell small block V-8 engine. It was for my science project, and took me all summer and pretty much the entire fall semester during 9th grade, I believe. I finished it, but I was so exhausted from building models. I got back into it couple of summers ago, and I wish I had never taken a break. Building the model engine helped me to get a lot better, too. I even bought another one of the V-8 models about a month ago to try and make it better than the first one.

nice lookin setup. you may have just inspired me to do a good cleaning re-arranging!

i think its easy to get burned out doing models especially if things go wrong, however if you finish 1 good model dont be surprised if you suddenly crank out 3 models right after that one. at the moment it feels great being back in the swing of things, finding this discussion board helped me a lot to get motivated again. i think if i were you i would make a kit that doesnt require too much work eg no photo etched parts and just a curbside model, fujimi kits are a good example. thats what i did i quickly built an MR2 and now im in the process of building an EVOIII once i complete these i will take on bigger projects which im currently planning, dont give up on it just take a bit of a break, i guess i cant talk since mine took 2 years to get me building again.

I know that if I finish one I'll be fine afterwards, that's why I convinced myself into not selling my airbrush and kits. Even if I don't start making them again untill I'm retired, I'll be glad I saved everything.

I had a brake from the more complicated Tamiya F40 and went out and bought myself a Tamiya Skyline, which is only half made :p I think having to mask things off and paint, then all the clean-up put me off mostly. I'm sure I'll get back into it one day, it's just a matter of when.

CRAZY CRAZY CRAZY NUTS NUTS NUTS..

and I thought I was the only one who buys models so that ONEDAY I'll get around to build them... :biggrin:

nice lookin setup. you may have just inspired me to do a good cleaning re-arranging!

its usually not that clean when im working on something, but since im into plastic models and radio control cars i have to keep it somewhat organised otherwise i just cant find anything :smile:

Sometimes i walk in there and think OMG! when am i ever going to finish all these models, what you see there is actually just half of what i actually own, i have a few more aircraft and armour models in my attic, years ago i built a lot more aircraft but since then my taste in models have changed to cars.i just cant stop buying kits. :screwy: