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Hey fellas.. My shop area is moving along nicely, walls up, electrical run, and insulated. Next is the vapor barrier, laying the floor down, ceiling in.. then a quick coat of left over white paint for that reflected light. My concern though, is bench layout. I have no experience building guitars yet, so bench layout in a shop dedicated to guitar building worries me. I'll post some pics of basic plans I made to get ideas. I'd like to pick your brains guys/gals and use your knowledge and experience to get my shop done right. You have all done this before, so what would be an unforeseen situation for me, is yesterdays news for you. So folks, if you would, give me some ideas for shop bench layout. The walls in the pics are just how I built them, no shelves yet. Thanks again for your wisdom!


ALSO Should these lights be mounted ON the ceiling instead of IN the ceiling? I worry about how much that will effect the rooms ability to maintain a stable environment with heat/moisture ect. leaving through those spots. If i have a solid ceiling with no holes to accommodate lights and no spots without insulation, seems it would make it more stable (if a bit warmer due to the ballasts inside the room)

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From my brief experience with my new shop, I would go with design #1. Being able to get at a workpiece easily on three sides is an asset, four even more so. However, I would try and make the perimeter bench a little deeper than 24". I thought 30" would be more than enough for my wall bench, now I am wishing I added even another 4-6", but I tend to clutter stuff on there so whatever works for you and your kind of work habits.

Ed

Think counter height for hand planeing...
think counter height for general assembly.
think counter height for detail work.
Small shop...better think how to make solid counter for the planing and then some method of build up or modifying from there.

Plan 1 but ... loose the 42 x 42 and go with a 42 x 20ish ... mobile .., on locking wheels so you can walk around the axe an access it from both sides and ends....or you will find self cursing the nicks and dings from constanly having to flip it around as with a build in counter.



When fussing with nuts and bridges and installing hardware... I use a 10 in high by 10 wide by 4 ft long bench that I can place on top of my main work bench which is 24 x 48 and sits in the center of the room. Really saves the back muscles. This small long bench has marine type tie downs underneath so I can strap the axe to it with inner tubing. So do all of my benches.

Get some carpeting samples from the broadloom stores. Great for saving finishes...and usually they are free.

Oh ya..when you gonna stop fiddlin around and start building?

Icu

Padma

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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For repairs and detail work, I have always had a high bench (41-42") and carpeted it. General assembly at 36", no carpet--and I recommend a melamine surface.

This of course is affected by your height. I'm 5'10". Not like there's a formula.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

Well actually Howard,

there is a formula, but me forgot it.

For detail work...think about your eye balls, their focal length and your back.

For planeing...you wanna have your body mass moving into that plane, so the ideal planeing surface height is usually no higher than your gelly gutton. And no lower than Hara or your second chakara, which is the balance point in the body or about 2 inches below your gelly gutton button. And no it don't matter if its an innie or an outie.


Oh ya..you might wanna put a window between you and the break out room so you can see into the rest of the garage and out the opened garage door. Then there is the sky light but thats a bit over the top. (Kinda punish eh)

Oh and broadloom. Me use an old flipped over Chinese oriental ...nice and warm and soft on the feets.


blessings

Padma

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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Those are good guide lines and I would only add that you should measure with your knees bent. To maintain control when planing you need to drop your chi and bend those legs a bit.

Link

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Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

Padma - The wood is in the mail.
What about the lights? On the ceiling or sunk into them?

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Well they sunk the Bismark...should work on your ceiling too don't you think.
Will look cleaner oh and get some incandescent lights in there as well...like 100W bulbs.

Thanks for the wood...I hope its some form of off shore exotic cuz were me live,
me is surrounded by a gazzillion trees...trees were ever me look,
trees as far as me can see.

next time just send cash.

but thanks,

Padma

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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