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The latest incarnation of Dave's workzone! Amazing to see!

Thanks Guys! I really appreciate the feedback! I've been thinking about this for over a year!!


I had bought an extra 2'x4' top board, so I used the leftover lumber from my load, and it turns out was JUST enough to build an additonal return bench.

You may remember me leveling the top of the baseboard, that was because this poured concrete floor is not level. I wish I'd remembered that, as a result, the legs of this bench are cut exactly to the same length as the other legs, but the dip in the floor required me to shim it up. I'll need to trim these to the size of the leg

I keep coming back to the thought that since the walls from here on out are concrete, so I should have everything as freestanding as possible. At first glance you might ask "Well Dave, why not use that for your painting bench?" Well I could, but I'm thinking of another corner apparatus on the other side of the room for painting and a spray booth under the hole to the crawlspace (for ventillation ) Logically, what do I need to the right of me while modeling? Bitz storage! I'm thinking shelves attached to the back of this bench to hold bitz boxes! Whaddya think?

However, after sitting and thinking, I've come up with all these grandiose ideas about building a matching titan of a painting bench on the other wall, but consider this scenario....

I've just built something, and I want to paint it.....do I really want to roll my chair 8-10 feet every time? Perhaps this IS the painting bench?

Even if I build a wall-rack for paints, 4 feet in length isn't enough room for all my paint. So I guess that rules it out as a paint ench. I've seriously stalled my progress worrying about how to do this right the first time. I really need some advice.

I'd go for the two sides approach...seperating the two major work stages on two separate desks helps you to be able to paint on a clean desk and still work on new stuff prepaint on the other...besides, you need space bigger than the side table for the AB setup, the paint racks as you stated...maybe a spinning disc? Like you would use for pottery? And a photo taking section too...

One suggestion of mine tho...it will later on come in handy to have a rolling mat for your chair to not ruin your floor...

Thanks Vik! I knew I could rely on you! I've got one small problem with mirroring the model bench, there is a big, capped sewer pipe sticking out of the floor that will be in the way of my feet. I'll have to design it so that it is out of my way, yet still accessible if needed for maintenance. Oh, and I'm not worried about the floor, it's smooth, painted, poured concrete. Besides, it's already ruined because apparently the former owners put down rug padding before the floor paint was fully dried, causing little bits to stick to the floor. That's the splotches you see. It scrapes right off wit ha putty knife, but leaves a blemish on the reddish brown floor paint. The idea of a photo-taking area is already handled! check out the space between the top of the styrene strip organzier and the light I can add a backdrop there easily.

Well, I had a bit more sophisticated in mind for the photo booth section...have you seen Klaus thread lately? He uses an LED strip mounted on a n arch...looks classy as hell.....
May be there is with the sewer pipe an opportunity even to include a small sink?

I'm going to install a slop-sink on the other side of the basement, near the laundry area for that, to get wate supply pipes over there, would require a plumber. I don't do plumbing. I tried installing a new garbage disposal in the kitchen and I snapped the trap pipes off at the wall under the cabinet. I just brought home another load of lumber....back to work! No not yet, i'm way behind on my forum reading. I've got three days of vacation left, gotta get gak done.


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Here's some shelving I built, the supports fit that gap some of you carpenters surely raised an eyebrow at


I also cut plywood to cover the crawlspace hole. The shelves are all 6" high, designed specifically for the Sterilite 6 Qt/5.7L clear shoe bins that work so well for bitz. It fits exactly 5 across.

More built up! Dave is making "Man-cave" grow

Yes Shas...Yes I am! And I'm having fun doing it too!


When we bought the house, some stuff was left in the basement. Among them is this big~ass wooden wardrobe cabinet. I know WHY it was left behind...It's Heavy as a Baneblade! So I'll integrate it into my Man-cave

Obviously, it's useless to me as a wardrobe

Get rid of the rod, add a heavy duty shelf, and I've got a classy kit/sprue storage.

Just one word,,,,,,SWEEEET!

Only problem I have for you is, if you have plenty of space for stuff, you will soon find you fill it up, I have, had an enormous space for a work area, 6 months later I have to crawl and climb in to get to my desk.

Did exactly the same with a wardrobe, excellent storage.

Thanks Shas!

Oh Cam....no...poor, young...Cam......

I ALREADY have too much stuff. This is all to try and wrangle what I already have bro
When we were house shopping, I was shopping for THIS space to put all my stuff

Ok...I MIGHT have a problem...

Just stocking up for Armageddon mate, very jealous of the work space

 Sheep wrote:
Just stocking up for Armageddon mate, very jealous of the work space

Thanks! Yeah, or the Indiana Winter

For the first time ever. All (Most) Bitz are in the same place and (not) organized


I'm going to guess that this will come in handy in the future



As I was going hrough boxes of stuff, I found an old catalog from Model Expo



I always drooled over this thing, but today, I went into Harbor Freight Tools (a store full of cheap, mostly Chinese-made tools). I was looking for commercial storage options, but I found a cheap, (not oak) Chinese Knock-off for super-cheap!



I'll keep my seldom-used, specialty tools in there, accessible, but safe and out of the way


It does NOT "use oak construction with tongue and groove joinery", but it'll do for my purposes.

So, with a little reconfiguration, this is where we are at tonight!


Cheers Boys!

"You build weird gak when you drink Cider" - "Steve" The Kamloopian

Feel already the pulling sensation of having to start a new hobby project? All that neat and still virgin space literally sucks any time and energy out of your system that you could have used for so called essential life preserving deeds. I know this desk calls out to me from over the pond to craft till I drop...

And even not being able to tell all the lil packages in that wardrobe...but there are ancient treasures there...from at least second edition to gods knows where...:awe:

Well Vik, as I dig through stuff, I get ideas, but not quite yet. I'll save that moment of starting a new project down here and savor it. Yeah, i've collected a lot of old metal and plastic in there. Remember, some of those boxes are just full of other sprues.


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Prepatory Electrical work done!




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I built another 3x8 ft bench frame, and then put a wall on the back.

Gonna hit the bed rather earlyish tonight, get up and hit it hard in the morning.

I don't even know if anyone is reading this, but here we are

Thats cool, is this going to be your painting area?

Thanks Giraffe! Yes it is!

Here's a more overhead shot

Can you guess what is next?

sure we´re reading this...

and looking good...but what comes next....hmmm.... no idea.... but i like your construction work...looks very business like!

Thanks Vik! For reading, AND noticing Just don't look too close Getting everything straight, level and plumb on this slightly uneven floor has been a real challenge. That tiny little corner bench might not look like much, but that is the capstone piece that straightens everything else up. The right side still leans, but I'll screw on a support board once the rest is complete. Now decisions need to be made. Do I want additional power over here? Don't forget the nailer boards for the wall material, and btw...WTF material AM I using for the wall? What board can I get that gives me exactly 2 inch shelving for paint bottles? How fething cool will it look to have paints spreading out over a wall corner?

Firstly congrats on the wedding to you both may your life be happy and full of joy
Great work on the man cave envious of the space you have all looks good and plenty of workspace.

cant help you with the constructions... that´s not the scale i work with...although i have built a gaming table recently...pics later on^^..

also...our apartment has bulging walls...you don´t get any 90° corners....argh....we have built loft beds in two rooms...and it was a nightmare...and for the second one we had a friend who is a carpenter at our side...^^

one slight suggestion tho...all that sweet and natural wood...will you seal lthe lot of them...please? the beating, paints and glues...i couldn´t have this on my guilt bank account to not suggest varnishing here....?

So much space!

Looking fantastic, definitely reading several times a day. Painting desk looks awesome. Plenty of room.

Maybe peg board for the walls, or you could line it with spice racks. Or I have seen on Dakka someone made a board where the pots where stored on their sides. That was quite cool. Or like me make lots of shelves from foam core.


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What about using cutlery trays on their side as shelves, think I saw Theo do that one. All these smaller shelves could be stuck to a bigger back board.

You can never have too much power.

Have you thought about wiring an outlet or two into those risers in the bench? Might want to put some in on the workbench side as well.

Never know when you’ll need to plug in a dremel, charge your phone, or whatnot.

And if you wire things now, you’ll be set for whatever the future brings. When the rest of us are reworking out workspaces to accommodate the new fangled electric paintbrushes, you can just plug in and get going.

That's a sweet painting and modelling space. Looking great. Thanks for sharing!

Also, Gumption is good cider.

Welcome back Dave, I've been lurking and shall continue to do so for a while, but wanted to congratulate you on the wedding and getting your space straightened out .

Also congrats to beans whose parents have finally made her a legitimate child .