The New Workshop - Part 8

This came in today...

Philip H has left a new comment on your post "The New Workshop - Part 7":

Excellent progress. Since you seem to be doing some good load tests of the various organization products, perhaps a post when you finish on what you keep and why - in terms of drawers, storage units, etc - would be very useful.

Good point, Philip!  Scott is probably not just throwing things out willy nilly.  In fact there is rhyme to the reason.

Being cornered (pun intended) in a small room that used to be a big room, there is a science about how to go about getting things pared down.  Here's what I've learned so far, and we'll revisit it when I'm done.

1.  Know how much space you are going to use and how much to leave open.  You must have room to work!  Mark that off first.  In my case I marked the area where the module that I'm working on at the present moment will go.  That is no man's land and can't be touched.  No storage.

2.  Understand why you have the workspace and what it is to be used for.  I no longer have the grand empire basement, so my modeling will now focus on scratchbuilt objects, AP program module construction and maybe some articles.  So what I need are large workspaces, room for an airbrush cabinet and plenty of tools and good light. This means I don't need oversized test tracks, lots of layout materials in storage or big tools.

3.  Have a plan for storage.  I need to be able to store things two deep, which means the containers need to stack.  They must be clearly labeled and easy to move.  I need to be able to restructure storage as projects come and go, and the scenery materials need to be buried somewhere.

4.  Use every inch of storage space.  Go vertical and stack.  Go as high as safely possible.  Don't build in shelving.  Make everything mobile and flexible.

5.  Plan your workbench space carefully.  On the work bench the tools you use the most should be within arm's reach.  I like to keep like tools for projects in separate areas.  So in my new shop I have two workbenches.  One will be for major kit assembly, painting and serious electronic work, a.k.a the messy stuff.  The other bench will be for detailing, finishing work, precision work and rolling stock performance.  Dirty vs. clean.  Cluttered vs Messy.

6.  Throw stuff away.  Ok, this hurts.  But you have to do it.  Here's how I make the call.  If its a tool and I haven't used it in three years and won't use it in the next three years then it is just gathering dust.  Sell it.  If it is a tool that I seldom ever use, store it in a closet.  If it is broken and not valuable, throw it away.  If it is in a scale that you don't currently model in get rid of it.  If it takes up too much valuable space for its return on investment let it go.  If it is sentimental, pack it up in a box and move it to the attic.  Basically it boils down to this:  if it doesn't return some kind of value (usefulness, dollars, fun, etc) then get it out of the shop.

7.  Duplicates.  Remove all duplicate items with the exception of often used things that you need a spare.  Come on....do you REALLY need 15 hobby knives?  Give them to a kid and pass on one of those unbuilt models with it.

8.  Storage containers.  I have kept cans, bottles, shoe boxes and all other means of cool storage devices only to realize that they are just in the way.  Throw them out.  Better yet, give them to someone you don't like and let him have the baby food jars for 10 years.

That's a good start for now.  I'll revisit this and clean it up for you.