finding and creating a workspace, Need help.

[Whittlerman0924]

i usually carve on my porch but now i am getting pursued by bees and bugs, i want to create a workspace in my house , for i can carve without bees and bugs and heat bothering me. i cant use the basement cause its dark and bugs and cobwebs are there . I want a place for i can carve without distractions. i need help?

[SlowMover]

Thats probablly a universal wish on this list. I have no extra room, the garage is full of storage stuff, and the yard is too small for a shed. I carve in my recliner, using a tv tray to hold my tools, a blanket over the chair and an apron to catch the chips..I paint at the kitchen table. I have to get out my supplies and put them away again every time I carve or paint. It is a hassel, but I tell myself it is better than not carving...and the floor gets swept daily, so it is cleaner than ever before. I too wish for a space that I could just use to leave my tools and supplies out and just sit down and carve when I want and get up and leave when I am done. I wish you success in your quest for a space, let us know how you achieve it.

[Claude]

If you have a basement, then I don't see a problem. Buy some bug spray and use it get rid of the bugs, use a broom to remove the cobwebs, and put a couple of lamps of some sort there for light; problem solved.

I have a small workbench that I installed in one end of the laundry/storage room in my basement. I added a couple of lamps. My small shop vac takes care of the dust and any bugs I see...

Claude

[Marci MN]

I think I too would look closer at your basement for possibilities.. like Claude said.. clean out the bug and webs with a good vaccuuming. Then adding a coat or two of white paint will lighten the spot up considerably. Especially with added light. Maybe even putting in a false ceiling and painted white will help. If you have a cement floor down there.. paint that a light color too. It will make sweeping up easier also. If you put in shelving,, again.. paint it white or a very light color. You'd be amazed at how the light colors will make your spot inviting and cozy. And down there... it should be much cooler. And quiet....

Marcia.

[Marci MN]

I thought of another idea. Is your living room set up so you could possibly pull the couch or chairs away from the wall by four feet? Build a short wall about shoulder height the length of furniture and then tuck yourself a work area in there? The wall idea is to keep chips/sawdust from going on to furniture. But short enough you can see over the wall?

How about a closet you can clean out and put in a short width desk inside? Shelving up along the sides , peg board along the back for hanging your tools? If there is carpeting, lay down those plastic office runners for your chair and easy clean up. Paint it all white again so its bright in there.

Is there a place outside to set up a screened tent in the shade? Is there room on your porch to set one up on for the summer?

Thats about all the ideas I can think of at the moment.

Marcia.

[Ron T]

I guess this is a problem faced by quite a few carvers. My work space is the table out on the patio. It's okay except for taking out and putting back the tools every time I want to carve. When it's too cold or too hot, I come inside and read.

[hwallen48]

Man
I would kill for a Basement , got a shed , but a basement wow!!

[markken5889]

Hi Mike,

Looks like you hit upon a hot topic. I have to agree with some of the folks above, take a good long look at that basement. You can put in lights. Big box stores like Home Depot have those work lights pretty cheap, and they work pretty well. Set up a carving table, or workbench. Vacuum up those little critters and you oughtta be all set!

Good luck! - Hey, post some photos of your new shop when you get it up and running.

Mark

[Dan S]

I've seen a couple of benches that could pass for nice furniture. Perhaps you could build a small combination bench/desk that might work for you. Good luck,

Dan

[gtech]

I live in a condo, so no basement here neither...

I am also trying to find a solution because I am tired of cleaning the chips that fall outside the plastic box I use to catch them. And I need a permanent place to carve, not a temporary one.

You should use the basement... take the bugs out and make the place yours.

After reading the suggestions, I think I will try to use the landry room where there is a "small" place available. But then where to store the scroll saw, the lathe, the band saw, etc... ???

Gilles