The Framers Forum

Don't knock it, Steve: spacious workshops can have their downsides, too.

One of these days, I will get round to taking pics of my workshop. The space comes at a premium but, since I reorganised it earlier this year, it's wonderful to have so much horizontal workspace! Bummer that the current wrist problem is spoiling the fun.... )

Ah! looking at prospero's workshop has given me some good information, after seening the morso built with a bench to the left of it and level with the bed to support the mouldings.
I never thought about this option and was worried how I could achieve more work surfaces and storage

All joking aside Mog I'm quite happy at the moment. It's adequate for my needs and being an ex seafaring type I don't particularly have a problem working in a "compartment" where space is precious.

Gary.. take a look on the for sale section, there's a keencut system 4000 for sale on there. Well worth pushing the boat out if you can for all the reasons I and some of the others have mentioned before..

Regards
Steve G

excuse the state of it.


but this thread is about using the space . This works for me !

Not visible but behind the wife are stock sheets of glass, above her head are racks (with carpeted edges) for moulding lengths, behind me taking the pic are bins for glass scrap and to my right are moulding off-cuts. The work bench I made as hollow as possible underneath to accommodate a cupboard with paints etc and also bins with short off-cuts

Given me some food for thought there, Alan, particularly with regard to storing short moulding offcuts. Also, I like what you've done with your underpinner - clever!

I'm enjoying this thread very much: great to see other people's 'engine rooms' and picture yourselves working in them.!

If I can remember correctly, when I bought the stuff 15 yrs ago the rep that delivered the machines showed me to stand inbetween the lengths being joined on the underpinner but I was never comfortable with that and prefer to work over the top of it which made it easy to lop off the corner of the table - also I regularly have to do frames which are over 2 metres long and the table is just on 3metres so it works well

Long overdue shots of Moggie's Den (post-reorganisation - excuse clutter!)

Áine,
Nice neat workshop! Very well arranged to make the best of your space!

I love your personal assistant too!

With all you guys posting shots of your workshops, I'm a little nervous about posting any of mine, but then I suppose all you neat freaks will be amused. Maybe next week!

osgood wrote:Nice neat workshop! Very well arranged to make the best of your space!

Should have seen it prior to the reorg, Ormond.... it bore a very strong resemblance to Armageddon The Remake!! Also, the benches and equipment were all in the 'wrong places.' Now that I've got used to my 'stuff' living in different places, it's a much more effective workspace. (Frellingly frustrating not being able to use it to the full at the moment because of the wrist problems.)

I'm going to put the trackway for my tool balancers over the main workbench (the one over the mountboard storage system). Looking forward to having lots of dangly bits hanging out of the ceiling. Help the punters to take framing more seriously!!!

Had a potential new customer (and very nice lady!) pop in for an initial enquiry during the week, having seen some of my work at her friend's home. She has not had any custom framing done before, and was under the misconception that all frames are "ready made" and that one plonks the art into them to see if they look ok. Bless! Her eyes were like saucers when I gave her the 5¢ tour!

Osgood wrote:I love your personal assistant too!

Lúnasa (aka 'The Noodle') gets a little too 'helpful' at times...

Seeing your workshops is very interesting!
After I have had a tidy up I will take some photos and post them!

Áine, what’s the green stuff you have covering your work bench?
(and is that a can of beer I can see there? )

Why do other folk's workshops always look better than your own?

Nice setup Áine.

I've got a chair identical to that one.

Prospero wrote:Nice setup ...

Thanks, Prospero! Admittedly, the shots were taken as I was clearing up for the night. During the day, it's less "engine room" and more "dark underbelly"...

Prospero wrote:Why do other folk's workshops always look better than your own?

Probably because we notice really cool stuff and think, "Awwwww! Why can't I have one o' them..... [ pet lip ]

JGF #1 wrote:What’s the green stuff you have covering your work bench? (and is that a can of beer I can see there?

John, the 'green stuff' is a series of self-heal cutting mats in assorted shapes and sizes, turned upside down to avoid the 'visual noise' of the ruling lines. I find them to be very convenient and durable work surface (cut anywhere, easy-clean). I use them 'as shown' for most tasks, and I pop a giant beach towel on the top for extra protection of work as necessary during the course of the day.

And yes, John, the can contains the remnants of an alcoholic beverage, but I personally don't class Heineken as "beer"...

This is the 'posh' room. (told ya I had a chair like yours Áine. )

The top of the bench in the left corner hinges back to allow access to the vacuum press.

re. cutting mats. I find the gridlines very useful for trimming things square.




I always wondered whether Heineken was cat's or gnat's. Now I know.

We too started off in a garage but a double which gives that bit more room. I would strongly recommend you do not keep mount board in the garage as there is a great variaton in temperature and humidity throughout the year. If you can find the space to store it indoors then that will be best. We acquired a plan chest for storing customers work and off cuts of mount board. If you can position your bench so that it is an island i.e. you can get to all sides you will find that a lot easier. Another tip - get your morso blades engraved with your postcode then you know you are getting your own back again when they go for sharpening. - John

These are some photos of my shop and workshop for all you tidy freaks to poke fun at!




Woops, haven't put the reflection control glass away yet. Arrived on friday!
















Anyone want any foamboard offcuts?

That looks like a real framers workshop to me Ormond.
Never mind tidy, it's orderly. A tidy workshop usually means a not-very-busy worshop. Personally, I try to avoid tidying as I can never find anything afterwards.

An impressive workshop Ormond.

I like the tilted mirror idea. Do you actually use it much?

Prospero,
It looks a lot more orderly than it did before I put all the rubbish in the dumpster and took a huge uteload of cardboard to the recyclers this morning!


John,
I've been using the mirror for about 17 years now. It's used with every design, in fact. The artwork, mat and frame corners are placed on the bench top under the mirror and the customer is encouraged to stand back across the room to see each design!

Customers are thankful that it helps the design process and that they can stand at a distance to view the designs.

I would not be without this for all the tea....................!

I have vis software, but don't use it all that much at the moment.

Ormond
A clever idea.

Although we use Pre-View for customer visualisation, that would work very well in the workshop.

Thanks