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Work Bench "Be Cleaned" Journals/Blogs Vacuum system
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Super User 673 posts jTrackin Super User 673 posts
jTrackin

What I find hard, is to be motivated on the layou​t when I'm faced with a bench looking like this.

rk_bench.jpg 

Having around the room layout in a 12'x14' room and bench in the middle. It is difficult as I start a small project and before long it is looking like this. So I listed about 4 things I wanted to make to have it a bit more efficient a bit more fun. Easy to think up but harder to implement. 

Here is my list:
1. Vacuum cleaner that doesn't have to be pulled out and put away, and moves the dust out of the room. 
                                          (Completed) I've written below what I found to make this work. 
2. Air compressor line on hand (for painting and cleaning).
3. Tools, materials and other stuff within arms reach and to be able to see it all so I don't forget what I've got.
4. Proper lighting to see what I'm working on.

There is too much to fill in one blog so I just show you No 1 which is Vacuuming system which is cheapish to make. I bought a second hand drum vacuum cheap off ebay. And from the local hardware store(Bunnings). I got electrical conduit with brackets 32mm size and some 70mm pipe. I place the drum vacuum outside the train room in the workshop next to the layout room and connected the pipes. I used some irrigation water tapes ($25) to shift the vacuum to the workshop when needed.  

vacuum.png 

Then in the trainroom laid out 5 outlet points to access the vacuum pipe. Below is a birds eye view.

It hangs 2 feet from the roof on a wood grid. This is overkill but I want the wood grid for the future projects.

ds_eye_0.png  

Here is a cross section of how it looks and works.

n_vacuum.png 

I painted the electrical plastic pipes black and fitted them together.  (no glueing needed)

7_-_copy.jpg 

And they work very well after I attached the special self closing values (made out of a round piece of card and hinged by cloth tape.  A power remote ($30) turns the Vac on and off as needed.  

acuum_2.jpeg   acuum_3.jpeg    _2140351.jpg 

When you have a mess anywhere in the trainroom, you pull the flexible tube down ($12 from sleep Apia machines google CPAP)  attach your brush if needed and turn on the power remote which turns the Vac on (which is in the workroom). There less fine filtered dust in the trainroom and then when you let go of the hose it  flys back into its socket and you turn the unit off. Completed List No 1.

But that doesn't help keep the bench cleared but we are moving forward.  

James B
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steamhog Regular poster 188 posts
steamhog

Time spent organizing things

Time spent organizing things always pays.  Every hour invested yields future hours of convenient work space.
Industry has a term for this:  

5S stands for the 5 steps of this methodology:

Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain

You have a thorough approach to structuring your space ! 

Chris
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herronp Prolific poster 1,840 posts
herronp

By any chance are you...........

........of Swiss decent?  My mother was Swiss and she would clean when things looked clean to me!  She owned 5 vacuums. It seemed one was running somewhere in the house all the time.  In the fall it was the damned leaves.  I had to rake the lawn daily upon return from school so the lawn was "clean".  Perhaps that is why my work areas always look like your first picture, or perhaps it was the rebellious nature of my father, who was born in Ireland. 

Regardless, I really like this idea of yours.  I do keep my shop vac in the other room with a long hose on it as it’s sooo loud, even with the optional "muffler"!

Thanks for sharing,

Peter
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Steve kleszyk Frequent poster 523 posts
Steve kleszyk

Nicely done!

You should take to At a Boys for yourself on this one. 
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Rick Sutton Prolific poster 4,358 posts
Rick Sutton

Clever

Lot's of thought put into that system. My little layout space got a lot cleaner when I put some $ into dust control and installed a vac system. Yours looks like it is really well designed....mine looks like Rube Goldberg designed it after he had a few too many drinks. 

Kudos!
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Lancaster Central RR Frequent poster 574 posts
Lancaster Central RR

My workbench looks the first picture.

I bought a new suv that fits in the garage, setting off a chain reaction of organizing and cleaning. I should be much happier when I am finished and everything has a place. 
 

My system is similar to the S5 system described by Chris. 
 

Lancaster Central Railroad &

Philadelphia & Baltimore Central RR &

Lancaster, Oxford & Southern Transportation Co. 

Shawn H. , modeling 1980 in Lancaster county, PA - alternative history of local  railroads. 
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bkivey Regular poster 363 posts
bkivey

A Nifty Idea

And a new standard for train room equipment. I had considered air lines, but not vacuum. Nice work. 
Reply 0
Greg Amer gregamer Regular poster 496 posts
Greg Amer gregamer

I like it.

I’ve been thinking of a better dust collection system for my workbench. I really like the retractable hose idea.

 
Greg Amer The Industrial Lead

MRH Blog Index
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jTrackin Super User 673 posts
jTrackin

Thanks for your comments. The

Thanks for your comments. The retractable hose works for 3 of the 5 outlets and the other 2 I use a longer one that I attach and then gets put away.

James B
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ackislander Regular poster 237 posts
ackislander

Workbench “before”

I’m away from home for a while. Did you by chance break into my basement and take that picture?  Your before is my after. 
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jTrackin Super User 673 posts
jTrackin

@rick sutton maybe you could paint it and call it

@rick sutton   maybe you could paint it and call it an art installation. i seem to be unmotivated to lay track so instead I distract myself by fixing up the train room so it will be more efficient and fun when I get the bug to build and lay more track.

 

James B
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Rick Sutton Prolific poster 4,358 posts
Rick Sutton

Hey jTrackin!

That's a brilliant idea! If I paint it a bright florescent color it will be easier to find when I need it and maybe I could sell tickets to offset some of my hobby spending.
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jTrackin Super User 673 posts
jTrackin

@Rick well you and the other

@Rick well you and the other Rick are what I consider artists. Sign your work, demand high prices and makeup an abstract story include phrases such as "undertones","continue the conversation" and "invoke an emotional response" and you have got it made. but seriously some of the work here you see on this site, are to me anywhere, art exhibit pieces (not all, but a few) i wonder if anyone has try placing their pieces ...specially yours Rick in Non-train art exhibits and what the response would be. 

James B
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jimfitch Prolific poster 5,281 posts
jimfitch

You definitely have too much

You definitely have too much time on your hands!    Either that or I sense a type A person like my wife!

Pretty fancy I must say.

.

Jim Fitch
northern VA
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