Challenge Completed!

David Calhoun's picture

The Greater Nickel Plate has a brand new work area thanks to the completion of my challenge. A dark, dingy and lifeless basement with an old, run down, dilapidated work bench has been brushed aside - - literally. Starting with a hammer and crowbar, the area was cleared, swept and washed down. A coating of Dri-Lock waterproofing paint added security and helped brighten a dingy cinder block wall (along with some elbow grease) and WD-40 freed up a stubborn window that hadn't been opened in 16 years. I added some shelving; modified a bookcase; and took Harbor Freight up on its sale offer for a new work bench complete with vise and metal and wood removable posts for holding lumber etc. A modified milk crate, light, fan and furnace filter provides a light airbrushing area that can be shielded by removable cloth or taped newspaper to protect other surfaces. 

What a difference 10 days makes; and in hot weather with NO AC (they installed the new unit yesterday after a sweltering week with just ceiling fans) !! Now I have tools readily at hand to convert engines to DCC; put steel wheels and body mounted couplers on cars; and complete kit-bashed buildings. The big surprise was the total cost of under $200 and the fact that I found a number of items in boxes I had forgotten about that I really could use.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drawers for tools and paperwork as well as a soldering station make the bench a more "user friendly" environment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Airbrush area is for light painting only with suspended drop cloth from ceiling hooks or newspapers to protect the rest of the area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Modified bookcases supports parts bins and scenery materials.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Five shelves hold plenty of "to do" freight cars and building projects to keep me busy during winter evenings. 

Here's hoping that all your MRH Challenges turn out as well - Cheers! - - Dave C.

Comments

wp8thsub's picture

Way to Go

Looks like a good place to work on and store stuff.

Rob Spangler

Well done!

Congratulations on completing the challenge (not to mention, ahead of schedule). You've got a neat, organized and useful workspace. This is one of those chores that nobody really likes doing, but it sure is nice once it's complete. Your soldering station gave me an idea--my wife has an old letter/desk organizer that's collecting dust and may find new life on my bench.
I bet you're feeling pretty good about your new space, huh?
Great job!

JC Shall's picture

Nice 'n Tidy

Very nice work area, indeed.  I spied a couple of useful tips in your photos.

-Jack

Correct me if I'm wrong...

But is that an Ikea lazy susan your laptop is sitting on?  If so, we are cut from the same cloth of GENIUS!  I don't have a photo but I've been using the same setup to position my laptop and other items (usually a brew) while modeling on the dining room table. Worked so well I picked up another on our semi-monthly Ikea trip!

Great work!

-Johnny

Freelancing the Plainville, Pequabuck and New London Railroad

 

Airbrush Station

Now in all honesty, you have a window right there??? :P

I say you get a square frame with a hose door [something you can open and close, with a screen to keep out animals and insects] in it, put it into the track, and secure it in tight.  Attach your fan and hose assembly to the hose door, Then you could put a proper paint booth in front of the window.  Now you may have to move the storage bins, but the gain, in my mind, would be a dedicated paint booth with proper venting, something I wouldn't mind One Bit!!!

I also see you have another window to the left with lots of room under it...Laser cutter?  :P  I jest, I jest!!

Nice!

Looks really well thought out and organized. This should give you a comfortable work area. I checked out the workbench online and thought the lined drawers were a pretty nice feature.

One bonus was finding things you had and forgot about!

I envy the door entrance and nice big window. Lots of natural light I don't have over my bench.

David Calhoun's picture

Tips

Once again, this is what I like so much about this web site; I, too, get an inspiration from looking at photos and reading items. Yes, that is an IKEA lazy susan and I got the larger milk crate idea from another source. It took some modification, but I have an area to use versus a $400 expenditure from the you-know-whom tool company whose catalog comes to my inbox regularly.

Light was always the major problem and the Dri-Lock coating took existing luminance from energy efficient bulbs and more than doubled it. I can't say enough about having overall brightness versus trying to squint at a project under a lamp of some type. If you get the chance, DO IT!

The window was a consideration, but since I'm not a big spray painter (some dullcote and touch up on occasion) this was a better way to go. BTW, the big foam area to work on came from a packing box my wife, Peggy, got from one of her sewing equipment projects - recycling works (I even save her old cosmetic brushes which are just great).

Now, a few modifications to my switching layout so track switches work properly and I'm in business. More photos of my layout to come. Thanks for all the comments. 

Hey Rick, I'm making some improvements to Elwood and Maybelle's place . Tell Buck and Loretta that they said "Howdy."

Chief Operating Officer
The Greater Nickel Plate

LKandO's picture

Feels Good, huh?

I like neat-n-tidy. Well done. The organization will continually pay dividends.

Alan
www.LKOrailroad.com

Walk-in, Double Deck, HO, 1969, Freelance, 28'x32', DCC
rtw3rd's picture

Buck and Loretta that they said "Howdy" back at ya'

Buck and Loretta that they said "Howdy" right back to Elwood & Maybelle.  Buck said to tell Elwood "Fetch your hunting clothes and gun and come on over cause I gotta hankering for some venison with my beer."

​Rick

Rick

The former Richlawn Railroad Website - Featuring the L&N in HO  / MRH Blog  Eastern Standard Time


>> Posts index

User login