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Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips

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  #1  
Old 2014-08-25, 7:34am
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AmorphousDesigns AmorphousDesigns is offline
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Default If you could do it all over again ...

what would you do differently in building/setting up your studio?

I just moved and get to set my studio up in our basement. The space is approx. 11' x 14'. I can't decide if the bench should go against a wall or make it an island. I plan to torch boro and solder jewelry at the bench.




the electrician is coming soon and I have to decide where to put the outlets.

Any input, suggestions, etc are welcome! Thank you.
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  #2  
Old 2014-08-25, 8:27am
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I like having storage on my sides. So I would "T" it. That way I have the extra storage in reach and not on my bench directly. That also allows you the freedom to use both sides of the bench.
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  #3  
Old 2014-08-25, 9:21am
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I desperately want counter space to my right, like a desk return.
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  #4  
Old 2014-08-25, 9:54am
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thanks for the idea to "T" it, that way I could do metal on side, glass on the other.

and thanks Kathy for reminding me that right side space is premium, I will have to see what I can do to maximize that.
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Old 2014-08-25, 10:37am
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Give some thought to whether you will need access to electricity for the bench and how /where you can plug in those items without it interfering with your movement. I had extra outlets installed to give me more placement options, even though I wouldn't be using all of them at the same time. I've rearranged my studio twice and having the extra outlets helped.

Have fun with this!

Mimi
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  #6  
Old 2014-08-25, 11:02am
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Put your storage on wheels so that you can bring it close when you need it, and slide it back when you don't. Making beads? Bring your glass storage in. Working on silver? Bring that closer.
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  #7  
Old 2014-08-25, 12:38pm
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Bigger for one thing! I have an 8x10 and its way too small! Also, I have no room to my left, the bench is on the long wall, kiln in middle and two torch areas......storage behind me, glass in the pvc above me...... (which I love) shelves are right behind me on that same left hand wall but I just have baskets with stringers and decorative stuff. Also, my AC is behind me, next time I would want it by my feet.....My legs always have sweat dripping down but I never have sweat from my face LOL I would also love to have a small rolling cart to put frits/silver leaf and such so that they are right by my side instead of in the draw unit behind me.
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  #8  
Old 2014-08-25, 2:36pm
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If I were to do it all over again, I would have a bathroom put in the studio.

Not having a bathroom in the studio really prohibits me from providing classes since it currently means everyone would have to trek across the yard to the house or I would have to rent the infamous "blue room(s)" for class sessions. Blue rooms outside the studio in February when its -10 isn't going to be a class seller LOL.

Not to mention a sink with running water would be nice for rinsing off the hands and projects instead of lugging everything into the yard and using the garden hose.....

Last edited by nevadaglass; 2014-08-25 at 2:39pm.
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  #9  
Old 2014-08-25, 3:44pm
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I totally understand about the bathroom, I was in a detached garage at the last house.
We do have future plans for a bathroom when we finish the rest of the basement, but that's probably a few years away, until then I only have to trek upstairs, yay! And my DH insists that the basement will stay 55F +/- a few degrees all year round, again yay.
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  #10  
Old 2014-08-25, 6:09pm
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I'm planning out my studio in the new place I'm moving to this fall so it's a hot topic for me too. Some good ideas in here.

I really wanted to have a table in the middle of the room to sit at to torch so I wasn't looking at the wall. I've tentatively designed my studio with my lampwork area against a wall, though, because the ventilation will be so much easier than trying to run it to the middle of the room in a finished basement.

I currently have an L-shape planned for work space against two walls. I would much prefer a U shape. It's hard to visualize on a drawing and I might find I do have enough space for a U.
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Old 2014-08-25, 6:15pm
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Depending on how deep your work area will be, the back wall is great for pinning up photos, etc. for reference. Mine (actually a plexiglass screen) is far enough away that I don't have to worry about anything catching fire though, you might find it didn't work.
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  #12  
Old 2014-08-25, 7:54pm
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latest thoughts on layout. For right-handed people, do you prefer the kiln on the left or right?

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  #13  
Old 2014-08-25, 8:10pm
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I'd make it at least twice the size
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  #14  
Old 2014-08-25, 8:16pm
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I have my kiln on the right, as I use my right hand to put it in, but have never tried left so maybe it would be OK too. I do stand to put my beads in, so could move my feet either way
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  #15  
Old 2014-08-25, 8:18pm
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Is your makeup air coming from that window? I would think about how close the exhaust will be to the makeup air source.

Have you considered having your jewelry table and torch back to back, and the storage one on each wall? Then you could have your torch closer to the door, in case of emergency exit.
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  #16  
Old 2014-08-25, 8:50pm
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I'm right handed and have had the kiln both to my right and to my left. I haven't noticed that it really makes a difference to me since I have to walk or roll my chair to it whichever side it's on. Might make a difference if you wanted it on your work bench so you didn't have to get up.

Mimi
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  #17  
Old 2014-08-25, 10:35pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by echeveria View Post
I desperately want counter space to my right, like a desk return.
I did this (on my left - I'm a lefty) by putting in an L shaped counter. I love it! My kiln sits within reach on my left, plus it gives me a ton of counter/work space.

What I'd do differently - I'd make some changes to my ventilation and fresh air ducting. It's a little gusty. I'd also probably configure things a bit differently so that I could use a homefill, maybe hardwire to the outside for the tank or create a space to store it.
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  #18  
Old 2014-08-26, 12:16am
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I like the corner desk layout. Is your kiln going to throw too much heat the way of your jewelry work table to make it comfortable to work?
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  #19  
Old 2014-08-27, 7:17am
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I'm a fan of the corner desk too. It gives good depth for the torch region, but you can reach everything else on the desk. You also could roll up a cart on the right side to extend the desk area.
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  #20  
Old 2014-08-27, 10:07am
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I'm also messing with the layout of my 'to be' studio - we've come to realize that the garage could actually be better used for ..... cars!
My gotta haves are a neutral background behind my torch that doesn't distract me, then lighting exactly where I need it, and finally a really well tuned & reasonably quiet ventilation system.
On that neutral background, I make one exception that I haven't seen mentioned. I have come to rely on having 3 thick stripes on the countertop beyond my torch that, as a group, are perfectly squared and parallel as I look (seated) across the sweet-spot of my torch. The middle stripe is for my mandrel alignment, the top is for the top of the bead & bottom is for the bottom of the bead. Then when I'm almost done working the bead, I can sight and align my mandrel on the center line and slowly spin the bead, if it's not symmetrical, then the edge of the bead will rise/fall relative to the top/bottom lines. If it's a smaller or larger bead, the mandrel is moved closer/further until I can sight along the top/bottom lines.
If the description squared & parallel is confusing, then think about those huge sheets of paper we learned to write on in school, they had the solid lines so the tops & bottoms of our letters were uniform, then that dashed middle line for the loops for 'b', 'd', etc. The dashed middle line would be the line that I sight my mandrel on, and the top/bottom lines then give me a bead thickness reference.
I figured out where the 3 lines should be by laying down & nudging around 3 black glass rods (I was seated and looking across my torch's sweet-spot) until I had my own ideal sight-line, then measured the rods until they were squared and parallel with each other, I held each rod down, drew a pencil line along one side, moved the glass rods, rechecked the squared/parallel measurements, and darkened the lines with a fat Sharpe. Also, they help me to remember to sit up straight so I'll have less fatigue after the umpteeth hour at the torch - or to realize its time to quit.
I've thought about doing a checkered grid for checking the sides, but generally my problem isn't the getting the sides of the bead parallel, its getting the glass ***easily & quickly*** symmetrically dispersed around the hole. I have a pet-peeve about beads that have a thicker spot and always lay with the thinner side up on a piece of jewelry - invariably the spot with all the deco work (and thicker) wound up at the bottom unseen side of the bead.
Should also mention that one of the reasons for moving from a generously sized 2 car garage to an appropriately sized studio is to save wear/tear on my kiln and a bit on the electricity costs. The larger the room is that my kiln has to heat, the harder/longer my (7 year old) kiln works.
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  #21  
Old 2014-08-27, 11:56pm
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I've always have had my kiln on the right. I like the corner desk layout best. My kiln would be on my right side a long the wall.
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  #22  
Old 2014-08-28, 8:36am
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With regard to the placement of outlets, I wish I had had mine place in the floor or wired into the bench - I have too many cords I have to wrangle. Also would go with max number of outlets safe and allowable. Natural light is important to me, as is ability to roll a storage cart/surface area closer and further away as needed.
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