The Workshop Renovation Project

[Whiterook]

Well, I’d show a picture of what my modeling and miniatures building workshop looks like, but frankly, it’s just too embarrassing! So what’s going on: Well, we had a major mouse invasion last Fall and Winter! I’d hunted down any possible entrance point from outside and plugged them up, and even had a new bulk head put in, but still, they were making their way in. I caught well over a dozen of the little rascals. Turns out that one day, my wife asked, ‘What’s that little ripped paper on the wall in back of the furnace?’ Well, that would be a three inch hole in the exterior wall, behind the insulation with a small tear, where I could see the backside of my vinyl siding and daylight! A.K.A, Mousie Intestate 3!!!

So I relay all this fascinating information to preface the fact that I’d thought previously, I’d solved the problem when no mice were caught for a few weeks — and I’d totally cleaned down every surface, including th mouse poop in my stadium seat paint holders! Once they showed their presence again, and before I found the Interstate, I’d moved a crapload of *stuff* onto and around my workbench. Now, it’s time to reclaim the area!

Of note, I’ve had a ton of junk under the workbench for a long long time, so that needs to be culled out, as well. And of course, everything cleaned!

[Whiterook]

So, Phase I is complete! …the workbench top was emptied of stacks of *stuff*, reorganized elsewhere and atop the bench, and everything cleaned and sanitized. At the very least, I can model and work on miniatures, and other projects again! 



Of note, the last round of mice had started to claim the interior space of my spray booth   …fortunately, this was early stages of the last invasion so it was just minor. The white foam block you see, with the dryer hose sticking out of it and is connected to the blower on the spray booth, is my home made air exhaust contraption… I stick the block in the window you see to the left to blow the exhaust out. Simply raising the screen window and closing the window atop the block to hold it in place does a nice job, even in Winter for individual paint sessions. I doubt any paint makes it past the furnace filter used inside the spraybooth inner-back, but it does do an excellent job dissipating any fumes!



The under bench top shelf is next on the cull/clean/sanitize to-do list… that’ll be a bear! Most of what is under there will likely be trashed. Then the long laundry folding table in back (…and no, we don’t use it to fold laundry  ).

[mikeh]

Nice looking setup. My area really could stand a good cleaning.

[Whiterook]

Thanks, Mike! The bench top cleaned up relatively quick, as it was just moving stuff to places they should be stored as I cleaned them, and then reclaim the bench buy cleaning it. Once everything was off of it, the bench modeling miniature building stuff was already organized and just needed cleaning 🧽 

It really is a wonderful craft area… the previous owner was a woodworker, so he had a pretty dang nice work area in the furnace room all careered out already… I just needed to do some minor additions and conversions. His main woodworking workshop was out in the backyard shed, which is my art studio (well, will be!) and Main War Room HQ!

Back to the basement workshop of subject here, one of the acquisitions I’m most proud of is the wooden tool chest! I’d always wanted a Gerstner 5-Drawer Oak Chest, which typically sells for about $375 (a lot outside my frugal budget allowance!). Originally, meant for my better tools. But as I started model building, I’d quickly shifted that desire for my prized modeling tools and equipment. This is one below…




I was pretty intent on picking one up at some point, when I happened to be in Costco with my wife one day back in 2014, and low and behold, a Trinity Tool Chest appeared around the corner! I almost fell over when I saw the $40 price tag (…it was on sale from $75)!









…the bottom platform pulls out and has felt on it, so your small hobby tools stay out nice and secure on the workbench as you work; and when done, that platform folds up and becomes the solid front of the chest.


These days, you can find something like these at Harbor Freight, called the Windsor Design for about $85. Its kinda a cross between the Gerstner and Trinity (which I don’t see around anymore, but don’t ket that dissuade the frugal buyer from looking!). This is what you can get at Harbor Freight…






It’s sooooooo worth every penny!

[Whiterook]

As the cold weather sets in, I’m about to start Phase II in the basement workshop …the under-bench!im almost afraid to look in there, after all the mouse activity a couple years back. There’s just tons of stuff under there, and the hard part will be digging it out. A lot of containers and bottles that I’d thought would be good for paints and terrain, tools, boards, and God knows what else. Much of it was placed there back when we bought this place in June 2005!

It’ll be a great storage space, though, in which I plan to have plastic see-through bins to organize my stuff; and a lot less stuff, to boot! I’m thinking the left side will be unbuilt miniatures stock, that I can get to easily and build; thr right side will be equipment, also easily reached and accessed. Combined, this will allow me to free up *piled up* space and give a friendlier overall area to be creative and efficient.

This ought to be interesting!

[Whiterook]

My current space, as of today. I still haven't gotten to the under-bench area yet



...note my new Tamiya turntable! And the new brush cleaner to the right, that my wife bought me for Christmas!!!