Where Do You Keep Your Working Plans

[BubbleHead]

Hello:

 

 I had no real place to keep the plans of the ship I was working on other than on the wall behind the work bench and that presented a lot of problems let alone measuring anything.

 

  Steeling the idea of the PC key board shelf. 

I had a set of 18" full extended drawer guides doing nothing, they fit perfectly under the work bench.(Home Depot)

The shelf is 3/4" mdf.  Surrounded by 1/4" X 1 1/4 pine and that left 1/2" above to keep things from rolling off. It ended up with a working area of 17 1/2" X 47 1/2".  I think this ended up too small, 24" guides or as large as you can get would be better.

In my hast I for got to bring it down for book storage, for the working ship, maybe I'll lower it later.  No front right now that's a trip to the hardware store didn't have anything. I will just levee it wide so the bottom will hang down below the shelf for a grip to pull on.

 

Hopefully this will work. We will see. Keeps them handy and out of the way.

 

TJ

 

 

[mtaylor]

While I like that idea because I have bits and pieces of plans, etc. under my build bench using a similar method, don't you miss having them hanging from the walls?  As inspiration? or... a reminder? 

[JeffT]

Good idea TJ. I have lots of wall space so I just hang them with office clips and Command wall hangers.

 

 

 

 

[Jim Lad]

Excellent idea, TJ.

 

John

[augie]

I keep mine hanging on the walls.  But there is usually one that I'm working on constantly and that sits on a 3 X 5 table next to the workbench.  So they move around quite a bit.  I agree with Mark, they are inspirational.

[druxey]

A very good solution, TJ. I like it!

[Bill Hime]

Hi TJ,

I love this idea! In fact I don't have a lot of wall space, I used it all for my workbench and shelves. I plan on making a host of copies of my plans right a way when my kit gets here this week. I'm definitely going to incorporate this so I have a close quick reference especially while working on the hull and decks.

Great post!

 

Warm Regards,

 

Bill

[JerryTodd]

The prior owner of my house used the shed for his band, and lined it with Homosote board, foam rubber, and carpeting.  I pulled out the foam and carpet, but the Homosote walls were great for pinning things up on.

 

Constellation and a smaller Pride plan pinned up on the wall.

 

Pride's full sized sail patterns also got pinned up on the wall.

 

Macedonian on the wall and the bench.

 

Now I've moved and haven't re-set up my shop yet, but I do intend to leave a big wall space to continue this practice.

Edited November 10, 2013 by JerryTodd

[BubbleHead]

Hello:

 

Mark John Bill Thank you I thought it was as I don't have much space either.

I like the wall hangers never thought of that just keep putting pin holes in the wall.

 

Mark      Inspiration, yes sometimes I need that and I do miss the prints on the wall. Probably put some up.

 

      TJ

Edited November 14, 2013 by BubbleHead

[the learner]

Nice looking shop Bubblehead.....I take it you are not married as that appears to be your kitchen too!

[usedtosail]

I hope you don't get too much saw dust in your dinner.   I love that last picture though.

[mtaylor]

I'm sitting here thinking.. "why not?  a great idea".  You've workshop, stove, microwave, refrigerator at your fingertips.  Then I stopped and thought what would the Admiral say....       

[edmay]

Hello, I"ve found that if you have the space,a piece of tempered 1/4 inch glass over plans or part of plan,easy to measure, clean,glue ,paint etc,no holes in the wall if you do not have a workshop.Edwin

[trippwj]

Some very good ideas here - I need to do some redesign work in my shop (but probably NOT adding a stove and refrigerator...)

 

I like the wall hook idea, and that tray is very appealing - unfortunately, I don't have the space to lay out my plans under a sheet of glass - my table is far too small for that!  I need a bigger workshop!

[Remcohe]

TJ, great idea, I did the same.

 

 

Remco

[BubbleHead]

Hello:

  Learner, Nope gave that up after 25 for other than standard reasons, moved in to this place and love it. The shop still under construction, want to do things that the Admiral wouldn't  let me.

 I'm more concerned with stuff getting in the work area, grease and glue don't seem to mix.

 I have been toying with putting cork down (in the drawer) to pin the prints  but not sure about this. 

 

There are a lot of good ideas.

 

TJ   

Edited November 14, 2013 by BubbleHead

[Craigie65]

Pinned to the wall. Although if I make to many more pin holes I am going to be made to redecorate by my Admiral

[demonborger]

I work on a table on one side, and have the plans on a sofa on the other side of a room.

[HIPEXEC]

I just tack them to the wall by my workbench.

[pompey2]

TJ, those plans look familiar. i have the same up on my wall.  I have a sheet of steel on the wall. Then i use whiteboard magnets to hold up the plans. One good point is that I can put up any other paper bits and pieces - photo copies from a book, sketches, lists etc.

Nick

[samueljr]

pinned to a board in front of me or on a table to my side

 

plans are kept after completion in a large (24"x36") portfolio envelope (the kind you find in office supply stores)

[BubbleHead]

Hello

 

Magnets that's good no holes in plans or the wall like the wall except for hanging the whiteboard.

 

Nick  Yes still working on the Triton

 

TJ

Edited November 24, 2013 by BubbleHead

[kurtvd19]

I have a garage sale drafting table that I use to hold plans near my main modeling bench.  It's easy to move out of the way or closer to the bench.  For small sized plans I use it as shown in the upper right photo.  For larger plans I attach the plan sheet(s) to a piece of foam core illustration board and then Set the foam core onto the small ledge on the bottom of the drafting table and use a spring clamp to hold it in place as shown in the lower.  I can move it closer to the bench as shown in the upper left photo.  By putting the plans on foam core boards I can have multiple sets of plans able to be used as I usually have at least two projects going at a time.

There are also small tables meant for lap top computers that could be adapted in a similar manner using the foam core pieces.

Kurt

 

PS:The hand on the table is a Halloween hand that will become part of a "Don't touch the models" plaque with a butcher's cleaver and cutting board for our next model show.

 

[Modeler12]

I photograph them and put them on my pc.

 

Along with the instructions and parts lists.

 

I also keep a plan or two blue tacced to the wall behind the bench for general reference and inspiration

I like this idea for several reasons. Plans are usually quite large and many. Having them on the computer means you can always make copies of close-ups or full size. Scaling becomes a problem, but that can be overcome.

 

I have been shuffling eight large drawings for more than two years and they show the wear.

Where do I store them? On top of the hood (or bonnet, if you please) of my 300ZX parked next to my workbench. Just have a peek at the first clip of the following video.

 

Edited November 20, 2013 by Modeler12

[ScottRC]

At one of my previous places of work, I used print binders and had a binder extension on my drafting table.  Before the computer, used to do a lot of size D prints with overlays on one table.  About a year ago, I picked up a large drafting table and some binders from a company that was throwing them out.  Please ignore the airplane, this is the only current pic I have of the table.  Under the plane is a print clamp and scale.  The table is great because it is adjustable and I can also attach my drafting machine and scales to it to lift measurements off the print.  The binder allows me to stack multiple prints and keep them in order.

 

[Nirvana]

I have the overview plan in between two pieces of 1/4" plexiglass and one on the wall, the one on the wall do have tiles of cork behind so I can pin them.

[jml1083]

Until I recently expanded my shipyard I was working in an 8' x 8' (2.4m x 2.4m) room so I came up with ways to make the most of the space. I made a plans locker that served 4 purposes.

1. A place where I could hang plans vertically so I could just glance over from my bench and see the whole plan.
2. A photographic background
3. A light table
4. A locker where other plans can be stored

 

 

Section A is a photographic background that stays rolled up and out of the way until I need it. Those 2 diagonal lines are tiny bungee cords that keep it rolled up until I need it.

 

Section B is where the plans hang. There are 3 steel bands that run across the face and I hang the plans using rare earth magnets.

 

Section C is a light table that is connected to the bottom of the locker with a piano hinge. It has legs that fold down to support it. The table also doubles as the base for the photographic background. I roll the paper down and it extends to the front of the table.

 

The front of the locker is hinged along the left side so that the whole front face swings out. Inside is a lot of room for other plans.

 

 

That orange snake like beast is my vacuum hose. I drape it over the top when I don't need it. When I do need it I just plug it into the PVC pipe outlet just below and to the right of the one end. I hooked a shop vac up outside the shop and installed PVC pipe outside to other outlets around the (now expanded) shop. The vac is wired to switches next to the suction pipes so I can just flick a switch and instant vacuum. My wife hasn't figured out yet that I have a central vac system in the shipyard and she doesn't upstairs in the house

 

The vac as a grounded copper wire running through the piping to cut down on the fire risk.

[Nirvana]

I like this idea for several reasons. Plans are usually quite large and many. Having them on the computer means you can always make copies of close-ups or full size. Scaling becomes a problem, but that can be overcome.

 

I have been shuffling eight large drawings for more than two years and they show the wear.

Where do I store them? On top of the hood (or bonnet, if you please) of my 300ZX parked next to my workbench. Just have a peek at the first clip of the following video.

 

Thank you very much for a fantastic presentation of your workshop, short and consist,

I just need "my perfect" workshop, if it ever will exist.

[Pygothian]

All good ideas. Anyone know the best solution for getting plans to stay flat after being rolled or folded.

 

My Syren plans area really needing some flattening. I don't want to iron them incase I damage them, but if want them nice and flat.

 

Cheers

Rowan

[CaptCraig]

Modeler12- Thank you for another great video. I watched on you did on tying the blocks for rigging. The quality of your videos is excellent!

 

JimL- I like your plan solution. It has all kinds of options that could improve the storage and provides good functionality.