I am doing a GCSE project in DT (design technology). I am hoping to build a hobby desk/work station. But before I start building I need to get some feedback to help me create the best design. It would really help me if you could answer these questions.
Would you like it to be free standing or something that you put on a table and take around?
Would you like it to be made out of metal or wood?
Either material. Wood might be more “sellable” to the home user.
No, same reasons as Robert’s answers above
Depends on type and design.
Not required
Not required, though perhaps an optional attachment?
Power strip. Along the back, up the leg, across the front, somewhere! At least 8 outlets with as many as 12 being available. A rolled front edge with the other 3 edges having a lip to prevent things falling off.
When I picture in my mind the perfect modeling desk that I’ll never build, I envision a corner unit with an L-shape to it. One side would be for assembly and the other would be for painting. Both sides would have a back extending up maybe 2 feete or so - on the assembly side it would have a shelf for reference books, a power strip to accomodate extra lighting, dremel tool, etc. and a few cutouts along the back edge of the horizontal surface to mount clamp-based lighting fixtures. The painting side would have paint racks of a few different depths to accomodate different sized jars of paing (and yes, maybe even a few spray cans). As was mentioned earlier, a built-in cutting mat would be just that much more difficult to engineer a replacement (even if it’s designed for a common-sized mat, you never know if and when that standard size will change and no longer be available) - maybe a hanging magazine rack off of one end of the work surface to accomodate things like large cutting mats that would otherwise be hard to stow out of the way.
I especially like the idea of having the work surface adjustable - I’m a bit on the short side, and the built-in desk here in my home is a little on the high side for me and I’d love for it to be an adjustable height, but I’m out of luck. The height-adjustable office chairs only go so high (they’re all standard) and that’s just not high enough for me.
DELUXE MODEL: You can never have enough bits & pieces drawers - having one or two cabinets just like the ones you can get at hardware stores for stowing different-sized nuts & bolts would be great. Also for Deluxe, the painting side could have a spraying booth with exhaust unit (ideally the whole shebang could be located by a window).
Wood, definitely. That way if you got an idea for an add-on, you could (if you had to) just tack it on to the existing unit with minimal effort.
Design exercises like this are a bit subjective, and I think the answers change some if this is meant as a one time thing (i.e. it’s being custom designed for an individual) or if it’s something to be boxed up and retailed. Most of these answers are as pertains to my preferences.
Free standing. If part of this project is creating a marketing plan, there’s probably a larger market for something portable that you’d place on a tabletop.
Metal frame and drawers, wood (like butcher block) or melamine work surface.
I guess the wood work surface would effectively be a cutting board, but I’d still end up using my own rubber mat.
If I were designing the station for myself, I’d integrate the lights… at least one general area light and one desk lamp, probably one of those with the magnifier included. But if I were buying a pre-engineered solution, I would probably would avoid those with lights built in… it’s rare to see them integrated the way you want them to be.
Only if it’s meant for airbrushing, in which case sides would be required. The airbrushing section should be a separate, independent module.
Not like a spice rack and pencil holder, respectively. I’d rather see shallow drawers which could be used for paints, brushes, glues, knives, and other hobby tools.
If it’s free standing, it ought to have lots of leg room. A storage solution/rack for scratchbuilding supplies (tubing, styrene strips) would be nice. Work surface should be small enough that everything is an easy reach away, but large enough that you aren’t constantly running out of room… my desk is 60"x30", and I wouldn’t recommend going much larger than that.
Drawers:
A lap drawer is good.
Drawers on top of the work surface would be nice, but ought to be large enough to hold what is likely to be held there (including knives and brushes; some of those plastic racks with the small clear drawers for nuts and bolts and screws aren’t).
If this is retailed desk and drawers are mounted underneath the work surface, it’d be nice to choose which side they’d go on.
I prefer shallower drawers for hobby tools and paints, say 4" tall at most. But at least one drawer should be large enough to hold in progress kits and/or other bulky items.
The painting module should have a drawer or other storage for for larger bottles, like Future, thinner.
Based on my hobby bench, which always has been, and continues to be, a work in progress, here are my criteria:
Free-standing–the larger, the better! See 8. On the other hand, perhaps you can design a good portable workbench that would be easy for a modeler to transport if he likes to take his work on the road, like myself. Of course, many hotels and motels do have desks, but I’ve run across a few motel rooms that had scant space for setting up modeling. Such a table can also be easily set up outdoors if you’re the type that likes to model outside when the weather is good, again like me.
Either one, although wood usually looks nicer.
No built-in cutting board.
No built-in light. Most of the time I keep a fluorescent desk lamp in the same place, but every now and then, I do find it necessary to move the light to another part of the workbench.
No fan. I’m one of the few serious modelers that doesn’t use an airbrush, and most of the ones that do have an airbrush keep the painting booth in another part of the room.
Perhaps as part of built-in storage space. Again, see 8.
Power strips were mentioned by some of our fellow modelers. I don’t use a lot of power tools in my modeling, so one small power strip does it for me, but lots of modelers do use power tools, plus their computers are hooked up in the same room; they might even have TV’s or stereos in the same room, too. So, lots of power strips!
Above all (allow me a minute to find the caps-lock key), SPACE! SPACE! AND MORE SPACE! This includes both work space and storage space. That’s why I like a large, fixed hobby bench, with a huge work area and tons of storage space. You can’t have too much storage space! Believe me, I never seem to have quite enough storage space in my workbench. Whatever you do, put more storage space in your design than you think you need, then double or even triple it! Perhaps you can even design the bench to accept an additional cupboard or drawers if the modeler needs it later.
Are you just designing the workbench as part of a class or do you have to build it, too? Either way, I would like to see your blueprint or pictures of the workbench under construction.
I would recommened getting one of the power strips that have individual switches for each socket. These are very handy for tools/appliances that do not have an on/off switch. They usually run $15- $20
Sorry I have not responded sooner but it is due to the time difference in England. Thanks to you all for your replies which are very helpful. If you have any further thoughts please let me know.
The project I am doing for GCSE is to design and build something and I have chosen to build a hobby desk as I enjoy model making. This design is not for retail use - but you never know!
I am also trying to decide on exactly what I want to do with my hobby desk. Below is an image of where it is going to go. I plan to basically build a table with a back on it to hang tools and small shelves for paints. Everything has got to go on top, nothing underneath. Major items will include a small spray booth, compressor, rechargable dremel and soldering station. I’m thinking of using MDF for the surface and backing since it is inexpensive and smooth. Any suggstions would be appreciated.
I wouldn’t use MDF if I were you, unless you’re planning on taking the time to seal it. Any amount, even a drop, of liquid will cause the MDF to expand in a large blister. You won’t have a smooth surface for long at all.
I remember the old partical board would swell-up but didn’t know if modern day MDF would do the same. There are some materials, OSB comes to mind, which have been improved and are not affected by moisture the way they used to be. Apparently MDF has not been. Thanks for the tip.
I have a MDF top on my table and sadly it does swell, but only if you don’t wipe it up right away. Moisture has to sit on the surface for quite a while before it soaks in and swells. Unless you are a complete klutz it works pretty good.
