Imagine you have an unlimited amount of cash at your disposal and with said cash could make any workbench in any space you want what kinds of features would you add? I for one would build a walk-in heated ventilated spray room so I wouldn’t have to worry about the weather forecasts and flying bugs anymore. I’d also have a built in sink/faucet for washing parts and stripping paint. Of course I’d add more lighting and tools, lots more cabinets and storage/organizers. I might even build three benches in a U shape so if I have 3 builds going at once each can have it’s own table and not get mixed up [:D]
Maybe you have seen this before.
Although this does not directly answer your question it sure is full of ideas for a “dream workbench”
There are several pages to this link but well worth going through all of them. check it out.
Boy, this thread is near to my heart! One friend once told me that my real hobby was making workbenches. My current one is maybe the tenth or eleventh. Even so, and it is a good workbench, I keep finding features I want in my next bench.
In addition to a pegboard back for tools, I now have “back” boards on the sides- right side has painting stuff, left side masking tape, double sided tape and trim tapes. I have one of those positionable lights, and use the arms for storing clothespins and small clamps. Handy enough that I thought it would be nice to have a bunch of such positionable arms (like dentists have around their chairs) for things like X-acto knifes, pin vise/drills, needle files, etc. I am wondering if I can add such features to my current bench.
I had making drawers, so my current bench has storebought storage. I bought two of those drawer storage units that the office supply stores sell, and used them for the pedestals upon which the top is mounted. Top is a simple sandwich of half inch particle board. I cover the top with contact paper allowing me to redo the top very simply between projects.
Future desires- more electrical outlets, vise mounted on bench somewhere, more paint storage.
I actually have pretty close to what I want, finally after many years of portable ‘modelling rooms’ due to military moves…I picked up a great computer table in an L shape with many shelves, have it in corner of my den/ “I love me room”, I can model while I watch a nice flat screen TV, listen to books or music, have couch, book cases,even a small fridge,for keeping super glue cool,yeah right! I would like to have the walk in spray booth,that’s an idea as i have a walk in closet keeping part of my stash in,Hmmm…winter project
Interesting question… Perhaps the thing I lack in my shop that I want the most is storage. I want everything out of sight but still easily accessible. Clutter is the bane of every modeler and a tough thing to deal with in reality due to the nature of the hobby. At this time I have all the work space I want, my bench is 8ft long and about 32 inches deep with a contoured backsplash so parts seldom leave the bench. I have two built in electrical plugs and a speed control for the dremel all mounted to the bench. Also my air brush compressor hangs under the bench on bungees so it’s very very quiet and out of the way. My storage at this point is the best it has been but still could be better. So yeah, if I had my dream shop it would be built with enough storage to keep everything out of sight when not in use. Also… climate control for sure.
Last but not least… a maid to keep it all in shape for me. 
Boy, that is sure the truth. I guess it is a variant of one of Parkinson’s laws (work expands to fit the labor available). For modelers, kits expand to fit the storage available.
I’d sure like to have a Tardis available in the corner of the shop. I could store all the stash in that
That would be the law of stuff - like a gas will expand to fill any container, stuff will expand to fill any room. I am in a bit of a quandry now. I get to build a 10 x 17 room in our basement. I recently got back into this hobby and now that i have a bit if disposable (and some argument from the wife) income, i’ve pretty much been buying tools, some paints, supplies and much to my surprise, building a stash that number about 20 kits soon. This room will have two exterior windows, so venting for paint should not be a problem. I’ve been through most of the threads with workspace examples and i am spinning in circles trying to decide what i want to include. There are a lot of very talented people out there.
to elaborate a bit.
The basic room is 10 x 17 rectangle. It will have a 3 x 6 storage closet, paint area, photo area as well as a wrap-a-round work bench.
i plan on havng an old laptop and A-I-O printer in the room (wireless connection), a mini-fridge and maybe a small TV.
Electrical will be 10-15 outlets with 3-5 circuits. Lighting will be 3 flourescent overhead and 2-3 halogen desk lights with a couple of magnifier lamps.
For display, it will probably be shelves on the wall . . . assuming i ever get one built.
My bench is OK for what I work on except that there is a great need for more outlets. It is a spare bedroom conversion and only has one double outlet in the room. There was no ceiling light so I set up 2 fluorescent lights over the workbench. It gets a little tiring switching plugs on a power strip.
Jim [cptn]
For you Dr. Who fans, just think how nice it would be to use Tardis technology to build a workbench. With no more footprint than a normal workbench in your shop, you could have an almost infinite length of bench, unlimited tool and paint storage, etc.! Will we ever see anything like that in the future, or will that always remain science fiction?
here are some pictures of my model room/man cave…
s251.beta.photobucket.com/…/newmodelroom001.jpg.html
http://s251.beta.photobucket.com/user/canbycoop/media/newmodelroom002.jpg.html?sort=3&o=126
http://s251.beta.photobucket.com/user/canbycoop/media/newmodelroom003.jpg.html?sort=3&o=127
http://s251.beta.photobucket.com/user/canbycoop/media/newmodelroom004.jpg.html?sort=3&o=128
http://s251.beta.photobucket.com/user/canbycoop/media/newmodelroom006.jpg.html?sort=3&o=130
http://s251.beta.photobucket.com/user/canbycoop/media/newmodelroom010.jpg.html?sort=3&o=133
hollow core door slab on top of roll around drawers. all secured to the wall. acro bins for stoage of paints and supplies.
If money were no object…I’d tear down my whole house, except for the basement/war room, and rebuild with logs and stone.
My modeling workshop is an ever evolving work in progress. I change it around as my needs change. Its indoors, downstairs in our fully finished basement. Its warm in the winter and cool in the summer with the humidity kept at an acceptable range.
Even since posting this video tour of my workshop, I’ve done a little more remodeling.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F_cqB5EW0M
Now the single long workbench has been converted into an L shaped bench. This was done to allow me to work directly across from one grandkid or stand in between two whether they are sitting across from each other or at opposite sections of the bench.
