Optimum Workshop?

[Sledzep01]

There are a few running workshop threads.

What I want to know is what is optimum? For instance,nobody told me to have either a sturdier table or a separate area for hammering...

Anything not in a bucket screwed down along the back of the table is always on the floor...

 

So if you have some room, whats best?

 

Sled

[Jake907]

oh man, you have no idea the can of worms you've opened with that question, lol

by all accounts, it seems that everyone has different needs for a workshop, and different ways of setting up their workspace. 

and some of us don't have a regular workspace at all, I work out of a bag, so I work on my projects at the kitchen table/friends house/leather class/or wherever I feel like. 

Just start with a work bench and add or change your configuration when you need to.

Edited January 6, 2018 by Jake907

[bikermutt07]

Some sort of heavy table or steel desk is a good place to start.

I have plans to add a long wall mounted bench for.my press and cutting longer materials.

As for a pounding\tooling area my old steel teacher desk for 20 bucks works pretty good. However, now that I think about it. My work is always out in front of me. Maybe it should be more under me. (Thinking out loud now) I may have more control if I go with a standing position for cutting and pounding.

And, you can never go wrong with stuff hanging on the wall. Check out a French cleat system on YouTube. They lend themselves to easy reconfiguration once you decide where to improve your layout.

Good luck, I'll probably be tripping over this stuff for at least another year.

[Mhicks]

After spending the last 3 months "working" as a leather worker I've figured out what did and didn't work with my current shop space and here is kind of what I came up with and am in the middle of implementing.

Bigger and taller flat surface,  this is mostly done but it is 8'x8' with the work surface at 44".  I have 4' clear on 3 sides with the other side against the wall an.  When done it will work as an assembly line starting with layout/cutting, assembly/glue/ marking stitch lines, and then to stitching area. Half of the underneath is for leather storage the other half will be storage for templates, hardware and whatever else

I've found my stitching pony's just didn't cut it for bags, I make my totes and backpacks from 1 piece of leather and fighting pieces that are 20"x40" up to 16"x60" killed productivity.  I'm in the middle of design and making a table mounted swing arm stitching clamp with a 12" clamp surface. 

Once I get all the tools moved to the 8'x8' work table I plan to use my existing 2'x7' work bench for splitting, riveting, snaps, and getting a small press set up to get rid of the huge box of bulldog clips.

I have a 14.5'x32' heated/cooled work shop and 14.5'x24' of that is dedicated to leather work

[rodneywt1180b]

Optimum workshop?  I don't think there is such a thing.  I look at mine as a continuous work in progress.  It changes as my needs change. 

Mine is small, 10ftx20ft, and packed with a bunch of woodworking equipment along with a whole bunch of wood and a lot of misc. stuff that has no place in a workshop.  Nowhere else to put the other stuff at the moment.  Maybe someday.  I think even if I had 10 times the space I'd still fill it up.

[Sledzep01]

So guys, what areas should be separated from others?

Since I have room I want to be smart about it. I like what Mhicks is saying above.

I think my first move is a second table to separate any pounding from the rest. stuff gets crazy when I rivet things. I guess my primary table is not sturdy enough.

Plus only 2 people have ever used the guest bed in that room so i guess it goes the way of the Dodo...

Currently I just "make stuff" and give it away as I practice so I have not thought through "flow" as if I was producing several of a product.

I did 7 Key/watch/coin stuff holders (2 tone with a tan and a black leather some with copper, others brass, and some stitched) last night, and 5 mouse pads are glued today awaiting stitching tonight.

So... what goes with what?

Pounding with cutting? stitching with cutting? Dying with???

1 hour ago, Mhicks said:

starting with layout/cutting, assembly/glue/ marking stitch lines, and then to stitching area.

Would most agree with this flow? I love rivets (copper in general) so where does the hammering go?

 

Sled

 

[bikermutt07]

I would think for sure you would want a separate dying\finish station. Have it all by itself. 

A good pattern making\cutting area

And assembly.

So 3 stations could do it? 

Maybe a tooling section?

I'm just guessing.

[Sledzep01]

4 hours ago, bikermutt07 said:

I would think for sure you would want a separate dying\finish station. Have it all by itself. 

A good pattern making\cutting area

And assembly.

So 3 stations could do it? 

Maybe a tooling section?

I'm just guessing.

Is tooling the same as cutting in your opinion? Because I have no plans for actual tooling/carving. My brain says I wish, My hand says HAHAHAHAHA!

 

Sled

[bikermutt07]

7 hours ago, Sledzep01 said:

Is tooling the same as cutting in your opinion? Because I have no plans for actual tooling/carving. My brain says I wish, My hand says HAHAHAHAHA!

 

Sled

I am with you. My hands have bad arthritis or carpel tunnel or something. 5 minutes of that stuff is all I can handle. I dropped the idea of tooling before I ever got out of the practice stage.

But if I was doing it I would treat that as another area. That is where you would have your granite top at.

[garypl]

I have a 4 x 8 foot work table.  One corner covered with cutting mats with a 4 ft straightedge attached to the edge to cut long straight pieces of leather. (Leather slips under the straightedge and is clamped to hold it securely while cutting.)

Another corner setup with airbrush and fan/filter for spraying dye and finishes.

Third corner has granite block covered with brown paper - stamping and tooling is done here along with gluing, edge painting, dyeing small pieces and coloring leather.  Brown paper makes drips easy to clean up, I just replace the paper when it gets nasty.

4th corner has bench vise and arbor press for stamping and setting rivets, grommets etc.   (vise is not normally used for leather, I used to do a lot of woodworking and a vise always comes in handy for holding things.)

4 x 8 ft shelf under the workbench holds plastic storage bins with hardware, threads, tools, dyes, and any other stuff that I don’t use every day.

Sewing machine in another room - keeps it away from dust and dirt.  Also have a large table to layout leather to mark for cutting.  More often than not, I layout large hides on my pool table - it’s the largest flat area available to work on other than the floor, and my back and knees don’t like working on the floor anymore!

Gary

[Mattsbagger]

I have 3 stations. One by the window for airbrushing. (For ventilation) one across the room from it for other dye/finish processes. And one more for cutting,stamping,assembly. And it's all in a long narrow room off our bedroom. With an archway and no door. Started as a office/spare room with a futon. Oh yea it's also carpeted so I gotta be extra careful with dye.lol I started on the dining room table. In my mind I would have a room with more space and bigger tables. My big table is 3×5. 

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

Another interesting thread, as I am currently moving my operation into a new building.  I will have more room than ever before, and even though I have been doing this for a living for 25 years, I know there will still be some changes to the setup after I get back in production.  The type of work will largely determine your needs, as stated above.  A separate dyeing/finishing area for me is an absolute necessity.  I have just spent the last 7 years in the worst setup I've had since I started, and I can't count how many things I ruined by not having enough room and contaminating something with black dye, that was not supposed to be black.  It makes you invent new words!  The new shop has 5 separate 4 x8 tables.  Three of them I just built new, and I beefed them up over what I previously had.  They are made entirely from 2 x 6 framing, and they have a shelf underneath.  My old tables were 2 x 4 construction, and have done ok, but did notice when I moved them a couple days ago, that they had really loosened up.  So when we set them back up at the new shop, I beefed them up.  Three of the 4 x 8 tables are intended to be strictly for cutting and layout. That means that nothing will be allowed to be on those tables besides what I am cutting today, or what got cut yesterday, or laying out patterns on a side.  We'll see how THAT plays out!  Three tables might seem overkill for a one person shop, but I have the room available, so I'm going to use it.  I spent so many years cutting leather on my living room floor, because my shop tables were so full of stuff that didn't belong on a cutting table, that I never want to cut leather on the floor again. My knees are just too damn old! 

I'll have a couple tables dedicated to bench machines and fitting up, tacking, etc, and then the dying/finishing table, which is a 4 x 8, but spilt down the middle by a "wall" with pegboard on both sides.  I've put a shelf for bottles on each side of the pegboard, and lights under the shelf.  One side is for black stuff, the other for stuff that is to remain "dyeless".   I will have a separate bench for tooling, mostly because I had a 6 ft space to fill in front of a window, and a bench that will fit there.  I find myself avoiding tooling as much as possible, sue also to the arthritis in my hands.  But I do enough that it will be nice to have the dedicated space, plus I like the view out that window!.  Machinery will be placed wherever it makes sense. . .still haven't gotten to that point. 

I also want an area for grinding, and cutting bolts, etc away from the leather stuff to avoid contamination by metal filings.  A set of wrenches and sockets and other general tools need to be kept in that area also.  I still haven't decided where that is going to be.

 

[Orangeleather]

For me, in order of priority & need.

Space.

Improved HD table.

plenty of light, artificial or otherwise.

everything I’ll just make it up in a trial & error methodology until a workable solution is found and stick to what works for me.

 

[JD62]

Light, light, light. You cant have enough! I've worked in several shop type settings and the one thing they had in common was that no matter how much room you start with you WILL get cramped soon enough. So some sort of extra storage aria comes in real handy, an attic, or basement is best IMHO. It helps with the empty flat surface problem ( where they always seem to be covered with stuff). Oh ya and light!

[tomsmith85717]

3 hours ago, JD62 said:

Light, light, light. You cant have enough! I've worked in several shop type settings and the one thing they had in common was that no matter how much room you start with you WILL get cramped soon enough. So some sort of extra storage aria comes in real handy, an attic, or basement is best IMHO. It helps with the empty flat surface problem ( where they always seem to be covered with stuff). Oh ya and light!

this 1000x this. I will add you need a work table big enough to roll out the hides you buy ( if you only work with double shoulders than that is the size you need if you work with whole hides than that is the size you need) anything smaller WILL effect you productivity negatively by some margin. Make a point of clearing off your to clear off your table nightly.  Just use some sort of table cover when  using dyes. I like a big solid place to pound things on so to me a table is just not the right tool for that job I have a post that is the same height of my table right next to my table. 

The only one who can say what optimum for you is you, that said its at least 2 to 3 times bigger than you think.

[Fire88]

I’ve not been at this long but and am in the beginning of starting to build out my work area. I have one bench that serves as a dye area, small bench with granite for tooling/setting and small cutting. 

 I will me adding a larger table that is  6ft x 3ft (may end up 7ftx3ft top) with shelf underneath to store leather. This new table will be used as a cut/layout table. 

I have my CB3200 against a wall and a bench with my sander/burnisher and drill press. 

[Sledzep01]

On 1/6/2018 at 7:38 PM, bikermutt07 said:

I would think for sure you would want a separate dying\finish station. Have it all by itself. 

A good pattern making\cutting area

And assembly.

So 3 stations could do it? 

Maybe a tooling section?

I'm just guessing.

Is tooling the same as cutting in your opinion? Because I have no plans for actual tooling/carving. My brain says I wish, My hand says HAHAHAHAHA!

 

Sled

[bikermutt07]

1 hour ago, Sledzep01 said:

Is tooling the same as cutting in your opinion? Because I have no plans for actual tooling/carving. My brain says I wish, My hand says HAHAHAHAHA!

 

Sled

I had replied above. I'm in the same boat.