Show me your Silver Work Area please

[CorvetteJuliet]

I'm thinking that by spring I might have the funds together to reconfigure part of my fiber arts studio and put in a nice work area (and wood floor - ditch the berber carpet) condusive to silver working & jewelry making. My flameworking area is in another part of the basement and already set up, but I'm finding I really need a more optimal setup than the work table in the other part of my studio. The whole basement is mine and about 50' x 20'. The flameworking part at one end (shared with the cats!) about 12'x20'. The rest is pretty much open with two large sliding glass doors overlooking the river and filled with lots of my craft stuff (looms, yarn, knitting machines, kids toys & dollhouse , seating area w/ TV etc...) Basically it needs a major overhaul and reorganization.

Can you please share some photos of your setup . equipment, tools and give me some ideas or pros and cons? I'm thinking about a big L shaped countertop height work area with lots and lots of storage drawers for beads and supplies and possibly a butcher block countertop surface. I'm slowly accumulating tools for silverworking... including the new power supply for nobium anodizing beadcaps (inspired by Evan's tutorials!) which DH just gave me for my Birthday! :D I'm hoping Santa will bring one of the mini torches for soldering etc... Do I need a separate ventilation for that little guy? If so, how many CFMs? Thanks! ~Juliet

[e. mort]

I would send you a picture of mine, but I am redoing it since I just moved. However, I would pick up an actual jewelers bench for the silver work. A bench will run you anywhere from a couple of hundred bucks all the way up to several thousand. Mine cost less than $200 and works great. I picked it up from Frei and Borel. If you know any "buddy" who has wood working tools there is a great set of plans for building a very nice inexpensive bench in the back of "The complete metalsmith" by Tim McCreight. A great book that you should probably have anyway if you don't already...and usually under $25 for the student addition. I have an extra bench that I also use for a solder area for larger pieces as well as annealing metal. Oh, and a built in sturdy bench along a wall with a vise on it is a great help for drawing wire or tubing.

Good Luck.

Eric

[CorvetteJuliet]

Eric, thanks for the feedback and book suggestion. :) I've added that to my Christmas list. ~Juliet