S-S-Studio

Emster · #1 2008-03-04, 9:11pm

Hi, everyone! I'm SO incredibly psyched to let you all know that my husband, Craig, and I are officially beginning construction on my home studio this weekend. Last weekend I cleaned out the space in our garage where we will be building my studio. The propane gas line (for our cooking and dryer gas) going into the house is right where my studio is going. How convenient? I took before pics as a reference point and hope to have time this coming weekend to post them.

As a bit of history for those of you that don't know me, I had a small studio in our old house in our basement. It was literally the size of my desk and it got the job done. I had just taken Bead I at Glasshopper Studio in Creve Couer, Missouri. I worked like mad on a hothead with Mapp gas for about a month and a half and turned out some pretty great plain round beads that I made into jewelry that people just loved. I made as many as I could in preparation for my work Craft Fair and then came Christmas and I knew I wouldn't have time to get back to the torch until after the Holidays. Well, after the Holidays I started a part time home based business in addition to working full time and beading when I could squeeze it in, so I didn't really touch my hothead ever agin. Craig had gotten me a minor for Christmas, but he didn't really ever get it set up in that house. Life took some completely unexpected turns for our whole family the spring of 2006 and life was literally put on hold.

We moved into this house in January of 2007. It's been the plan for more than a year to build my studio in this house, but life got in the way. We got married May 26, 2007 and then enjoyed the summer of life post-wedding. My husband was taking flying lessons on the weekends. Then came fall and all of a sudden the Holidays. And with the cold weather brought the need for my husband to constantly replenish our firewood supply to heat our home with our wood burner. Craig is due to start a very demanding job soon and we agreed that the time to build is now. Hopefully it won't take longer than a couple of weekends. It's not a very large space, but large enough for me to be deliriously happy with.

I'm undecided on paint color, but I'm really liking earthy tones like those found in raku. Any SLLS peeps (Teri, Peri, Miss Kate, Tamara, Barb C, Melissa, and everyone else) are welcome to come over and help me paint.

I'll keep you all posted on our progress!

Ya-f'ing-hoo!!!

Miss Kate · #2 2008-03-05, 7:55am

Yay Emster! WooHoo! Can't wait! I'll help you paint!

Miss Kate

Emster · #3 2008-03-06, 8:04am

Wow, Katie, that would be AWESOME! I'm totally in the air about what color(s) to use. I want to be able to put up multi-color art on the walls.

The only window I'll have is my door, but that's okay. My ventilation will be overhead.

I replied to your email before I saw your post, so sorry about that.

Emster · #4 2008-03-09, 7:51pm

Okay, here are the beginning pics with explanations.

Here is my space for my studio which will be 6' wide x 10' long by 8' tall. It's in a corner nook in our attached garage. On the other side of the nook is our mudroom just inside our entry to the house from inside the garage. These pics were taken before I cleaned the area.

Here's my AIM bead kiln that I've had for almost 3 years and have never even test fired yet!

These are pics of my future ventilation. It's a squirrel mounted exhaust that would normally go under a cooktop. Craig found it on a construction site. He's going to mount it inside an overhead hood he's going to build with possibly sheet metal. The exhaust will run out through the back wall. He's going to have to go through the existing drywall and brick.

You'll notice the cylindrical entity on the wall; that's our Central Vac system. Craig is going to relocate it to the outside wall of the studio later on. Also, if you'll look closely beneath the vac, you'll see a pipe. That is the propane line running into our house! How f'ing perfect of a location is that? That will make my gas hookup much easier for Craig to take care of.

We went to Home Depot Friday night to get our wood to frame out the studio. All this wood and only a handful of incidentals (including a Fine Woodworking magazine) only cost me about $121. Oh, and dinner at Qdoba.

Here's Craig moving one of 3 riding lawn mowers sitting in our garage out of the way so he can get down to bidness (only 1 mower really works).

The beginning outline.

Craig beginning measuring the exterior wall.

I started vacuuming and cleaning the garage and by the time I took a breather, Craig had already had the exterior wall all roughed out.

Time to start nailing it all together.

Here's where the door is going to go.

The snap line where the exterior wall will be.

My sweet man taking a breather.

The exterior wall after we lifted it into place.

Craig securing the exterior wall to the existing wall.

The last task of the day -- utilizing one of the riding mowers to weigh down the exterior wall to help secure the caulking applied along the floor.

Lastly, the view from our garage. I'll only have one window in my studio and that will be the full length window in my door. This door is currently the front door in our old house and has lots of character. It's wood and has beveled glass and is REALLY old. I'll have to refinish it when we finally get it.

Miss Kate · #5 2008-03-10, 6:45am

WooHoo! Glad you are getting started!

Miss Kate

Tamara · #6 2008-03-10, 7:15am

Man, that is going to be a great studio! I can't wait to see it!

Hothead Beads · #7 2008-03-10, 8:28am

Emily, I'm so glad that your DH is doing this now! He seems to be smiling the whole way too! Let me know when you are ready to paint.

Magicfire · #8 2008-03-10, 12:32pm

It looks great!! You're lucky to have such a great guy to build it for you!

I'm on spring break next week if you are ready to paint by then--just sayin'!

-Patti

AfterHoursArtistry · #9 2008-03-11, 6:12am

It's finally happening. I'm so glad. Can't wait to come over and see it when it's done.

lripster · #10 2008-03-11, 11:34am

How cool!!! (and I love the title of your thread)

Emster · #11 2008-03-14, 8:10pm

It's been a busy week. Craig only had time to work on the studio on Monday. He got the left wall and ceiling joists in place.

Right above where the ceiling joists are, we're going to have hidden storage for light items like sleeping bags, christmas ornaments and no glass items.

Miss Kate · #12 2008-03-15, 6:02am

WooHoo! Coming right along!

Miss Kate

DanG · #13 2008-03-15, 7:18am

How are you going to heat it. If you go to lowes they have these great electric units he can put in the framing that works really well. I have one in my shop about a half hour before I start I turn it on and its nice and warm.

Emster · #14 2008-03-15, 3:04pm

We have a heated floor in the garage. And in the summer I'll have a small window unit a/c.

Donna T. · #15 2008-03-15, 5:59pm

Emily love how it's going please continue to post pix as I'm gathering info to do the same thing in my garage! I figured this would be the most economical as two walls, floor and ceiling are already there. We're looking into extending the A/C duct work into that area instead of using a window unit. I won't have a window. It looks like you won't either. What do you plan to do about bringing in air?
Can't wait to see the rest of your studio!

Emster · #16 2008-03-17, 4:22am

Hi, Donna! I think Craig was going to install the a/c unit into one of the new walls. The a/c would blow into the garage. I'f I'm wrong about that, I'll correct this entry, but I'm pretty sure that's how he's planning to do it.

Miss Kate · #17 2008-03-17, 6:00am

Emily you need to think about bringing in "make up" air while torching.

Emster · #18 2008-03-17, 7:15pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miss Kate

Emily you need to think about bringing in "make up" air while torching.

What's "make up" air?

Miss Kate · #19 2008-03-17, 7:29pm

What type of exhaust system is Craig putting in for you?

Your ventilation system will be pulling air & fumes from your torch, and exhausting it to the outside. If you don't have a source of make-up air (air coming in to replace that going out in the exhaust), you will create a "vacuum" and your exhaust no longer works properly.

Also - it creates a vacuum in the space/time continuium, and may, destroy the world as we know it! So it's important, not only for your health, but the safety of the world. Look in the safety section for more info!

Miss Kate

Emster · #20 2008-03-17, 8:18pm

LOL! No way am I going to be reponsible for messing with space/time continuium. No matter how much fun I had in the 80s, they're over now. Besides, they don't make my favorite hairspray anymore - the kind that can withstand 80 mph winds and 24 hours straight partying.

I'll bring this up to Craig. I'm sure he's already got it figured out and was going to let me know on an "as needed" basis.

My ventilation is a squirrel mounted exhaust that would normally go under a cooktop. Craig found it on a construction site. He's going to mount it inside an overhead hood he's going to build with possibly sheet metal. The exhaust will run out through the back wall. He's going to have to go through the existing drywall and brick. There's pics of the unit in my first post with pics.

Emster · #21 2008-03-17, 9:03pm

Here's the pics from today. Since it rained today and Craig didn't work, he got to do more work on the studio. He wanted to get drywall and get started on the walls today, but, again, it rained, so he got to other things instead. He started on the ceiling. We're going to store stuff above the studio and he wants to make sure the drywall installs securely, he wanted to make it VERY sturdy.

He used plywood as the base for the ceiling.

Here's a view from the North side of the studio. Here we're going to have storage for sheet glass for fusing on the outside of the studio.

This is looking Northwest from inside the studio.

Again, this is looking Northwest from inside the studio, but from as far back as I could possibly step. There's 2x8s standing on the wall so I couldn't get as far back as I could.

jaci · #22 2008-03-17, 10:10pm

Looking good!!!

Katie Gee · #23 2008-03-18, 6:58am

It's looking great Emily !! I have one of those talented hubbies too, isn't it great how hard they will work to make us happy !!!! LOL

Donna T. · #24 2008-03-18, 6:08pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miss Kate

Emily you need to think about bringing in "make up" air while torching.

This is what I meant. Make up air. I want to know what ya'll decide to do about it (so I can try and copy you! hee hee!) Since we're building almost the same thing.

Emster · #25 2008-03-18, 7:54pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katie Gee

It's looking great Emily !! I have one of those talented hubbies too, isn't it great how hard they will work to make us happy !!!! LOL

Katie Gee, yes, it's AWESOME to have a man that's good with his hands!

Rather, to be more specific, and to quote the very prolific and wise words of Miss Kate, "You need to marry a man that knows how to fix shit."

Emster · #26 2008-03-18, 8:12pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katie Gee

It's looking great Emily !! I have one of those talented hubbies too, isn't it great how hard they will work to make us happy !!!! LOL

I am so grateful that I have this beautiful man in my life. He's really proud of the work he's doing here.

Emster · #27 2008-03-18, 8:13pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donna T.

This is what I meant. Make up air. I want to know what ya'll decide to do about it (so I can try and copy you! hee hee!) Since we're building almost the same thing.

Craig just described what he wants to do about the air, and he said he's going to go through the outside wall with it.

DanG · #28 2008-03-19, 4:43am

The way he is building your room he could run the make up air up through the walls and out the top . Use some of the oval stack duct pipe and get the air from in the larger room. This way he wouldn't have to cut a hole in the wall to the outside.

beadgirl · #29 2008-03-19, 12:57pm

Emily,
Congratulations, looks great.

mewsicmama · #30 2008-03-21, 9:52pm

I am new to lampworking but addicted already. I am so happy for you!! We are doing some quick remodeling in our house as daughter will be moving back in soon. Needs a place to stay that will allow her to catch up all her bills and get a new car. Naturally, you know where that is!

Your husband looks like he is really doing a terrific job. Looking forward to more updates!

Hugs,

Shari in Southern California