The Letterville BullBoard: Shop Layout, Work Areas and Storage Ideas

This is topic Shop Layout, Work Areas and Storage Ideas in forum Old Archives at The Letterville BullBoard.

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Posted by Duncan Wilkie (Member # 132) on :

We are constantly re-organizing and "fine tuning" our shop and reception area layouts. I doubt we'll ever be done, but over the years we've been striving to create our dream shop. I really enjoy seeing photos of your shops and have got some great ideas from you. I hope you see something here that you can adapt to fit your shop. If you have and questions or want more photos, let me know.

Our Randal just built this Edge Station for us.
For more photos of our shop click here.
http://www.commercialsigns.com/work.htm

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We now distribute Gyford Standoffs and Rod and Cable Systems WHOLESALE in Canada
Duncan Wilkie
aka signdogwww.commercialsigns.com
Edmonton, Alberta

[This message has been edited by Duncan Wilkie (edited June 24, 2001).]

Posted by Dave Grundy (Member # 103) on :

Duncan..I'm adding you to my list of people I hate!

Your shop is WAY too clean and WAY to organised!!!!!!!!!

hehehehehee

Are you and Donna related? (Donna another person that is WAY too organised!!!)

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Dave Grundy
AKA "applicator" on mIRC
"stickin' sticky stuff to valuable vessels and vehicles!"
in Granton, Ontario, Canada
1-519-225-2634
dave.grundy@quadro.net
www.quadro.net/~shirley

Posted by David Wright (Member # 111) on :

Nice gesture Duncan, we are getting ready for some more renovation and your ideas will certainly help. What type of surface are you using for your table tops?

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Wright Signs
Wyandotte, Michigan
Since 1978
www.wrightsigns.bigstep.com
All change isn't progress, and all progress isn't forward.

Posted by Duncan Wilkie (Member # 132) on :

Dave,
Glad to help,
Counters and desks have Arborite or formica, Cutting surfaces have Puck Board or High Density Polyethylene and fabrication tables have sheet metal.
Cheers

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We now distribute Gyford Standoffs and Rod and Cable Systems WHOLESALE in Canada
Duncan Wilkie
aka signdogwww.commercialsigns.com
Edmonton, Alberta

Posted by David Fisher (Member # 107) on :

I prefer to use the two tier filing system. Anything on the desk is (possibly) of some importance IE: tax info, the latest quote etc.
Anything on the second tier (the floor) is (probably) junk.
Neither rule is necessarily 100% correct but not a bad rule of thumb.
I'm with Dave G on this one

Viva entropy!

David

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David Fisher
D.A. & P.M. Fisher Signwriting
Brisbane Australia
da_pmf@yahoo.com

[This message has been edited by David Fisher (edited June 24, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by David Fisher (edited June 25, 2001).]

Posted by Santo (Member # 411) on :

Aww Crock-yy,
Duncan what's this? You mean you have a separate office and shop. That would be the equiviant of me having a separate bedroom or dining room.
Looks great. Who said sign makers are not professional?

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Santo Brocato
Promotion Graphics & Letters
Youngsville LA.

[This message has been edited by Santo (edited June 25, 2001).]

Posted by Troy Haas (Member # 472) on :

Duncan,
Is the machine to left of your edge your plotter????
If so what brand and model???
Thanks

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Troy Haas
"Metal_Leg" on mIRC

SAM Signs
"At old Hose House No. 8"
931 W. Columbia street
Evansville,Indiana 47710
812-437-5367
Home of the:
"Brush Fire at the Hose House" Letterhead Meet
April 27-29th,2001

"Chaos, panic, disorder - my work here is done."

Posted by Duncan Wilkie (Member # 132) on :

Troy,
The plotter to the left of the edge is a Gerber Envision sprocket feed.
p.s. the shop isn't always this tidy, we got ready for an environmental inpection that week. Our landlords insurance company is picky because we Spray Paint and Screen Print.
Hehe

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We now distribute Gyford Standoffs and Rod and Cable Systems WHOLESALE in Canada
Duncan Wilkie
aka signdogwww.commercialsigns.com
Edmonton, Alberta

Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :

Hey, where's the dog hair??? No shop is complete without a dog and piles of dog hair floatin' around..

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Mike Pipes
Digital Illusion Custom Graphics
Lake Havasu City, AZ
http://www.stickerpimp.com

Posted by Donna in BC (Member # 130) on :

Oh my gosh Duncan, I dare say you have ME beat in the organization aspect! (signmaker hands signdog the crown)

Beautiful setup! Sorry, I have no current pics of my new office. Thanks for the reminder to get with it. I have to clean it up first. LOL!

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Graphic Impact
Abbotsford, BC, Canada
gisigns@sprint.ca

Posted by Linda Silver Eagle (Member # 274) on :

Oh Donna,

Say it ain't so! hehehe!

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DrQuill - Mural Woman
PEACE SIGNS
logodesign2@icqmail.com

"With every breath, we have a choice." --Linda Silver Eagle
Georgia, USA

Posted by Duncan Wilkie (Member # 132) on :

My paw got stuck in the keyboard, see next post.<blush>
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We now distribute Gyford Standoffs and Rod and Cable Systems WHOLESALE in Canada
Duncan Wilkie
aka signdogwww.commercialsigns.com
Edmonton, Alberta

[This message has been edited by Duncan Wilkie (edited June 25, 2001).]

Posted by Duncan Wilkie (Member # 132) on :

Mike,
Boy do we have dog hair

Drop vinyl on the floor and you'll find it right now!
Here's one of the 2 culprits.

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We now distribute Gyford Standoffs and Rod and Cable Systems WHOLESALE in Canada
Duncan Wilkie
aka signdogwww.commercialsigns.com
Edmonton, Alberta

Posted by Linda Silver Eagle (Member # 274) on :

Hay Pup,

I'm impressed..your retriever sat still while you tried to take the picture!

Sweet looking buddy there!

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DrQuill - Mural Woman
PEACE SIGNS
logodesign2@icqmail.com

"With every breath, we have a choice." --Linda Silver Eagle
Georgia, USA

Wait! That's a trick ain't it...the dog sat on some vinyl stuck to the floor and yer milkin the situation to make us think yer dog behaves hahahah!

[This message has been edited by Linda Silver Eagle (edited June 25, 2001).]

Posted by Mikes Mischeif (Member # 1744) on :

If I knew how to post pics, I would.

I have what I call a micro shop in my house. I was inspired by a show my wife was watching with martha stewart putting all of her computer stuff in a closet that had custom slide out doors, and recessed lighting.

I just had lots of stuff:Paints. Brushes. Rollers. Vinyl/tape etc.. scattered everywhere.

Since I am a newlywed, we are currently waiting to purchase a new home. I have consolidated everything to a small space in a corner to accomodate her stuff too. Here's what I did.

I took a 4' x 10' white melamine table and set it on 2 pole stands. Prior to putting the table top on, I made 2 "lazy Susans" at the base of each one, and put one in the middle.

Each lazy susan holds 4 slid drawer plastic caddys on each side. Each lazy susan holds a total of 16 12" x 18" x 8" drawers. So I have 48 seperate drawers all tucked under the table. easy acess to all of them.

Geez, I got a drawer for everything now and room to spare. paints, brushes, foam rollers...heck I even had drawers for all of my cordless power tools.

I then put an oak panel over the front to hide everything. It's on 2 hooks srewed into a 2x2 support underneathe the table. Every six months, I flip the table over for a fresh cutting surface.

Next I bought 4 36" oak bookcases with 3 shelves each. They are 12 inches deep. Since vinyl is 5.5 inches wide when new, it allows me to stock the vinyl 6 wide and 2 deep per shelf. 12 on a shelf, 36 to a bookcase, 144 roll and tape capability. All bookcases have slide down frosted glass doors concealing whats inside.

You would never know what goes on in a room seemingly filled with oak funishings. The Computer stuff is hidden in a matching roll top desk.

The plotter is still exposed, but I'm looking for an oak piece that I could "box" it in, cut mail slots in the delivery side, and install sound dampening "eggshell" material or car audio mat to bring the noise down to a quiet hum during phone calls.

My goal is to claim the space for business write-offs without it looking like a business after 5 pm. So far so good, looks like a library/study with an oversized counter top.

Next move is to install thin overhead cabinets with brass accents and recessed lighting shining down to the work surface for 4:30 pm winter darkness.

My new wife is having some of my sign photos matted and framed. We're on the lookout for small neon signs we can add and a whirlitzer juke box to replace the boombox.

....I love the ideas I've seen for garages here. Hope we end up with one. It's 3rd on our wish list ...after the fireplace and jacuzzi...(wink)

Great Thread

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Mike Duncan
Lettercraft Signs
Alexandria VA

From here on down, its all up hill.

[This message has been edited by Mikes Mischeif (edited June 26, 2001).]

Posted by Duncan Wilkie (Member # 132) on :

Hi Mike,
Sounds like some great ideas. If you have some photos, you can e:mail them to me and I'll post them for ya. Picture's worth a thousand words. hehe
duncan@commercialsigns.com

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We now distribute Gyford Standoffs and Rod and Cable Systems WHOLESALE in Canada
Duncan Wilkie
aka signdogwww.commercialsigns.com
Edmonton, Alberta

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