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We use a 4' by 8' table accessible on both sides. We used to have against the wall and what a waste of space not utilizing the whole table. Our mat is a self healing one with a grid imprinted on it. Has worked well for many years.
Also keep tools on both sides , knives, stabillos, scissors, squeegees, etc. and basktets.
-------------------- Wright Signs Wyandotte, Michigan Posts: 2785 | From: Wyandotte, MI USA | Registered: Jan 1999
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Mine's 4x8 (wish it could be 16') 36" high. 1/8" Polypropylene surface. Awesome & real cheap. Keep the equipment off the weeding table, if possible.
-------------------- Steve Purcell Purcell Woodcarving & Signmaking Cape Cod, MA
************************** Intelligent Design Is No Accident Posts: 900 | From: Cape Cod, MA | Registered: Oct 1999
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Mine's a 4x8 self-healing mat over MDO on top of a couple of banks of flat files.(Also figured out what a great place to store sheets of 4x8 Sintra, so I shimmed up the table with some stock that was at risk of getting scratched)The height is about 42" one 4' end is against the wall. One 8' side is just inside the door & has 2 barstools for clients. When customers are present it becomes the service counter. I also have a 4x10 sheet of MDO in the non-air conditioned production area which is more for coating out boards & others messy or smelly work, but my helper can go weed in there when I have clients.
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My heated and cooled area is only 14'x 26' so space doesn't allow for a big table. I'm using an old 30"x8'folding table with cinder blocks under the legs for added height.
I have been planning to build a table soon (I've said that for 10yrs) that is 34"x8' with drawers and additional storage and an easel type top that I can tilt up. I think this feature will be handy and easier on the back.
Out in the shop I have a easel that I had built on casters so I can roll it out from the wall. It also pivots at a near center axis to form a 44"x18' work table with a seamless layer of thin gadge steel on the surface. This steel makes building large pounce patterns a breese. Also gives a smooth surface for banner production & being on casters, I can work of all four sides.
New shop? The thought of having to move all this stuff would keep me up nights.
Wayne
-------------------- Berry Signs & Stripes Hattiesburg, MS Signs, lines, lettering & other neat stuff. Posts: 82 | From: Hattiesburg, MS | Registered: Jan 2000
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We have several 4x8 tables that are all the same height. They are all on casters that lock and don't get moved very often. The primery weeding taable is covered with the green OLFA type matt and has a device on the left end to hold and unwind application tape. The tables can be lined up to make it 16 feet if need be. Under the tables are shelves that hold the different types and sizes of app tapes and other tapes. We have a container there on the table top that holds the xacto's and weeding tools and squeegee's. For weeding the real tiny stuff, we set a portable light table on top of the weeding table that has a surface that slants toward us and is at a comfortable height when sitting on a tall stool. Our table has access all around.
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6722 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Monte my weeding table is a bit different from most,...First of all it's portable due to the nature of most of my work. It is set up somewhat so that all the functions needed can be done quickly and accurately by one person,on the spot.I have two sizes, one each for 15" vinyl and one for 20"stock. Each is made of 1/2" mdo and has supports inset underneath the top an inch and a half to allow for hand clamps to secure the vinyl for weeding. The edges are mill cut smooth to insure that I can scribe lines or cuts as you would on a drawing board.At one end I have an old butcher paper roll holder that acts as a premask dispencer. This clamps on so it can be adjusted for premasking quickly and efficiently.In my work area that I use the table most of the time I have a shelf just below chin level for weeding tools that has a couple of small 18" tube lights underneath to illuminate those hard to see cut lines and keep the glare out of my eyes.The table is just the size of the vinyl so all my tools go on the shelf (it has a small lip to prevent tools such as exacto's and markers from rolling off) and the top of the weeding table stays clean. the table is away from the wall enough to allow those $1 squeeze clamps and another piece of 24" vinyl. At the opposite end of butcher paper/permasker is a trash can. I have it set up so I can use more than one table side by side for longer than 8' lines of copy if need be. I've been toying with the idea of cutting a paint mask of rule lines and numbers some what similar to one of those center finding tape measures on one or both edges to save another step in the layout process. If ya want I can send you a pic on chat. It ain't very pretty but it works great due to the fact that all egdes of the vinyl can be clamped and you can weed with both hands as the vinyl is clamped down and won't move. This means alot less waste in the long run.
-------------------- fly low...timi/NC is, Tim Barrow Barrow Art Signs Winston-Salem,NC Posts: 2224 | From: Winston-Salem,NC,USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Ours is 4'x16' It's in the middle of the room so we can work from all sides. 36" off the ground. right now I have a metal top. We have plans to change one half to glass and light it from the under side.
-------------------- Robert Davis Sticky Sam's Signs (828)488-1715 stickysam@dnet.net The Great Smoky Mountains Bryson City, N.C. Posts: 133 | From: Bryson City, N.C. US | Registered: Jul 2000
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I have a 30" x 6' folding table with a 1/4" sheet of glass on top. All I do on that table is apply application tape and weed. I also have a light table but it is not on legs yet so I rarely use it. I just don't have space!! One day soon!
-------------------- Amy Brown Life Skills 101 Private Address Posts: 3502 | From: Lake Helen, FL, USA | Registered: Feb 2001
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Greetings Monte! I am home hased and my shop is 24'x30' so space is a premium. My cutting table is 5'x8'. If I had it to do over I would make it 4'6"x8'. The table is topped with MDO and has space directly under the top for remnants like: 4'x4' or 2'x8' etc, under that space a rack with 6 drawers, 3 in each end with 75lb. slides. All of this is setting on a angle iron frame with wheels for mobility. Continuing that theme, there is a 16' work bench on one wall with drawers with heavy slide and doors under that. On another wall is a 16'easel. On the two walls stratling the easel are cupboards: to protects the contents from dust and overspray. Finally, the office is built in on one end and is 24'x10' and that is where I keep the computer, vinyl supplies and another cutting table 34"x7' with a 2'x4' skylight directly above it. There are also 2 skylights in the main shop.
Hope that helped, Chris
-------------------- Chris Bryant Puyallup, WA Posts: 49 | From: Puyallup, Washington 98374 | Registered: Nov 1998
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iam home based and mobile shop. in the 1 room in the house i have a 5/8x4x8,into one corner so 1 4' and one 8' side is accessable. heigth is important to me(bad back)so i set the plywood on stands that are 1"-2" lower then my elbow! sounds dumb, huh? but do this....stand straight up, now bring you forearms and hands to be 90 degrees from your body, have someone measure the distance from the bottom of your arm, to the floor...and make your table 1"-2"'s less that distance. youll love it, no more bending to weed,and it gives you the third hand.....your belly!!!! in the mobile shop, i got 2 tables, the mobile shop is only 6' wide x 14' long. the cabinet that was in the van when i bought it is 21" wide by 35" high(it has a lid and inside i store all the rolls of vinyl about 20)and a small inclined desk area 21"x 30", and this is also a lift up and under it i store the laptop and scanner. when iam working the laptop sits on this area. right next to that is the plotter. on the other side of van i built a 24"x 96"x 40" removable table, this one i use for weeding and its plenty big enough. its 3/8 plywood with a 1x3 frame & legs, covered with white bathroom tile board. also have some small clamps that i use to clamp down liner as i weed. it not a big space to work in and you need to use all space properly.
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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Monte, The one feature I can't live without on my table is the magnifying light that clamps on one end. They are available at Office Depot for about $35.00. It has a roung magnifying glass in the center surrounded by a round flourescent light bulb. Great for weeding small print and intricate graphics. When Patsee gets as old as me she will need it for manicures!
-------------------- Kathy Joiner River Road Graphics 41628 River Road Ponchatoula, La.70454
Old enough to know better...Too young to resist. Posts: 1891 | From: Ponchatoula, LA | Registered: Nov 2000
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Kathy, I have one of those magnifiers, too. The eyes are the first thing to go. I buy reading glasses by the dozen and leave them all over the place, but sometimes I forget where I put them.
Monte, I'm not happy with my setup. Thanks for asking the question. I'm getting some good ideas.
[ June 23, 2002, 06:58 PM: Message edited by: Eric Barker ]
-------------------- Eric Barker Rosewood Design LaGrande,Oregon Posts: 107 | From: La Grande, OR | Registered: May 2002
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Thanks for the ideas folks...my current set up is up against the wall it's 30" deep and 10 ft long with the plotter at one end and the computer next to all that on a seperate desk.
It works well (and has for about 13 years) but I'm thinking now that in the middle of the room makes more sense.
I'll let you know what I work out...
Still open for more ideas if anyone has any.
thanxx...
-------------------- "Werks fer me...it'll werk fer you"
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Hi Monte, mine's an old sliding door that's about 900mm x 2.1m. A friend of mine welded a frame underneath that has two legs with t crossbars at the bottom. The best thing about this table is that he's put a pivot point in the centre so the table pivots up on either side. I've got a rod attached to one end which I have my app tape on. I can work with the table at a comfortable angle when weeding fine text and also use the table as an easel to spray or mount on. Because it pivots along the length, it does n't take up much room when I have to fit a vehicle in the workshop.
-------------------- Lee Attewell Graffic Jam Auto Unit 3, 1731 Albany Highway, Kenwick Western Australia 6108 Posts: 102 | From: PERTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA | Registered: Oct 2001
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![[Frown]](frown.gif)
I buy reading glasses by the dozen and leave them all over the place, but sometimes I forget where I put them. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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