Justin writes in:
I only have a small space available in my apartment, but I would love to have a workbench area. I really miss having a garage where I can setup a full size work bench and leave projects out. Currently I use my computer desk or kitchen table, but I have to put everything away once I’m done working for the day which is a huge hassle. I would love to see other Maker’s small-space inside workbenches.
Justin, I know exactly what you mean. In my first apartment, my room was so small that I had to sit on my bed to use my desk; the (small) furniture went wall to wall. When working on electronics projects, I often ended up with components or clipped leads in the sheets, not to mention all those restless nights when I checked email every time I tossed or turned! It’s important to have a dedicated workspace where you can leave in-progress projects. You may not even have enough space to pull off the Tight-Fit Workbench from MAKE, Vol. 10. Here’s what I recommend:
Use your wall space
Pegboard is great for holding tools on the wall, where they don’t take up any floor space; put it wherever you can. Also, attach shelving to your walls to maximize the vertical space you have. I also love the little wall-mounted tool rack you see at electronics outlets.
Keep as much off your desk as possible
Get a pull-out keyboard/mouse tray. That way, the space in front of your monitor can be used for building things. I just took this very advice, and I’m surprised at how much of a difference this small change made. Ikea sells them for ten dollars. Hang lights from the ceiling, don’t clutter your desk with lamp bases. If you use a laptop, get a stand to raise it off the surface of your desk and use an external keyboard (on the pull out tray, of course).
Make a dedicated workbench (if you can)
When all else fails, see if you have room for even a small dedicated workbench (think shallow and long, even a low shelf mounted to a wall). Adding another tabletop to form an “L” with your current computer desk is ideal, but any horizontal plane you can claim for your projects will suffice.
Do you have advice for Justin’s workbench? Post them in the comments.
Ask MAKE is a weekly column where we answer reader questions, like yours. Write them in to becky@makezine.com or drop us a line on Twitter. We can’t wait to tackle your conundrums!
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