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The main bench has a 3 ft x 8 ft area and is covered by white laminate. The edges are wrapped in 1-1/2" quality pine (without knots). About 3/4" of it sticks up and acts as a straight edge for cutting large sheets. The height is on purpose; I use a strip cutter which runs against the edge. On the end (closest to us), there is no strip There is a radial saw there and wood wouldn't be able to lie flat.
Inside the bench:
The top drawer contains my pads and order forms. Metal - copper, brass, scraps are in the other drawer, and miscellaneous junk in the last one. The other drawers contain pens, soldering stuff, towels, paper, etc.
The cabinet between the drawers contains my metal bin (which I made in metal shop in the 7th grade). It used to hold all my scrap glass, but as the years went on, I had to sort out what I had. It now contains scrap colors brown and tan. Next to the bin is some of my 14" x 16" sheets (as many as fit in that space, which is about 10" wide.) I hooked up a micro switch behind one of the doors so a light turns on when I open the door (like a refrigerator).
I tried to keep everything labeled, but I kept moving things around. Now those little red signs don't line up with what's in the drawer.
Just above the drawers contains a space where I keep my score board and other oddball flat things.
Underneath the bench:
Underneath, I keep my general scrap glass. Each color has its own box. The main bench contains the primary colors. There's another work bench in front of the main bench, where I've been keeping my mirror tile and some other things.
On top of the bench:
Closest to the wall, I keep my hardware drawers. They mainly contain screws, but, hey, they had to go somewhere. In some of the other drawers, I keep my smaller, more useful shells, marbles, and polished rocks. Another box holds my drill bits, sorted by size. Going towards the right, I have my CD's, tapes, and radio. On top of the tape case, I have my 12" oscillating fan. Near the fan I keep my patinas. Closest to the radial saw, I have my light. It swings around and is the type with an incandescent and fluorescent bulb in it.
Above the bench:
In the rafters I keep my dowels. I attach (quick, trigger kind) my clamps to the various heavy pipes up there. I keep masking tape on the clamps. Along the rafters I also keep a small clip-on fan. It helps give me some more cross ventilation. I also keep my paper towels up here as well.
Along the back wall:
The back wall is where one of my windows is. It has my exhaust fan in it. Recently I built a trap door to let the exhaust air out, but to keep drafts, bugs, and critters from getting in. The door of the fan is lightly hinged with a weight on the bottom. I put a magnetic seal around it, to it can self close. Before I put this device in, cold air would rush down like a waterfall. Now, the only time I get a breeze is when it's really windy out. Or from general cold transferal.
Below the exhaust fan I have a shelf that holds my pencil holder and my box of jewels (larger jewels).
To the left I keep my boxes that hold small gems, marbles, blobs (sorted), and a few other knickknacks.
Next to the gas meter I have a board with hooks coming out of it. This is where I hang my chain. Below the meter, I built a (not very pretty), masonite box that holds my patinas. I built that thing when I first got started in my shop.
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Started on 9-22-98
