fireballmatt

Hey guys, does anyone here scratch build and live in an apartment? Seems most people build out of a garage or a workroom of some type. I'm looking to set aside an area in the spare bedroom where I can work, but not sure what to do about the dust and mess. Of course I can go out to the porch, but if I drop anything small I'm screwed (2nd floor, wooden porch) and the wind would be a constant pain.

Anyone have any ideas?

dicknadine

its real simple. make sure that you keep the door closed and vacunm yourselfand the floor before you open the door at the end of the building session, evening to go tap the fridge for another cool Rootbeer. it also helps to have a small TV in with you and then you can blame the Howdy Doodie for the mistakes. have 3 models going at the same time without too much complaint from my bride of 55 years. dick

cyclops2

Just be VERY SURE you have positive airflow OUT the rooms open window by putting a large fan in the window and a piece of heavy cardboard or light plywood next to it so ALL the fans output is only blown out.

Open a window in another room to feed air into the building room.
If you layout the table right, the fumes and dust will go out the fan.

[sm=thumbup.gif][sm=thumbup.gif]

I know this for a fact.

fireballmatt

I had planned on doing this, but I'm worried about how much dust this will actually catch...the trick here is that there are other things in the room (namely computers) The girlfriend would scream bloody murder if I tried to take over the guest bedroom.

I'm thinking about hanging up some plastic sheeting to set aside a little 'corner' that includes the window, but not sure how effective this will be either.

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

I've built four models from plans in a tiny bedroom over the last six months. On a fold-up card table, no less. It's not easy and everything in the room gets covered with balsa dust, but it's possible.

The trick is to collect lots of containers to put stuff in so things don't get lost in all the clutter.

fireballmatt

Haha, I would be so dead if I covered the GF's stuff in dust...

Cowboy88

Hi, it's been along time since I built indoors but I can tell you that adopting the same dust collection techniques used in wood shops can help. Also, turn off, un-plug, and thuroughly cover that computer equipment. Heat is the number one killer of electronics, and dust on the PCB will hold heat in and plug up cooling vents.

I use wet-dry vacume filters in all my pc's and clean them once a month. This can help keep the dust out of the pcs. The room venting is also needed. Keeping the room under positive air flow will help greatly. You can built a clean-box for heavy sanding out od lexan and a shop vac. that will also help keep dunst down. But make sure the vac does not exhaust fine dust. If it does tape a filter over the vac's exhuast.


Hope these ideas help.

perttime

I have given up.
Everything is on hold until we move to a place where I have a separate store room where I can get away from the human and feline females.

Some people seem to manage all sorts of things:
http://www.david.j.elcock.btinternet...edia/index.htm

fireballmatt

That's awesome! Cute little plane too. Heck, I guess if he can do a full size in his parlor I should be able to find a way to do a 1/6th *somewhere* in my apt right?

e=mc2

Hello,

I recently moved into a house. But before that, I was building airplanes in my apartment. I designed and built only one airplane and man that was one of the worst times. My water, food and air were all contaiminated with either CA and/or balsa dust. I spent 2 months feeling sick battling allergies. I stopped building and cleaned everything out. I think the key is that you have to keep things a lot cleaner than you would need to in a workshop because you are sharing the same space for sleeping, eating etc.

Can't wait to get in to building again, now that I just got my first workbench built. (yeah... was using dinning table before!) It is 2.5'x6' (3' high) must weigh over 100lbs. That thing is heavy, flat and level. Friends say it is overkill, but I intend to use it in the future to build full scale airplanes as well. Actually, I might need to build a couple of them more to be able to build full scale.

Have fun with building!

e=mc2

BMatthews

A good vacuum is essential for something like this. Splurge on one of the nicer silent shop vacs that are available these days. The extra quiet will help ensure domestic tranquility.

A sanding box is a good idea too. Make up hollow box about 1 foot by 2feet by 4 to 6 inches high out of 1/8 pegboard with a few top stiffeners. Place everything you sand either onto this box or near it and turn on the vacuum that is hooked up to the box for sanding. And don't blow the dust off anything ever. Instead keep a few rags for dusting off stuff. At the end of the day rinse them off to wash away the dust and hang them up to dry for the next session. Or lay them out and vacuum them to clean the dust away.

Dust is probably the worst part of working in an apartment. A bit of extra effort taken to control it is well worth the time. The rest of the stuff is easy from there.

fireballmatt

a sanding box is definitely on my 'to-do' list to build. I've never done one before, would you happen to have any pictures?

BMatthews

I made one and use it but pictures would be sort of useless since it's just a box with holes. You'll need to find someone with a table saw that can cut the pegboard down for you into a kit of parts. Maybe turn it into a club project and do a bunch of kits all at once. For building it just use regular aliphatic glue and duct or masking tape to fit it all together and yer done.....

fireballmatt

Thanks for doing that! Have printed it out.

Parents have a car-port type area I can use to make this and will give it a run.

I'm thinking I'm going to make a large plastic 'box' with PVC and sheeting so that I dont have to worry so much about the computers. Throw this inside of it on the table w/ the vaccuum and have the window with fan. Should control the dust pretty well.

Only one way to see!

Dr1Driver

While living in a 3-room aprtment, I built my first 3 kits in an 4 x 4 walk-in closet. I had a 2 x 4 workbench. I used storage boxes for tools and supplies. I did have to move out to the dinette table to do covering and assemble wings. I then turned the 10 x 10 bedroom into a workshop, and put a single bed in the dinette. I ate in the living room, in front of the TV (I lived alone).

Dr.1

BMatthews

Luxary...... My first shop was the little storage room under the basement stairs. I sat on an old speaker box and used a low coffee table as a bench. Had to duck to get in. Most of my stuff in my teens was 3 foot or less. But then I made a 7 foot span RC glider of my own design. When I had the 3 peice wing all together it was sticking out the door into the laundry area. I would run around and warn everyone not to swing the door closed or disaster would ensue.... Although I must admit that the floor was more like 6x6 feet so depending on your criteria you may be the winner......

Dr1Driver

From the sound of things, you don't need a new place to live. You need a new girlfriend!

Dr.1

fireballmatt

I'm slowly getting her interested, she just doesnt like the building process []

I may have talked her into giving me the outside storage area (it was that or let me set up a plastic box in the room...hehe) on the porch, which is 4x8, however I'm worried about the humidity and temps out there, but we'll see.

Another option I'm looking at is renting a garage from the complex. They are right down from our building, and are large enough to do the biggest projects in. Just need to check security and if there are electric outlets.

cyclops2

Has she seen how clean a NICE ARF would bee.

fireballmatt

Trust me, she keeps reminding me. But then all the fun would be gone...

Balsa Shavings

Oh!!!!!! Don't I know, love to build but have no Building Area. This is how it's done at my household. Building board which I keep stashed on top of the entertainment center. It has felt pads on the bottom to keep from scratching the dining-room table. On the table under the board is a trash-bag, Lord help me if I was to get glue on the better half's new dining-room table. All sanding is to be done outside, no mater the temp. No Monocote scraps on the floor. I'm allergic to CA so I use yellow glue, no fumes. I Have to keep my hobby knifes locked up, 3 small sons!!!!! but I get by, and have a good time while building.

Keep The Faith: Johnny

cyclops2

Cutting up parts and assembling them does remove stress and make life good. [sm=thumbup.gif][sm=thumbup.gif]

Red B.

Hi!
I presently have to do my plans building inside my apartment. It works allright although I would really like to have my own workshop. I have found that the main problem is dust and in order to avoid that spreading around the apartment there is on simple rule:

Do most (if not all) of your sanding outdoors! :-). I know it can be da**ed cold outside if you live at the same latitudes as I do but it is doable.

Also, if you don't already have it, get a couple of nice planes. Planing wood instead of sanding saves a lot of dust (and work). Planes are especially good for shaping leading and trailing edges and rounding of fuselage corners. I recommend a good quality balsa plane and a Stanley 60 1/2 block plane. The latter may look clumsy but I can assure you that it is very useful.
Another good buy is a Japanese Dozuki saw. With this you can make very precise cuts that helps avoid sanding later on.

I keep a vacuum cleaner handy so that I can immediately remove dust before it spreads around the apartment.

/Red B.

KidEpoxy

Put me in the
Freeze Behind Off While Sanding catagory

I just toss a 4x4 piece of 3/4 particle on the bed and build on that.... moving panels off to on top of the comp monitor or lampshade or anywhere else that is mostly level when I need to work on the next panel. That, & never use white glue within an hour of bedtime lest ye stay up late watching glue dry where you sleep.

Lomcevak Duck

My Feedback: (14)

Wanna see a cramped workshop? He he. Check this out.
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_3373247/tm.htm