Work Bench Formula

The ratio of the Work Bench Area (WBA) is directly proportionate to the amount of stuff that you can buy and sit on top of it.

Going by that theory: For every square foot of work bench you build you will spend and additional 500 dollars to have something to put on it.

So the formula for estimating what you are going to spend in the hobby is:

Total Cost = WBA (2.5 sq/ft) x TLF x 500

where:

WBA = 12" x 30" (constant used for this formula) divided by 144 = 2.5sq/ft

TLF = Total Linear Feet

Example: Lets say you have 15 linear feet of work bench....using the formula: 2.5 x 15 x 500 = 18,750 dollars[X(]

The next time you clean your work bench off, think of this formula, as we have all been looking for excuses as to why we NEVER clean up the shop.

If you don't believe it, start adding up what you have spent:

Tools - Especially the 1000 dollar lathe to make a 3 dollar part or the 700 dollar foam cutting machine (because we were going to MASS produce that set of foam cores)

Parts = Inventory - We ALL buy a lot more than we need because we get quantity discounts, and it is nice to have it on hand for that next project....funny thing is, by the time we get to the "Next" project, technology has changed and all those extras are obsolete.

Balsa and Plywood - You probably have enough on hand to build a scale model of Versalles, but for some reason you have to buy more for that special project, as what you have in "stock" never seems to be the right grade.

Projects (Kits) - That we are waiting to build. Most of us will NEVER live long enough to complete all the stuff we have in our workshops to finish......! This brings up another formula...I call it the descending crescendo effect.......when we finish everything we have to do....WE die....!

Just thought I would inject a little humor, but it may be closer to reality than you think....!

BTW, I have a rather large shop, about 65 feet of work bench/island area, and there is not one square inch on it that is not occupied by something. Every damn time I need to do something, I have to clean off an area to work, actually doubling the formula for the area that I had to move all the crap to, because I used my alloted sq/ft money to buy the New stuff that I had to clean up for.....

Hobby my a**...it is a total addiction.....!