How to continue with RC Model Making in a Condo Apartment?
 

I need some help. We are getting older and think we need to move to a condominium where there is less maintenance and less hassle than owning a house. However, I enjoy building and running model boats, planes, and quadcopters. For the past 40 yeasrs this was not a problem as we had a house and I could use the basement or garage for model making. What can I do when we move into a 1500 sq foot apartment and no, the wife will not let me build models and make a mess in a separate bedroom. Thanks for your help!:confused:

You’re not alone. There isn’t much to do at our age except to build and fly. That is why my wife, who also has her own interests, and I have decided to go out of our house feet first regardless of how incapacitated either one or both of us are. We have friends and associates who have come to the conclusion that drinking one into oblivion is a better approach but we would prefer going out at full a throttle as possible or taking matters into our hands when necessary. Dan.

I don't know how feasible it might be but have you considered renting a vacant garage or maybe one of those self-serve storage places to build/store your goodies? If one was close enough to you it might just work.

Thanks for the suggestions, maybe I should inquire at the self storage places to see if they allow you to do things in the unit like build models. I always thought you were only supposed to use them for storage.

The reason I suggested that route was because when we were stationed in Germany there was no room for my planes in our apartment and we had one of those places just a block away. They were perfectly happy to rent it - even supplied extension cords to plug into the square's lighting system so I had power in the place. Was pretty nice for 6 years.

A storage place close by may be good option, but few have power and some are fuzzy about chemicals, paint, etc.
You may want to use Google and start looking for storage places nearby even before you move, send them an e-mail and ask about their regulations.

It is definitely not as convenient as just having your hobby shop in your house, but better then giving up the hobby

If you have a second bedroom, that is a good place for much of the building. Set up a build table, and storage. I used a old desk in our last apartment. and made a bin unit behind it at just an arms reach.
Planes stored on a (what I call) a plane tree. Just 2x2s with 1/2" dowels inserted into them at 90*s. 2 clips or long deck screws will make a minimal holes in the walls.
The apartment we rented in Texas had an inclosed patio that also had a storage (more like an outside closet) unit at one end. I put my power tools in there on a shelve that had it's own legs and just to deck screws to stabilize it. A rolling to cart to hold my bench top tools and roll them outsid would have been a nice addition.
Don't know what you have in the way of power tools. But I have a small bench top band saw, belt / disk sander, and drill press. Be real handy to roll them where you want to use them. Add to the tool list a 4" and a 10" table saw.
Even complex larger building can be done with just a second bedroom. Over the years I was in the Navy, a second bedroom was my only shop on three occasions.
If just one bedroom It can still be done if your wife is like mine. I built one plane on the kitchen table.
I may, sort of in the same situation as you maybe. We are trying to find a place to rent and have no ideal at this time what we will end up in.
At the moment I have claimed a small section of my mothers garage. But too busy hunting for a roof to build at this time. So numerous builds languish.

Nearly all of my planes are in a storage unit with our belongings. For several reason I have thought about having to move my building into it. My mother is highly unpredictable and sometime destructive. No power in it. But some places if you make friends with the manager will let you run an extension cord for power. Failing that a 750 watt power inverter (Harbor Freight has them for <$50) will run even a 10" table saw. Start the car first. LED lighting for the scenario of using a power inverter would be the choice. Not cheap., but very effective.

Well now that was bit long winded.

Ken

Rent the first condo/apartment. Put it in a 6 month lease. Then use the kitchen table as your build surface. My bet is your wife will agree to move to a condo with an extra bedroom.:o

I myself have been living in a condo for about 20 years now, and been in the hobby for the past 10. Yeah, it gets some getting use to when it comes to building. My place is so small
I just build arf's mostly. No room for saws,drill presses, sanders,etc. I even have to worry about noise when I run electrics, and have issues with the board when a little glow fuel leaked
out onto the cement floor of my storage bin. I also only use a card table for my building. Its different, and been tough at times, but I am use to it now. Im even in the process of doing a landing gear repair on a GP Reactor.

Sorry whittonm. I missed the part of post putting the 2nd bedroom off limits. But renting a storage unit is still viable if it is in the budget.
I am very fortunate with my wife. If it got down to it she would make room in the living room on on the kitchen table.

Ken

The problem with Storage units is that you need aircondition and that is extra cost , also there typically dark unless you get an outdoor ( door) .
Avg cost is $100 per month east coast so I imagine its higher by area and demand.
You can get a two beroom, ask the wife is it better to have a hobby or a girfriend ? Seriously I plan on a hindged table so it can closed when not in use , storage will be for built planes , also try to get a condo with a patio /balcony , you can build outside in the warmer months and that is always a plus , good luck

Hi Whittonm

Its a case of working out what you need vs what you want, selecting plans that can be built within those constraints and being a bit creative with things when there is a constraint that can't be overcome.

Some time ago I built a .15-sized Fairchild Ranger in a small hotel room while doing fly-in fly-out work at a coal mine in the middle of nowhere, Australia. The plane was predominantly balsa, and in some areas where it called for light ply I just laminated sheets balsa perpendicular of one another to get the same impact without the need for a scroll saw. I also used very thin ply that could be cut with a few strokes of a razor. That plane flew very well and I still have it 5-years or so on. Likely the biggest issue was sanding. I did a lot of it outside on the verandah and relied on a razor plane (rather than rough sand paper or my perm grit bars) to get things to initial shape.

After that success I tried to build a much larger .60-sized Norseman in the same hotel room. I still haven't completed that one - it didn't go together straight and I didn't the space or bits necessary to build a jig that should have been used to make it all work. It was a poor choice and now it's sitting in the rafters - someday I'll get back into it.

I have a mate who is likely the best builder I've ever met - built and flew pattern back in the day and has never owned an ARF to my knowledge - he does everything in an area no bigger 1/2 a car space in his townhouse. He typically builds '25-sized' stuff, all electric, and it works very well. These days with electrics providing so many good options for small and medium sized planes, there are lots of great old plans that deserve a run again. Plenty online too for free as well.

Good luck,

Yojoelay

To bad there is not an On Top of the World community in VA. http://www.ontopoftheworldcommunitie...-RCFlyers.html

I built my Corsair (Royal kit) in a condo. Anyone who has built one knows there is a lot of sanding. I did that on the balcony and got chewed out by the HOA president. The only thing that saved my but was when I went down to talk to her about it I found out that her husband had been a Corsair pilot during WWII and had trained on the filed I flew off.

I guess if she won't let you use the spare bedroom, and all else fails. Get a divorce! Awe just kidding. Think I would go with the storage unit idea. I knew of a group of homeless people who lived in a unit before.

I considered buying myself a storage shed and find a parking spot to rent. Then get a small motor-generator. Hondas are expensive but they are quiet..
The storage unit people I talked to got upset when I mentioned MA. I guess they have heard of Lipos

It's a problem. I am fixing to whip up a Balsa USA SPAD and an Albratros DIII…..in an apartment. I use a door on the kitchen island. Work modularly, keep it clean and building sessions short. Have a small band saw which I use on a deck. I have reduced my fleet to about 8 nitro planes and 4 electrics. Albatros will be Sailto powered…SPAD DA50R. Maybe.

i rented a storage unit 40.00 a month and can go there anytime it is a 8x10 made my shelvs work bench about 20 min. from the apartment

Solution is simple !! When I was single, I built my RC models in my 2nd bedroom. The key word here is " SINGLE " !! Simple, simple !! :o

Why won't your wife build in the spare room?

The solution is for your wife to accommodate your hobby. Find an apartment with a basement, or she needs to let you use the second bedroom. 1500 sq/ft is a big area, so there's no reason you can't knock out a space for your past time.

I've built some very nice (and not small) models in apartments that were a lot smaller than 1500 feet. And at the time I was living with someone.

The biggest mess is sanding and painting. Everything else is scraps that don't float around. So any time I need to sand anything I took it outside.

Not as convenient but it's how it had to be.

Look for a condo with a walk out basement. My mother lived in one of these 55 over coops for several years. finished basement as well as an "unfinished" storage/utility room that would be perfect for model assembly/building. And it was only 900sq/ft. Here's a link to a comparable unit just to give you an idea...
http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale...6_zm/?view=map

Stay in your home and pay someone to do the maintenance cheaper than a condo.