I have a studio space at Artisan’s Asylum (you can read more about what I make here). It’s about 50 square feet, which is enough space for a workbench but not a whole lot else. However, freestanding structures are allowed as long as they conform to several guidelines (height, building material and fasteners, and some constraints related to fire code). Someone was getting rid of their studio structure, so I was able to get the materials at a substantial discount. However, my studio dimensions were slightly different than the previous owner’s studio, so I had to make some modifications.
I first modeled the original structure to understand how the pieces fit together — I had the lumber, and a photo of the previous owner’s studio. Then I designed a new structure with additional shelving, moved one shelf to another side, and added a built-in workbench. Finally, I used both models to figure out which lumber could be re-used and where I’d need additional materials (which I sourced, for free, from shelving I was removing as well as a second studio structure that had been dismantled). I also used the model to figure out what type, and how many, fasteners I’d need — I have a crate full of fasteners and I like to use them up when possible.
I laid the sides out on the floor and assembled them one at a time. Once I had both sides built, I had help lifting them into position, then installed the cross braces. I then framed out the shelving and finished off the surfaces with scrap plywood. I also added a 2’x8′ sheet of melamine hardboard as a workbench top. This gives me a nice, smooth surface to work on. When the workbench surface eventually gets beaten up by use, I can easily and cheaply replace it with a new sheet of hardboard.
I used fasteners and scraps to add a shelf under the workbench for lumber, a rolling scrap wood storage rack, and to hang up jigs and my recumbent bicycle project so that they’re out of the way. Now, I have substantially more storage and a larger work surface for glue-ups and other works-in-progress.