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studio layout and planning:

updated sat 6 feb 10

 

Stephani Stephenson on wed 3 feb 10


DRB, wow, those images are amazing..and i think, when you move to a new p=
=3D
lace, you=3D20
have an opportunity to evaluate everything. your point is well taken...
in my head, of course, i am already experimenting and building all kinds =
=3D
of odd=3D20
structures out of odd materials in odd configurations with odd techniques=
=3D
and=3D20=3D20
iconocgraphy..all over the property....
but, ah , first things first ! which maybe the imagining IS...

Steph



DRB wrote:
=3D20
- Think in terms of function. Instead of using a name like "kitchen"
which limits you start from a process like "cooking food" . From which=
=3D
you
get to kitchen but also "I like to Bar-B-Que outside and gee I'd reall=
=3D
y like
to have a 'fridge and microwave by my bed so I can lie in and eat pizz=
=3D
a or
ice cream". The name tends to get you to cultural expectations whereas=
=3D
the
process makes you think about how you really do things.
- Look at bubbles (
http://images.google.com/imgres?
imgurl=3D3Dhttp://www.eikongraphia.com/wordpress/wp-
content/Firstrung.jpg&imgrefurl=3D3Dhttp://www.eikongraphia.com/%3Fp%3D=3D
63&usg=3D3D__z4wL
Xtlt1MjzbDEOQiDRsXoRkdA=3D3D&h=3D3D768&w=3D3D1024&sz=3D3D351&hl=3D3D=3D
en&start=3D3D25&sig2=3D3DDXzD5-
lXlRU2fxr_jPs18Q&tbnid=3D3DDOcpVNScAizyAM:&tbnh=3D3D113&tbnw=3D3D15=3D
0&prev=3D3D/images%3Fq%3
Dbubbles%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dgm%26sa%3DN%26start
%3D20&ei=3D3DWEljS_OiN5uOtgOGzqSdAw)
... Bubbles fit together in a resolution of forces.
If you can put together your functions by natural relationship- bats n=
=3D
ext to
wheel, glaze near kiln with personal measurements(as far as I can reac=
=3D
h, at
navel level), bubbles can show you how those pieces can fit together w=
=3D
ithout
the constraints of 2x4 or cement block et al.

DRB
Seattle

Stephani Stephenson on wed 3 feb 10


James , this is a whole bunch of very helpful information. thanks for the=
=3D
links to the=3D20
drains . i also immediately saw that a 20 X 30 space was defiinitely not=
=3D
'too big'
. i will have the ability to add on to the sides and also utilize outdoor=
=3D
spaces, etc.
I agree with the sink thing...life is short and i wouldn't mind cutting d=
=3D
own on the time i=3D20
spend time fussing with inadequate studio water in /water out system...s=
=3D
o that is worth=3D20
some thought.. thank you so much for the references on the heater and the=
=3D
trap.
couldn't access your flikr link, but your verbal description is quite com=
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plete.
i have edited your comments below for space. i forgot about the compresso=
=3D
r, though i'll=3D20
likely put it outside, and insulate it, though allowing for air flow and=
=3D
access for drainage=3D20
and maintainance. i have a porter-cable compressor which actually is pre=
=3D
tty quiet=3D20
compared to most, but i'd like to get it out of the way and make it even =
=3D
quieter! i have=3D20
100 feet of air hose which i keep on a reel, so it is easy to get air wh=
=3D
ere I need it..might=3D20
even think about rigging the air line, up in the air this time, as my sho=
=3D
p will be smaller.
lots of folks mentioned that they were glad to have dedicated, separate s=
=3D
pace for=3D20=3D20
storage of materials, and i like your point about closed storage for all =
=3D
that other 'stuff' we=3D20
accumulate...
i am a visual organizer, so my dream is to have an entire shop floor to =
=3D
ceiling with=3D20
hooks and transparent storage areas so i can SEE everything, but on the =
=3D
other hand I=3D20
don't want to always see everything! and of course some things like molds=
=3D
and bags ,=3D20
may not be used for months .. the question is how to get thamout of the w=
=3D
ya yet not to=3D20
far for hauling...
thank you for taking the time to send such thoroughly spelled out descrip=
=3D
tion and ideas.
very helpful
Stephani


JAmes wrote
My studio is in a free standing building, and is approximately 700 square=
=3D

feet, with ten foot ceilings. This will sound strange, but it is a
bit too small. ...=3D20

...The sink makes life an absolute joy, and I would never again want to
be without it. I ran the cold water in from a hydrant in the nearby
pasture that I had installed when I owned animals (or rather when they
owned me). I installed a tiny Bosch electric tankless water heater
which works well enough, and which didn't increase my electric bill by
any noticeable sum. I installed a large dental plaster trap under the
sink to catch most of the yuckus. It was very inexpensive, and holds
far more than do the little Gleco traps. It has been in heavy use for
a year and is still only half full. I do keep a five gallon bucket
next to the sink for prewashing when my hands or tools are
particularly soiled. The sink drain runs to daylight. I had planned
to install a large french drain, but with my sandy soil it proved
unnecessary.
...


Switched outlet for the spray booth.

Dedicated 20 amp outlet near the spray booth for the compressor.
..
Doubled up wall studs where I intended to mount my extruders. Running
sufficiently large lag bolts into a single unexposed stud is just too
iffy. The double stud gives you a bigger target.

TONS of light. In the main room I installed eight four foot, four
tube fluorescent fixtures, splitting every other one amongst two
circuits controlled by separate switches. This lets me control how
much light I add, though I must say that at most all times I end up
with all of them lit. You can never have too much light.

Concrete floors with two part epoxy paint. They are easy to clean,
and unlike raw concrete they do not trap dust.

Lots of windows. Can't have too many, IMHO.


Closed storage in the main room. All of my often used small "stuff"
like ware boards, slip buckets, brushes, tools, and what not sits on a
shelf under my work table. I can't stand looking at this junk. I
plan to close in the base of this table with cubbies, drawers, and
cupboard doors to neatly contain the "stuff".

Internet access. I cannot tell you the number of times I had to run
all the way back to the house to look something up. Unfortunately the
studio is too far from the house for a wireless connection, and I'm
just not ready to dig a trench to run a Cat 5 cable. A luxury to be
sure, but it would make life much easier.

Nancy Spinella on thu 4 feb 10


James -

If you have a laptop, have you ever considered getting one of those "Air
Cards" through a cell phone provider? There is an extra charge for them, bu=
t
they allow you internet access anywhere, anytime. Might be helpful if you
don't want to trudge through bad weather back to the house. :)
Alternatively, you may want to look into a wireless router that has a
greater range. I don't know what the maximum available is, but I know some
are as low as 20 feet while others go to 35. If your studio's more than 50
feet, though, that's probably pushing it for wireless routers.

--Nancy


JAmes wrote
>
> Internet access. I cannot tell you the number of times I had to run
> all the way back to the house to look something up. Unfortunately the
> studio is too far from the house for a wireless connection, and I'm
> just not ready to dig a trench to run a Cat 5 cable. A luxury to be
> sure, but it would make life much easier.
>

Dave Drake on fri 5 feb 10


make urself a parabolic antenna for a USB WI-FI Dongle. Google parabolic=
=3D

wifi antenna and you'll find plans for a cutout that you wrap foil around=
=3D
.=3D20
Use and extension cable to put the dongle in the middle of the 'bola and
point toward your wifi router and you'll double if not triple the distanc=
=3D
e
for pickup.

I got cheap buddy that hunts for unsecured networks to mooch internet acc=
=3D
ess
from.

Works.--DD

Lee Love on fri 5 feb 10


Minneapolis has broadband Wi-fi access throughout the city.

http://www.usiwireless.com/

--
Lee, a Mashiko potter in Minneapolis
http://mashikopots.blogspot.com/

=3D93Observe the wonders as they occur around you. Don't claim them. Feel
the artistry moving through and be silent.=3D94 --Rumi