my hobby room

[Just Mike]

I've started moving in my stuff to the basement bedroom. It's unsuitable for habitation because it gets a little wet a couple times a year and mold develops. I'll be cleaning all surfaces with a bleach solution and primed and painted with a mold and mildew inhibiting paint. I've been told by experts in cleaning this stuff that the paint really does work wonders and she suggests I put up a barrier between the room and the cellar to keep the bulk of the water out and when it does, wet-vac ASAP which I fully intend to do.

I know what you're thinking already. Don't bother. I've read up on all the mold and mildew facts and whatnot and how to clean it and precautions I have to take. I'm wearing a respirator rated for particulates, pollen and mold spores and gloves. Regardless, I thank you for the thought.

"Jeez, Mike. Get over yourself." I think I've come to know the scale modeling community pretty well and when someone's doing something dangerous or potentially hazardous, everyone seems to come out of the woodwork to offer their words of wisdom.

Anyhoo, I've installed a flood light into the ceiling. The receptacle only takes flood lights. I don't dare try something smaller like a CFL just because if it gets stuck, there's mercury in them thar things! It's nice and bright in there now, after putting in two reflector lamps to augment the light.

I'm just waiting on my paycheck to buy the 4' counter at Lowes. That'll probably happen on Thursday. After that, it's just a matter of ordering the aluminum french cleat to mount the counter top. Only one problem with this plan: the counter top has a "lip" on the joining side. I know Lowes offers cutting and ripping service but like I say, it's 4 feet wide. It might not fit into their saw.

If you're not familiar with the french cleat, it's a method to flush mount large things like mirrors and mantles and the like.

Sorry I don't have any pictures or videos yet. They're coming. Promise.

Just can't wait to work on a kit again!

 

[ScarredKustoms]

Congrats on the new house. Will be great once you're all settled in.

 

[Just Mike]

Mike's new house

 

[ScarredKustoms]

Awesome ... Even with the all the work you have already done and the work you still have to do ... It will be great place! ... Great location too!

 

[Junkie]

Congrats Mike! Love living in the country!

 

[GalaxyChief]

You are talking in a realm of construction that I am very familure with. How are you going to use a french cleat to mount the countertop to the wall? I have only ever used them for mounting panels to walls.

Are the walls block/cement?

For a workbench I would recommend buying some 2x4 stock are if you lack the ability to do all the cutting yourself a ready made set of metal legs.


Also, if you need the counter top cut I would recommend taking it to a shop that works with laminate material. You may even call around to some ahead of time and see if they have anything in their graveyard... all shops have one Ours has an extensive one. Tell them what you are looking for and they may be able to help you out. If they try charging more than $15 for a cut I would keep calling around.

If you have questions at all please feel free to ask. I have been doing cabinet/countertop work for 13 years now.

 

[Just Mike]

turns out, I don't even need it cut. I just have to get a shim for it. Hooray!

I bought the cleats today as well as some anchors, a new cordless drill and a stud finder. Just need the shim.

Can't wait! Yay!

 

[Just Mike]

more than a little disappointed tonight. The aluminum picture hanger I got didn't work. The countertop was too fore-heavy and just about ripped out the anchors. It's not one of those things where I could have put all of them into studs.

Spent an hour at Lowes looking for an alternative. A few ideas but no way to implement them. I do have a spare kitchen table in the garage. I guess I'll use that until I find a way to mount that counter.

 

[GalaxyChief]

I looked at a couple of DIY stores and could not find the legs I had used before. Of coarse this has been several years ago now, all the ones I found were complete kits and they wanted a couple hundred for them. I would recommend to just put the counter top on a pair of cheap saw horses for now.

Something like these would do just fine ... http://www.lowes.com/SearchCatalogDisplay?storeId=10151&langId=-1&catalogId=10051&N=0&newSearch=true&Ntt=saw+horses

I would also recomend that if you have a budgett hat allows it go to a local cabinet shop and ask them to order you either a set of these http://www.fastcap.com/estore/pc/Speed-Brace-4p2457.htm or suggest an alternate type. If you have a postform CT from lowes, thats the one with the built on backsplash or without that it is right around 25 inches deep.... the 21"x24" version will be the one you want.

Any leg brace you get must be on a stud or the anchors will simply pull out of the wall. You will still need a ledger between the leg on the wall to keep the CT from sagging. A 2x2 will work just fine for this.

If you need any other help please feel free to ask either here on in PM's

ETA. If you only have a 4 foot counter top you should only need 2 legs for it

 

[Just Mike]

wow. that actually works for me!

I love the speedbrace idea! So, get a couple or three of those and some legs?

Just that can't see a way to attach the legs to the table.

 

[GalaxyChief]

The nice thing about those braces is you need no legs. so long as you attach them to the studs you will be good to go.

 

[Just Mike]

I do plan on mounting the countertop. I didn't spend $35 not to mount it in some fashion.

I have a free solution for a work surface: my old hobby bench that's still at the apartment. It's one of those metal frame ones that you can take apart - kind of like a bed frame. Exactly like a bed frame actually. It's the same members (?) Only trouble with that is the drawer sticks and I can't figure out why exactly. Might have to replace the track.