What bolt of lightning hits you? Is it the fire from the sky that hints at divine inspiration? Or is it the simpler fire lit under you because the due date is the next calendar page? Both will singe your short hairs to a crisp is you can't find a place to work. Regardless of your reasons, as a designer you want to have a model shop at home - the most convenient commute there is. I'm going to try to help you get started for as little an investment as possible.

The Space
Can you commandeer the garage, a room in the house, or a large walk in closet? Believe it or not, you don't need much room if the space is well chosen and carefully planned from the start.

Choose a place you can work with. You'll need good lighting, plenty of electrical outlets, and good ventilation. In the beginning, furnish the space with whatever you can that's useful. Know anyone remodeling a kitchen? Get some old cabinets and a length of counter top. A discarded door makes a bench. In short, all you want to do now is get started with some very basic work space and storage. Later you can buy or build to piece in the items you want.

Supplies and Suppliers
One of the first things I'd suggest is to start calling for catalogs. Search various web sites & newsgroups for sourcing. The National Materials Exchange Network is a great place to start. Use the Thomas Register. Search out suppliers who specialize, but not necessarily in the areas you might think. For instance, you can sometimes save a lot of cash buying art and drafting supplies at an office superstore. To extend that approach, you can also occasionally save money buying from the taxidermy supply or crafts store, the local discount chain, lapidary or metalsmith suppliers. The point is to search out the suppliers of "items" - not "items used for casting, drafting, modeling, etc." Over time you'll weed out the poor sources and find your favorites. Again, for now, start with the basics - what's available, and who wants my business the most?

While you're waiting for the catalogs, look around your town. I can't tell you how often I've been surprised at what some of those nondescript buildings in my hometown contain. Many small businesses, that normally sell only to industry or in large lots, will be happy to help you out on a sheet of copper or some wood cutoffs. Don't be afraid to ask, and if they do help you out, remember them when you can make a referral. It's also a great way to get to know the people you may be working with in the future.

Ask, and Ye May Go Dumpster Diving
One other point is that local industries may discard small amounts of materials - fabrics, metals, etc. that are very useful. It may sound ridiculous at first, but I'll admit to getting slate windowsills from the local school during its remodeling. When I asked for permission (and ALWAYS ask) to salvage some of the slate, not only did I get the O.K., but a couple of carpenters helped me load a few in the truck. Expensive material at no cost. So, is it worth it? Definitely.

Tools and Equipment
Well, here's the budget buster. You need tools. You've probably already got the basic hand tools, so the next phase is expanding the capabilities of your shop. At this point patience is very important. Prioritize your list and get that first item as soon as possible. As a last resort, buy new, but first try a few other avenues, and always try to be creative. The results can be surprising, as I found out.

To illustrate my point I'll explain how I built a $XXXX vacuum table for $25. The vacuum pump was acquired in barter, I bought the gum rubber contact surface at cost from a manufacturer two blocks away. A salvage yard about a half hour from here provided the aluminum base, and it was worth its weight in used motors to power my shop equipment at $5.00 each, "guaranteed to work, or you can dig another one from the pile". I bought the fittings for nearly nothing from another local supplier, in the business of selling CO2 tanks to local bars and restaurants. I actually found a four hundred dollar bell jar at a local yard sale for five bucks! I have no idea how it came to be there, and I didn't ask. Combine all this with a little sweat equity, and there's a $25.00 vacuum system.

If you're patient, you can find nearly anything you need at a flea market or garage sale eventually. An additional bonus of buying used or flea market equipment is that as you work to restore or refurbish it, you can observe a variety of design and manufacturing solutions. While the things you're going to need are not inexpensive, there are some ways to ease the pain while you pursue financial therapy.

©1996 Garry K. Williams & The Williams Studio
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