Anybody Have A Bedroom Closet Workshop?

[Mr. 360]

I don't think I was a regular kid. I bought a '51 Willys 1-Ton tow truck while my peers bought Playstations, I wore steel toed boots to school every day since I was in grade 6, and I had a 75 Craftsman riding mower that I painted flames on at 12. Another break from the social norm was that I didn't have a closet for clothes and toys. I built a pretty full-on little workshop in my bedroom closet, complete with Columbian 4" Vice, all steel storage, integrated lighting and a speaker from my dad's '64 Chevy II wagon.

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I found this picture while clearing out some files on an old 32mb Jump-Drive (32mb?!??!!), and thought if anyone would appreciate it, the guys on this forum would. I know I have more pics of it somewhere... maybe hidden on another old jump-drive.

So my question is, has anyone else built themselves a mini workshop before?? I know Doghouseforge has a pretty sweet blacksmithing setup worked into the back of his pickup. I'm curious to see what people come up with when they are faced with less than 25 sqft or so and space is an absolute premium.

I didn't find anything like this in my search, my apologies if this has been done before, or isn't in the right place.

 

[Conductor562]

Never had any set up in my closet. My dad gave me one of those 8x8 metal sheds with a gravel floor that is used as a little workshop. In the summer you pretty much ran in and ran out because it was too damn hot to tolerate.

 

[Kevkx125]

Mr.360 I too had a workshop in my bedroom closet as I child. I remember showing it to my older brother and his gf of the time and him not being to impressed, kind of bummed me out at the time.

 

[Bob Hall]

Yep, count me in. I had a closet workshop from about age 8 or so. It was off of a setting room at my families house so not a bedroom closet. It was a long narrow closet, like all the ones in that 1914 house. My first power tool was a disk sander made from my Erectorset power plant and sandpaper glued to a wooden disk. I've never been with out a shop since, and my tools have grown up even more than I have.

Bob

 

[JimVonBaden]

That is very cool!

I didn't have a closet workshop, but a work desk in my room, and a portion of my father's workshop off the garage. Since dad was a mechanic I always had access to tools and a place to work.

 

[Stuart in MN]

This was a semi-popular theme in Popular Science and Popular Mechanics magazines back in the 1930s and 1940s - I've seen a number of articles from those years about workshops built into closets or cabinets for use in small houses or apartments.

 

[spoonsports86]

wow thats pretty cool i wish i had set something like that up when i was younger

 

[Mr. 360]

This was a semi-popular theme in Popular Science and Popular Mechanics magazines back in the 1930s and 1940s - I've seen a number of articles from those years about workshops built into closets or cabinets for use in small houses or apartments.

Interesting, maybe that's where I got the idea from. I used to love looking through my grandfather's old Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, and Mechanix Illustrated books from the 30's-60's (although I've never had time to build a tow-behind camper out of plywood, or a metal lathe out of natural gas pipe parts).

Interesting to see that others made use of closets and tight spaces as well, glad to see I wasnt the only crazy kid.

 

[Gregg33]

I never had anything like that but I did buy a Buffalo (actually called Canada Blower & Forge in Canada) Drill Press from a guy that lived in a condo in Toronto and he had the drill press, 2 or 3 tool boxes and few other things in a spare bedroom. Everything was pretty clean, he was "big city" not redneck lol.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

I believe Laroke has one, because his old lady is always asking him, "Laroke, when are you going to come out of the closet?"

 

[madison069]

That's pretty cool! I didn't have one but then again my desk was a work station for me in my bedroom and I had access to all of my dad's tools and work space.

 

[LAROKE]

I believe Laroke has one, because his old lady is always asking him, "Laroke, when are you going to come out of the closet?"

I smoke cigars in the closet. I'm only in there 'cause that's where the smokers were pushed when the previous occupants went mainstream.

 

[3baygarage]

That's a neat setup Mr. 360.

 

[Mr. 360]

Thanks for the comments guys. I also had access to garage space as a kid, but seeing as how winter can take the edge off your motivation, having a workshop 6' from my bed was a pretty sweet gig. I could also just close the closet doors and not be told to clean up the mess. Total win-win here. I tore it out when I turned the room into my studio though... I kinda miss the concept, though I much prefer my current garage.

 

[jmarkwolf]

When I first got out of college in the early 80's, I lived in a 1-bedroom apartment. I set up an electronics lab in a pretty good sized walk-in bedroom closet.

As I recall, the closet was approx. 4ft wide x 8ft deep. I made benches from bi-fold closet doors sitting on milk crates, because they were narrow and didn't take too much room but were big enough for my bench-top electronics equipment, a computer, and a breadboard.

 

[rockinacummins]

That is hands down the greatest workstation I have ever seen! My hat's off to you sir!

 

[Zeke]

I would have had one in the closet had I not grown up in SoCal. I've always had the driveway and still work in a carport at age 68. Every few years we get rains and I have to go inside.

 

[doctordave]

I had a full race ford 1600 crossflow motor all machined and waiting to be put back together in my closet when I was 15 waiting to go into an Austin Healy Sprite (never eventuated).

The closest I came to a closet workshop was an old wooden suitcase full of tools and junk I found and pulled apart at 8.

 

[rodm1]

I never have but I've seen a couple of cool ones. One guy in town has a business selling reloading supplies out of a walk in closet. I think you can only squeeze 2 or 3 people in there.

 

[thundermug]

My living room workshop has grown in the last five years. I live in an apartment and have two kids. We're making plans to move this spring / summer, but this is my setup for now:

Here is a crappy picture from six months ago. It looks different now. The workshop is always evolving.
https://scontent-a-ord.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1497581_668417060512_783826037_n.jpg

 

[devoncoolman]

Can't say it was in my closet but my father and grandfather are and were auto and diesel mechanics. And my father has owned his own garage since i was about 5. So I've always had access to tools and a place to work. But always wanted my own tools and stuff so i used my own money that i made various ways including christmas to build a tool collection. And i had my own little work shop in my moms basement. Ive been a tech a long time and have since upgraded most of my tools to professional brands but still have a lot of the old stuff and handed lots off to my brother in law who enjoys tinkering with cars.

Its either in your blood or its not. Typically starts early. I was a kid that had more hobbys then i could do at once. I rode 4 wheelers, drag raced jr dragsters, i loved video games, always enjoyed spending time with dad in the garage, and got into computers for long time. Still tinker with computers from time to time. Still ride 4 wheelers still play video games, my drag truck has been apart for 5 years so thats on hold.

But anyway nice set up always good to see people like myself.

 

[MScott]

Not a closet, but I have always thought that the idea of converting an old upright piano (which can often be obtained for free) into a mini workshop would be a great idea for someone with limited space. Once the soundboard (harp) is removed and scrapped, they are not terribly heavy and many of the early pianos are quite beautiful. Here is an example of one: http://www.instructables.com/id/Free-Stealth-Apartment-Workbench/

 

[hchinaski]

Growing up, I had a little mini workbench in the garage, on the wall opposite my dad's real workbench. He bought a small metal lathe when I was in 5th grade, and we built a workbench for the lathe that incorporated a smaller space for me. Later, when I moved off to college, my little space just gathered dust and junk, so for Father's Day one year, I came home and converted the little workbench to an electronics workstation for him; a one-piece molded countertop and some adjustable shelving, my little 3 1/2" Columbian vice, and one of those articulating arm lights that has a magnifying glass built in. Space for all the soldering tools, oscilloscope and so forth. He still uses it today!

 

[Mr. 360]

My living room workshop has grown in the last five years. I live in an apartment and have two kids. We're making plans to move this spring / summer, but this is my setup for now:

Here is a crappy picture from six months ago. It looks different now. The workshop is always evolving.
https://scontent-a-ord.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1497581_668417060512_783826037_n.jpg

^^^ This. Some great old pieces here. I love the benches, the wooden crate, the tool chests, and the killer chair.

 

[Richard Cranium]

I didn't have a closet work shop, but I did have my supplies hung up on the old wood beam that went across the ceiling of my bedroom.