Building a work table

[stickandtin]

Wife got started learning to do upholstery work this year. Bought her a new Juki 1541S in January. She has sewn all her life, but only on a home use machine making clothes, pillows etc. the Juki was a mighty big step up. Since January, she has made a lot of progress. Learning the ins and outs of the Juki was the biggest challenge. Her hobby is turning into a regular business that is now taking up a good portion of the house. We have a 14' x 28' portable building that I will be turning into an upholstery shop for her. She will need work tables. Can anyone give me some input on how big the tables should be, what kind of material should the tops be made of, how tall, etc. I have read some folks integrate the sewing machine table into the work table. What are the pros and cons of doing this. Eventually she will be reupholstering cushions and seats for the vintage travel trailers I restore and may expand to making awnings for them as well. Thanks for your advice.

[SteveA]

For your fabric cut out tables I would suggest temporary set ups until you can decide what works best in your space.  Give it 6 months and then build permanent rigid tables out of 2 x 4's

SA

[kodydog]

I built mine 56" wide. There have been many times I wish I'd built it 60". If you use plywood for the top You'll want to either paint it or cover it so the fabric doesn't catch on the rough surface. Also good idea to have a separate work area for your spray glue work. It'll make a mess of a good cutting table.

[Tejas]

For a temporary setup as suggested by SteveA, you might want to try tables with folding legs. I have four 24" x 48" folding-leg tables from Costco that are just about the right height, and that I can array behind and/or in front of the sewing machine for large projects, and anywhere as work tables such as for cutting. When not in use, the tables are folded and stored between a wall and the sewing machine stand. I don't recall the price, but were quite inexpensive.

The table tops are slippery, and large fabric projects slide easily. For vinyl material, I put single sheets of newsprint under the material so the vinyl slides easily. I sew right through the newsprint and later tear it off along the perforations.

[sofadoc]

Here's a panoramic view of my immediate work area. It's 26' X 28'. The cutting table is 5' X 12'.

The table is particle board covered with peel-n-stick floor tiles. It's over 15 years old. And Kody is right about spray glues and such being messy.

[SteveA]

That's a great space doc - stickandtin will be well learned by that submission.  Do you also have material storage space behind the lens ?
SA

[sofadoc]

Do you also have material storage space behind the lens ?

Yes, behind the lens is my store front sample room (26' X 18'). On the other side of the double doors in the pic is storage (26' X 60').

[byhammerandhand]

One option is a system called "shop boxes."    I built a set of these from an article in Fine Woodworking years ago (I'm primarily a woodworker/finisher).  The idea is to build a frame box that's 24 x 30 x 36   Then you can flip it one of three ways depending upon your current work.  If you build a pair of them, you can lay on a piece of sheet goods to make a large work surface, or half a sheet of plywood for a smaller (e.g., chair sized) work surface.    I made mine from a scrap piece of 3/4" plywood that I ripped into roughly 1x4 sizes.    If you have a pocket hole jig, you can just screw the corners together and make flush joints.  Otherwise you can overlap them and face screw them together.   Don't forget to allow for the thickness of the facing pieces on your dimensions (e.g., if you are using 1x4, you will have to reduce some dimensions by 1.5" to get your 24x30x36)

Here is an article with pictures to save me 1000 more words.   Similar to what I built, maybe more flexible if you add the I-beams.  http://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/the_shop_box_system

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The other thing I can recommend is wall storage.   A friend of mine once said, "Can you imagine a kitchen without cabinets and everything just sat of the floor?"   Take a look at SofaDocs for an efficient organization.   Also think of your taski and work stations for workflow.   Use the concept of "Kitchen Triangle" or organize groups of 3 items that you freqenty use together or in succession.

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Tangent:  
What is the sq.ft of your shops, everyone?   I'm looking for a new house and hope to find 800-1000 sq ft woodshop thinking that's a good compromise between being too cramped and spending too much time walking between workstations.  There's Parkinson's law (and corollaries) that say, "Junk expends to fill empty space," "Expenses rise to meet or exceed income," "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion"" "If you wait until the last minute, it only takes a minute to do," etc.

[byhammerandhand]

Does this derive from the fact that most upholstery fabric is 54"+selvage???

I built mine 56" wide. There have been many times I wish I'd built it 60". If you use plywood for the top You'll want to either paint it or cover it so the fabric doesn't catch on the rough surface. Also good idea to have a separate work area for your spray glue work. It'll make a mess of a good cutting table.

[sofadoc]

Even though my table is 60" wide, I still have the occasional roll of fabric that hangs over the side (usually because it wasn't rolled straight to begin with).

[kodydog]

Use to be most fabrics were 54" wide. But lately 58" is not unusual.

My shop is 24' by 30' with a wall down the middle to separate the cutting and sewing side from the upholstery side. It also includes a 1/2 bath and a small office.  I can't imagine working in a area smaller than this. It leaves little room for storage but for that I have a 8'X10' shed for foam and rolls of Dacron. And a 10'X16' shed to store furniture.

I do very little fine woodworking so most of my power tools are table top type. I don't know how you are set up but I don't think this shop would be big enough if you have a full blown wood working shop.

I would give my first born to have Sofas space.



Cutting and sewing room


Upholstery room

[gene]

I've noticed that many ups have a cutting table up against the wall. I find that being able to walk all around mine is very helpful and I feel that it saves me time.

My cutting table is 60" wide and 96" long. Earlier this year I put a drawer under my cutting table. I am amazed at how often I use stuff in the drawer that I used to have to go get off a shelf, and then put back when I was finished using it. Electric fabric cutter, foam saw, ear muffs, chalk, knife sharpener, Sharpies, hand tools, etc

[sofadoc]

I've noticed that many ups have a cutting table up against the wall. I find that being able to walk all around mine is very helpful and I feel that it saves me time.

Didn't you say in previous conversation that you prefer a high table? Like 47" or something like that?

I prefer my sewing machine built in to the cutting table. So at 31" high, I have no trouble reaching across. Leaning over a low table doesn't bother my back at all. So having access on both sides of the table isn't as much of a priority for me. I'd rather have that space for work area.

Still. if I could re-configure.........I probably would move my table out from the wall. And I think I will add a "goody" drawer.

[MinUph]

I like the drawer idea also. I'll be adding one as time permits. I don't know why I never thought of that :) Thanks Gene

[SteveA]

Tangent !

I went from 1200 rented commercial space to 500 home basement workshop.  When I lost my lease I decided to scale the business down and maybe keep more of every dollar.  It's been 15 years in 500 feet and no regrets.  When I have a spray job I use my friends shop - otherwise I try to just do the smaller jobs and definitely the ones with less headaches.  Keith I'm not hopeful you'll get this topic going here,   
SA