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Ok, due to a bad situation I most likely will be moving to an apartment and loosing my garage/shop.    If I get a two bedroom the second bedroom will be a nice shop, but the floor is carpeted. For those of you who build in apartments what do you do. How do you keep it from filling with wood chips and dust? Or do I look for a house with a garage, probably out of my budget. Or is my very short luthier career over....Help...
Mike

Mike, shop vac with a cyclone lid on a drum or garbage can, from Lee valley, along with their tiniest air filters should do it, we're talking $150 CAD so less in USD. their cyclone lid is transparent and will hook up to any green garbage plastic can, just check for the diameter you need. Their smallest air filter sure will take care of the fine particles for the shop size you'll have. my 2 cents!

Serge, I have that set-up. With a 500cfm vac plus I have a Fein vac that I hook to my band saw, but what I am worried about is thicknessing with the wagner, it throws chips everywhere. And carving tops, although those are really large chips. They will still be a mess, can't just sweep em up. I always plane on one spot so maybe a can right under the wood, I might be able to build a enclosure around the drill press for the wagner. No way the 3hp grizzley table saw is gettin in there. 4 months old too.

I had this set up, and would definately have been evicted if the landlord found out. Use a shop vac to clean up access material and don't talk until after you leave your vacation notice.

Mike, what are the chances of taking the carpet out and putting in some laminate. I know this will make for a loader shop, but the clean up will sure be easier.

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You could always seal the carpet so you don't damage it.
Just get some vapor barrier, lay it over the carpet then put some plywood over that to prevent tearing it..
Or you could always tear up the carpets and reinstall them before you move out

I hope you have and understanding landlord & neighbors if your planning on running powertools in an apartment building.. Even if you manage to smuggle them into the apartment your not going to run them very long before the complaints start..

Have you considered renting a small work space? You could probably even work something out in a heated storage unit.

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Hey Jason, how's bartender school?

Still waiting for the downpayment on that commision, so I can get that nice cedar from you.

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

[QUOTE=Rod True] Hey Jason, how's bartender school?

Still waiting for the downpayment on that commision, so I can get that nice cedar from you.[/QUOTE]

Bartender school was actually great. Not a bad way to keep myself entertained over my holiday break. I also got to learn all about the Port Mann and commuting to Van. Haven't even looked for a job though.

You should see how much maple we have in the yard right now. It's great to have product to run but I'm starting to feel like the harder I work the bigger the pile of logs gets. I've been milling in the snow/wind/rain 6 days a week for the past 4 weeks. Maybe if I take some more time off it will deal with itself

Well I gotta get some sleep so I can get back at it in the a.m.

Good night OLF!

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.Jason38799.4978703704

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Mike, i'd go with Jason idea, a whole lot less trouble for ya, rent the smallest space there is, maybe part oof a garage somewhere, more effective and easier to clean!

If you have to work in the spare bedroom, go to the Home Depot/Lowes and get a 10x12 piece of vinal flooring. Just lay it on top of the carpet. You can keep the ends from curling up by screwing some fir strips along the end. Drywall screws can go right through the carpet into the foor without leaving a visible hole.

i dont have a workshop of my own but a local carpenter allows me to use all his equipment and space.
only down fall is that he is a religious person(practicing jewish believer), which means i can not work on fridays & saturdays.
oddly enough, sice these are holy days in Israel i dont have to go to work or university during these two days, which meanas it would be the ideal time for me to abuse wood ;)
i have no extra room, and not even spare space inside my room so i work on the floor/bed.
we have one of those big clumsy vacum cleaners thats a hassle to take outta closet so i just use wide masking tape stick it to the bed and lift it up...does wonders in making it clean ;)
dont let the absence of space limit you!
and remember that you dont need much in order to build a guitar other than a few very basic (hand)tools, a table and a whole lotta will and patience!
built my first using a stanley #7 plane, a rasp,a violin makers knife, 2 chisels, a hand held saw and a cordless drill.
on a table in a bedroom.

"Simplicity is beautiful..."
Udi.

[QUOTE=vachterm] i dont have a workshop of my own but a local carpenter allows me to use all his equipment and space.
only down fall is that he is a religious person(practicing jewish believer), which means i can not work on fridays & saturdays.
oddly enough, sice these are holy days in Israel i dont have to go to work or university during these two days, which meanas it would be the ideal time for me to abuse wood ;)
i have no extra room, and not even spare space inside my room so i work on the floor/bed.
we have one of those big clumsy vacum cleaners thats a hassle to take outta closet so i just use wide masking tape stick it to the bed and lift it up...does wonders in making it clean ;)
dont let the absence of space limit you!
and remember that you dont need much in order to build a guitar other than a few very basic (hand)tools, a table and a whole lotta will and patience!
built my first using a stanley #7 plane, a rasp,a violin makers knife, 2 chisels, a hand held saw and a cordless drill.
on a table in a bedroom.

"Simplicity is beautiful..."
Udi.
[/QUOTE]

Heh. Sounds kind of like my setup, although I tend to wait until I can work outside if I'm doing anything involving dust. Thankfully I have a roof/terrace to work on, but no real shop to speak of. Oh, and I've got a lot of power tools and hand tools stashed in various corners. Because I'm a bit insane.Mattia Valente38799.3572453704

Mike,
   Don't work on the carpet by any means. It will pack with dust and small chips that no shop vac will ever pull out and you'll find your security deposit going to replace the landlord's carpet when you move.

I would advise covering the carpet with a surface that will be much more comfortable for you and easier to clean. The sheathing with alignment clips is a great idea and would work really well for you. Be sure to duct tape the clips to avoid catching them while you walk around and I would even consider taping all of the joints between sheets to protect against any seeping through to the floor in case you have an accidental spill of any kind. You may even want to consider painting the floor to give a it a more permanent look and feel. Also, be sure to follow the suggestion of taping a layer of heavy vapor barrier poly to the base boards all the way around the room to ensure the safety of the landlord's property and to make the final removal quick and easy for you when you move. I would put a door sweep on the door to prevent the inevitible creeping of dust into the rest of the apartment, too.

Don't take the chance of destroying someone else's carpet with either dust and chips or spilled glue or other chemicals. A consciensious luthier is a nice person to have as a tenant.

Regards,
Kevin Gallagher/Omega GuitarsKevin Gallagher38799.4458217593

Yep, sounds like it's time to go Old School, my friend. Cover the carpet up, and break out the hand planes, the chisels, the rasps and the Schneider Gramil... Good luck.

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Thanks for all the replies guys, some great ideas. I like the plastic sheet with some type of board covering it. I'll have to look into those clips to secure it. I already like to do most of the work with hand tool, but figured the band saw and drill press will still see some action. I'm not worried about noise at I will only need to use power tools occasionaly and I can do that at the appropreit times. Plus, band saws and drill press aren't too bad. Still hoping to keep my present shop, for lots of other reasons though. I need a game plan. Thanks

Mike

I hope all works out the way you want it too.

My best wishes

good luck, whatever option you choose, be safe!

Mike, like most said....if you can't remove the carpet, just go ahead and lay anything you can get you hands on cheap! Any sort of flooring, plywood....anything would work and then screw it down. Drywall screws can go right through the carpet into the foor without leaving a visible hole.

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Great tip there Peter!

thanks Russel,,my fingers are crossed.
I did stop by one apartment today and asked about plastic and then ply over top and they seemed ok with it. The sheet rock screws seem to be a great idea with tape on the seams. Thanks for all the great ideas..