Many of us work with a limited amount of space for home gunsmithing. The kitchen table gunsmith isn’t a myth, and some are very good at what they do. Even professional gunsmiths often work in a gun shop’s back room.
When considering the tools needed and the compartmentalization of tools, parts, and devices, attention to space is important. I am very careful about my work and try to do one project at a time, although I often set one aside to work on another as I wait for parts.
My work spaces are a study, a converted food larder, and sometimes a deck outside. Some tools are a big help and are often used, while others are seldom used but are stored carefully.
First parts storage.
I don’t need a lot of parts. I have the likely items on hand that will need replacing: a few recoil springs for family guns—1911, Beretta 92, SIG P228, magazines for AR 15 rifles, muzzle brakes, and Ruger 10/22 trigger groups.
I also have a stack of Real Avid tools and punches. I have the parts in plastic bins, and the smaller tool kits are stacked on top of the bins.
Oddly enough, a standing jewelry cabinet is one of the nicest little things I have found at a yard sale.
I would not necessarily purchase a new one, at about $167 average, but at $20 at the garage sale, they are attractive for storage.
The small drawers seem ideal for storing those small parts and tools you need to keep separate. It sets unobtrusively in a corner.
The guns are always in a safe when not being worked with. When the grandchildren visit, you would never know there is a gun in the house except for the presence of a gun safe in the study.
As for the work space, I have learned that you don’t need a lot of vertical space —most of the work is done seated.
A corner in the food larder works, but so does a small spot under the angled roof in an attic. I work seated most of the time, and a comfortable chair is a must. You need about four and a half feet of space for most chores.
The one item that cannot be compromised is efficient lighting. A good overhead light and a desk lamp are essential. Most of the lights in the home are soft and easy on the eyes, but you need bright light for working areas.
Real Avid’s Smart Assist Quick Connection System is a real space saver. It has a coil like an octopus arm and a space to hold the cell phone while you work, making it essential gear.
A cell phone at work? Yes, because so many of us watch on line tutorials and disassembly videos. If you have an enclosed garage a roll out work table is a great thing to have, and the garage offers more room.
I follow the rule of working only in a designated area—don’t scatter work around the home!
Keep it tight and close by, and you will be glad you did. Sometimes open air is fine, but springs and parts do go flying or drop, and you need a good drop to catch them.
Remember safety first and sanity a close second. I have seen the tools used for car work take over garage space, and the project car had to be in the driveway.
If you are not careful, this can also happen with the home gunsmith’s tools.
This is nothing quite like MTM Caseguard for storage.
I have used their products for many years. The MTM shooting tables and shooting rests are handy for home gunsmithing and may also be taken to the range providing a great deal of versatility.
The other resource for large items is second hand- yard sales and flea markets.
A solid work table need not be huge, but it should be as long and wide as any firearm you will be working with. About 24 x 48 is a good measurement.
A good rule is to sit down when working on handguns and stand when working on long guns.
Be careful mounting lights and hanging things on the wall.
A vise is necessary, and at least one of your tables must be sufficiently strong enough to hold a heavy vise. Separation of working chores is important. Some things take abstract thought, while others are more mechanical.
The home gunsmithing area is a mix of both. Organization is more important if you don’t work in this space often. If you work in the gunsmithing area every day, you will keep good muscle memory. If not, the logical distribution of parts is much more important. This applies to the gun shop as well.
Some shops are larger but others have at best a cubbyhole dedicated to gunsmith work. The same type of organization would apply to something like making holsters.
A sewing machine for leather holsters and a heat press for Kydex may take up some space, so you should be careful with space allocation.
A few tips.
I have learned that wall space is often unlimited, depending on how heavy the tools may be, there are places to hang them from the floor to the ceiling.
Floor space is limited in most places. Don’t neglect the clean-up and hazardous waste, not just oil and solvent.
Metal shavings or wood clippings should be policed out often. A clean floor makes it easier to locate that dropped pin.
You may need an oscillating fan to clear the air. Hoppes may be the cologne of champions, but it may irritate the eyes and nose. Space is valuable, so take pains to use it efficiently.
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