Goodness me, I'm very envious! There have already been a few dining table "workbenches", so here's mine.
IMG_4747 by
nigeljjackson, on Flickr
Of course it has to be protected by thick padding first!
One of the major challenges for me is that while over the years I've collected a huge number of modelling tools I can't leave them out for long, so they're stored away in various places. However, when I had a major post-retirement sort out, I came to realise that, in fact, I only used a very limited number of them on a regular basis; some only came out once in a blue moon. What this meant was that I could put together a small tool box. What mattered was that they were close at hand and that I knew where all of the others were should they be needed. Here's the basic tool kit - in a modified shoe box.
IMG_4739 by
nigeljjackson, on Flickr
The same was true for paints and other fluid materials. I probably have enough to embark on a repaint of the entire Forth Bridge. But how many are used most of the time? So here we have a project box. I can vary it from model to model and put it away nice and quick. If I need other colours, or my oil paints they can be brought out as needs be. There's several mixes of oil paint there too for a special project.
IMG_4742 by
nigeljjackson, on Flickr
And I can get to things like masking tape nice and easy too, as well as other spooled and round things:
IMG_4744 by
nigeljjackson, on Flickr
Now my glue dispensers won't fall over all the time clogging the tubes; or the cocktail sticks leap out everywhere with the containers glued to bigger bases.
IMG_4740 by
nigeljjackson, on Flickr
I understand all the signals, but please don't think of this as my being anally retentive, or having some obsessive, compulsive disorder or preaching anything. It's a function of where I have to work and a desire to avoid wrecking the surface of an expensive table. It's not for everyone, but it's helped me gain a bit more control over the model building process.
So, ensemble:
IMG_4756 by
nigeljjackson, on Flickr
And yes, I finally did manage to get that Fokker E.V under way and even allowing for a major catastrophe last week it's almost there. Very soon now I'll post some photos.
IMG_4758 by
nigeljjackson, on Flickr
It feels better with all that off my chest.
Best wishes
Nigel
