I’m just getting back into modeling after a 20 year absence and man have things changed!!! I love the interaction that the web has brought and the availability of the web for research!!!
But the wife [}:)] has me limited currently to an end table and fishing tackle box for space to work in and I am trying to convince her I need a LITTLE more space than that!!!
Plus I am dying to see what kind of area, tools and lighting allow you guys to crank out so many awesome builds so quickly!!! So what do you say, could you give me some pictorial evidence that real men need space… so I can go beg some from the wife???[:-^]
Tell her you need the whole garage, or some other large area. Here is my bench, and a couple display areas. (Ok, I get the garage and a few models in the house, that is all she lest me have.)
imornery81;
Like you I just got back into modelling, but I was out for about 10 years[:D]. I convinced my wife to let me have an old small computer desk in our basement. The surface area is big enough for maybe two models at once and it comes with several drawers for my paints and glues etc. Seems to work for now, The thing I have to really convince her of is to let me get a new shelf for all the new models I am going to build![;)]
I am only working on one build at this time (Battle of Britain group build) and so far it serves my needs. I also have one overhead lamp for extra lighting. LOL
I just got back into it last June after a 15 year abscence and the only reason I could is because we moved to a larger house at that time. I still only get a table down in the basement but it has some shelves and it’s actually an old lab table from the nearby university (previous owner was a professor) so it is fairly large. For Jay and I the garage is not an option unless you are doing ice carvings of your favorite AFV. Best of luck with the missus!
I wish I had still had a garage, but when my son turned 14 we turned the garage into a TV room and moved him out of his old room into one of his own… now there’s no room for me!!!
Heavy Arty, just as I suspected, LOTS of LIGHT!!! That seems to be my biggest lack right now… that and where to put my finished models!!!
Hey thanks, and I’d love to see a lot more work benches, so I can also have a better idea of what to do with the space, if I ever get some!!!
I took over the kitchen table, It’s got paint on it now so the wife doesnt want it back. I got my compressor and all my supplies stacked underneath it. Yeah its a mess but I am moving to Japan in a month so I dont want to buy anything else.
All the ship and aircraft models you see are from my previous life. I kept them in storage (in boxes labelled SACRED!!) for most of the time I was away from the hobby except for some of the fighters which were hung in my oldest sons room in the old house. I spent a good part of the last 7 months glueing parts back on all those models. The armor and figures on the lower shelf have been my most recent efforts and the Essex on the bench is for the Pacific GB though it has been put on hold while I tackle the He 111 you see on the right (in the box) for the Battle of Britain GB.
Yes it is a magnifying lamp and it has been a life saver for my aging eyes as I usually build in 1/72 or 1/700. I have also attempted some PE on the Essex and He 111 which would have been impossible without it. You can pick them up pretty cheap at office supply stores or even (gasp) Walmart.
Oh Ya… one other thing! Music is a must while I work therefore the speakers on the bench.
Razordws, nice bench, nice collection too. I only have a few left from before that are worthy to display.
Ice carving? sounds like maybe we should start a new GB! Maybe that should be the topic for a Canadian GB! But seriously though Imornery, unless you have a nice insulated garage with good heaters, forget building in garages in Canada, I suppose you aren’t above the 49th. Also, if you actually use them to park your cars in (i do) it really hampers your working space.
Hey I have one of those lights with a magnifyer too, only beige in colour. I tend not to use the magnifyer much though.
As razordws said, Music is a must! find a really good classic rock radio station, or make sure you have a bunch of your favourite CDs handy.
thanks guys, right now modeling for me is headphones while sitting in the living room, trying to keep those mysterious leaping PE from diving into the couch or onto the carpet. But I too find music to be an indespensible part of modeling… kinda like in Kelly’s Heros!! Charge!!! [8]
I think I might get one corner of the laundry room for my own, what kind of flooring do people put down so they can find the disappearing parts from your work areas? [X-)]
BTW, I’m still looking for more ideas, and I’m certain of the other people would love to see where some of you model. [;)]
imornery81: You should just show your wife the article in the Nov. issue of FSM where the guy dedicated a whole room to his modeling and built special cabinets and the whole bit. After that she’ll be happy to give you space in the basement. [}:)].
As for the floor, because its soooo cold here I actually have a small rug under my feet. I pick it up and shake it out when I need to and can find most stuff except for the smallest bits of PE. [:(!]
There have been other threads here where people have shown closets converted into work spaces (actually considered that at the old house) and fold up desks that can be closed up when not in use (poor man’s roll top desk kind of thing).
I have approx. 36"x18" of flat area to work, but no matter what I never seem to have more than a little 5"x5" area cleared. [:D] Here it is though. All airbrushing and rattlecan work is done outside on a picnic table. Try not to laugh too much at the tennis wallpaper, not my chioce
That looks like my space!!! Honestly, only the wife wants me to put most of my stuff in my tackle box at the end of each sesison of modeling!!! I am so glad to that there are other guys out here who are at the bare-bones end of it…
Unfortunately, this bolsters my wifes position that I already have space!!!
LOL
Oh well…
Where are all of the guys with the huge setups??? Are they all just a figment of my warped imagination and are only the thing of myth and legend…?
Thought I would show a few pics of my work area. Me and the lil lady share the room. She has one half and I the other. Don’t ask about the walls they came with the place and since we only use it for our hobbies we have not decided to change it. [:p]
Wow, JFPuishys, that sounds exactly like my arrangement! I spend alot of time convincing the wife that drive-thru fast-food is the best option, so that I don’t have to carry my junk back and forth between the garage and the kitchen table!
I have a swing-arm lamp (same on as in HeavyArty’s pic up top) mounted to a piece of MDF about 30 inches wide and a foot or so deep. That’s where my knife marks and paint spatters end up, so as to keep me from being strangled by the wife.
My work space is also my garage, but I hate to work out there all the time, so, I too spend a lot of time at the kitchen table. Late night binges and painting are all done in the garage though. I’d post a pic, but you’d probably be horrified (TOO many projects going at once ). I do have a nifty custom built table though, so maybe I’ll straighten up and post a pic this evening.
Hey guys, thanks for all of the input!!! Sounds like finding space for our hobby is more of a universal problem than I thought!!!
Well there goes my excuse for not accomplishing as much as well as I want. You guys turn out some great stuff with the same limited space and resources as I have, so I guess now I will just have to step up to the plate and work at this a little harder!!!
I have been banned from the kitchen table ever since the wife caught me touching up some paint while sitting at it after promising to do all of my painting on the back porch[xx(][}:)] so I guess I will get me a light and attach it to a board like drucifer and stop whining… for a few weeks[angel] !!!
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