My own purpose-built modelling bench. THE LUXURY! From Fleet Base Kear: (April, 2002): The luxury of it! I am finally gaining ground in the constant battle for territory in my own garage. It's a pitched battle, waging back and forth, with space as the prize. On one side, I have my son, the stuff he wants kept here in case he needs it one day, the bits of his car, things he might need one day when he has kids of his own, and my wife, and the things "we can't keep in the house! You have to find space for that somewhere in the garage", and the vast array of things we can't throw out "in case they come in handy". And on my side, there's ... well there's me. No wonder it's been a losing battle for so long. Anyway at Christmas time, I finally made progress. I got agreement from the Chairman of Finance to give me some materials for a new area in the garage for a Christmas present, and I set to. I cleared away 15 years of crap from the area, and cleaned it out. I had never done gyprock before (drywall to our American friends) so I had to learn how to do that. I found it to be nowhere near as difficult as I'd thought it would be. Rather fun in fact, because it made such rapid progress. Once the wall was lined, I put battens up with lag screws to hold the desktop. It's at chest height - much higher than the normal work bench because my eyesight isn't what it was and I like to have my model close so I can see it properly. I got this idea when I watched a jeweller at work in his workshop once. The worktop is 18mm MDF with a hardboard top, and a couple of coats of varnish. Then I set to making the drawers, which are to keep my modelling supplies and tools under control. While this was a side-trip from making models, it was extremely pleasurable. In woodwork, I've never made anything as complicated as a chest of drawers before, and I found it to be very satisfying. I have lots of ideas for other things to make for this workstation - racks, shelves, cupboards etc to keep my modelling activities organised, and have everything at hand. This making sawdust is good fun. Click the picture to see the workstation closer up and some of the ideas I have for improving the workspace. Now, back to building model warships.

Let us know about your modelling activities. We'd like to know what you're building, and what stage it's at. There are lots of other modellers out there who would be interested to know what you're doing, and who could probably help, or who might want to ask you something

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Current Comments as of 7/Dec/2002:

Don LeVine left this comment at 30/11/2002 at 3:25 AM
	It must be wonderful to have enough space, even in your garage, available for a dedicated workshop. My one car garage is filled with large appliances, hot water heater, trash bins, file cabinets, etc. My model work is more or less accomplished on a 4 x 4 piece of plywood cover for an old, folding card table in an unused corner of our kitchen, barely tolerated by my wife. At present it is filled with the Model Expo Bluenose schooner which is and has been in the rigging stage for many months. I have been stalled by figuring out how to fasten the sails to the masts, having screwed up the project by mounting the masts too soon. I now have the split rings but seem to suffer from model making burnout. My last significant project was the beautiful Hanseatic League Galleon, the Adler Von Lubeck, from an old German kit. Don LeVine
Dave Miller left this comment at 29/11/2002 at 1:46 AM
	Hi Mike, Nice workbench. You inspire me to redo my basement work area. It will give me an opportunity to use up some of the odds and ends I've been accumulating thse past years. And since I will be retiring as of Dec. 31...... Happy Thanksgiving (the most celebrated holiday in the U.S.)
Dave Miller left this comment at 29/11/2002 at 1:45 AM
	Hi Mike, Nice workbench. You inspire me to redo my basement work area. It will give me an opportunity to use up some of the odds and ends I've been accumulating thse past years. And since I will be retiring as of Dec. 31...... Happy Thanksgiving (the most celebrated holiday in the U.S.)