The Little World

Readers of this column may remember – or can search back – to read about Tea Tray Mk I. It was the adaptation of a cardboard box lid left over from an IKEA purchase that allowed me to bring my plastic modelling indoors when temperatures soared in the Little Workshop. The Little Office has an air conditioner and it makes a real difference to enjoying the hobby.

The Mk I Tea Tray was put together with masking tape and featured whatever leftover boxes I could find to hold modelling supplies. The cost of it peaked at $ 0.00 and I like to think in the year or so it has been in existence that I’ve had value for money. Replacement has been spurred by the weather predictions for the coming hot summer ( remember to blame whichever politician you dislike…) and the fact that cardboard only lasts so long.

The concept of peripatetic modelling is not new – lots of English modellers build things in front of the tellie or the gas fire in the winter. I’m just reversing the process. And I must say that I have learned a lot during the time MkI has been in use – learned that there are things that you just don’t need:

a. Complex paint racks. They look cool but either you use far more paints than you could ever transfer in a portable rack  – or you use far less that would require a rack. And racks use up template space.

b. Spray paint provisions. If you are going to model in the lounge room or the bedroom, the last thing you want to do is spray paint. Save that for the shed. Brush paint little stuff inside.

c. Complex scratchbuilding facilities. You do not need to bring a jigsaw, vise, anvil, or oxy-acetylene set into the house. Restrict yourself to cutting, sanding, brush painting and gluing. The weather will either warm up or cool down at some stage of the day and you can go out and forge or spray paint when it does.

I tried to emulate Mk I in MkII in that I wanted to spend nothing. This was achieved with scrap MDF board and off-cuts left over from construction work 5 years ago. NEVER THROW ANYTHING AWAY. Even the spray paint used to finish it was leftover.

Note that the things that really get used – adhesives, sandpaper, mixing sticks, paper towel wipes, and parts holders – are all there. The brushes in the old plastic graduate are the good ones – no sense trying to do good work with the junk brushes. There is a cutting mat. There is a wooden all-purpose cutting surface as well – relic of a rolling board used to make hardtack biscuits ( Honest to God, Folks, I couldn’t make this stuff up…). And the whole thing can be picked up easily and brought into the house when needed.

The only refinement I am considering is the inclusion of a jeweller’s apron at the front to catch small parts when they ping off the sprues.