The Little World

The medieval costume club I once belonged to held regular workshop days in which they made swords, armour, and all the various accessories of historical life. They were brilliant blacksmiths, metalworkers, tailors, potters, etc. and they all suffered for it. There was a phrase that was used to describe the phenomenon – ” The Blood Sacrifice “. Every project that went forward to a successful conclusion demanded that, at some stage of the thing, injury would occur. Blood would be spilt on the hungry earth.

It is precisely the same with scale model building. The tools are smaller, but as a compensation for that, they are sharper. And they are used in closer conjunction to the fingers and thumbs. Every good model has taken its toll. Each one of the instruments in the heading image has, at some stage of the game, been thrust into my hand.

It was the same with dentistry – not so much the chairside work – there was always a convenient cheek or tongue to arrest an errant high-speed drill. But the laboratory was a minefield of hot surfaces, sharp edges, and caustic solutions. I learned to scream discreetly.

Eventually you do learn, and the blood gods are momentarily baffled. Then they lure you past the new tool rack at the hobby shop or in Bunnings and you purchase the next instrument of torture. If there are no new tools on offer there is always splintery wood or sharp metal eges on sheet metal. Even plastic can be utilised, and I have heard a legend of a fatal box of Kleenex tissues that decapitated a model car builder. Do not footle with blood gods.

On a brighter note, I have applied the priciple of tidying up the bench to encourage tidier results.

I saw a picture of a friend’s workbench with neat storage, orderly tools, and a clean cutting mat. Fighting down the urge to kick him, I looked about the shop for a way to make my own pit look better.I found a big packet of disposable paper pads that are used to guard against dogs peeing on the floor. We have no dog but we had to house the cat for a fortnight and it was messy. I use these paper pads to line the spray booth to cut down on cleaning. Well, there is nothing to stop me putting them down on the bench inside the portable building tray.

They absorb stray paint spills before they mark the tray and make me feel better about the work.

Alles In Ordnung.