The Little World

My friend Warren refers to the ever-present danger of losing small parts as the attack of the carpet monster. He should know what he’s talking about – he has carpet in his hobby room that has swallowed many a bit.

I have a concrete floor in my workshop and a lino one in my computer room – you would think I was in better shape than Warren, but I suspect we are equal. My grey, pitted concrete vs his beige shag-pile and its anybody’s guess where the landing gear struts go…

Even the clubrooms I visit have a newly-painted floor, but it is painted mid grey. Unless you are building a bright orange Matchbox Provost aircraft you are in big trouble. Add to the natural camouflage the problems of old age – weak eyesight and weaker backs – and you can see why many of our aircraft are built in flying mode…often without propellors and sometimes missing tail planes. No-one has managed to lose an entire tank turret yet, but the time is coming.

The baffling thing is always where the kit parts go in such a limited space, given they only fall a small way. Of course they pick up energy as they tumble and then expend it in caroming off under the tables. There is no sound to indicate where they have gone so there is a frequent treasure hunt of codgers on their knees peering and sweeping. There is language.

Of course we propose cures for this – from jewellers aprons and sticky worktops to central gutters on the tables and intense lighting. I think the only solution is to build 1:24 aircraft and never to use any parts smaller than two inches across. Even then I’d be tying strings onto the wings…