The Little World

The cheap end of town.

I got there after consulting the internet and looking at eBay sales items. The prices were high and the shipping costs higher. But I did benefit from the product illustrations – which I could screen save and use for reference. Free information.

My project involved making some more buildings for a scale model diorama – in this case a small grassed airfield in middle Europe. Google had already shown me a perfect prototype that still exists and I’d been able to copy the main buildings as low-relief structures. Now I needed a period hangar to fill a gap in the layout – the curved corrugated metal type seem to have lasted pretty well, albeit rusty.

Should I buy a kit from the UK for $120? Shaould I get an eBay item from Germany for $150? Or should I cut off my big toe with an angle grinder? Decisions, decisions…

In the end I thought 3mm MDF, foam board, and Epson Archival Matte paper run through the inkjet printer – all components here at home – on the shelf – already paid for. The advantages of this scratch-built option were:

a. I could size the hangar exactly to the space available.

b. It wias be lightweight – I could easily transport it as part of an exhibition display.

c. The signage could be accurate or interpretive.

d. There was no waiting time or damage possibly suffered through shipping internationally. It was all here ready to go.

e. It was very cheap to do.

I recognize that there are people out there who have more money than I do and less time to spend it. People who need to buy a ready-made model and enjoy it as best they can. But I am retired, with a good workshop and plenty of time to play.

And there is the cross-genre nature of diorama building that appeals – you are half a model airplane maker and half a train layout person – with no trains. And you are a little bit kid playing with your toys.

That’s the part I really like.