The Little World

I spend idle time studying how to reduce my horse’s burden.

Even though mine is an iron beast that runs on petrol rather than hay, it is still limited in what it can bear. There is only so much a Suzuki hatchback can carry and that I can ferry from carpark to clubroom or exhibition. Every ounce saved is a mile further…

Thus I try to pack the selected transfer cart – a tool carry from a Supercheap Auto sale – with everything needed for a session without needing to add more under-arm. It has been the work of years to analyse what is used at each session and to pack it well.

One help was the realisation that I do not use the SMCWA spray room and need not carry airbrush or cleaning materials. This is not to slight the facility – it is superb. But after spraying I need to leave the models undisturbed first hours and a club session often doesn’t afford that luxury of time.

When I do paint with a brush I need thinners, retarders, and cleaners, but not much at any one session. This the various solutions can be decanted into clean old paint bottles and occupy less space than full-size containers.

Wipers – paper towels and Q tips – can also be folded into small paper slips and kept with the tools.

Abrasives are all on sticks, as are buffers.Knives have replacement blades, but not full packets of them. Two spares plus the one in the handle is more than enough.

Note that the travelling kit as yet doesn’t have a pin vice and drills – these are coming when a suitable pattern is selected.

Every day a smaller kit, with more options inside it. With any luck the journey will never be finished – it provides as much pleasure as the destination.