My work area. Is this the smallest work-space?

Spanjaard
it looks good to me. small space make you more organized😉 nice model collection by the way

Martyn Fox
Nice man cave,everything within easy reach. I also detect some vinyl albums, respect.

Dan M
I really like the car 🙂

gorby
Thanks all.
Spanjaard, We do have a spare room which is much larger, but I opted to stay in this room as I like it and, as I said everything is within easy reach. Also, if I loose something, it can't have gone far.

Martyn: The vinyl is all from the seventies and eighties - doesn't get used much these days, but can't bring myself to get rid of it.

Dan: My one and only car so far – because it is my all time favourite, the Karmann Ghia.

Spanjaard
and a nice beer too😉

Julian Herrero aka Yuri
Looks nice ... LPs , Guiness , kits , paints , what else sould I need ?????

gorby
Thanks Tim: Small, but perfectly formed. I have replaced the the sprue holder shown here (which was made out of a CD rack) with a more compact, and better looking one made out of an old metal washing-up rack.

Spanjaard
never thought about a sprue rack but it is a fantastic idea.... when i have a permanent work bench (at the moment is a semi-permanent area in the leaving room), i may copy the idea.

Greg Baker
Ok... I'll take some pics of my small work area. I'm gonna get me a big sheet of white paper to take pictures on... that's for sure!

Norbert Steffens
Hi Gorbygould, nice place, and most interesting music and beer and ypu're in the right mood for modelling.

Germen V
I Agree with Spanjaard, i will steal the idea of the sprue rack.

gorby
Thanks everyone.
The sprue rack not only saves space, but makes me a bit more organised, the sprues go in order from left to right – quick and easy to find the one you need. With the CD rack I had to cut out sections to give enough space for bulkier parts, but the plate rack has ideal spacing.

Greg: When I want a black background (as with the Do 335) I just drape a sheet of black velvet over the card. Quick and very easy to set up.

Norbert: Yes, the music and the beer – essential fuel for my modelling. Although, maybe if I drink less my models would better?

Murad ÖZER
i too learned something new today, that cd rack seem incredibly handy! MacGyver would be proud! 😄

Greg Baker
I like that sprue rack idea. I usually use styrofoam lids as project trays. I posted up my cozy little spot here too - My Man Cave... err... Cubby | Album by strobez (1:144)

Rui S
Nice place gorbygould, but if I put my compressor on that place it would be an impending disaster...😮

gorby
Necessity is the mother of invention Murad 🙂.

Rui: There is a layer of non-slip rubber under my compressor and I've put a raised edge on the shelf just in case – so the compressor vibrates like buggery, but it doesn't move at all.

Rui S
Ahh ok, I think you did the wright thing, mate 👍

Spanjaard
mine would fall on my head inmediatelly, it must be about 20 kg 😛

Rui S
just like mine Spanjaard 😄 it vibrates as hell

Spanjaard
mine does not vibrate, the motor is kind of fridge one. it is just too damn heavy to have it any other place than the floor! it is 20 years old, from my old modelling times... as long as it works, i will keep it. i think i can get something as good or better, with half of the size/weight

gorby
I have added a couple of extra photos to the album. As it has attracted more attention than I thought it would, my current sprue holder. Also, one of my most used, home-made tool – my mini compass cutter.

Spanjaard
the need is the mother of all invention! nice and simple tool, and it certainly must do the job correctly 🙂

Bernhard Pethe
Smart workplace. 👍

Wojciech Kucza
Nice organization in such small space! 🙂 And definitely 9 kit stash is much more likely to be build entirely thans for example mine😉

Fabian D.
As someone who has recently joined the 250+ kits club, I have to agree with Wojciech here.😉
Nice idea with the compass cutter as well, I'll probably copy that one..

Spanjaard
i am trying not to join that club, with my current speed at finishing models i will need to leave up to a very, very old age to finish all that 😛

gorby
Yes Wojciech & Fabian, when I returned to modelling I decide that I wasn't going to let my stash get out of hand, although it is very, VERY tempting. I don't know how someone with a huge stash decides what to build next! How do you decide?

Dan M
Well, for me it's usually a decision made on the spur of the moment. Sometime I want to build something new, just to see how a certain manufacturer makes kits. For example how I got my first Takom kit (a St Chamond) and I needed to see if I would like to get other Takoms, so i've started bulding it.
Other times I just look at my stash and I pick something at random (or maybe the second of third thing at random if I don't fancy the first find).
Right now I've decided when I'm done with the current builds to just pick the first one that shows on my scalemates stash, which I guess is that german artillery 🙂
I also have a few AFV Clubs and Meng's and never built one of their kits so those are also pretty good candidates.

Fabian D.
Well, it isn't that easy. But after all, my stash can be broken down into a few categories. I have some kits I want to "save for later, once I'm really good", some I need more aftermarket parts for, some I can't get bothered to start because I have too many aftermarket parts for them...
So it's reduced to about 10-20 contenders (almost half of my stash are figure kits anyway). After consideration what I build earlier this year, half of them can be ruled out, as I just build a similar kit. F.I I'm currently a little sick of panzergrey...

To add a little what Dan said: I recently bought Mengs's T-72B3 and I'm kind of curious how good it really is, so that one is currently pretty high on the list. Well, once I finish the new T-55 AMV from Takom, which I started for similar reasons.

Wojciech Kucza
I have something like a mix of above ways: some kits are bought mainly because they were nowadays hard to get, so I wanted to stash them and build them up when my skills gets better. Originally I wanted to do only 1/72 planes and helicopters as those are my main interests and I avoided every 1:35 armor. But I got my hands on some of my older models and decided just to make them look nice. And then I thought it was quite some fun.
But mostly it comes in waves - sometimes I just really want to make some plane, other times something bigger is a must. I also have some projects that I avoid starting because I know that once I start - they won't be a walk in the park.
But currently I mostly buy tools and detail sets for what I have and try to keep my stash under control. And I'm really trying to get myself to finish some started projects, so I can have "clean slate"

Spanjaard
yes, i am getting detail sets for my stash to, so i can keep buying whithout increasing the number of models.... sometimes it just feel like i am simply fooling myself when i say that my stash does not increase 😄

gorby
Thanks everyone for explaining your choice process. I have a 'sort of' system. I don't allow myself to build the kit I bought last (otherwise the older kits would probably never get built) and I have to seriously consider the kit that has been in the stash the longest. Sometimes there are other criteria – earlier in the year I lost my modelling mojo completely and didn't do any modelling for a couple of months. When I started to show some interest again, I just wanted to do 'fall together kits', i.e. Tamiya.

I also have four kits that I'm saving until I get better. Just had a look and it's not nine in my stash, it's eight – but it will still take me a while to decide which of the remaining four I'm going to do next.

I'm feeling a strong urge to look on Ebay...

Eugen P.
And the right stuff on the left😉

gorby
Modelling is thirsty work Eugen, as I'm sure you will agree.

Eugen P.
I agree 👍

Derek Huggett
All this talk of 'stash' has turned me into a gibbering wreck! Just one more purchase perhaps.....?

Dale Marston
Tim Build the Growler it is an awesome plane. I have the 1/48th to do in RAAF colours and markings. I finished the F/A18-F not long ago. Make sure you use the Growler kit in1/48 if you want to do the RAAF F/A18-F as it has all the parts without buying resin. Ronin Decals?

Bart Teunis
Well Gorby It really does look small, but comfortable 🙂

gorby
I like it Bart. I would like a bigger work-area, as the current one does limit my choices. Tamiya's 1/48 Lanc, would probably cause me a few problems, which is a shame. Other than that – I'm like a pig in clover.

Bart Teunis
haha I bet that the 1/32 tomcat from trumpeter even would cause more issues

Bryn Crandell
Love the workspace. Going to have to find a sprue rack like the one you have. Excellent idea! Thanks and Cheers.

gorby
Bart: I Not only couldn't fit the 1/32 Tomcat on my desk, I couldn't fit in my budget! I've just had a look at the price!
Bryn: Thanks, glad to have been of some help.

Arash Zakeri
Very nice

gorby
Thanks Arash.

Cheeki Breeki
Eh, as long as the models fit on the table, it's not too small! And great plane collection, I especially like the Beaufighter.

gorby
Thanks Cheeki, I'm in the process of photographing some of the models, including the Beaufighter, so in the next few weeks/months I'll put a few on SM.

ISA Models
That compass cutter replacement is just like what I thought of doing for myself. Now I will try to copy your thingy^^ If I may

Nikolaos Kouzinis
"The best, not in the much".( "ΟΥΚ ΕΝ ΤΩ ΠΟΛΛΩ ΤΟ ΕΥ"😢 (Αncient Greeks said) . Nice laboratory

Nikolaos Kouzinis
....and organized!!

gorby
Very true Nikolaos, "Plenty does not mean good" is a nice saying. I'm happy with it and a small space doesn't seem small if it is well organised.
Blaubar: Feel free – it's very easy to do, I'm surprised that something like it isn't commercially available.

arron parry
Wish my office looked like that, my one looks like a bombs hit it

gorby
Thanks Arron. Doesn't always look that tidy. At the end of every build I have a major clean up, before chaos descends again.

Alistair Graham
As long as you have room for the beer

arron parry
I see you've got plenty supplies of a different kind aswell, careful lighting a match after the beans lol

Lance Jacobson
Very nice work area - I like how the tools are hung. Question about the airbrush and compressor, are there any problems with pulses, and do you use a water trap?

M.Julian Marles
Pretty nicely organized. I think mine is about that size as well...but much less organized ha ha😉

Matthias Weiss
Well it's not the space that defines a modeller's skills - looking at your excellent models I think you don't need more space.😉

Rex
Ahh, but just imagine how good his models would look if he didn't have his elbows touching his ribs the whole time. haha. I am not one to make fun of "limited build space." Even though I have plenty of display space, lots of stash storage, accessible book cases, and a pretty good sized "research area",,,,,my workspace is wedged in between a huge paint rack and the tool drawers. I have about 3 feet wide for my workbench and fumes booth.

gorby
There is always room for beer Alister, unless it has to temporarily make way for some other beverage. It all helps the creative process you understand.😉

I have to be very careful Aaron – being an old fart in an enclosed space and no extractor… recipe for disaster. The beer helps to calm my nerves (honest).

Lace: The tools at the back are hung in a box that folds up under the shelf when not in use, which isn't that often these days.
I got the Iwata 'Smart Jet Pro' second hand on Ebay for half of it's new price and it had hardly been used. I can recommend it big time, it's excellent. It has a water trap on the compressor which is so effective that hardly any water gets to the airbrush water trap. It does have an air-tank so no pulses at all, and it is relatively quiet.
I'm not such a fan of Iwata airbrushes though. I had a 'Neo', which was a pain to dismantle for cleaning and I didn't find it easy to use. After six months the needle got damaged, which probably was my fault – but the a replacement needle would have cost almost as much as the complete airbrush. So I decided to buy a Harder & Steinbeck 'Ultra', which is in the same price range, but I think it's streets ahead of the 'Neo'. I find it easier and quicker to clean and easier to use - I can do much finer lines than I could before. Spares are cheaper as well (in Britain).

Thanks for your comments Julian, Matthias and Rex.

Derek Huggett
Yikes!!! 'old fart' + 'enclosed space' + 'no extractor' = Asfik...asphik...unable to breathe! Happy New Year anyway!

Rex
That is a very good point. One that is often missed when discussing safety issues. As old farts, we can very easily find out that we are more susceptible to the fumes than younger people are.

Good thing for us to remember.

gorby
Don't know about you Rex, but I think my tolerance to the fumes of alcohol based liquids, has improved with age. Don't know why that would be?

Rex
haha, it depends on which alcohol we are talking about? I can't stand Isopropyl's smell, Methanol still makes my eyes water like they did in my Drag Racing days,,,but, Ethanol?,,,ohhh yeahhhh baby, I still like those fumes a LOT. I even like the taste, unless it is Denatured.

Oh, wait, better keep this post model related,,,,,here is a money saving tip,,,,if you use paints that thin well with Denatured Alcohol, buy any of the clear Alcohol drinks instead, as long as you don't skimp on the proof, Vodka, for example, is cheaper than Denatured. This only saves money if you don't keep a bucket of Ice next to your thinner, though.

arron parry
Still using Xtracolour enamels and white spirit, my man cave is out in a shed

gorby
We call it 'methylated spirit' or just 'meths' over here Rex – is it expensive over there? It's less than half the price of the cheapest vodka here.

Rex
oh, forgot the "regional" part of this,,,,,,,,yes, in the US, vodka is the cheaper of the two

Edit to add: even more regional,,,,,,in Tennessee, USA, vodka is cheaper than Denatured. In NY or CA or any other state, it might not be.

Artem Burkin
You have nice place, I forced move back all my pieces every time

gorby
Thanks for commenting Artem. I really like my little man-cave - it's where I spend most of my time now. Heaven!

Marek Swiderski
Too clean for me 😄

Gary Brantley
Neat little space gorby. What sort of speakers are those? As you work on your models, is there a particular type of music that you listen to?

arne vd burg
Nice workspace gorbygould I just might steal your circlecutter idea😮

gorby
Marek: It was clean and tidy once – once. I like to think I'm organised, but I'm not.
Arne: Be my guest, steal away. It is one of my most useful tools, easily cutting circles in masking tape down to 3mm. Perfect for wheels.
Gary: I love me music. Those are Tannoy Mercury V1 speakers, but I mostly use headphones. No, there isn't any particular 'modelling music'. If you ask my wife what music I like she would say 'weird', if you ask my step-daughter, she would say 'depressing'. My favourite group is called 'IAMX', but I listen to quite a wide range of music. 🙂

Gary Brantley
Interesting stuff, I admit to never having heard them before. My wife thinks some of my music is weird too. Recently, I was listening to one of my Morphine albums when she came into the room. In sort of an off-hand way she asked, "Do you think there are other people who listen to that, uh, 'stuff' " I assured her that most certainly there were! 🙂. Lately though, I've become enamored with the Five Royales, as black R&B group know for their innovative singles from about 1952-62. Killer stuff! 🙂

I just love music in general, most all genres (except rap/hiphop), including Tex-Mex conjunto and mariachi, jazz, polkas, 70s rock, 1960s "soul" music, reggae, Americana, etc, etc. You get the picture I'm sure. I wish we could share a few ice cold Dos Equis lagers and share some good tunes while doing it! Cheers gorby!

Xerxes
Great beer 👍

Archibaldd Haddock
It is a "love making" place! 😄 Cheers mate

gorby
Gary: I must admit 'IAMX' are a little obscure, and probably an acquired taste. If your wife thinks that 'Morphine' are weird, she would probably have the Hi-Fi fumigated after playing IAMX! The main reason I use headphones is that I got bored with my wife saying "What on earth are you listening to". Indy is my favoured genre. The only oldie stuff (pre 1980's) I regularly play is Pink Floyd, but my music collection goes from classical to punk, with a lot in between.
That is a bit of a problem striking up friendships on this site, it isn't easy to just pop over to Texas for a quick beer. Don't forget I'm English, so I don't do 'ice cold' beer – it has to be room temperature or risk a public flogging, or something.😉

Xerxes: That's Guinness West Indies Porter. Makes me feel thirsty just writing it. 🙂 🙂 😛

Paulo: I don't know if it has lost a little in translation, but my 'love making' place is quite a different room entirely.😉 I'd have to be a gymnast at the very least… 😄

wilky
Gorby guaranteed if you went to Texas you'd want your beer cold. I know a few Brits here (Australia) and none of them drink warm beer any more especially when it's over 40c. Even a cold day here is close to your summer temperatures.
A recent visitor from the U.K. only took one beer to understand why it was cold.

gorby
Wilky: Here, it's 2c outside at the moment and I'd rather that than 40c. Those temperatures are enough to keep me well away, my brain starts to melt at anything over 27/28c. I'll stay with my cold (ish) country and warm beer any day. 🙂

Dale Marston
Don't worry about beer warm or cold just drink spirits, you can also spray with them. Arakia and Grapa.

Gary Brantley
Full disclosure? I don't really like beer much. 😮 My drink of preference is Kentucky Bourbon (Wild Turkey 101 proof!) or as my 35 year-old son says, "a proper drink". He's a fan too. I just never cultivated much of a taste for beer. I grew up in a family of beer-drinkers, my maternal grandparents owned a bar and on my father's side, I guess all 11 of his siblings were beer drinkers. But, I started drinking a little beer about 25 years ago, mostly because if was so damned convenient and available everywhere. And, it gave me a break from the hard liquor. Oddly enough, I'm a bit of a "beer snob", drinking only Mexican beer and Dos Equis when I buy. But I have to admit that an ice cold bottle of XX tastes pretty good when it's 100F or more outside. I've seen Texas summers that featured 50+ consecutive days of 100F or more. I tell ya, it's like living in the suburbs of Hell. 2F is the lowest temp I've seen here in my hometown. That's plenty cold enough.
Full disclosure 2. My preferred "intoxicant" is a more, ahem, "natural" product that is grown hydroponically. 🙂 Well, you know how we old former "hippies" are! Lol.

And like you gorby, I don't do much "love making" in my modeling study. Too much potential for damage! To the models and to me!! 😉

gorby
When I was 16 I got 'legless' on vodka – I literally mean I couldn't us my legs. It put me off spirits for over thirty years. Now, when my wife comments on my consumption, I say "my liver has had a 31 year holiday, not it's time for work". I don't drink lager, but love bitter, stout, whisky, rum, red wine, brandy etc… But I still can't drink vodka.
I have, in my youth, tried the herbal extract you mention – but on each occasion it had absolutely no effect on me at all, so I gave up. 🙁

Rui S
Now I've to say. I was, from 4 to 8, in Moçambuique, and I start to drink beer naturally very cold in some parties right there.
Today if I spend one day without drinking one cold beer, I get hangover just like an addict in a hard drug absence hehehe.
But, My favourite hard drink is, and always will be, the hard Tasty Russian VODKA. It's great with all fruit juice cold or hot.
I'm also with you gorbygould, whisky, rum, red wine, brandy, medronho, etc. Everything marches when it is of good quality and among good friends.😉 😄

gorby
I'll drink to that Rui. 🙂

wilky
I'm mainly into beer when I'm socialising and that's because I'm unemployed and if someone wants to buy me one I'll drink it. A good friend is also a home brewer.
When I work I drink Lochan Ora. I actually stopped drinking alcohol altogether for quite some years as I was a tram driver and they brought in zero alcohol limit for heavy vehicle operators and often work would need to cancel a day off due to others not turning up and I decided that I can do without the booze for the triple time pay of a cancelled day off.
I had a big change in how I see life when my first stent in my LAD ruptured the artery and started to experienced what it was like to die from a lack of blood/oxygen.
The doctors are very annoyed that I'm drinking again as diabetics with heart disease shouldn't but they often don't give a shit about any other health problems I have because they just say have a panadol or it's all in my head, he's the most annoying because he is from Afghanistan and I want to ask him if the war is just a figment of imagination too.
Funny thing about Lochan Ora is it is cheaper now than it was in the eighties

gorby
Wilky: One of my granddad's liked a tipple and one of my granddad's was teetotal. One was gregarious, loved the company of others; the other kept himself to himself and did crosswords all day. One was always smiling and like nothing better than having a laugh with people, sometimes complete strangers; The other rarely smiled and I can't ever remember him laughing. One seemed to love life; the other seemed to be filling in some time before the grave.
I loved both my grandfather's equally, but I preferred spending time with one in particular and although both died over twenty-five years ago, I still miss one a lot more than the other.
I'll leave you to decide which one is which.
If you don't over do alcohol, it can enhance your life. Doctors seem to sometime forget that happiness and contentment are often as good at improving your health than anything you get from the pharmacist.
You need to enjoy life, otherwise, what's the point?

Dale Marston
A life full of adventure and laughter, even if cut short is better than one without. Character is many things the good and the bad sides of you. The fun and the sad times and how you handle the journey laid before you, it's never about just about getting there. Even in the darkest of times laughter is a tonic for your soul. Well said gorbygould. And that is the spirit (Vodka, Whiskey, Bourbon or whichver you choose). Even better 1 Bourbon, 1 Scotch and 1 beer. LOL.

wilky
I'll raise a glass to that

Vinny Panda
Is that a bottle of Guinness Foreign Strength?

Rui S
@ gorbygould; Dale Marston; wilky 👍 👍 😄 👍
I too raise a glass to that

gorby
That's Guinness West Indies Porter Vinny, it's a very nice drink, but I can't always get it.

Vinny Panda
Yeah I know it, my local supermarket stocks it in their 3 for £5 deal, a bargain.