Zhen I Can’t Make It Up To The Attic Man-cave…
HRxxxx
Upstairs, Downstairs Projects, Double My Productivity?
I’m getting less free time to toddle up to my attic hobby room due to chores and puppy sitting (Cookie cannot make it up the stairs either), so I’m having to think about getting myself set-up to work on projects downstairs instead.
I have two options; work on the dinning room table or on my knee in the front room. The dinning room isn’t a great idea as the wife likes to do her school work on that. The front room seems the better place as Cookie likes to snooze beside me on the coach… So, sofa projects it is! 😅
First thing to do was to get a decent sized work surface that would sit on my knew but have enough space to lay out project parts and still have space to work on the parts. I was going to buy a piece of plywood or MDF to make a good sized board, but then Sharon saw a large cork notice board at our local Rhyman’s Stationary Store which looked like it could serve as a good work tray…
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| Above: A 900x600cm cork board, I was worried that this was a little too big to sit on my lap. Would it be stable enough? But it’s actually not too wobbly and I do appreciate the extra space for sorting and laying out project parts. I’ll see how it works out. |
It’s about A1 side - so will take an A2 size cutting board on it with room to spare around the edges. It’s a bit larger than I originally had in mind, but being a cork notice board it’s very light and had beading round the edge so things don’t roll off.
Let’s Try The Cork Board ‘Tray’ Out…
I was a little worried about the extra large size but thought I’d give it a go and see if it was feasible as a comfortable work board. I picked out what I thought would be an idea test project - my REVELL 3D PUZZLE COLOGNE CATHEDRAL MODEL.
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| Above: The board balances reasonably well on my lap - with a cushion underneath - and as you can see there’s plenty of space for model parts and a large A2 sized cutting mat. The mat actually gives the Clark board an extra bit of stability because of it’s weight though keeping the tray level is a bit of a task and I can imagine small round model parts rolling around…We shall see. |
This puzzle model is a pretty simple kit that is ideal for trying out the cork board as all the components are attached to sheets and have to me pressed out a part at a time. This’ll cut down parts rolling about on my ‘tray’ and getting lost (it’ll be more challenging when I try out making one of my COBI brick kits with all the tiny parts those include).
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| Above: All the components come attached to folded A3 foam-board sheets. |
Luckily, our sofa is an EZBoy recliner and once I raise the foot rests it increases the support for the tray and I can comfortable work away without too much movement. I guess the major test will be to see whether Cookie minds curling up beside me and whether she will try to stand on the tray to get my attention (will have to watch her if I decide to have a snack while working)!!! 😗
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| Above: My first attempt at doing some project work on my new work tray. It kinda worked out quite well, much to my surprise. The extra size of the tray will come in handy when I attempt to film any of the projects I do on it as it’s big enough to fill the iPhone’s video screen, which saves a lot of cropping during the edit. My only worry about filming on the tray will be lighting and how I will mount the camera. Hmmm! |
About The Revell 3D Puzzle Project Itself
I bought the model from the local charity shop, it was a bargain at just a fiver. I went for it as the wife and I visited Cologne back in 2008 and had a terrific holiday there. The cathedral was a beautiful central attraction, but the city also had an excellent museum (which included some excellent items dating from the Roman military campaigns in Germania) and the Willy Wonka-ish delights of the LINDT CHOCOLATE MUSEUM! 😊
Anyway, as soon as Sharon saw the model she agreed we should get it. It’s a bit of a departure from what I usually make kit-wise, as it’s a sort of card construction kit.
The components are printed onto a card/foam/card sandwich, with each part cut-pressed to allow them to be detached from the sheet. There are 7 A4 sheets - which fold out into A3 sheets comprising in total of 179 parts. All parts are numbered and there is a full colour 15 page A4 instruction manual.
You simply press out the components and they even include a card tool that helps you press out the smaller parts. The parts are fairly sturdy but you still have to use some care so that you do not accidentally bend or tear the card while you take them out of the surrounding sheet.
You don’t need glue (unless, like me, you are ham-fisted and tear on side of the printed card away from the foam backing)!!! And all the parts are cunningly designed to slot into each other to make the sections of the cathedral. It’s quite an easy build and I can’t see it taking me too long to do.
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| Above: The small part pokey tool! |
I have to say that it’s a very relaxing build, basically it’s a 3D jigsaw puzzle. But it was the ideal sort of project to do on my make-shift cork board tray and you can sit and work while watching the TV!
It seems to be part of a series of models by Revell based on iconic landmarks from around the world. I believe they also do the Colosseum and that is somewhere else we have visited so I’ll have to try and see if I can get hold of that one too (if they still make them).
Anyway, my biggest challenge will come tomorrow when I have the dog for the day! Will my tray set-up turn out to be far too precarious when there’s a needy pup in the house? 😉
I’ll also have to try out some ideas for filming my work on the try.
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