TOOLS OF THE TRADE

One of the problems I have with a hobby like mine, is that of space.  Or lack of it.  With a wife, three boys (13, 8 and 3) and a dog, and one kitchen table on which to eat, do homework, dump bags, use laptop, space is always at an absolute premium!

If I wanted to be able to enjoy my hobby with any regularity, I'd have to find a way of quickly and easily storing and getting out my paraphernalia with minimum fuss.  I couldn't find any commercially available storage solutions that suited everything I wanted, so I invented and built my own custom hobby box:

It's made from 10mm plywood, glued and screwed together with the lid piano hinged across the back.  The stays and supports for the paint brushes, files and paintpots on the lid are fashioned from hardboard.

The blue block of foam on the lid holds my water cup in place in the lower tray during transportation (whilst it is possible to transport the box with the water cup filled, I found this to be a dangerous thing to do with any regularity); and my clippers, which are suspended on a couple of bent nails.

The paint pots sit in a little custom-fit tray, and are held in place by a line of elastic, so I can pop them in and out easily *and* they all stay in place when I close the lid.  Score.

The lower tray is split into three sections - the left hand side has matches (for paint mixing); long nose tweezers; blu-tac; pva glue, some 59ml paint pots and my can of spray undercoat.  I like games workshop chaos black for an even, matt finish undercoat which takes all my acrylics very well.

The right hand section of the lower tray holds some more 59ml acrylic paint pots; a bag of gravel and bag of static grass for basing; and my water cup, which sits in a little compartment of its own to keep it from spilling.

The centre section has an upper and lower compartment.  The upper part holds my mixing palette, a couple of sheets of newspaper and some tissues for brush cleaning. Underneath the black felt-lined separator, I have cut some rows of foam between which I sandwich figures and pieces I am currently working on.

It does its job very nicely (if I do say so myself).  I can get it out, open it up, and within a minute I'm up and running with everything I need ready and to hand.  And with a minute's notice, I can pack it all up and put it away and the kitchen table is ready for its next mission.  Unfortunately, the lid is quite sturdy too, and it can take things being stacked upon it very well - which makes life more difficult getting it out next time!