XTool first cut

Like every cool toy they advertised when I was a kid, the new laser cutter came “some assembly required.” It took a few days to reach the top of the to-do list, and when it did, the straightforward task took a good hour or more. Strangely, the instructions get you to the point of downloading […]

Another new tool

A huge box just landed on the front doorstep, and inside was my “Congratulations on your new job and on selling that Lego” gift to myself. It’s an XTool D10 laser engraver; it should be powerful-enough to cut 1/4″ plywood, but I’ll probably cut a lot more board and 1/8″ ply. Stand back! And here: […]

The Last Equipment Cradle

I can’t believe I’ve been balancing models on their roofs for my entire life. Several manufacturers offer foam cradles, but I’ve always felt it was something I could make myself. Then I didn’t. For years, no decades! Well, no more. And since it has taken me so many years to finally make my own cradle, […]

Converting to hex

For many years, I’ve maintained a small stock of screws. They come in an array of shapes – countersunk, cheese-head, round-head, the oh-so-Canadian fillister-head, and hex. I never stocked the hex-headed ones because I didn’t have the appropriate tools to turn them. The trouble with most of these screws is that they have a simple […]

Organizing the hobby shop

Somehow I seem to have collected an assortment of tiny packets of detail parts to rival many hobby shops. There are enough windows and doors to see me through a lifetime of model-making, parts I will never require for locomotives (diesel and steam) I’m unlikely to build, some potentially useful parts for cars, generic parts […]

New shelves for the paint shop

Getting the raised floor for the paint shop opened opportunities for more storage. The wall opposite the spray booth contains the tank for a toilet, and so, it is built of 6″ studs. My plan is to fill in all the voids with shelves and storage. The first module, designed for spray cans and other […]

Cricut masking

As I mentioned, I’m not finished with Morrisey Fernie and Michel #61. I’ve had another technique rattling around my head, looking for an opportunity to leap out on an unsuspecting model, and this little car was the perfect victim. Masked and painted insignia are all the rage in the aero modelling world these days. When […]

Project Garage

You’ve gotta love foam core and hot glue. This combination is so quick and forgiving that you can test almost any idea with a ruler, a sharp knife and a few minutes of spare time. And so, when I found myself burying the modelling desk once again with pieces of 622, I decided to try […]

More floor space

Our family of four lives in a modest 1800 square foot (170 m2) side split house. Every room does double duty. The rest of the family calls the train room “the rec room.” The heavy shop is tucked into an alcove of the laundry room, which is also our recycling centre and pantry and provides […]

Evicting the anchor tenants

What’s on my workbench? Absolutely nothing for the first time in months! I finally banished those items that had been harbouring the mess. The pieces for 622 have been taped to some foamcore in preparation for painting, while the left-over etches have found a new home in the drawer with other model projects. The big […]