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My name is SOS  and I'm a clutterholic :rolleyes:

 

My  work station must be the worst. :( I have all my tools handy including paint brushes  fittings in containers and more model stuff too numerous to list. As a result the model is surrounded by my self inflicted CLUTTER. Help!

 

Are there any others out there ?  Fess up.

 

. What do you do to work efficiently ?

 

SOS

 

 

New Bedford Whaleboat build. Kit by Model Shipways

 

 

I've been making progress on my model and according to the instruction booklet I should be painting it, at least parts of it.

Are acrylic's ok ? I did apply a sanding sealer. but I want to stain the untreated floor boards which are walnut.

 

Thanks

 

 

 

S.O.S.

 

 

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All I do is clean up on a regular basis, like once a week.  My workshop is a spare bedroom and thus, clutter and sawdust are a direct violation of Admiralty Orders.   :D   I also clean up as I go.  If I use the saw, when I'm done, it gets vacuumed.  Same for sanding dust.  

Mark
"The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me

Current Build:                                                                                             
Past Builds:
 La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD           Triton Cross-Section   

 NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit                                                                            HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64               

 

Non-Ship Model:                                                                                         On hold, maybe forever:           

CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed                                                   Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)         

         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

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I have a vacuum next to my to my workspace which removes any sawdust very soon after it s created. I also have a CAT who enjoys seeing how far she can belt anything that has been left out overnight or chew anything that looks remotely edible. Needless to say this encourages me to put things away after use :) maybe you should get a CAT????

 

post-1505-0-26789400-1453633151_thumb.jpg

 

Said CAT waiting for her opportunity to create havoc:)

Edited by hornet

Hornet

 

Current Build: - OcCre Shackleton’s Endurance. 

 

Completed Ship Builds:

                                     Caldercraft - HM Bark Endeavour. (in Gallery)

                                    Caldercraft  - HMAV Bounty (in Gallery)

                                     Caldercraft - HM Brig Supply (In Gallery)

                                     Aeropiccola - Golden Hind

                                                        - Constitution

                                     Clipper Seawitch (maker unknown - too long ago to remember!)

                                     Corel - Victory

                                     Modeller's Shipyard - A Schooner of Port Jackson - In Gallery

                                                                      - Brig `Perseverance' - In Gallery

                                                                      - Cutter `Mermaid'- In Gallery

                                                                      - Sirius Longboat (bashed) - In Gallery

                                                                      - Sloop Norfolk - In Gallery

                                      Completed Cannon:   - French 18th Century Naval Cannon

                                                                      - Napoleonic 12 pound field piece

                                                                      - English 18th Century Carronade

                                       Non Ship Builds - Sopwith Camel - Artesania Latina

                                                                   - Fokker DR1 - Artesania Latina

                                               

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Like the advice from one of the other threads on this site. Put a nylon stocking down the inlet of your vacuum hose. The itty-bitty parts get caught. ;) Unfortunately, if you're picking up sawdust too, it'll clog up. :(

Ken

Started: MS Bounty Longboat,

On Hold:  Heinkel USS Choctaw paper

Down the road: Shipyard HMC Alert 1/96 paper, Mamoli Constitution Cross, MS USN Picket Boat #1

Scratchbuild: Echo Cross Section

 

Member Nautical Research Guild

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Ahoy Mates Here's what I have to fight for working room. Sweet Pickels. Just as soon as he hears me,he's right there getting as close as he can,laying on top of tools,stepping into Titebond,and stealing plastic strips if they are lose to play with or even better for him-my sanding sticks. He loves to grab one in his teeth and run away with it.

 

But most of the time he just lays down and takes a cat nap under the warm light. He then snores  when he falls asleep.

 

He doesn't bother what I work on other than to rub against the ship now and then except for a rare time when he does grab something.

 

Pickels is now 12 years old. I adopted him when he was 8. He's a great cat.

 

Keith

post-7881-0-99125200-1453643354_thumb.jpg

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Regarding mitigation of clutter, it is true that neatness is a virtue, but unfortunately it's not one of my virtues.

 

To help with that, tools that are not in my hand are not placed the main work surface.  There is a gutter (a piece of rain gutter actually on one bench) or a mobile tool rack next to the bench.

 

Over the vac inlet, window screening or hardware cloth (1/8 or 1/4" grid) will catch small parts.  In fact, when cutting off small pieces on a table saw this method works very well to keep the pieces from jamming in the slot or disappearing inside the saw.

 

Here's pic of the rack where I build guitars, and my shopbuilt cyclone separator HEPA vac system that takes up 1 sq.ft of floorspace (it's attached to the wall).

 

  

post-15622-0-52752300-1453653196.jpg

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Sometimes, even out in the wide open spaces tools in your pocket are not safe from critters. Wife had a horse that liked to steal the hoof file while I was using a hoof knife on his hoof. Kept the hoof file in my rear pocket so I could grab it and not need to put the hoof down and go git it. He would grab it and hold it up, way above my head and grin while I was hoping and pleading with him to give it back without dropping it on me, the tone of my voice seemed to change when I got the file back in my hands, but he kept on grinning, those who have been around horses know what I mean by grinning.  He was named Shiloh which is my wife's user name here.

jud

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sos

 

You do not need any help I promised myself I would not be overwhelmed by clutter. A place for everything and everything in its place.

 

It created a huge problem I could never find anything. I was missing a mini-screwdriver and was accusing my wife of putting it up when she started laughing. She said and I  quote "fool did you look in your hand!" :o true story.

 

I now love my clutter where I can find everything sooner or later Don't despair your good.

 

John

John Allen

 

Current builds HMS Victory-Mamoli

On deck

USS Tecumseh, CSS Hunley scratch build, Double hull Polynesian canoe (Holakea) scratch build

 

Finished

Waka Taua Maori War Canoe, Armed Launch-Panart, Diligence English Revenue Cutter-Marine  Model Co. 


 

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I examined my model boat work station a bit more thoroughly. :rolleyes:  I seem to have  to much tool duplication like several tweezers, Xacto knives,files of all kinds and sizes, same for sanding boards and measuring devices., Various drills all mounted  with spare bitts in separate containers. I save table saw scraps left overs in a jar which I find useful in making small parts etc. :huh:  Various small artist brushes reside in a handy jar. In defense of my clutterholic, I must say that I rarely loose store bought fittings as they are stored in small containers further housed in an old cigar box. They are guarded by swivel guns, ( not loaded of course ) but the key to the guns access I will not reveal here. ;)  I did construct years ago a tiered carousel with appropriate holes for various tools and a lower compartments for small stuff. It worked quite well for some time .... then I became aware of Micro-mark tool catalog.  Well ....you know the rest

 

Now by contrast my  regular work shop for full sized boats and " The Admiral" type projects is very neat  with all hand tools up on a peg board. So go figure.

 

SOS

 

PS a possible solution is to keep all the tools out of reach . That way i have to get up to obtain them so then I get a bit of added exercise. :huh:

 

I forgot to mention  numerous pliers,hammers and saws. I found a place for them in  two drawers beneath the tiny space left for the model to be built is on.

 

New Bedford Whaleboat build. Kit by Model Shipways

 

 

I've been making progress on my model and according to the instruction booklet I should be painting it, at least parts of it.

Are acrylic's ok ? I did apply a sanding sealer. but I want to stain the untreated floor boards which are walnut.

 

Thanks

 

 

 

S.O.S.

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

This is an issue that I feel all model builders struggle with. Over the years and largely thanks to my wife's love of shopping at craft stores I have received many different types of storage shelves, drawers, boxes, baskets, and a few things I don't really know what they are for. Using them remains an issue sometimes. What has helped to keep me organized the most is that I bought a small battery operated vacuum. I keep it directly under my table and try to use at the end of every session especially if I have been cutting and sanding. By forcing myself to clean up the dust and small pieces it also forces me to pick up tools and supplies so they are not in the way or don't get sucked up. So far this has been a fairly successful trial.

"A Smooth Sea NEVER made a Skilled Sailor"
- John George Hermanson 

-E.J.

 

Current Builds - Royal Louis - Mamoli

                    Royal Caroline - Panart

Completed - Wood - Le Soleil Royal - Sergal - Build Log & Gallery

                                           La Couronne - Corel - Build Log & Gallery

                                           Rattlesnake - Model Shipways, HMS Bounty - Constructo

                           Plastic - USS Constitution - Revel (twice), Cutty Sark.

Unfinished - Plastic - HMS Victory - Heller, Sea Witch.

Member : Nautical Research Guild

 

 

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I try to clean up as soon as I notice too many tools on the workbench rather than in their proper place and I try to always use the shop vac when cutting or sanding.  However, nothing works as good as having the monthly club meeting here in my shop - it forces me to do a fairly thorough clean up at least one a month. :)

Kurt

Kurt Van Dahm

Director

NAUTICAL RESEARCH GUILD

www.thenrg.org

SAY NO TO PIRACY. SUPPORT ORIGINAL IDEAS AND MANUFACTURERS

CLUBS

Nautical Research & Model Ship Society of Chicago

Midwest Model Shipwrights

North Shore Deadeyes

The Society of Model Shipwrights

Butch O'Hare - IPMS

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I start out with a clean desk, lots of room. Then hour by hour, day by day the area that I can work

in gets smaller and smaller. Eventually (usually within a week or two) the space is so small I'm

setting the model on top of the clutter.

 

Then it's clean it up, put everything where it belongs and within thirty minutes it all starts over again.

 

Even adding a second then a third bench didn't help. In the long run it just ment I had more to clean up. ;)

Rusty

"So Long For Now" B) 

 

Current Builds: Speedwell

 

 

Completed Build Logs:  HMS Winchelsea 1/48   Duchess of Kingston USF Confederacy , US Brig Syren , Triton Cross Section , Bomb Vessel Cross SectionCutter CheerfulQueen Anne Barge, Medway Longboat

 

Completed Build Gallery: Brig Syren , 1870 Mississippi Riverboat , 1949 Chris-Craft 19' Runabout

 

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I start out with a clean desk, lots of room. Then hour by hour, day by day the area that I can work

in gets smaller and smaller. Eventually (usually within a week or two) the space is so small I'm

setting the model on top of the clutter.

 

Then it's clean it up, put everything where it belongs and within thirty minutes it all starts over again.

 

Even adding a second then a third bench didn't help. In the long run it just ment I had more to clean up. ;)

LOL........this, in a nutshell is a blow by blow description of  what I face. When I start stepping on assorted shrapnel and the sawdust starts to hide this and that, I know it is time to start the cycle over again! 

 

JP

Built & De-Commissioned: HMS Endeavour (Corel), HMS Unicorn (Corel),

Abandoned: HMS Bounty (AL)

Completed : Wappen Von Hamburg (Corel), Le Renommee (Euromodel)... on hold

Current WIP: Berlin by Corel

On Shelf:  HMS Bounty (Billings),

 

 

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This is my temporary work station so it's far less cluttered than usual. I have a nice big area in my basement dedicated to model building but due to an illness that has made me much weaker than normal I no try to avoid going down stairs unless I have too. In the meantime I have set up a card table and along with this rolling cabinet that I modified to hold my materials and tools I am in business in my living room. I also got lucky at work and salvaged that 4'x4' tack board that has been great for a plan board.

post-22933-0-50772000-1455854200_thumb.jpg

post-22933-0-37632000-1455854209_thumb.jpg

Edited by EJ_L

"A Smooth Sea NEVER made a Skilled Sailor"
- John George Hermanson 

-E.J.

 

Current Builds - Royal Louis - Mamoli

                    Royal Caroline - Panart

Completed - Wood - Le Soleil Royal - Sergal - Build Log & Gallery

                                           La Couronne - Corel - Build Log & Gallery

                                           Rattlesnake - Model Shipways, HMS Bounty - Constructo

                           Plastic - USS Constitution - Revel (twice), Cutty Sark.

Unfinished - Plastic - HMS Victory - Heller, Sea Witch.

Member : Nautical Research Guild

 

 

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I was suffering from the exact same problem, lots of clutter.

So I designed and built a trolley on castors that was custom built for my tools and would wheel under my work bench.

It is normally just at my side so within easy reach.

 

Here was my progress.

 

Nick

 

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/8928-design-and-build-a-custom-work-station/

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I find when I'm about to take photos for my build log, which I try to do frequently, I tend to tidy my work space up a bit. I wouldn't want to give my fellow modelers the wrong impression and let them see just what a total slob I really am. ;)

 

post-22405-0-83882800-1456510387_thumb.jpg

 

Before,

and believe me it has been much worse!

 

post-22405-0-01922400-1456510483_thumb.jpg

 

After

Edited by Corey
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I have got to be one of the worst. I have clutter all over. I do seem to be able to find anything I need in my cluttered mess. When I do clean up I always cant find things. I also have a cat who likes to lay in my mess & she shoves stuff onto the floor. Sometimes I do try to clear a spot just big enough for het but when I do I always lose something in the process. My main problem is I don't have space. I am crammed in a small corner. The back of my chair actually touches the side of one of my aquariums.

 

Jesse

 Current build: Syren : Kit- Model Shipways

 

Side project: HMS Bounty - Revel -(plastic)

On hold: Pre-owned, unfinished Mayflower (wood)

 

Past builds: Scottish Maid - AL- 1:50, USS North Carolina Battleship -1/350  (plastic),   Andromede - Dikar (wood),   Yatch Atlantic - 14" (wood),   Pirate Ship - 1:72 (plastic),   Custom built wood Brig from scratch - ?(3/4" =1'),   4 small scratch builds (wood),   Vietnamese fishing boat (wood)   & a Ship in a bottle

 

 

 

 

 

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Once upon a time (some two years back), I had to work from a very small coffee table. This space had to house not only the model, but also all my tools and various items of clutter - NONE of which was rubbish, mind you. I would regularly have to enact a full clean-up, just so that I could locate a simple pair of tweezers.

 

Fast forward two years, and I have a dedicated bedroom-cum-modelling room. Any sane person would think that this should have solved the problem ...

But, that sane person would be so very, very wrong.

 

Instead, now I just have more space to be filled with new and wonderful tools, toys, books, spare parts etc etc etc.

 

The upshot: it takes me every bit as long to find the pair of tweezers I was using 5 mins ago, as it took me to find that same pair two years back !!

 

:cheers:

Edited by CaptainSteve

CaptainSteve
Current Build:  HM Granado Bomb Vessel (Caldercraft)

My BathTub:    Queen Anne Barge (Syren Ship Models)       Log:  Queen Anne Barge (an build log)

                        Bounty Launch (Model Shipways)                 Log:  Bounty Launch by CaptainSteve
                        Apostol Felipe (OcCre)
                        HMS Victory (Constructo)
Check It Out:   The Kit-Basher's Guide to The Galaxy

Website:          The Life & Boats of CaptainSteve

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Einstein once said, "If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what then, is an empty desk a sign of?"  I think that goes for work stations also.

 

Bob

Every build is a learning experience.

 

Current build:  SS_ Mariefred

 

Completed builds:  US Coast Guard Pequot   Friendship-sloop,  Schooner Lettie-G.-Howard,   Spray,   Grand-Banks-dory

                                                a gaff rigged yawl,  HOGA (YT-146),  Int'l Dragon Class II,   Two Edwardian Launches 

 

In the Gallery:   Catboat,   International-Dragon-Class,   Spray

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It created a huge problem I could never find anything. I was missing a mini-screwdriver and was accusing my wife of putting it up when she started laughing. She said and I  quote "fool did you look in your hand!" :o true story.

 

John

Ha - A day or two ago, I rushed into our bedroom, frantically looking for my cell phone as I needed it to look up an address. My wife asks what I am looking for, and I answer, "my cell phone." She sorts of laughs and at the same time looks at me with consternation while saying, "it's in your hand and you're talking on it, dummy."  :huh:

 

Sadly, that's another true story.

 

Regards

Craig

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:o Wow, I can only dream about a set up like that!

 

Thumbs up for the Clanger, that brings back memories of my childhood.

 

Cheers

Slog

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

HM Bark Endeavour (First Wood, On Hold)

Borodino (1:200 Card, Current Build)

Admiral Nakhimov (card 1/200)

Mazur D-350 Artillery Tractor (1:25 Card) 

F-8 Crusader (1:48 Aircraft, Plastic)

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Your work area is better stocked than some of the hobby shops I've been in, Jim.   

Mark
"The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me

Current Build:                                                                                             
Past Builds:
 La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD           Triton Cross-Section   

 NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit                                                                            HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64               

 

Non-Ship Model:                                                                                         On hold, maybe forever:           

CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed                                                   Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)         

         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

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Jim, thanks for the info! Never heard about this system. Looks very interesting! Now I am seriously thinking about a lifting sit/stand table, with shelves build up from this modules

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The HobbyZone folks are in central Europe, either Poland or the Czech Republic. I know of a US distributor, but right now you email them for quotes on their products. Can't order directly on line. The product line looks pretty interesting. :) I'm contemplating a few modules to store some stuff, but have no other "financial" interest in the products. ;)

 

Jim's setup looks better stocked than the few remaining toy stores around these parts. I hesitate to call any of them hobby shops, unless you're an RC car guy. :(

Ken

Started: MS Bounty Longboat,

On Hold:  Heinkel USS Choctaw paper

Down the road: Shipyard HMC Alert 1/96 paper, Mamoli Constitution Cross, MS USN Picket Boat #1

Scratchbuild: Echo Cross Section

 

Member Nautical Research Guild

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Jim, thanks for the info! Never heard about this system. Looks very interesting! Now I am seriously thinking about a lifting sit/stand table, with shelves build up from this modules

 

I can promise you won't be disappointed. Myself and a number of friends have invested in these workstations. The beauty is that you can buy whatever units you need, and tailor them to your own bench space. Totally flexible. 

 

Here's their promo vid:

 

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