I now build on a TV tray, when I move, I will be back to a 3x8 workbench. I guarantee I will have just as much room then as I have now.

I was pleased to see that Gramps also had a "shelf of doom".

He had the apron thing going as well. Not such a bad idea!

Nice stuff to see,good memories.

For some reason, my first thought when I read the title of this thread was that it dealt with quartering Imrie / Risley soldiers in your house without your wife's consent ...just kidding.

Looks like your grandfather did nice work as well 

Sorry to hear he did not live past 43.

GMorrison

"No matter how large your bench, the available work space will always be exactly 2 square feet."

Oh my goodness, does that ring true with me. I think I'm down to about 12"x10". So need a cleanup.

Those are neat nostagic pics, and I too am sorry that grandpa passed so young. How cool to have modeling pass to your generation, though. That's really something.

"No matter how large your bench, the available work space will always be exactly 2 square feet."

Uncanny.

Freaky, really.  My L-shaped desk is about 4 feet long, give or take.  But for some reason the work space has remained around 2 square feet.  

Some things run in the family!

Thanks and well, seat belts hadn't been invented yet I guess.

He was a very active modeler, and President of the National Model Railroad Association at one time. I have the locomotive that's back there on the "shelf of doom". Yep, he finished it and nicely. In fact I have about half a dozen, cars, buildings and some scenery.

Real treasures.

It kind of skipped dad, except that he really indulged me in a layout, and a lot of plastic models.

He built real airplanes for a living.

One grandfather build houses and furniture, the other repaired TV's. My dad was and electronics tech, model railroader, and RC flyer. I guess I take after all 3 as I was a home builder, electronics tech, RC flyer and modeler. It must be in the genes.

Steve

modelcrazy

One grandfather build houses and furniture, the other repaired TV's. My dad was and electronics tech, model railroader, and RC flyer. I guess I take after all 3 as I was a home builder, electronics tech, RC flyer and modeler. It must be in the genes.

Steve

Then over to Charlie's for the usual weekly haircut. (funny now seeing the genetics) he had but in the industry no hair was good hair.

Put me in the chair for a quarter, Charlie shaped me up.

A story. My Great Grandfather Morrison, was West Point Class of 1903. His illustrious classmate was Douglas MacArthur. Did he sign George Morrison's yearbook? I don't know. I have the rings but not the book.

So Geo. married a society woman out of Detroit, an Heiress to the Ferry Seed Company. Posted to the Arizona Territories. They produced my grandfather.  Divorced. Then sent to the Philippines where he contracted infirmities in the service and later died.

Great Grandma remarried, to the State Senator William Comstock, later Governor of Michigan.

That's my name, but forever a Morrison.

Are Morrison's Laws of Modeling anything like Asimov's Laws of Robotics?

Quite the opposite- they make no sense.

I'm down to closer to 2x2 inches.

Does the 1st or 2nd law state that if you try to catch a 'sharp scalpel' you will catch it 'IN' your hand!

Yeah i hear ya!i start  a project withe bench cleared off and the work space slowly shrinks as paint jars and sub assemblies accumulate.

GMorrison

Quantifying moment: did you go down with dad to the store to "put the tubes on the tester"?

Yes I did. I still remember those tube testers. Funny thing, I understand vacuum tubes better than I understand transistors.

I just had a thought. My modeling space tends to end up being about the size of my cutting mat. So maybe buy a bigger mat??

Interesting family history, GM.

Hmmm.......................seems to be a definite market for Tardis'  sold to modelers as the ideal "Man Cave" ................

My work area is enclosed in a roll top desk; handy as I can close the lid during inactive times.

modelcrazy

GMorrison

Quantifying moment: did you go down with dad to the store to "put the tubes on the tester"?

Yes I did. I still remember those tube testers. Funny thing, I understand vacuum tubes better than I understand transistors.

i was in IKEA with friends and i saw some of the compact apartment setups. a friend asked if i could live in one of those and i said "XSure, as long as i have a 1000 sq ft garage attached to it.

Greg, as Spock would say, your logic is unassailable.

Greg

I just had a thought. My modeling space tends to end up being about the size of my cutting mat. So maybe buy a bigger mat??

When I got back to this hobby, I bought a nice 170 cm x 80 cm IKEA desk as a workbench.  But my modeling space is about the size of my 50 cm x 30 cm cutting mat. 

I was probably 20 years old before I saw another modelers bench and was amazed at how similar it (and every one since) was to what I had.  

Since we plop ourselves down in a chair and work on a subject directly in front of our mugs I guess workspace design has as much to do with how long our arms are as much as anything.

Yes i put my coffee mug on the flat area of my bench vise.Just wide enough to hold the mug securely.

Those are great photos GM, thanks for sharing with us. Alas, no modeler in my family but me...

Now , G.M.

That is touching and funny .  My workspace  was at one time , every modelers dream . A 40' bench and a 15 ft.swivel table in the center with lighting . Plus a 48" x 60 " paint booth  ! Power tools galore . You know what ? My best work has always been produced on a space and in a space like I have now , 24"x 24" no matter the size of the model !    T.B.

THat's great, G...always cool to find evidence of a love for someting tha has been passed down. My own grandfather played guitar....