Toolboxes

Roger that! I'm the same dang way brother!!. Its a curse and a blessing in the same sentence!!

Mustang, I worked for them from '76 to '79. I got laid off from my job after 18 years and a buddy of mine who worked for them said that there was an opening. I went to see them the day after I got laid off and got the job on the spot. I got a callback at the place where I got laid off so I went back with them and worked another 18 years there until I retired in '97. I sold a lot of toolboxes, and quite a few Tune up Centers. I thought they would always have red boxes. When did they change to lime green?

Jim 

mustang1989

Roger that! I'm the same dang way brother!!. Its a curse and a blessing in the same sentence!!

Joe,

     That it is, that it is.  Which is part of the reason I use a bicycle for transportation.  I find that it does help with the ADHD.  As it helps to "burn off" the "excess" energy.

     Sadly, it also doesn't help that schools instead of developing curriculum's that actually challenge all the children.  That they instead label, those kids who are bored because they've done the work as ADD/ADHD.  Those making it seem as if it's not a real condition.  As sadly, it's easier to medicate the kids then to teach 'em, or to teach them correctly.

As one poster mentioned, I don't have a dedicated place to do my models. Often times when the weather is nice outdoors, I'll do it outside. That way the missus don't complain about the smells of glue, paint, and thinner making her sick.. Not to mention the bright sunlight makes the best light I can ask for.  At night I'll do it in the den on the floor after the missus goes to bed. LOL!

Digital_Cowboy

Baron,

     That sounds like one well stocked toolbox.  I didn't know that X-Acto made three sizes of saw blades.  I've got the fine and medium what's your third blade?

     Right now I mainly have Testors followed by Model Master, Tamiya is down the road.  Also my paints are stored in an old (and formally empty) shipping box that I received some mixed nuts in.  And it's already getting "crowded" in there.  So I'm going to be looking at another option shortly.

Thanks, Cowboy!  It's more a collection of things I've accumulated over the years

I'll have to check on the razor saws--2 of them may have the same count of teeth per inch, but I know that one of them has a shallower profile than the others.  When I bought X-Acto's miter box, I found that it wouldn't fit, the blade's spine won't let the blade reach the bottom of the box.  The oldest of the trio, I bought when I was 14 or 15, back in the Seventies, and I had read about a "razor saw" in Shep Paine's "Tips on Building Dioramas".

I realize now, too, I forgot to include a pair of wire cutters and needle-nose pliers, in 3 sizes.

Since the discussion is turning to workspaces, I'll include these shots.  Apologies for repeating--some of you have already seen these in another thread:

This is my bench, installed in my basement.  While I was saving up to buy a house,  I lived in a mobile home, and the bench was built to fit in an 8'x8' bedroom, really more of a closet.

My toolbox serves as storage here at the bench, but contains enough supplies for me to take things on the road, to our club meeting, say, or sometimes to a show.

Holeee Sheeyyyyyyyyy.......! Where do you build them at??? Nice tool selection, Joe

Heh, heh!  Thanks!  When I need more horizontal space, I use the top of the washing machine.

I took those photos back in 2008, I think, or 2009, January, I got the camera for Christmas.  And some of those toy soldiers are in same places today.

I also use a system to organize works in progress, using cardboard soda and juice can pallets, and styrofoam trays from the grocery store.  I can stack the pallets, and I can keep everything for a build in one spot.

HEY ! That applies to boats and ships too .

    My box is actually two boxes .One large bass box ,  Many , many compartments and the other for running models is a twin  .Difference , one is blue ,  one is green .The BLUE one is R.C. Stuff . I did this because I needed space to carry paints (the twenty most used flats and glosses .Plus space for clear flat and gloss sprays . Tools you'd expect to find and clamps (lots of them ) the sandpapers and other stuff go in the large bottom compartment .

    This way I was able to have my tools and paint when I worked with recovering veterans in MARTINEZ , CALIFORNIA at the V.A, in a recreational therapy class . This worked very well in leading them to the hobby and seeing them complete projects . Many did wood projects so that's why I used exclusively " MODEL MASTER acryllics (although I hate the stuff ).

    Now , my box for R.C , oh ,  and yes , I picked up a third for enamels and stuff like that . This one has a compartment dedicated to thinners and fillers .On the back I attached a paper towel holder (did this to all three actually ) and I use re-cycled paper towels for cleanups . The R.C. box bottom compartment holds three twelve volt batteries (the medium sized motorcycle gel cell ) with the charger . So when I go I am ready for a full day of running . This does , where the workbench is concerned , keep things more organised .

    Although I don't have pictures  ,I share a worktable with my landlady . She does her stained glass and I work on clients models and my own on my side . This table is Four foot by Sixteen feet in size .(she does some large pieces . ) So we both have plenty of room . That and a good sound system (gotta have my tunes while working ) and it all fits in the garage !     Tanker-builder

tankerbuilder

...One large bass box...

I've thought about getting a large tacklebox, too, for greater storage capacity.  I'd like to get all of the paints into the box, along with the tools.

HI;

   I know this is a late answer , but , I gotta do it anyway . I have NOT seen these boxes anymore in the stores I frequent .I guess I'll have to go to the " BASS-PRO " shop up north ,on the way to AUSTIN . The biggest box is about twenty two inches long and eighteen high .

    My gosh ! it has so many compartments .the drawers were provided with moveable dividers , so it;s kind of like a custom set-up . These are made by " PLANO " and were quite common for a while .They seem to make a smaller one now

   I can't seem to find the ones I have in the same large size . What I like about a fish tackle box is it's flexibility .The top tray (for large artificial baits and lures ) is perfect for tweezers and paint brushes and burnishing tools  . This and the see through top helps find stuff quick .Now when you open the front , there are drawers coming out your ears .The box will hold over one hundred bottles of MM or testors paints . The end compartment will hold spray cans very well (six ) and under the top is another compartment you can put lacquer thinner , mineral spirits and cleaning and polishing supplies .Yes , it's heavy fully loaded . 

     I still use the traveling tool box on my bench with those neat little drawer units Next to it . This was a blessing in disguise for me .When I re-married to my now late second wife we traveled a lot in R.V.s  . I bought a folding table from CAMPING WORLD that was intended to be a BB- Q Prep table .The thing has a stand on one end intended to hold your tabletop grill .I used it to set my box on and used the tabletop to build .Only two items to set up shop on the shaded patio next to my R.V. ! I  Still do it today on occassion .  

     I hope this helps anyone to get what they need ,  organised for working on those beautiful models you build .         Tanker-Builder

Enlightening thread.

My hat goes off to everyone working with limited space and storage. And to the creativity involved in making due.

A couple years after my domestic reorganization (divorce), finally found myself in a little house with a huge unfinished basement. So in my case, I have been blessed with (almost) unlimited space.

Somebody mentioned earlier in this thread running out of horizontal space. It has been my lifetime experience with workspaces (not just modeling workspaces), that no amount of benchtop is ever enough. For me, is a constant cycle of making messes, running out of room, cleaning up, the cycle goes on. :)

"My "toolbox" is a 10' x 12' spare bedroom. The tools are on shelves, in drawers, and laying on the floor of the room. I also have my spraybooth and some shelves with tools in another spare bedroom. It's great when the kids left. I moved everything upstairs from the dark, cold in the winter and hot in the summer, damp basement to their comfortable bedrooms. They couldn't move back. We still have one spare bedroom left that we use for the grandkids when they have sleepovers."

I second that...but I still don't get around to it...

Dre

Toolbox???   Wait.., this is a portable hobby?Huh?

Dre

Guys, it was a (poor) joke....   sorry.

Heh, I got your meaning, too, Dre.

I never served, so I didn't have to be mobile to deal with getting posted, but I do take my toolbox with me to shows sometimes.  If I have something I'm displaying, it's handy to have my tools around for repairs.  And if it's a show that I help stage, I'll sit at the admissions table and paint something.  It's a real conversation starter.