One of the reasons for embracing Gauge 0 last year was the sad fact that my fingers could not handle the smaller parts that come with 4mm kit building. The past two weeks have seen something of a deterioration of my joints while undertaking some serious DIY, so today I took the unusual step of trying out what has always seemed to me to be an unscientific solution - the copper wrist band.

People either swear by such things or look the other way with contempt. Scientific tests using groups provided with placebos suggest that these devices have no material effect. Yet many people do believe they make a difference. This may be pure psychology but if it works that way, then I am not going to be one to complain.

Already, only 12 hours in on the experiment my left hand's prehensile grip between index finger and thumb is significantly less painful. Would it have been without the wrist band? I have certainly been active during that time so simple resting of the joints is not a good enough explanation for the apparent improvement.

I have also started taking cod liver oil capsules again (I stopped a couple of years ago). I think I had become rather blasé about getting older and the recent painful swellings have been a wake up call to that effect.

In a few days I will be able to restart some modelling - I am currently away from my workbench.