A micro work bench solution

[luke the train spotter]

So chances are if you're space starved for a layout you'll probably be space starved for a workbench. This is something I'm seriously taking into consideration and planning as I hope to take some different modelling bits to uni with me when I hopefully go to it in September. Fingers crossed! But anyway, I present the all inclusive boxfile workbench! Simply pop it on a table and open the lid and you've got a very compact workbench! For this I've used a standard A4 boxfile, 5mm foam board (bought very cheaply from hobby craft in A2 sheets) and some hot glue as well as an A4 cutting mat. Simply super glue the cutting mat to the inside of lid and then divide the actual box into different sections of what you want. Here's a picture of my one in progress. It still needs a lot of work and some elastic bands to hold everything in place when in transit.  In there I have got a handful of brushes, 3 files, craft knife, 30cm steel ruler, PVA glue, super glue, rocket card glue, section full of cotton buds, up to 14 valleyo acrylics, 3 valleyo washes and 2 humbrol weathering powders. It's impressive what you can fit in this tiny space and entirely customisable to what you want to put in it! I plan to neaten it up a bit and add an LED strip along the top of the actual boxfile for illumination when modelling. Not an expensive or difficult thing to do but a great way to make your workbench super compact and mobile! 

[Bo-Bo]

Luke this is a nice little workstation you have built. I’m certain like me others will be happy to have one of these for modelling where space is limited.

[TechnicArrow]

As a 3rd year student, I've been thinking about how to build something like this that suits my needs for ages, and I might have to copy this! I've only started *building* models whilst at uni this year, and I'm currently storing things in my top drawer - convenient, since the layout sits on top of said chest of drawers, but it's easy for things to get buried and certainly not as easily portable as yours! And I've no idea how it's all going to get home again, I'm pretty sure the amount of railway stuff I have here has doubled...

 

Something else to consider is where to store your raw materials; I've dedicated the bottom drawer to house my cardboard collection, but it depends what you think you'll be using and how much you want to keep in stock at any one time. 

 

Finally, I wish you good luck in getting to the university of your choice; I somehow managed it despite not achieving any of my predicted A-level results, so I'm sure you'll be fine!

[1722]

Great idea. I'm trying to free up some space in my home office and something similar would work well. 

 

Super work. 

[luke the train spotter]

21 minutes ago, TechnicArrow said:

As a 3rd year student, I've been thinking about how to build something like this that suits my needs for ages, and I might have to copy this! I've only started *building* models whilst at uni this year, and I'm currently storing things in my top drawer - convenient, since the layout sits on top of said chest of drawers, but it's easy for things to get buried and certainly not as easily portable as yours! And I've no idea how it's all going to get home again, I'm pretty sure the amount of railway stuff I have here has doubled...

 

Something else to consider is where to store your raw materials; I've dedicated the bottom drawer to house my cardboard collection, but it depends what you think you'll be using and how much you want to keep in stock at any one time. 

 

Finally, I wish you good luck in getting to the university of your choice; I somehow managed it despite not achieving any of my predicted A-level results, so I'm sure you'll be fine!

I'm thinking of having a seperate A4 boxfile for just materials and since most of them will be flat and thin I imagine that I will be able to fit loads in. Not sure where to store completed models but if I'm working on a boxfile layout whilst at uni I'm sure I'll be able to store them on the layout itself. 

[marc smith]

Great idea Luke  

[MAP66]

On 09/02/2020 at 19:35, luke the train spotter said:

So chances are if you're space starved for a layout you'll probably be space starved for a workbench. This is something I'm seriously taking into consideration and planning as I hope to take some different modelling bits to uni with me when I hopefully go to it in September. Fingers crossed! But anyway, I present the all inclusive boxfile workbench! Simply pop it on a table and open the lid and you've got a very compact workbench! For this I've used a standard A4 boxfile, 5mm foam board (bought very cheaply from hobby craft in A2 sheets) and some hot glue as well as an A4 cutting mat. Simply super glue the cutting mat to the inside of lid and then divide the actual box into different sections of what you want. Here's a picture of my one in progress. It still needs a lot of work and some elastic bands to hold everything in place when in transit.  In there I have got a handful of brushes, 3 files, craft knife, 30cm steel ruler, PVA glue, super glue, rocket card glue, section full of cotton buds, up to 14 valleyo acrylics, 3 valleyo washes and 2 humbrol weathering powders. It's impressive what you can fit in this tiny space and entirely customisable to what you want to put in it! I plan to neaten it up a bit and add an LED strip along the top of the actual boxfile for illumination when modelling. Not an expensive or difficult thing to do but a great way to make your workbench super compact and mobile! 

Hi Luke

 

Sorry just seen this, what an ingenious solution for those lacking in work space (which is me). Thanks for sharing.

 

All the best

Mark