The Inside Loop - 2011/01
Make sure your priorities are in order. Don't be like me and move into a new house with the first duty to make sure there's a working kitchen. First and foremost, everyone's living area (house, apartment, or Winnebago) must have a functional workstation.
Who needs a kitchen if you can't find the bread? Likewise, how can a kitchen be built if the builder can't find the tools?
I tried to build a kitchen with all my tools packed. Every job had to be planned with at least 30 minutes of time first to find the right tools. If I had set up my shop first, everything needed for the kitchen would have been easy to find.
Build your workshop in your home before unpacking a single plate. Plus, when a break is needed, you're ready to go flying.
Okay, jobs can get done without a workstation; I proved that. But have you ever noticed being more ambitious about a project when the workshop is in order? If a work area is neat and together, the passionate mind swirls with ideas. What can we create next?
Tim Soukup's Rolling Workstation
That's the first thing I thought when Tim Soukup sent me photos of his rolling workstation project. His work surface was so bright and clean; the area around it was neat and spotless—I wanted to move in (plus he had a working kitchen).
How many of us could use a 36-inch-long drawer for balsa? Tim's project has one as well as many other good ideas around all four sides.
Tim's workstation is self-fulfilling, and he concluded what holds true for all modelers: we adapt to the space given. Tim was very practical and, like all modelers, very frugal and meticulous about his material choices.
He worked from his own set of sketches but admitted that building it without a formal set of plans could be feasible, and maybe faster. Find out what works for you.
The story of the rolling workstation is not intended to be a blueprint for you, the reader, but more of an inspiration. Because your work area is unique, so must be the station. I think it's brilliant that Tim included wheels as a feature of the workstation.
I tried to get him to submit a picture of himself building in the middle of his neighborhood sidewalk, but he wasn't crazy about the idea. Still, I like the thought of being able to roll a workbench outside when the weather is right, especially for painting.
Laddie Mikulasko's BT-67
A construction project is a modeler's nod to a design that continues to be valued as an aviation workhorse. Laddie Mikulasko's BT-67 is a miniature example of the original DC-3 in modern clothes.
Even though his article is a construction project, we did something different with it, and we need your input to see how you like it. The construction article actually doesn't have step-by-step construction instruction. Instead, Laddie's plans contain the step-by-step instructions. The article itself hits the highlights and special features, which left us with more room to print detailed photos.
Laddie always seems to be up for trying new things, and he'll design a model to work around any power system, but his favorite these days is electric. The construction of the BT-67 is a mixture of traditional and modern building materials; this time he substituted many of the fuselage formers with closed-cell sheet foam, such as Depron. Overall, the model's flying weight is in a very comfortable spot and could likely handle retracts should the builder have the desire.
AMA 75th Anniversary
On the heels of the DC-3 tribute, 2011 marks the AMA's 75th anniversary. The AMA itself has a lot of events and acknowledgements planned, so stay tuned here online, via e-mail, on Facebook, and on Twitter. The yearlong celebration will kick off at the AMA Expo in Ontario, California. See you there!
MR
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
