Readers’ letters:

Send us an email; include some pics. (You might win a prize.)

This whole lockdown thing has really separated the practical people from those who choose to do other things in their spare time.

I’m fairly sure that if a survey were conducted, most of the handymen (or should that be ‘handypeople’?) will say that the extra time at home has been a blessing in disguise, not having to go shopping and on other errands. It’s also been a time when a library of previous issues of Popular Mechanics has come into its own, helping to stimulate the creative juices. Popular Mechanics inspires and is a reminder that nothing is impossible; the answer is in you, or out there – you just have to keep at it.

This is especially true for me with my chosen hobby. Since my retirement six years ago, I have taken up building working models of construction machinery out of exotic wood and using photos as my reference.

The first challenge comes in finding out how the real machine functions and how the various parts move. The second is to scale these main parts down to size and fit the parts and movement into the small space available.

Because I’m working with wood (and I’m no expert) rather than metal, it means that minimum thicknesses are dictated by the type and hardness of the wood rather than what the actual scale does. This often means that I have to adapt the original design to make the movement possible without the change making the model look odd or out of shape. I practise with various woods (small pieces and offcuts donated by friends) to determine which wood works best.

My most recent lockdown project was no different – a Cat self-elevating scraper and Peterbilt truck and low-bed trailer to transport it. The

342 hours spent on the actual construction plus the many more spent on researching photos, videos and some basic measurements from product brochures on the internet has made the lockdown a positive and enjoyable experience.

Over the past six years, the complexity of the models has slowly increased, but with the constant inspiration of the first item on my monthly budget – my copy of Popular Mechanics – as well as the motivation offered by my wife and friends, nothing is impossible. The lockdown has disrupted the rhythm of our daily and monthly routine, but fortunately the regular arrival of Popular Mechanics has helped me stay on track.

Your scale models are fantastic, Douw, not to mention that they actually function properly too! You’ve certainly been productively busy in your retirement, and during the lockdown, and we’re thrilled to hear that Popular Mechanics has helped to keep you inspired. Your letter and outstanding work has won you this month’s prize! I trust the workbench will help you in your model-building quest. – Mark, Editor