STEP 1 CREATE A HEALTHY WORK ENVIRONMENT
One of the best parts of being a model-airplane builder is putting together a specialized workshop. Most of the time, this happens in a corner of the garage or in the basement, so you can contain all the wood shavings and not get the rest of your home dirty. All you really need is a bench or two, and these can be made out of inexpensive interior-grade hollowcore doors and 2X4 lumber from a home-improvement center. Your bench needs to be straight and true, and truth be told, your workbench should be your first building project if you want to become a kit builder. Keeping your bench clean, organized, and well lit will go a long way in speeding the modelbuilding process. A handy shelf above your bench is good for storing often-used supplies and a roll-around toolbox/cabinet keeps tools handy and within easy reach. I have also found it handy to make a smaller work board topped with stick-on cork material for use as a secondary work surface. You can assemble and build long parts on the main workbench while assembling smaller items, like tail surfaces and wing halves, on the building board. This is more convenient if you don’t have the room for two full-size benches in your work area. Good overhead lighting is a must. You will enjoy building more if you can easily see what you are doing. Ceiling shop lights—specifically, single and dual fluorescent lighting—is surprisingly inexpensive and readily available at hardware stores and home-improvement centers. Hang them over your workbench above head-banging height. While you are at it, install a couple of shop power strips so that you can easily supply power to the light fixtures and your power tools.