I build my models outside, in the garage.
First, because of the fumes. Modeling involves some pretty strong chemicals, and I don’t want them inside the house, especially with two young kids. In the garage, anything short of full-bore rattlecanning dissipates rapidly.
Second, because I make a hell of a mess when I’m at the bench, and if I tried to build inside, I’d almost certainly spill paint and god knows what else on the floor. This would result in me being killed.
Building in the garage has its own share of issues. In the winter, it’s cold. In the summer, it’s sweltering. Typical Austin weather, just amplified.
But the biggest headache, far and away, are the bugs. Crickets and flies and spiders and moths and mosquitos. The occasional crazed cicada.
I’d kind of forgotten over the winter how annoying the bugs were, but now the mayflies have come out with a vengeance. And with them, predators. The other night, a bird flew into the garage and couldn’t figure out how to escape (dumbass), leading to a period of completely ridiculous chaos.
I’ve found a myriad of ways to kill the annoying intruders. And no, I don’t care if they’re “beneficial”. If they’re in my garage and in my face, they’re dying. I’ve killed bugs with whatever I have on hand. Xacto knives. Paint bottles. Super glue. The other night, I discovered Windex can take a mayfly out of the air so it can be dispatched with ease.
But all of this is ridiculous and time-consuming, so I’m finally breaking down and ordering a bug zapper. Hopefully between it and the glue traps I can enjoy a measure of peace this summer.
How about you? What’s your biggest environmental annoyance when it comes to the work bench?
Doogs Models 
I have these enormous, mosquito-like-looking bugs that are out now the weather is warming up … my wife calls them ‘mosquito hawks’ … I call them dead … they arrive as soon as any light goes on after dark … just a huge nuisance …
Something else I get are what my Granny called ‘sand fleas’ … they’re little, teeny, tiny gnats that are almost invisible, but boy howdy ! – they can bite and do so with a vengence …
I’ve found the only two things that work for me are: 1) don’t be in the garage after dark and/or 2) use the product named ‘OFF’, a pretty decent bug repllent … the downside of using it is that you don’t want to get it on your hand or fingers … makes a mess of a nice new NMF paint job and gollee, it makes a huge mess if you spray paint over it …
So, I usually hose myself down with OFF before venturing out to the garage and flipping on the lights and remind myself not to paint …
I’ve a very understanding wife however and she lets me use the kitchen table provided I put down my dust cover and use my handy, dandy portable workbench … it has a lip all the way around it so that when something spillls, it doesn’t hit the tablecloth … she made it for me several years ago when I was having a succession of surgeries and was confined to the hospital for several months … works great !! …
Hey, Doogs – just saw the local weather report and they’re forecasting a high of 86 tomorrow, 63 on Sunday and an 80% chance of hail, sleet and snow by Sunday night … only in Texas, yes ?? …
I live in Garland, part of the DFW Metroplex and being a native San Diego lad, still have not gotten acclimated to the weather here … at home, we had 2 seasons – Summer and Not Summer – the difference being about 10 degrees between seasons … it did get every bit as cold or hot there as it does here, but never such changes in 24 hours 🙂 …
OK, gotta jump off for now – the Sabre jet is calling !! …
pepper
Those Mosquito Hawks are actually called Crane Flies. They don’t actually bite but they are indeed annoying.
Beneficial,my butt !!! If it’s dumber than me,slower than me,& invades my property,It’s toast !!! Another quick kill & evaporative with no trace is Ether [ engine start] Faster than any insecticide. keith r.
Okay, the bug zapper is all kinds of win. Got to fire it up last night for the first time…and didn’t have a single bug come near the bench. Though I did hear several satisfying zaps from the vicinity of the garage door…