A stable table is the foundation of everything. Mine is a standard IKEA kitchen table – nothing fancy, but it does the job. On top of it I keep a loose masonite board to protect the surface, and on top of that I roll out brown paper to catch paint and glue spills. I replace the paper every few projects. Whatever table you use, make sure the chair is comfortable. You'll be spending a lot of time there.

Every modeller eventually learns about the Carpet Monster – that invisible force that swallows small parts the moment they hit a carpeted floor. My solution was to lay down black linoleum. It protects the floor and makes dropped parts easy to spot.

Handling small parts and painting fine details demands good lighting. A general overhead light helps, but what you really need is at least one bright desk lamp. A magnifying lamp is ideal – it gives you strong, focused light and when parts get too small for the naked eye, you just pull down the lens and use the magnifier. Brilliant.

After a few projects you'll have a growing collection of paints. A drawer works for a while, but as the collection expands you'll want a better system. Most major paint brands sell stands designed for their own bottles – they're worth every penny. Being able to find the right colour quickly saves a surprising amount of time. I keep mine in numbered order.

Modelling involves a lot of cutting, painting, gluing and puttying. Even with brown paper on the table it's not enough. A glass pane on the work surface can handle almost anything you throw at it. After a project, scrape off any glue, putty or paint residue with a razor blade, give it a wash, and it's as good as new.

This is where I've been sinning the most. For years, opening a window was my only ventilation – which in Swedish winters is less than ideal. But with all the chemicals involved, especially when airbrushing, proper ventilation really matters. I eventually invested in a small spray booth with a filter. No external outlet needed, and it makes a real difference. A face mask is a wise complement.