Bang!!! There's that book.

This was how I always felt whenever I could lay hands on a particular 'simple sa', green bound book rather conspicuously named as "Simple Cardboard Models". Though let me make it clear that for a total amateur like me not a word of it was ---simple! It has been sometime now that I have stuck to dirtying my bedroom with the remnants of an unfinished model (to the utter disgust of my mom thankfully she does like the final stuff though!) splashes of paint on the floor (and finger nails..), numerous fine grooves on my desk (underneath the glass top dad later invested in lest I totally cut through the desk!) and my research on how a thin layer of Fevicol over tiny cuts and nicks works as a great antiseptic!! From simple 'scissors and paste' stuff I graduated to scale models and from there to I know you would'nt believe this freelancing and training! Amongst the most memorable models was a replica of the Howrah Bridge (this one got the best response I had to actually replicate it three times for different schools in Calcutta), The White House (later sold to the US Embassy at Calcutta), replica of The Concorde and an obscure Motor Cycle, which was just easy to make. 

With my foray into engineering however I got fascinated with all things 'moving'. And thus soon built a collection of numerous machines which I found could be easily 'replicated' (with certain simplifications of-course). The most fascinating however was simple stuff like working Road Rollers or even Cranes! The pleasure of that 'creation' of yours actually moving along the room or simply rotating continuously is just awesome! So we come to the point. 

Cardboard Modelling or Cardboard Engineering whatever you call it is one of the cheapest and adaptable form of modelling. The word 'cardboard' is slightly misleading for the actual ingredients are ( again to the utter puzzlement of my mom ) encompass all things 'ghar ka' from straws ( excellent for 'drainage pipes' on buildings! ), knitting needles (work great for 'shafts'), electric wires this is the most ingenious for the insulation can be neatly sliced into half and be used for tyre tubes! Infact the grreatest enjoyment is derived in breaking a complex model into these simple stuff lying around the house Now that's called 'Engineering' ! So, folks if I have rekindled the spirit of 'modelling' back in you check out these FAQ's I have compiled on this rather exotic and so practical a hobby!