Got a nice mixing console, any tips for use?

[if6was9]

Got my first proper console, a Hill Audio concept 4400. 32 channels, 8 bus. 8 auxes, meterbridge for every channel, master VU. Each channel has 4 bands of sweepable eq. It's from the 80's, spent the last decade or more sitting completely unused. The eqs really nice on the desk, even extreme settings just still sounds musically.
It's in decent working order, 5 dead channels and alot of scratchy pots but working. A decent clean should sort the pots and as far as I can see I'm not gonna be able to use all 32 channels yet so the few problematic channels aren't gonna be an issue.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1547445/Photos/Desk.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1547445/Photos/Mixing Room.jpg

Anyone got any tips for using it? Routing or patching wise especially. I'm a live guy so I've used desks alot but I'm always open to new ways of working.
What I've been doing so far is setting up busses in reaper, doing my compressing and automation in the box and sending the busses out to the channels in the desk. Doing my EQing and level setting on the desk then the main outs back into my interface which is what I'm monitoring all the time. Planning on getting more outboard comps and upgrading my interface but I'd like to properly use the desk over the course of the year if I can.

 

[Wolfeman]

I'd use it to sum everything. Keep all the bits where they should be in the DAW and level/mix everything in analog.

 

[if6was9]

Yeah thats what I've been doing with it so far, summing a few things for handiness sake in the box( all my kicks to 1 channel, same with snare, toms etc..) The Eq seems nice on it, got 4 sweepable bands per channel which is quite handy.
Any tips with workflow or routing from guys that use desks much? So far been setting up my projects in 1 big project with all the songs rather than separate ones per songs so I can set up my ins and out once and all the mixes will be the similar then for the 1 project.