I seem to be a creature of impulse when it comes to modelling. I plan a theme or a particular project but always get distracted from it, somehow. I decided last year to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain by building 3 aircraft from each side. I bought the kits I wanted & started building but, after I built the Spit & the Defiant, I started running out of steam & my attention wandered off in pursuit of another whim (actually two - both still not finished). I did manage to finish my Hurricane, but the Stuka has been in paint & masking tape for over 6 months, and the Bf 109 & Ju 88 are still untouched. It’s not that I don’t want to build the other kits - I really do - but maintaining enthusiasm seems to be beyond me.
I have sort of managed to stay alongside the planned build of British armour - 5 built so far, 4 in the stash, and another 2 or 3 to get later. But even that’s sometimes been hard to stick with, because I see something else that I’ve just got to get - whimsy again!
Some of you seem to be much more organised and know what you’ll be building in 6 or even 12 months’ time - how do you do it? Is it self discipline, and forcing yourself to continue when interest has waned, or do you have a way of keeping the flame burning? I’d really like to know - tell me your secret!
I typically spend some time…sometimes even years…conceptualizing a project, gathering info and decals, etc…but when it comes to actual builds at any given time, it’s pure whim.
This is what I do, and most of the Lads think I have a couple lorries full of pebbles missing from the old head ya, know! I am at present working on over twelve models. Five in Card! Now when I feel the urge waning, I just move that one to the yard and pick up where I left off on the one I have chosen.
No, There actually no confusion as to where I stopped. I mark the model in a spot that won’t be seen, to indicate what step I was at and the instructions as well. Then I just pick up there.
This isn’t that hard, because I may get a stray thought or ping an Idea from an ad or another modeler and try it on the model that I set back cause maybe it got Boooooring! Yes, Modeling can get you to a stage that the steps seem so rote it gets Boring-Time to change.
This is why I have so much going on at one time. About the only variance from that is when I am scratchbuilding a ship from plastic. Then I plan the Ship, It’s Layout, Deck Hardware and Scale and ERA. Then I gather the material together I know I will need.
Then I transfer the drawings to the plastic and start the ship.
I’m the same way, Hutch. I really enjoy the envisioning and planning part, its sticking with the execution of the plan that eludes me. I’m getting better at sticking with one thing and finishing it, but its a constant struggle to keep myself from saying, “Oh look…a butterfly”. I have at least 20 kits in my stash that are at various stages of construction. Just finally finished an F-16CJ that I had started over 2 years ago. For that, I have to say that the thing that re-lit the fire was to do a quick (couple of days) test build of the F-16 using Scotch tape. It really restored my motivation to get a basic look at exactly what the prize at the end would look like. This time I started my Frogfoot project by doing that, and I’m still managing to keep interest even though progress is extremely slow at this point. Finally buckled down and got the leg restraints on the seat done yesterday, and managed to make a really convincing seat cover with lead sheet today that I already have primed, painted, weathered, and clear-coated. I’ll be epoxying that in later today. Both things on the seat were really daunting challenges, but once I dove in it went better than I thought it would. Not sure how it is for you, but I started to realize that I let the little man in my head talk me out of things really easily. Learning to block out that voice in my head more and more. [hdphns]
I have a good idea of what i will be buidling at least a year in advance. I organise into batches that will last about 6 months. When i finish one batch, the next batch gets starteon and i decide what i will do in the batch after that. But plans do change if a GB comes up i want to be in or if a build takes longer than planned.
This year i have not done my batches, i have a list i would like to build this year but everything depends on my U-Boat. But i know what i plan on building for the next 3 years.
I have long term projects, such as building aircraft from all the military airfields in Norfolk, but i don’t try and do it all at once. And i arrange my builds so that they vary.
You’re not alone, I build each kit in my stash in my head 3 or 4 times before I actually glue one single part together. Sometimes this helps because I have a clear vision of what I want my finished product to look like. Unfortunately I do get overwhelmed with some of the processes and loose motivation, almost every kit I have started usually gets finished but honestly it is more to make room for something else thst trots into my melon. Hang in there, someday time, money, and enthusiasm will connect and it will be AMAZING.
Hutch, I’ve been building models of all types and sizes since 1946 (6 years old). In the beginning, I would just build whatever model my uncles brought for me and then eagerly waited for what was next. When I got old enough to buy the kits myself, I bought 1 or 2 and picked one to start with. When older, I started building my stash. I guess that was in about the mid 70’s. My method was to just look at the stash, open a few,study the sprues and pick one, whatever it was. That has basicly been my method all these years as I only buy kits I’d want to have for my shelves.
I have planned a few builds. I have built several models for friends and friends of friends that were in WWII. Those were planned very carefully, researched and personal sit downs for details. I also clean and repair models for the local WWII museum. Those I do as a side project when waiting for glue or paint to dry on my current build. Those have to be done slowly and with just a little more care than my own builds. Lots of research there. I have the last 3 they gave me to do. They are finished and in the box to be delivered when they can open again. I’m glad that there is no time limit placed on completing the job as I find them to be slightly uh------------------ can’t find a good word so I’ll just say “tension causing”. If they gave me a time limit, I think I would pass on the job even though it is a great honor to be selected to do the work. I’m sure there are lots of guys out there that build much better than me including the members of this forum. They’ve been very helpful over the years and helped me out of a tight spot or two with their expert help.
I usually just dig through the pile until something “calls” to me.
Then I build it to a point where I need to let glue/paint dry, and grab something else.
I can easily have 5 or 10 projects going at the same time. (Right now, I have 8 wood ore cars, and 4 boxcars on the bench… and a ship sitting in the paint booth… but it’s been there for 6 months!)
And, I occasionally lose track of what each build needs next. ( at least 2 of those boxcars may, … or may not need the decals sealed… I ain’t sure …)
Your mentions of the Museum, makes me think back to the ones I did work for. I would get a call. Go pick up the model and she’d be in the shop, Some plates awaiting re-soldering and such. The Museum is getting bugged by visitors" Where’s the Lightship?" So they would call wondering when she’d be finished. But as you said, they did help me over a large Emotional Hump. That was right when the first Missus got her Wings!
My current project, convertingb a battleship into a battlecruiser space craft took about 15 minutes before I started it. The delay was caused as i decided to give it two engines, one on top of the other, like the British electric fighter.
I find participating in group builds makes me plan a bit. I have 6 or 7 going on now - it’s fun. I tend to dig through a kit 6 or 7 times before building it. I find it a great part of the hobby and I like to review the instructions/decals/parts etc. Cat loves it too. But I don’t really plan builds other than the group builds.
For my part I don’t know if I get bored or lazy. I seem to go in bursts and at times have to push myself. I enjoy building, but I’m terrified of painting, (other than figures which I do by hand). If I’m building a subject that really interests me, I will do a great deal of research and plan the stages, often marking the kit plans as a guide. Trouble is I also have various other interests and enjoy my pub time, none of which helps. I am trying to be more disciplined now and to some extent the group builds have helped, but I am going to have learn to do one GB at a time.
I plan, not that it does me any good, And I build, not that it is anything like the plan . . . So, never mind, I’m going to go plan something I can’t build.
Actually, In my mind I can do some amazing things. But, the hands do not play well with others; apparently.
No I don’t plan the builds in advance. Or at least I don’t plan them very far in advance. I’ve been pretty good at staying motivated during a build. When I get 2 or 3 weeks to finishing a project I’ll walk into the stash closet and start thinking about what’s next. Usually the kit I select is from something insirational I saw here. Several months ago someone posted pictures of a brilliant f16 and I was nearing the end of a build so that triggered me to build mine. One time the inspiration came from the book The Battle Of Midway. That led to a Wildcat and a zero build. So I guess for me it’s about timing and what looks cool/fun at the moment.
Yes, I often plan my builds in advance, but I am also prone to selecting a model on a whim and building right away, straight out of the box.
Sometimes, the inspiration will hit me and it may take years of collecting bits and pieces to bring the project to fruition. For instance, there used to be an MBT70 of some vintage at the entrance to Disney Barracks at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
It used the running gear of an M60A1 tank and looked interesting to me. So when Dragon released a German version of the MBT70, the hull was not correct for the US version. But what if the turret was used on an M60 series tank?
So my project, the MBT60 was born. The counter rotating driver’s compartment in the turret did not work properly, so the driver’s compartment would remain in the hull. The commander would get a standard cupola with a .50 cal and the 20mm cannon might be eliminated (not sure on this).
But sometimes a kit is on clearance, catches my eye and gets built in a jiffy.
I come up with a plan for builds for the year, but sometimes that plan changes with a project that I “need” to get done. Since I have been retired, I have almost 100 kits in my stash that I want to build…some sooner than others. Hence, the plan. But, like most plans we make, God laughs and we make changes to suit the situation that faces us and we go from there.
Some of my builds are planned, or rather I have plans for them. But no set time frame. If it’s going to be something that is rather involved, and I know is going to take a lot of time I’ll plan to do it in the winter months. But most of my stash is just grab whatever sparks my interest and work on that. I only work on one model at a time. I have on rare occasion tossed something back in the box when I lost the desire to work on it, and pulled out something else.