Is it One [1]?
Is it more than One?
Is it Two? More than Two!!
Most of all, tell us why you like your number.
Jim f
2 for me. I’ve tried 3 at a time, and it was just too many builds at the same time. Quality started to suffer.
LOL…the OPTIMUM number? Is there one?
Jeez…I’ve got maybe 8-10 started…but I’m not working on them all at the same time.
I probably have two up and running at any one time, but generally conentrate 90% of my effort on the one…and pick up the other when I’m waiting for paint or glue to dry.
For me, anything more is harder to handle.
for me, 2-4, because I cannot use the spray booth during the week, or during inclement weather, due to its location and logistics. So, while I 'wait" for painting time, i build something else… also, that way I consolidate what needs to be painted in one go. Finally, I like to let paint, Future, decal solutions, “cure” for 1-2 days before next step. Another build gives me something to do in the meantime. I just thought of another reason, while I wait for some paint I ordered! Anyways, many logistic reasons to have many builds at once. I make sure I have the parts separated, I use a lot of plastic small bins and ziplock bags to avoid losing/confusing parts. ah! another reason… lol… to avoid becoming frustated when something does not work… I spent 2 weeks trying to get a canopy frame painted, kept going backwards, I put it away and started a tank 
Ok, Ill shut up now cheers
I usually have two or three builds going at the same time. This way I can work on one until I reach a point where I have to wait for paint or glue to dry, then switch to another one. Fortunately I have a small table beside my modeling desk where I keep the open kit boxes so all can be easily reached.
I usually have three or more. A lot depends on how it is to be finished. With a full SEA camo two or three so I can paint them all at the same time. NMF, ADC Gray, or same colors I tend to work at the same time. For me it makes painting easier. I don’t like mixing projects with different paint jobs.
I currently have three fighters in process. build one, build second one build third one, then prime all, bottom paint all, then first color top, then second color top.
this olnly works if they are siimlar [swg] {two spits and a P 40 in camo}
there are several steps, the assembly, prime paint decal and weathering so I have several in the “build” mode at one time. I will also have some armor going at the same time.
Oh, and I am retired so my build days are a tad longer than the average bear
One. I’m usually lucky to have enough room on the bench for one model at a time. I’ve got references out and PE frets all around and I like to focus on one subject at a time. The way I keep the build hours up is to build in subassemblies that way I’m able to work on another subassembly while something else is drying.
Things slow down a bit when it comes time to paint but I photograph as I build and keep a log book so that fills in some time too.
I guess technically I’m in the middle of two projects right now but only because I had to put my B-17 aside to meet some deadlines for three magazine projects that came in all at once. I’ll get back to the B-17 in the next couple of weeks.
three to six, but that question is kind of like how many adult sodas do you have at a football game- I’m not going to give you an honest answer. But I agree, one started one glued, one painted and one “done”. Often they are not really finished, so a resolution this year is to go back and really finish the little things.
For me, the optimum would be two. Spend most of my time on one, but nice to have a second to play with while something is drying on the first.
When I’m home normaly have at least 4 or 5 in the hanger being worked on at one time and I try re-pete try to empty the hanger before I come back to the Island. which don’t always work I want to start to do like berny and do all of one color or paint type I think this would speed up getting things done
Well, for the better part of last year, just one. But at the end of the year I started on a second. But put that on the side to start another one .So I`d say two is all I can handle at one time.
One.
Anymore and my focus wanders and nothing gets completed.
Karl
I only do one at a time. I found that if I start another one I tend to lose interest in the first and never finish it.
I typically only build 1 at a time, but currently I am working on 5 separate P-40 kits for the P-40 GB. It is trying my patience and making me wish I could spend more time at the bench to get these birds finished, mostly because I’m growing tired of looking at Warhawks and would love to move on to my next build - which will be only 1!
I’ve always been a one at a time kind of builder but right now there are 6 kits on my bench that have been started. I am only actually working on two of them right now and that seems to be about all I can really handle. One of the projects is a long term project (Revell Snowberry) and the other three are builds with fit issues that I just needed a break from. One of them has been sitting there for well over a year though and it’s starting to bug me. when I get through all these I’ll stick to one with maybe one more to wittle on while paint is drying.
Optimum for me is two - one on the bench and one in my head. More than that, and little gets done. Shoot, I have little enough time as it is!
Besides, I am sort of a quasi detailer. I think it’s dumb to add details that will be sealed up in a fuselage or never seen by anyone, so I dont detail every millimeter of a model. But I invariably add fiddly bits where they will be most seen by a viewer. This means it’s rare that anything comes OOB from my work space. This takes time and too many of these going at once is counter-productive.
I ALSO plan for the next build, as I work through the one I have going. I’ll get paint or AM parts or whatever is needed before I get to it. It’s all done according to a plan, which I keep in a small notebook. SO I usually have one going in my head, as well.
But, I know people who are strictly OOB builders and they work on models as production subassemblies. This is actually good management and is how I do it, too. But they have it carried to an extreme - they might be doing multiple sets of landing gear today or painting three or four airframes in one session, tomorrow.
Figure out what works for you. As I like to say, “Whatever torques your nuts.”
Two or three at a time, especially if they similar in structure and final paint scheme. I use small fishing tackle boxes, (designed for fly tieing parts I guess) for storing small parts and sub assemblies. This keeps from getting parts confused between planes.
Darwin, O.F. [alien]
Ultimately it depends on your bench size and storage space and your ability to kept track of things, I probably have a dozen or so in some stage of assembly but only have 3 or 4 on the bench at one time. I find that on many builds, especially short run kits, I hit snags or get discouraged and stow it in a project box until I get the urge to continue it.
Easy: Exactly as many as you enjoy building. [:D]
I like to have between 2 and 5 going, depending on the complexity of the build. With trying to keep things going on my website, I try to focus a bit more than i used to, but I always make sure to keep the enjoyment factor high. Ig I get frustrated, I’ll put the most recently one started aside and wait a bit.