Multiple Kits on the Bench?

I have 6 on the bench, but I'm activity working on 3. 2 of which intensity at the moment.

Yes, I place them in the box and set them aside until called upon. 

I usually have 3 or 4 going at one time so I can keep working while the glue is setting or the paint is drying and curing. This has worked for me over these many years of building.

Jim  

Just did that and finished one yesterday. The relief of finally getting one of them done instead of jumping back and forth was so great I figure two at a time must have been causing me stress I was unaware of. It really did slow down my building time on both, so I'm going to go back to one at a time.

I always have at least two going on at the same time. And there seems to be a fine line between "in-progress, temporarily sidelined" and "shelf of doom"! I'd love to focus on one at a time but I just can't. Some reasons why there are multiple kits going....

- Allowing paint to dry. Moving forward before paint has cured enough has proven disasterous. 

- In over my head. With experience I've learned to set the model aside temporarily until I feel I've gained the skill to move move forward with it. That's paid off on a couple kits. 

- Burnout. Filling seams is probably my least favorite thing to do. Fill, sand, prime. Repeat.... Sometimes I just have to set those aside and work on something more interesting. Probably the most common reason for me a build gets dragged out!

GreySnake

Right now I'm only working on one kit since I've just returned to the hobby. I usually like to have a couple in progress at a time. That way if I'm waiting for something to dry I can work on something else. 

 

  I have tons of in-betweeners that I work on during the paint drying on other models.

Right now I'm only working on one kit since I've just returned to the hobby. I usually like to have a couple in progress at a time. That way if I'm waiting for something to dry I can work on something else. 

I have 5 in progress right now.  Usually have at least 2 going to vary things and avoid burnout.

I build whatever I feel like each day so sometimes I will be between 4-5 models. 

I find it interesting to see the building patterns of others. I also build 2-3 kits at a a time and usually have 2 aircraft I focus on and one car going in case I need something different. I find this allows for ample drying time for paint and decals to cure and keeps me moving as I rarely stall out on a build while keeeping a good rotation going.

I usually have an airplane model and a car model going at the same time. If I get bored working on the airplane I put is aside and work on the car. I would have a difficult time working on two airplanes or two cars at the same time.

Usually I have more than one kit going through the winter months (which don't last long in Texas). As spring and summer arrive and I can get more work done in the garage, I will finish my winter kits one at a time. Also, I have taken to working on a kit during lunch breaks at work, something simple that i don't need to have alot of supplies to work with. Helps keep my sanity at work. LOL

-Stephen

Go grab a nice Tamiya shake and bake build to get your modeling moejoe flowing again. Experiences like yours are why I have that huge stock of sidelined builds... frustration strikes and it can kill your desire completely. 

Thanks to all who've commented!

I suppose I should try to do two at a time at least once.

Just now I'm in a funky, slightly unmotivated state of mind looking at the armor kit I'm working on. I ruined the engine and had fit problems with it - my fault. I bought a second kit which I'm hoping to complete right after I attempt to salvage the one I'm working on by building it closed up. I'll display the new kit with all hatches open so as to view the engine and interior as much as possible. Such a tiny kit with so many frustrations for me (Meng's 1/35 French FT-17 with cast turret) so I'm debating working on something else for a short break.

Years ago, I only worked on one at a time. And perhaps had some figures for painting while waiting on paint or glue to dry. Somehow that morphed over time into multiple kits going at any given time. And NOTHING was being completed. Step 1 here, Step 5 there, basic paint on another, all ready for decals on another, and somewhere in between on several others. Next thing I know, I have 30+ kits ranging from barely started to almost finished. My main goal over the past few years has been to reduce that number. Last year I started and completed six... twice what I completed the year before..... but finished zero sidelined builds. And I added at least one to that 30+. This year I’m gonna work on that. Nowadays I try to work on one at a time until completion, with occasionally a sideliner for time filler on occasion.

I only have 1 right now, getting ready to decal a Fine Molds 1/48 Judy.  I usaly have 2 going. I like to be building 1 while painting another. This kit went fast, since I had no refences to go by.  I just built it OTB.  Now the fun of going though the massive collection to decide what to do next, one the new kits from Xmas or one older?

Hoo Boy !

 You must've gotten a picture of Both of my working areas ! Yup , ten at last count .

plus the U.S.S.Kidd and Arizona for my client . Seems like there's always room for one more though .       T.B.

One advantage of doing diorama's is that when i have to leave the model to dry, thats when i can get on with the base, figure's and so on. Also gives more variety such as adding a vehicle and ground equipment to an aircraft build.

One kit at a time for me. If I did multiple kits at once, I'd lose interest and ambition to actually finish what I started. Too distracting to be honest...

Hi,

I used to think that one was enough, but lately I've begun to do two or more at a time since I often like to wait for a day or so between coats of paint etc.  Plus, by having more than one kit going, if I get bogged down somewhere on one I can do a little work on another to "clear my mind".  The down side of all that though, is trying to make sure that I don't set one kit aside for too long, that I loose interest

PF

Generally, one at a time. However, for the first time I have two on the bench. So far, it is working for me. It's kind of nice flipping back and forth--it's keeping it interesting. Too early to tell if this will work for me long term.

I generally work on two kits at a time.  I phase them so that I am doing gluing, or hand painting, or assembly on one while I am painting the other.  I do a lot of projects that require gloss painting, and I use enamel.  That means painting entails a lot of drying time, so I work on something else during the drying time.

I have built a little stand that I keep next to my bench. I built it mainly for rigging of ships (it is adjustable for height), and when I am not rigging a ship I keep inactive kit there.

I am with you there John. have a top and bottom to the box really helps me to keep a build organised.

Only 1 at a time for me.  I'm one of the rare ones where I don't have much of a stash.  Only 2 in my stash at the moment to be exact.  My stash is the hobby shop!!

I have 5 on the bench but only 2 of them am I activily working on.  It's easy to move them around when you have boxes that are the top and bottom kind of boxes.   As with everyone it seems like I'm not a fan of end opening boxes!   alway need the find another box to put the parts I'm working with those.

John

    Because of my current situation I have several kits in all stages. I am trying to cut it back to just one kit at a time start to finish. This may actually increase the number of kits I actually finish.

There aint no way in Hell I can do that. Tried once.............but it just doesn't work for me. Friggin' sensory overload I guess. Hats off to those who can though.

1943Mike

I'm just curious since I'll probably not live long enough to complete my stash as it sits 

I know that feeling! I remember from way back when I had a serious stash, I used to estimate the number of lifetimes I would neef to build them all. Gave them all away when my hiatus started. 

Anyway, I’m mostly a 1 kit at a time guy. Only recently did I start doing 2. After a few weeks working on this car kit (building a replica of my car), I packed it away and started on a zero. Find it helps keep things fresh. I’ll get back to the car after working on this zero.