Somewhere in-between...

That's unacceptable.

Members who don't build above a certain pace should be banned. And everyone else should be compelled to build the same kit.

I should note that the above is entirely tongue-in-cheek, since the internet tends to disguise tone and intent.

DoogsATX

That's unacceptable.

Members who don't build above a certain pace should be banned. And everyone else should be compelled to build the same kit.

 

I find myself wavering between being really excited about building then not so much. I find that in my "down" times I buy more stuff be it magazines, kits tools, etc. I build slow anyway but occasionally I get to working faster.

Even though I have gone years between builds at various points in my life...I have always maintained my interest in the hobby.

Just my

I think I build slower than I'd like . That being said, when I started checking into my pace, I had an even dozen to throw at the "what did you finish in 2011" thread. Considering summer is often a write-off for me, not too shabby. Now at the same time, I'm plugging away at several kits right now, but still getting all excited about "something else in my stash" after seeing a great pic online, or reading a good article in a magazine. So, my slightly ADD brain thinks I should be building faster... but I'm probably in a good place.

I agree that's not fair to judge a modeller on their pace of building.  It's not a matter of being an undedicated modellers, it's a variable on time.  I am blown away at the rate some are able to build their kits and at the same time they look awesome, and they don't look rushed.  Personally I wish I had more time, but I don't and that's life.

Everyone have different lives an their time is spent accordingly.  I'm sure how you spend your time in 2008 is different from 2012 and there isn't anything wrong with it.

As long as you enjoy what you do and how you do it, that's all that matters.

Manstein's revenge

...this includes many different hobbies, and even sports: golf, playing guitar, biking, hunting, flying, NASCAR, etc...And I see nothing wrong with it...

I didnt know you enjoyed BIKING?????

Nope, no wavering here.  I've been building at about the same rate, 2 -4 per month for over 30 years.  Pretty good builds on average, at least I'm happy with them.  I belong to 2 local IPMS chapters and head one of them.  I'm have a great relationship with our LHS. My wife or daughter can go in there and they can show them what to get me for birthdays or Christmas. So I have no qualms about ever leaving the hobby even for a short time.  By the way,  my wife enjoys that I have this hobby, and has even gone to a couple of IPMS nationals with me,  and is looking forward to this years in Disney World.  I have more personal friends from the clubs than I do online.  This is just too impersonal and distant.  I use the net just for a little, and I mean a little research. I prefer books.

I do have very small periods, like 2 weeks,  max, when I don't feel like working on something.  But then I have a building jag when I can't stop, and get 2 or 3 going at once.  This hobby is pretty much my only hobby.  I hate sports, forget motorcycles and loath NASCAR.  We do go on nice vacations, so I do have a lot of activities outside the hobby some camping, but I prefer our vacation time in the mountains here in a nice condo.  I think I have a nice balance going on here.  Oh yes, being semi-retired helps a little, although I still got a lot built working full time.

Enough blathering.

Sorry, I built a Tamiya Swordfish a year or so ago. I have a Eduard Hellcat going now though.

Doug

carsanab

 

Manstein's revenge:

 

...this includes many different hobbies, and even sports: golf, playing guitar, biking, hunting, flying, NASCAR, etc...And I see nothing wrong with it...

 

I dint know you enjoyed BIKING?????

Cars require licenses & registration. Manny bikes to stay "off the grid".

I have been struggeling with my modelling of late. Last year i only completed oine build. My current build should have been finished a few weeks back, but is still some way off. Some of this is down to work and otehr things. But most of it is down to my lack of motivation.  I am still buying kits and AM, still planning builds, buying referance material etc. But i still find it hard to get myself going of an evening. I have questioned over the last few weeks if i really want to still be doing this.

I would say a break might do me good, but i have a lot of breaks, ranging from ever weekend to a few weeks when on leave. Last year i was even away for 4 months and i thought when i got back i would be rearing to go. But it was still hard to get in the right frame of mind.

I still love this hobby, i just think i need to give my head a good shake and get myself motivated.

I enjoy lots of things....for example:  I am a private pilot, but for every 1 hour in the air I probably spend another 10 to 12 hours talking shop with other people at the local airport or reading up on it...

Manstein's revenge

many different hobbies, and even sports: golf, playing guitar, biking, hunting, flying, NASCAR, etc...

So you were the guy flying that Spanish built Ju-52 around the Midwest US..........you ought to visit Fermis sometime next hunting season.

You aren't the only one with other hobbies; for me-  metalworking, biking , but never flew anything with an engine.

I suspect folks who are prone to adopt one hobby will also adopt others.

I just like being busy.

I think that most of us who hang out here want or intend to build more than we do, but often little trivialities like commitments to family and friends and the annoyance of having to make a living get in the way.

When we do get the time to build, sometimes “modeling inertia” steps in. You start thinking about how long and involved that pet “back burner” project will be—though you can't really bring yourself to cut corners and do any less of a job on it—or you're holding out for that one “last” bit of information or aftermarket part or perfect paint color before you start.

In the end, though, most of us here have been at it long enough to realize that the building is only a part of what we love about our little obsession. Most of us were only motivated to start building at all because we were bowled over by that interesting paint-scheme, or fell in love with the roar of jet exhaust, or just couldn't get enough of the stories of the people that operated these machines in times and conditions that baffle, terrify and amaze us.

Hanging out with others that feel the same way, that understand the obsession, is sort of our therapy. It helps us fit into a world that, peculiarly, has largely never heard of FS 595 or RLM or ANA standards, and somehow would rather watch another “reality” show than debate the shape of Spitfire wings or the true color of tank treads.

That's okay. Since they haven't been blessed with the “true faith” the way we have, they need something harmless to keep them occupied while we do the important stuff.

I'm a slow builder to begin with but then add work and well.... With two jobs I can work anywhere from 48 to 80 hrs a week. Sometime the last thing I want to do is work on the kits. 

I too have other intrests but most are/can be related to modeling. 

Manstein's revenge

But I NEVER plan on being any further from the level of involvement than where I am now...I just enjoy this stuff too much, and most of all, I enjoy the folks in here that make it so much fun and interesting...

 

Agreed- some may say my build pace is almost non-existent, but when I do things like try to accurize a 1960 Hawk mold of a Gee Bee R-1 racer where all the engraved surface detail should be raised and all the raised surface detail should be engraved (plus scratchbuild a complete cockpit), producing a completed build every 1.5 years or so will happen.

I'm quite involved with my local IPMS chapter and I love going to shows and hanging out here to talk shop and look at others' work. I get inspiration from both these places, in addition to just looking at my stash. I envision the completed builds and that makes me want to crack open another box. Problem is, I gotta push through the current build first. Well, maybe it's not that much of a problem, but several here have mentioned this phenomenon as causing stagnation, and I'm with that group. Despite my build rate suggesting that I may be 'in between,' I think of myself more as being involved- it's just that my build pace is very......deliberate.

Hercmech

I find myself wavering between being really excited about building then not so much. I find that in my "down" times I buy more stuff be it magazines, kits tools, etc. I build slow anyway but occasionally I get to working faster.

Even though I have gone years between builds at various points in my life...I have always maintained my interest in the hobby.

Just my

I am in the same boat as Hercmech,

  I didn't actively build for years, but could never stop my self from thumbing through magazines or books about the hobby, and missed doing it the entire time. Every hobby store was a must stop and  even though I didn't buy anything, it was enough to smell the styrene for a while and remember for a while. And bore my better half(halves) with stories of plastic glories of days gone by. And to their credit, every ex who was made to wander a hobby shop with me, and to my present missus, who fully encourages my hobby, thank you :)

  Then when I decided to go gung ho and come back to it, I jumped all in, now that I am all in, and have more crap than I probably need to actually get on with it,  I can't seem to find as much time as I would like. Punishment from the gods of modeling for being a slacker for a few years in between maybe?

  Either way, it hasn't discouraged me, I am still accumulating crap and dreaming about  my "big" build, just hopefully I will find some time to build something to present in the Diorama Group Build I signed up for. And those really big sales at Sprue brothers have nicely filled my stash and my imagination. :) Now just time to smack father time around a bit.

  P.S. On a bit of a side note, (indirectly related to burn out maybe) I could never understand so many people wanting to build as fast as humanly possible, yes sometime a build just falls together, and once in a blue moon you challenge yourself to see how far you can push without stopping for a pee break :) but hey, that is just me. (there you go, an additional worth for free :)

gregbale

... It helps us fit into a world that, peculiarly, has largely never heard of FS 595 or RLM or ANA standards, and somehow would rather watch another “reality” show than debate the shape of Spitfire wings or the true color of tank treads. ...

My wife was trying to describe a sweater she had just bought & couldn't find the words. I quickly told her it was RLM 75 - Grauviolett. She didn't understand...

VanceCrozier

 

My wife was trying to describe a sweater she had just bought & couldn't find the words. I quickly told her it was RLM 75 - Grauviolett. She didn't understand...

You may not post many pics of builds, Vance, but this is a sign you are a true modeler......

I have little excuse to not get anything done, as I'm still dealing with unemployement. Even when I was working, I'd still be lucky to finish 1-2 a year. Why? For a long time I didn't have a designated work space. 2 years ago, I finally got one. Then the room got overtaken with everyone's discards. All that clutter just puts me not in the mood to build. Keeping the work bench clean is another key to keep building. If I have junk all over, it again deters me.

Years back when I joined, the forum was my biggest problem. I spent all my time here enjoying the builds and learning techniques. I don't spend as much time as I used to, but I do enjoy chatting with all the friends I've made over the 9 years I've been here. 

Another discovery is the stash. While we all like to gloat about our sizable stashes, I found mine intimidating. Granted, mine is modest to many here and sizable to a few. However, the bigger it grew, the more my mind said "I can't build it all", "There's too much!". So, I sold off some kits, built a few more, and dented the stash a bit. I did tend to buy on impulse, now I'm really just searching for wants at a bargain price. Sort of paid off too, I landed a Cyber Hobby paper panzer for just $20 including shipping. My only regret was it was kind of a spur of the moment choice, thus I may fall out of love with it in the future.

So, even though I don't crank out a lot of builds, my passion still runs very deep for the hobby and it's made a dark time in my life a little brighter.

VanceCrozier

 

 

 

My wife was trying to describe a sweater she had just bought & couldn't find the words. I quickly told her it was RLM 75 - Grauviolett. She didn't understand...

I glad you didn't try to match it to an RAL chart

Other "things" get in my way sometimes... Firefighting, call 24/7/365( i'm also the Chief.. so I have extra duties to)... ,, daily work grind( getting home and not wanting to do anything )..

I like to go to camp.. and boat, snowmobile and other things.. but as others have said.. FSM mag,, Squadron flyer.. online.. is never far away...

I'm a slow builder by nature. I don't concern myself (yet) about historical accuracy or anything, I just try to do the absolute best I can with a kit. This contributes to me intimidating myself from building because I don't think it's turning out "just right."

Then there's work and real-life. When I get home I don't feel like lugging out all my stuff and setting up. It's much easier to turn on my computer, shut off my brain and play video games for a couple hours.

Finally, there's the lack of permanent work space. I work on a folding table in the middle of the living room. (God help me if I ever spill paint in there. ) What I try to do (whenever I feel up to it)  is set up my table on Sunday afternoons and build with a movie on.

I guess I could technically fall into the category of "non-model-builder." until I actually finish a model though. I am trying though.

tigerman

So, even though I don't crank out a lot of builds, my passion still runs very deep for the hobby and it's made a dark time in my life a little brighter.

...for me, the historical aspect of the hobby is what drew me in and keeps me in; for others it may be the artistic aspect; and for others it may be the mechanical or "building" aspect of it...enjoy whatever aspect(s) you like and build (or not) as you "feel fit"...When I get in a building lull I continue to research and admire others' works...and the building always comes back... 

Great conversation. Unlike some guys, I've never completely gotten away from the hobby. Even if it was in a closet 29 out of 30 days, I've always had some kit going. As I've said elsewhere, when my job wasn't modeling, I didn't finish as many as I wanted to, but I enjoyed sitting at the workbench, er, card table, and working when I could. And when I wasn't able to build, I read about it (thanks FSM!) and pawed through unbuilt kits, thinking about how I wanted to build it.

Life and other hobbies have come and gone, but it seems like modeling has always been my go to.

Cheers, Aaron

Aaron, now that your job is modelling, how do you find it effects your hobby modelling rather than your work modelling. I would imagine when you build a kit for a review, you can't really build it as you wnat but have to do it OOB, assuming thats not what you would do anyway.

And i would imagine that if you spend all day working on model related subjects, kit reviews, modelling tips etc, then the last thing you would want to do in the evening is to build a model kit.

Great topic General, I fit into the returning to hobby after loooong hiatus.  This is great timing to boot, with 13, 11 & 6 yr olds to father, a wife to be husband to and a business to run, trying to stay in shape, a love of snow skiing, drumming etc..., time for modeling is fit in when I can.  I must say (and maybe because it's been only a year now) I REALLY dig this and find the people I've met here are great.  Too bad we are all spread over the world, I'd like to buy you all a and share "war" stories.

Manny, I wouldn't sweat it all that much

there was a guy, I don't remember which forum,,,,he said he would start and build, all gung ho,,,,,,until he got the cockpit done,,,,,,then he would start another aircraft,,,,,,and get to the same spot

I know another guy,,,,,he only likes the trucks and ground equipment,,,,,so, he builds those,,I built him a Jet so he'd have a way to display some of his stuff in action

those guys are getting just as much fun out of what they do, as I am,,,,,,,or as you are

some days, just sitting at the LHS and talking models is as much fun as making 1/72 scale aircraft tow tractor lug nuts (LOL,,,,okay, okay,,,,,,the talking would be more fun,,,,,geesh,,,,,I made up the lug nut thing)

but, if 1/72 lug nuts are someone's favorite part,,,,,,,,so what?

besides, Manny,,,,,,,maybe sitting on FSM BSing around with us,,,,,,maybe just that one comment from someone will be what lights you off on doing something with plastic (disclaimer, if you suddenly get all inspired to carve out 400 1/72 lugnuts for Clarktors,,,,,,,,,I was JOKING, so, it would not be my fault)

Rex, Tarn, Hey You, Jarhead, Accidental Cag, whoever

The urge for me has always been there - has been since I was a kid, but it's the urge to build, whether it be a model, a dollhouse for my wife, a patio deck, a closet, a greenhouse, a workroom, a fence - doesn't matter. My hands just need to keep busy, and at the same time actually have something to show for all that effort when I'm finished (probably why video games will never cut it for me).

It's my refuge. I don't talk a lot, don't get a lot done or finished. I change subjects, get frustrated and start something else. And sometimes I'm just too tired. When I can spend an hour or two at the bench, it's great.

For the last couple of years I've spent time here just about every nite. Yes, I'm pretty quiet, but I enjoy being here. Seeing what others are doing and reading what they have to say.

I like racing and football but I'm just a spectator. I like shooting and working on guns. My kids(15 & 19) love going to the range with me and shooting their own rifles.

But no matter how slow the building goes, I'm a modeler.

Tony