Jump to content

Build burnout


bluenose2

Recommended Posts

Hello Les here. I need some advice. I have hit the wall with my current build. The 1/72 Revell Snowberry. I have the full set of DJ Parkins photo etch for this kit. It has become a struggle to stay focused on this project with all of the detail in the etch kit. I have been building for 56 years and originally though this would be a good tour de force. Now I don't know, I now just want to pack it away and really not look at it again. Should I just gut it out or should I shelve this kit for much later after a breather? I have other easier kits that I am really looking forward to build. Any help would be good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Bluenose2

 

If I was you and I hit a brick wall and continued with the build I think I would make mistakes and I would not want that.

One mistake will lead to more.

 

I would do one of two things, take a rest from building and refresh your mind.

Or start another build.

 

But in the end it is up to you what ever you are happy with.

 

 

Denis.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I build in bursts.

 

4-6 months I'm at the bench up to 10 hours a week. And then I can't drag myself into the model room. It passes. Not sure the trigger but it passes.

 

Then I get back at it!

 

====================================

Currently building: Model Expo AMERICA, A/L KING OF THE MISSISSIPPI

 

Completed: Mamoli Victory cross-section, Revell LSM (Plastic, in memory of Dad), A/L SANSON tug, MS Longboat (awesome model Chuck!), Dumas 1949 Chris-Craft 19' Racing runabout, A/L SWIFT, MS ELSIE, Constructo ELIDIR (now LOUISE), Midwest Muscongus Bay Lobster Smack, Amati 1:80 Yacht ENDEAVOUR, Mamoli CONSTITUTION cross section, Revell VIIc U-boat (1:72 plastic), lotsa other plastic ships 

 

Next up: who knows - there are too many to choose from!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I personally would shelve it and take a break. Despite its frustrations, you're supposed to enjoy this hobby. Gutting it out should be left for life's difficulties.

 

All the best,

Richard. 

Richard

Current Build: Early 19th Century US Revenue Cutter (Artesania Latina "Dallas" - messed about)

Completed Build: Yakatabune - Japanese - Woody Joe mini

Member: Nautical Research Guild & Midwest Model Shipwrights

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have put models away to finish at a later date before. As long as I only waited a short period of time I was okay. Wait too long and I never got around to it again. I look at it this way: Model building is my hobby and should be fun. If a build is not fun for me, what's the point of trying to see how much pain I can endure? 

A lot of this decision depends on what exactly is the issue. Is it an issue of too much tedious work? Take a short break then get back to it. Or is it an issue of ill fitting parts and losing interest because I think it's turning out to be a pig? I am not above unloading a kit project that has become a monkey on my back. I'm all to happy to put that monkey on someone else's back who likes monkeys. :rolleyes:   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yup, take a mental health break, as others have suggested. When you do go back to it, just look at a few small steps at a time and don't allow yourself to be overwhelmed by the apparent immensity of the whole project,

Be sure to sign up for an epic Nelson/Trafalgar project if you would like to see it made into a TV series  http://trafalgar.tv

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Breaks are a must. Whether it is to work on a different build or to do something else entirely it is good to take a break. When I force myself to do something I tend to make mistakes or not put the effort I could into it. Unless I'm getting paid to do something, I work on my own schedule and when I want. I actually try to take breaks even when I don;t want to sometimes. It is refreshing and clears my head as well as builds up the desire to work.

 

Shelve the project for a little while. Work on something else and see if she starts begging you to come back. :)

"A Smooth Sea NEVER made a Skilled Sailor"
- John George Hermanson 

-E.J.

 

Current Builds - Royal Louis - Mamoli

                    Royal Caroline - Panart

Completed - Wood - Le Soleil Royal - Sergal - Build Log & Gallery

                                           La Couronne - Corel - Build Log & Gallery

                                           Rattlesnake - Model Shipways, HMS Bounty - Constructo

                           Plastic - USS Constitution - Revel (twice), Cutty Sark.

Unfinished - Plastic - HMS Victory - Heller, Sea Witch.

Member : Nautical Research Guild

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Les, I build these things for a living and wouldn't dream of taking on a job that didn't allow me enough time to factor in 'burnout breaks'. I never work on any project continuously. I always take a break at regular intervals and go and do something else. 

 

I learned this a long time ago at art school so don't worry, you are not alone!

 

Dan.

Edited by overdale
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking up what this is:  a 20th C. steel warship at a large scale for this type of vessel  -

 

A warship has been the most complicated example of technology of its culture for at least 500 years.

It incorporates just about everything the technology can build.. All other types of plastic model subjects would rate as a

sub-assembly on a warship.

 

What you are doing is all about the detail. You pretty much need to be obsessed and

inspired to do it correctly. Unless you are doing this for pay, you don't need to

endure the agony if you are not driven to do it. 

 

You could work different skills and try a wooden cutter or pilot schooner and see if the inspiration comes back later.

NRG member 45 years

 

Current:  

HMS Centurion 1732 - 60-gun 4th rate - Navall Timber framing

HMS Beagle 1831 refiit  10-gun brig with a small mizzen - Navall (ish) Timber framing

The U.S. Ex. Ex. 1838-1842
Flying Fish 1838  pilot schooner -  framed - ready for stern timbers
Porpose II  1836  brigantine/brig - framed - ready for hawse and stern timbers
Vincennes  1825  Sloop-of-War  -  timbers assembled, need shaping
Peacock  1828  Sloop-of -War  -  timbers ready for assembly
Sea Gull  1838  pilot schooner -  timbers ready for assembly
Relief  1835  ship - timbers ready for assembly

Other

Portsmouth  1843  Sloop-of-War  -  timbers ready for assembly
Le Commerce de Marseilles  1788   118 cannons - framed

La Renommee 1744 Frigate - framed - ready for hawse and stern timbers

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Think about placing that project on a cart that can be wheeled around your shop, with shelves for components and paint, also  with a light , easily removed and replaced plastic film cover. Park the cart where it is conspicuous but mostly out of the way and start a new build. When it's time, you will be taking her out of mothballs, may do that several times before completion. If you are done with her, attempt to find someone who would like and has the ability to finish her, make her and all her paints etc. a gift to them, may hook another into the hobby.

jud

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Same here Les.

 

I worked on it for over a year. Lots of scratchbuilding, lots of Perkins pe and lots of other stuff. Perkins pe not easy to work with btw.

90% finished, but it's untouched for 2 years now.  :(

WIP: No ships atm...sorry!🙄

Completed: Greek bireme - Dusek - scale 1:72

 Louie da fly: "I think it requires a special kind of insanity to choose a galley to build a model of."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How far are you with HMS Beagle?

Since there are no NMM plans specific to Beagle - except the frame construction sheet,

I am thinking that the kit is for the 10 gun brig class - taken from Cherokee - Rolla - or another sister.

 

In the refit for the 1831 voyage - the deck heights were changed - the stern altered - a mizzen mast added -

AND - if you look at Marquardt, the frame diagram - while all other station timbers were 9" and the space 4" -

in section 0 - B  - the timbers are 10" and the space 6".  On an original build, this would make no sense.

If, however, they wanted to lengthen the ship for the voyage, placing a new section amidships would be the way.

I am thinking that Marquardt fit 3 is 68" longer than the kit hull.  If you have not started, you can patch in an additional

mold in the 0 space - just duplicate the dead flat mold.  The deck gear should fit better.  If you raise the bulwarks and decks ,

you could mimic the 1831 version by doing it the way the ship yard did.

NRG member 45 years

 

Current:  

HMS Centurion 1732 - 60-gun 4th rate - Navall Timber framing

HMS Beagle 1831 refiit  10-gun brig with a small mizzen - Navall (ish) Timber framing

The U.S. Ex. Ex. 1838-1842
Flying Fish 1838  pilot schooner -  framed - ready for stern timbers
Porpose II  1836  brigantine/brig - framed - ready for hawse and stern timbers
Vincennes  1825  Sloop-of-War  -  timbers assembled, need shaping
Peacock  1828  Sloop-of -War  -  timbers ready for assembly
Sea Gull  1838  pilot schooner -  timbers ready for assembly
Relief  1835  ship - timbers ready for assembly

Other

Portsmouth  1843  Sloop-of-War  -  timbers ready for assembly
Le Commerce de Marseilles  1788   118 cannons - framed

La Renommee 1744 Frigate - framed - ready for hawse and stern timbers

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Jaager, Les here. I have started to work on the items for the top deck of the Beagle and am enjoying it. I have the Marquart book and see the things I need to do to get it up to snuff. My issue with the Snowberry was the staggering amount of etch. I wasn't prepared for the time required. Just wore me out. So as to the Beagle, the conversion work probably won't get me bogged down. The work shouldn't require as much time and effort to make some of the upgrades. After some pondering I have realized that trying to ultra detail every thing to death may just get you thrown under the bus. I took a close look at the first ship I built. The Dikar, Bluenose. I knew nothing and had no reference material, just built it OOTB. Just applied my background in plastic modeling. I know there are many inaccuracies and at a show it would get picked apart. But she's still a sweety pie.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Breaks are always good. For me they seem to refresh my attitude and I return to the build with a new attitude. The one thing I promised myself is to finish my build before I start a new build! 

Geoff

NRG member #2666
Current build : USS Constitution

 

Finished builds: Armed Virginia Sloop (in gallery)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Hello Les, I think your problem is the other kits are calling to you. I try and not have any other kits around while I'm building a specific model. This keeps me focused on the project at hand rather than looking at future projects thinking they might be easier or I just need a break. The problem is when you take a break, that same project will be waiting for you and you will start feeling guilty for not buckling down and finishing it. This forum is full of models that were started with good intentions, put aside for various reasons, but the main reason is usually lost interest if the builder is honest about it. I have to say here that after close to 20 years of building models and 30 or so ship models that I finished, I don't have a single model laying around that I didn't finish. No brag just fact. Now, yes, I too have those days where I don't really want to mess with the model and even weeks. But I try and push myself to spend a minimum of an hour a day on the model even if it's just to research the build.

 

Like today for instance, I went into my work room, attached a couple of pieces to the model, only to realize that I did it wrong and had to straighten it out. That is when I called it quits for the day. But the two days before, I spent most of both days on the model. I have bought soooooo many models from friends, ebay, forums and Craigslist where they were started with good intentions but the builder fell short and didn't finish them. Some I was glad they didn't finish because the work was so bad, others I couldn't understand how someone with such a gift for modeling couldn't stay focused long enough to finish the project.

 

 

mike   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello mtdoramike. Good advice.  I keep new builds packed away so I can't peek. After this build I will go back and finish the Snowberry, as it will complete my WWII collection. Wasn't tired of the basic build really, just the amount of photo etch I bought for it. That's going to get scaled back to preserve my sanity so I can Keep Calm And Carry On.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Les I think a good number of us go through periods of low motivation on our projects. The rest or change of pace or subject matter can be so refreshing.

The intensity of what we do sometimes can feel like too much, The most important thing in my view is not to beat yourself up over it. The work most of us do is a hobby and it is meant to be enjoyable and relaxing, if it not either then do take a break. The inspiration to get back will come soon enough.

 

Michael

Current builds  Bristol Pilot Cutter 1:8;      Skipjack 19 foot Launch 1:8;       Herreshoff Buzzards Bay 14 1:8

Other projects  Pilot Cutter 1:500 ;   Maria, 1:2  Now just a memory    

Future model Gill Smith Catboat Pauline 1:8

Finished projects  A Bassett Lowke steamship Albertic 1:100  

 

Anything you can imagine is possible, when you put your mind to it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Les, I think Mike has hit the nail on the head - too many other kits are calling out to you! I shelved my Victory for a while mainly because I made a bad decision on what to line the gunports with, kind of like a last straw. So after a year of non-stop toiling on her I just moved on to several other kits, three of which I've finished and at least another on the road before I re-engage with the Vic. For me variety is the spice and tackling some models that can be finished in a month or three timeframes. Don't worry about moving to another kit I say.

 

Best, Ian

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Ian, I did the same thing on my Vic and lined the Gun Ports then sanded the hull down which made the gun port linings disappear. So I had to go back, rip the linings out, paint the lining planks red BEFORE I installed them the second time, which made a huge difference. That was about a weeks of added worth of work to fix that issue. I had to step back for a few days before I fixed. I hate having to do something twice.

 

 

mike 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I also have reached build burnout. I have spent the past 18 months scratch building the Cutty Sark as she was in her Australian wool clipper days. It has been 50% research and 50% build. It recently took me a couple of weeks just to draw up rudimentary plans for her cut down rig (masts and spars).

Hull and deck furniture complete. Masts almost complete. And that's it, I've had enough. Lovingly wrapped her up to keep the dust off. And in a year or two, I will go back and finish her.

 

According to an internet search. Hobby: An activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure.

 

I shall return when the mood strikes...

 

Cheers

Martin

Edited by MartinB
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not sure about ship building burnout but certainly got hangar burn out in my RC Plane days. The one thing that got me back on the bench was crashing or hard landings. Had no choice, if I wanted to fly I had to build. Not sure what I'm gonna do now that I'm getting into static models.....

Pierre.:10_1_10:

 

All in all it's pretty relaxing when you just take your time.....

Current build

Santa Maria by MarisStella

Completed

Batelina by MarisStella

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Pierre

 

I just switch from one type of modeling to the other. I'll build static models for a few years, then switch back to flying models.

Besides, I have too many great model aircraft to build and finish just to quit. Several Proctor models including a Jenny. The 1/5 scale Pica Waco, a 1/5 scale Arizona Models DH-1, a 1/5 scale P-51 Mustang, and many others.

Edited by daddyrabbit1954
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Hi Les

I feel your pain. That's probably me stood next to you at "The Wall" ! Over 2 years on my current build and just when I'm beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel, bang, interest just dribbles away a bit each day until you reach the point you don't go to the bench at all. I've had it once before, it does comes back - in it's own sweet time.

Extremely frustrating though.

Mike

 

When all else fails - read the instructions.

 

current build

Model Shipways  Pride of Baltimore II 

 

completed

Billings   L'Etoile (1996)

Billings   Mary Ann (2012)

Occre     Brig Aurora (2013)

AL          J.S.Elcano (2014)

Model Shipways    Flying Fish (2018)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

Did this build ever get back to the table?

Its all part of Kev's journey, bit like going to the dark side, but with the lights on
 

All the best

Kevin :omg:


SAY NO TO PIRACY. SUPPORT ORIGINAL IDEAS AND MANUFACTURERS.
KEEP IT REAL!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the build table

HMS Indefatigable 1794 by Kevin - Vanguard Models - 1:64 - Feb 2023 

 

 

HMHS Britannic by Kevin 

SD 14  - Marcle Models - 1/70 - March 2022 -  Bluebell - Flower Class - Revel - 1/72   U552 German U Boat - Trumpeter - 1/48  Amerigo Vespucci     1/84 - Panart-   HMS Enterprise  -CAF -  1/48     

Finished     

St-Nectan-Mountfleet-models-steam-trawler-1/32 - Completed June 2020

HMS Victory - Caldercraft/Jotika - 1/72 - Finished   Dorade renamed Dora by Kevin - Amati - 1/20 - Completed March 2021 

Stage Coach 1848 - Artesania Latina - 1/10 -Finished Lady Eleanor by Kevin - FINISHED - Vanguard Models - 1/64 - Fifie fishing boat

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/23/2016 at 9:28 PM, CDW said:

I have put models away to finish at a later date before. As long as I only waited a short period of time I was okay. Wait too long and I never got around to it again. I look at it this way: Model building is my hobby and should be fun. If a build is not fun for me, what's the point of trying to see how much pain I can endure? 

A lot of this decision depends on what exactly is the issue. Is it an issue of too much tedious work? Take a short break then get back to it. Or is it an issue of ill fitting parts and losing interest because I think it's turning out to be a pig? I am not above unloading a kit project that has become a monkey on my back. I'm all to happy to put that monkey on someone else's back who likes monkeys. :rolleyes:   

Same for me.  

 

That’s also why I don’t typically do commission builds.  Model building is supposed to be fun.  I burn out very quickly when I have to build.

Edited by GrandpaPhil

Building: 1:64 HMS Revenge (Victory Models plans)

1:64 Cat Esther (17th Century Dutch Merchant Ships)
 

On the building slip: 1:72 French Ironclad Magenta (original shipyard plans)

 

On hold: 1:98 Mantua HMS Victory (kit bash), 1:96 Shipyard HMS Mercury

 

Favorite finished builds:  1:60 Sampang Good Fortune (Amati plans), 1:200 Orel Ironclad Solferino, 1:72 Schooner Hannah (Hahn plans), 1:72 Privateer Prince de Neufchatel (Chapelle plans), Model Shipways Sultana, Heller La Reale, Encore USS Olympia

 

Goal: Become better than I was yesterday

 

"The hardest part is deciding to try." - me

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/20/2019 at 11:23 AM, Kevin said:

Did this build ever get back to the table?

I'm not sure, Kevin.  Les has been posting but not to that log.  You might PM him.

Mark
"The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me

Current Build:                                                                                             
Past Builds:
 La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD           Triton Cross-Section   

 NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit                                                                            HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64               

 

Non-Ship Model:                                                                                         On hold, maybe forever:           

CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed                                                   Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)         

         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...