Speedy Relief from the Doldrums!

[David Lester]

I'm not sure if others have gone through anything like this or not, but for some time now, I've been feeling very dissatisfied with my ship modelling. Although I have quite a few models under my belt, it seems that my skill level has not been improving and it was getting me down.... then I came across Derek's (Delf) build log for his Speedy and I have found just the inspiration I needed.

 

I attribute my recent malaise to two things: the first has been laziness and not really paying attention to what I was doing, especially with rigging and seizing in particular. I was just quickly wrapping the seizing around the line in a haphazard manner, bunching it up against the block and then gluing it with too much glue. Then the block would often not hang naturally. Also, I could never get the thread ends cut close enough, so there were always two tiny tails sticking out from each one.

 

Thanks to Derek, I can now see how with just a bit more care and attention, I can get beautiful seizings. And since, as we all know, the only thing that really separates any of us from true craftsmanship is another tool, I went on a shopping spree. I bought a pair of cuticle nippers, which are easily the very best tool for trimming the threads that I have come across, a Quadhands to replace the little so called "helping hand" (which was anything but) that I was using, some fly tying thread and as a special treat, a Serv-o-matic. I have been practicing tying seizings and am now getting results as good as Derek's. It's so energizing to find an area that I can improve significantly and doing so easily falls within my ability. My Serv-o-matic hasn't arrived yet, but I'm looking forward to using it too.

 

I know I will never be a great hull planker. In fact, my skills in that department are closer to those of a drywaller than a modeller, (although I have never resorted to taping the joints,😄) and I'm just going to have to live with that.

 

The second thing I needed to shake up was my model selections. I am quite fond of Model Shipways kits and have developed a comfort level with them. As a result, I have built them almost exclusively - in fact all of my models with the exception of one Mamoli have been MS. And my bad experience with the Ontario last year also made me more wary of other manufacturers. But I have been in rut. Most of the MS kits are built the same way and despite different subjects, it has felt like the same build over and over again.

 

So, again thanks to Derek, as well as many other enthusiastic reviews, I have bought Vanguard's Speedy which arrived the other day and I am now eager to get going. I have spent some time on the plans and what a treat to have a rigging plan that can be deciphered and for which you don't need second sight to interpret.

 

I have been trying to unload some of my finished models on family members. The only one my daughter would agree to take is my Bluenose, which unfortunately is the model I most want to keep. So I found myself agreeing to build a second one for her, which doesn't exactly address the problem I was trying to solve in the first place. Oh well.  So I have it to finish up, then on to my Speedy.

 

I'm very grateful for the inspiration I find at MSW!

 

David

Edited June 23, 2021 by David Lester

[Chuck]

David

 

We have all been there...I am so glad you are sticking with it.  My advice to you is to just slow down.  Slow down your building a great deal giving each task much more care and attention.  The results will be much better and a pleasant secondary outcome is that you will end up with fewer models in the end which we all know is a big problem.   In addition, not trying to move ahead quickly to the next task can be much more enjoyable.  Take the time to line off your hull and then only add a couple of strakes each day but done neatly and with care.  Take twice as long to build your model and you will end up with half as many models to give away and less you have to convince your kids to take an interest in.   

 

Looking forward to following your Speedy project. 😃

 

 

[Louie da fly]

David, 

 

I think everybody hits the doldrums at some point or another. The solution depends very much on what caused the doldrums. In my case I get easily bored with repetitive activities - making the same thing over and over again, all identical.

 

Sometimes it's my own fault - did I really have to carve 48 wooden oarsmen for my dromon? Could I have just built the ship without a crew? Other times there's no escaping it - a ship has a lot of blocks, deadeyes etc etc and you have no option but to make lots of things all alike.

 

But yes, it's easy to get stale, too. I once read that the way to avoid getting Alzheimer's is to continually develop new neural pathways, by doing new and different things.  If you find yourself getting stale, it might be worth trying a scratch build. It's certainly a lot more challenging than doing a kit. And you could try moving from POB to POF - that will give you a whole lot of new problems to solve! 

 

But it sounds to me that you've found your own solution to the doldrums, which should keep you going for a long time into the future.

 

Good luck with it. I wish you every success.

 

Steven

Edited June 24, 2021 by Louie da fly

[gagliano1770]

I totally hear you. Seizing has really discouraged me from continuing work on my Bluenose. Good for you for soldiering on.