Thursday 10 November 2011

Chair Man Of The Bored!

That's all the seats made for 'Glaslyn' now - thank goodness for that!



I didn't particularly want to write a negative post, or give you the impression that I don't enjoy my modelling (of course I do) but the fact remains there are some bits of the process that are more absorbing than others and some that are downright boring.

I often find that making the interiors falls into the latter category, particularly with a carriage like this where I have to repeat the same process 14 times for one type of seat and the other 12 times.

I love starting work on a new model and seeing the outline develop. There's another high point when all four sides are joined together and it starts to look like a carriage, and again when the roof goes on.

But, frankly, I can take or leave doing the bits like the corridor connections and the seats.

I wouldn't say I had a short attention span, and neither am I one of those people who starts lots of projects and never sees any of them through, but I can't deny that midway through a build I find myself longing to get it finished so that I can start work on the next thing.

I think that's why my heart sank when Boston Lodge turned out a job lot of three WHR saloons a couple of years back and I spent many months avoiding the issue - getting on with other models instead - before I forced myself to knuckle down and get the job done. (In business-speak they are a very 'core' part of the stock for Bron Hebog and had to be done.) I can distinctly remember the moment when I told myself to 'get a grip' and 'get it over with' while on an especially relaxing holiday strolling on one of my favourite beaches on the beautiful Isle of Islay.

Is it just me, or is this something that a lot of other modellers experience as well?

3 comments:

  1. Resin casting - that's the way to go for this sort of thing. I know exactly what you mean about the job being boring - worse every chair had to be accurate or you'd need to make even more to get a good set !

    Casting on my blog:
    http://philsworkbench.blogspot.com/2011/07/resin-casting-part-1-making-mould.html
    http://philsworkbench.blogspot.com/2011/07/resin-casting-part-2-making-castings.html

    With this kit, you could make the seats and just glue legs on. Or make a 2-part mould and do the job in one go. Probably quicker than making each one too. Hope it helps !

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  2. I have considered it, Phil.

    But is it really quicker? Each seat takes me about 5 - 10 mins to make. With casting I would have to sit about waiting for each one to set before I could use the mould again, wouldn't I?

    OK, I could make multiple moulds, but that still takes time, and anyway, I understood the mould-making gunge was the priciest bit of the process. Or maybe I'm wrong.

    Besides which, I'm British, so I like complaining......

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  3. Yes, but you can mix tiny amounts and do the moulding while other stuff happens. I used to fill a mould before work, one on my return and another later in the evening. Plan ahead a bit and they are ready when you want them. Sell the spares on eBay and you become rich beyond your wildest dreams (maybe). I funded the chemicals by selling leftovers from my layout !

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