Too much, too soon

[lawman56]

As some of you may, or may not, know, I purchased and started a WNW Albatros D.v that I plan to paint in Kissenberth's Jasta 16b markings. To make a long story short, I bought all kinds of neat doo-dads to doctor it up, to include Taurus' timing components, Masters Spandau, HGW details, and Old Propeller seat, exhaust and intake.

 

I was making decent headway when I ended up in the hospital undergoing by-pass surgery. Once I returned home, I found my meds were causing my fingers to swell, which, needless to say, caused me to shelf the project until recently.

 

Well, yesterday I took it back down, dusted it off, and took stock of where I was. I'm hoping to start on it again in the next week. This brought me to a realization. I had been trying to do too much, too soon.

 

Let me explain. I have never built a Wingnuts kit before. The Alby seemed a logical choice, since I wanted something fairly straight-forward, with enough rigging to learn with, yet not so much I'd become overwhelmed, such as a DH2. I was swayed by all the neat resin and PE stuff that I love to use in my armor builds, and here is where I made a mistake. When I first started building armor, I used what was in the box at first. As I built more armor kits, I started to learn what details I wanted, and which ones I didn't. I became better informed, my research became more in depth and I started planning exactly what I wanted to see in a finished model or diorama. Apparently my brain went to poo when I saw the Albatros. Not being used to such quality right out of the box, I immediately looked for ways to improve it. Guess what? I forgot the basic KISS principle.

 

Now that I've figured it out, as I start the project up again, I'll concentrate more on techniques like replicating wood grain in a propeller, (I'm still in awe of your work Bo), and attaching rigging and my home made turnbuckles.

[James H]

Joe, show us your work as you progress. I'm keen to see you master this, and you take care of yourself.

 

We're all friends here, and we want to help where we can.

[JonathanReed]

Sorry to hear of your health!  Amazing how life takes and shakes you awake at times.

 

I too have jumped in way over my head with the EIII.  It helps push the limits though, I feel it may be ugly but I learned something and I fel like people in this forum will go out of their way to help from what I've been reading.  Throw your soul into it and se what happens.  Heck its just money and you cant take it with you!  

 

Good luck and will definitely have you in my thoughts regarding your health. 

[lawman56]

I appreciate all the concern and offers to help. Trust me, I'm not too proud to ask!

 

I just amaze myself, at times, as how much I forget. My first 1/32 aircraft in 30 years was the Tamiya Spit that I've posted here in the finished builds thread. So, naturally, I choose for my second, a Wingnut Wings kit and a crapload of resin and PE!

 

Here's where my brilliance kicks in....

I've never built a WWI aircraft. I've never built anything engineered as well as Wingnuts. I've certainly never built something held together with a spiderweb. And I've been building 1/35 armor for so long, I've fine tuned my skills to that genre.

 

But, I'll see it through. As my wife of 24 years likes to remiind me, it's not the first time I've lost my mind. Certainly won't be the last!

 

As for my health, no worries. I had a heart attack 10 years ago, at age 36, so after a buttload of cardio caths, angioplasties, and 5 stents in the same artery, it was just a matter of time. I've learned to quit trying to figure out why, and just be grateful that I'm actually pretty healthy, work full time, have a great hobby, loving wife and kids, and 3 grandsons whose only two settings are "wide open" and "off"!

[James H]

Hey Joe, my first ever WNW kit, and indeed WW1 model, was their DH.2. Dave Johnson was having a wee laugh with me I think, but I still mastered it. The Albatros is a gift compared with that. I look forward to seeing your progress, and I'll share mine with you in 2014 too.

 

You've had a rough time with your health, no doubt. It's a reminder that we do our hobby as something to alleviate stress, and we come here to make friends and share our passions. 

 

As our UK government likes to say, 'we're all in this together'

[lawman56]

Hey Joe, my first ever WNW kit, and indeed WW1 model, was their DH.2. Dave Johnson was having a wee laugh with me I think, but I still mastered it. The Albatros is a gift compared with that. I look forward to seeing your progress, and I'll share mine with you in 2014 too.

 

You've had a rough time with your health, no doubt. It's a reminder that we do our hobby as something to alleviate stress, and we come here to make friends and share our passions. 

 

As our UK government likes to say, 'we're all in this together'

DH2? You poor, looney man! Yet somehow you managed to maintain your sanity. There's hope for me yet!!!

[olfogey]

Best of luck...........you know I'll be pullin' for you

Jim J. -- "olfogey"

[lawman56]

And once I get everything situated, I'll post what I've already accomplished and start running it as a WIP.

[Wumm]

Well Joe,

 

I was making decent headway when I ended up in the hospital undergoing by-pass surgery. Once I returned home, I found my meds were causing my fingers to swell, which, needless to say, caused me to shelf the project until recently.

 

Many of us, from time to time, feel like we have sausage fingers... At least you have a genuine reason!

 

I'm in much the same boat as you, coming off a major health scare over the last 18 months. A new year means a new start, and life is mostly to be lived between the peaks and the troughs. So get building Buddy!

 

Steve.

[Matt_]

Joe

 

I find that being both a slow builder (some would say glacial) and alternating between the peaks and troughs of  'this build is crap' and 'this build is actually looking OK', I get disheartened easily and often put a build aside and became distracted. For my current build I have forced myself to stick with it and I find that after 5 minutes back with it I am again immersed in the build.

 

What I'm saying is that your illness and the effects of medication can set up a 'negative attitude' and it takes a little conscious effort and self belief to get back into the state of mind that led you to get the kit and all the accessories. That's certainly what I find from time to time.

 

Matt

[prinsjester]

Hi all, I have read this  topic and must confess that I am in the same postion.  After two years of hospitals and carehomes I  am home again. Next week I  will have a space for my own to model again. I too have problems with my hands (shaking and cramps due to meds) but am detremined to build my WnW models. I will  be starting a  Fokker DVIIF first, build, paint and decal that one and see what difficulties I encounter. Building won't be like before my illness, but I am certain I will devise ways to get things the way I want them to be.

 

I just wanted to support the point made by the author of this topic that building these planes can be hard but it is very satisfying especially if you're handicapped in a certain way.

 

I'll post pics of my progress in the near future!

 

Dries

[prinsjester]

Hi all, since the above post I have, I must say, succesfully returned to modelling.

I  am currently working on a BF109 G6 in 1/24 scale. I have finished the engine and cockpit including the very fiddly harness and am satisfied.

I can still do that and my hands can still do the work satisfactorily. I will post some pics soon.

 

So when medical problems happen, it doesn't mean the end of a hobby!! I was practically paralyzed two years ago, but am back with a vengeance!!

 

Greetings,

Dries

[lawman56]

Good to hear, Dries!

 

Since my workbench is in my garage, and once late December rolls in, I can't do much, as the temp rarely gets above 45F. So instead of wishing I could build, I decided to re-model the garage to accommodate both my model building, and my HO model railroad. This included insulating, running some new electric and painting. In another month, I should have the garage done and be able to work out there year round!