The Unofficial Airfix Modellers' Forum

For a few years now, I begin each year by pulling out the models that I would like to finish. I inevitably do one or two from that pile and then change my mind, buy new stuff, etc.

This year I'll try a more broad strokes approach.

2018 has a bit of writing and publishing in store (including a chapter for an edited volume), so I don't think I'll be as prolific as I was in 2017 (14 finishes, about 5 more nearly finished, and another handful worked and put aside.

My goal for 2018 isn't to finish any, but to work on as many as I want whenever the mood strikes. I'll inevitably complete a few in the process, but I have so much in the stash that I set aside for when the time is right, that I end up rushing ongoing projects to get to those golden fleece models.

Not this year. We'll see how that pans out.

Otherwise, for this year I'm looking forward to building a lot of armor kits, some biplanes, some interwar types (e.g., my collection of ICM Soviet types from the 20s and 30s), and a baraccuda

I got the SH Barracuda from my aunt for Christmas and promised to show her the finished thing before the year is over.

That, and a fokker triplane I got from Mother-in-law, are the only "must-builds"

Softscience wrote: My goal for 2018 isn't to finish any, but to work on as many as I want whenever the mood strikes.

That is a rather scary statement, in my opinion. It seems that is what I do, and have done for awhile now.
With this philosophy, one winds up with a slew of unfinished kits in a stash. In my case, there are more than 14 kits in the unfinished stash, all started because the mood was there temporarily. Now, it seems to take a great deal of discipline to get back too them.

Just an opinion, but, if you have a good, disciplined finish record to date, perhaps you should look deep within yourself, and rethink. It doesn't take long to get a whole pile of unfinished kits staring at you off a shelf.

For me, I will continue my self-imposed rules of modelling:
1. Only one kit on the go at any time, through to completion (the more observant amongst you will know that I have broken this rule at the moment but hey, rules are there to be broken? )
2. Any newly arrived kit must wait until at least two older stash residents have been built first
3. ummmm....that's it really!

For 2018 I do want to tackle a lot of RAF subjects with as wide a spread of ages as possible for the 100th anniversary, a Remembrance themed build (my proposal for a GB ending 11.11.18) and at least one more aircraft carrier in 1/350th scale

It will be interesting to see how your approach pans out, Ralph. It's quite rare for me to indulge in multiple builds as usually I just end up with a bunch of unfinished models and I often find it difficult to return to stuff - my most successful policy has been to see a build through to completion, if at all possible, before starting the next one. I've also started New Year modelling seasons with a small pile of kits that I've slated as being a sort of build schedule. Usually I don't get much past the first kit

I am having at least one year off from display building so next year I intend to build whatever takes my fancy out of the stash, which may or may not be a classic British kit or a Cold War subject and will hopefully involve some military vehicles. I'm also going to try to not buy any more kits before SMW 2018 - we'll see how long that lasts

I will be kicking the year off with a couple of resin items that are just started ... and getting them finished, along with finally building a couple or three that have been "pending" for a while, most notably the venerable classic Airfix Vosper. By then it will be end-April and other hobbies will be competing for my time.

So Ralph, should I change your tag line from "staring out the window" to "incidental completer"

Given some health issues and whatnot, I have a draft plan for 2018:
#1. no more kit reviews; they force me to a schedule and standard I no longer care about. (I'll keep doing book reviews, but fewer.)
#2. no more than 3-4 items on the WB -- 1 major project, 1 from the unstarted stash, and 1-2 from the unfinished/shame pile -- all things that I want to do.
#3. group builds - only if they satisfy #2.
#4. display building - already completed or satisfy #2.
#5. cease purchasing models.

And, so, how am I doing on the WB at the new year?
#1. no kits for review, no bids out for same; one book review in progress.
#2. 1 major = for AMPS 2018 show, in progress, maybe too late started but we'll see. // 1 unstarted = the Cavalry Scouts for the coming Figures GB. // 1-2 "shame" = the Frog Shell tanker almost done, and the TR bust for the Figures GB.
#3. Figures GB (above). I'd like to get back into Blitzing, but other than that only the RAF 100th is checked.
#4. waiting on CBK theme.
#5. really down to special, niche, or fill-in a hole items, mostly vacuform and stick/tissue.

No real plan for me this year other than trying to build what I already have in the stash rather than buying new (yeah that's going to last...), and like iggie I intend to build mainly RAF subjects this year.

My resolution is simple:

#1 Build faster - Reduce that stash!
#2 Buy no new kits until my birthday in May.

Now, lets see how that goes

jRatz wrote:So Ralph, should I change your tag line from "staring out the window" to "incidental completer"

I'm just enthusiastic to work on a lot of kits that I've been setting aside and pushing off in favor of other projects. I don't want to do that anymore.

I may get bogged down, or maybe I'll Henry Ford the heck out of them. We'll see. I rarely stick to hobby plans anyway :D

For me it's to buy far less kits. Less than one per month and try and get more build time. Ie build more thsn one per month. Be realistic with the gb's I sign up for. Too many dnf's. Get a spray booth and use my airbrushes more. And lastly finish at least two big projects this year.

All the best.

Greg

Addendum. Get some real progress on my 1/1 scale projects.

For me, it's to get a proper paying job so I can spend more money and less time modelling, also develop a proper stash instead of the feeble handful I have now. And perhaps crack airbrush handling instead of always falling back on the hairy stick.

Oh, and to finish off one of my projects. All achievable goals.

For me its to finish everything I can on the Shelf of doom before June and work on only a few at one time!

This year my goals are similar to last year's:

1) Buy a model only if I know I will build it within a month of its purchase date.

2) Reduce the stash by selling off models that no longer interest me.

3) Start and complete 6 models (one at a time of course) - this includes any group/shared build models I do.

4) Reacquire a joy for the time I spend building. Last year I got caught up in trying to "be perfect" in order to impress others and myself. I can't do that to myself this year. I need to build just for the shear joy of building again and the "mind peace" I should get from doing so.

pmmaker

For me, I'd just like to be able to find more time to build my kits. I'm normally pretty disciplined - only one model on the bench at a time (might have something to do with limited space ) and I do normally push through to the end, though there has been the odd one that has to go on the shelf of shame.

But over the last year, I have come to realise how much my hobbies help to keep my sanity (well, as much of it as there is ).

I don't have any plans to add to my stash, but we'll see how that pans out. My other half kindly treated me to 3 kits that I wanted for Christmas so I shall be looking forward to building those sometime.

And last but not least, I intend to post more of my builds on the forum and keep in touch with what everyone else has been up to.

Happy New Year to you all!

I've just reduced my British Aircraft 'To-Do' stash by half, the rest are going into storage so that if I ever want to do a model of the aircraft then it's there. The retained half are the ones I know I really want to get done and haven't done before. I'm trying to change my modelling mentality to 'I have models but they don't all have to get done asap'. Hopefully this will allow me to focus on them a bit more and increase enjoyment.
I do have an operation planned for the end of January (31st in fact!!), and as it involves entry to my pituitary gland using the nose route I will probably refrain from modelling for a few weeks at least. Don't want paint and thinners fumes assaulting the entry point!.