Monday, October 15, 2012

Being a project butterfly

P Class and 25

David asks: I follow your blog with great interest and note that you are starting another loco build. What happened to the TT gauge class 25 diesel that was on your blog ? The chassis and most of the bodywork were described but it would be nice to see it painted.

Good question.

At the moment the loco is sat in a box with all the other bits of the kit. A box it's sat in since January. As you can see from the photo, the model isn't looking bad.

So why have I started something different ?

Because I am a project butterfly. I flit from model to model, alighting on each one for a few moments before fluttering off to have a go at something else. I've always been a bit like this - juggling projects both as hobbies and work. If I stay too long on one job I get bored and since this is (mostly) a hobby, I flit when I feel like it.

I know this isn't the way to get anything done and I apologise if you've been reading and wish I'd crack on with something. Mind you, if you feel like that, do drop me a line as David has bumped the 25 back up the list. Sometimes it's nice to know people are interested. Also, it makes me take another look. I'd forgotten just how good the 25 was looking and how close it might be to completion. A bit of underframe, some grilles and it could go into primer and then paint.

The P Class has been kicking around for a while and I think it will be a pretty quick job. At the moment I need something that gets done and gets done fast. There is pleasure top be had from doing a job like this fast. Hopefully I'll see some changes pretty quickly and that will spur me on to do more.

The other, duller reason, is that it will get me ahead with blog posts. I've had a few magazine projects floating around for a while and there are more to come. Some of these will pop up hear but most won't. Thus, if I want to keep posting daily (it's a good discipline for me) then a project that progresses fast will help me out.

So, sorry if you are waiting to see me finish something. I know that the right hand sidebar contains a few stalled builds. I will get around to doing them. Railway modellers should consider themselves lucky. There is a Brede lifeboat that I planned to complete over 3 years ago. And then the Beetle 7 years ago. And my campervan needs to get MOT'd...

4 comments:

Andy from Workshopshed said...

I know this situation well, I'm similar myself. Often in my case it's a skills or techniques issue that stops me completing something meaning I need to build another jig or tool to move forward with a project. I also have other commitments such as work and family which influence things, so I'm mostly working on smaller inside projects at the moment.

David said...

The class 25, even though unfinished, looks superb!

If its any consolation, I also suffer from the butterfly syndrome and have plenty of unfinished projects.

Phil Parker said...

David - Thanks for the compliment. I promise, I will finish it eventually!

Jackofallhobbies said...

The reason I called my blog jackofallhobbies was because I am constantly going from one project to another. I finish some, and others become conversation pieces.
I think I have so many hobbies because one just can't keep my interest for very long. I know I will eventually get back to it.... eventually.
Keep up the projects, and I am glad to see at least some of the results.