Many aspects of model building are repetitive. These might be details or processes used across several similar models, or many of the same details applied to one model. Sometimes I will procrastinate completing a model because of all the same small details that need to be installed. Like installing 36 small brackets on a gondola. Those are the brackets in the lead image.
I learned long ago to first face the task I want to avoid that day. Get it done early and the day often goes well. I had put off these gondola details long enough.
After cutting Evergreen 0.060-inch wide styrene channel using a NorthWest Short Line Chopper, I faced the music. The first six brackets installed easier than I expected. You can see them along the side sill on the gondola in the image above. I applied a touch of CA on the model location, then picked up a bracket with fine tweezers and set it into place. Adjustments were done using a toothpick.
Bolstered by success, I tackled the remaining six brackets along the side sill, then the six brackets on the top of the car side. I set the model aside to let the adhesive set up.
I returned to the car after lunch and installed the remaining brackets to wrap up the model. I also added the K brake system to make it ready for the paint shop.
This is an ancient, out of production Funaro & Camerlengo yellow resin kit for a B&O O-15 class mill gondola. There were 547 of these cars listed in the October 1926 ORER, which covers 3% of the overall B&O gondola fleet. Of the four prototype B&O gons with larger quantities, only one other is available as an HO scale model.
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Eric – I once read a little book titled “Eat the Frog” that was about the same concept. Tackle that job you are putting off and the rest of the day will be better and much more productive.
Me too, sorta-kinda, I learned to just put everything else out of my mind, go to the hobby table, sit down, shut-up, and focus in the task at hand.
Works for things like doing your taxes too! I never ate a frog though!
This seems a simple task, but we all suffer from any excuse for procrastination. Craft kits can be daunting and I am always encouraged by your postings. I’m just finishing creating five Ma & Pa Jackson & Sharp passenger cars from bashed Northeastern kits. Every journey begins with the first step.
Thank you for this. Keep your reports coming!
For me, repetition means building multiple copies of the same car. Right now I’m building three of the Jersey Central’s iron ore hopper cars from scratch. I set up my NWSL chopper to make enough parts for all three frames, braces, and channel and angle side supports. I make all the side and slope sheets at once and then start assembly. Then I discover more parts I need and have to stop to determine their sizes and make them. Oh, yes, there are mistakes along the way; the first car didn’t have the correct angle on the slope sheets, so I had to start all ove again.
The one challenge with “batch” modeling is, as you point out, if you make a mistake, you’ve made multiple mistakes! 🙂 ….but the approach still makes productive sense when we have a long to-do list.
If you work with your hands doing anything, you will face this same challenge. Painting, carpentry, framing, electrical work, nearly every trade has its boring and tedious portions to its work. Cutting in around windows while painting and filling nail holes with spackling are good examples of slow tedious work. Like you did, it is best to hit the task running and do not procrastinate, turn on some music and the time will go fast. You will be ready to be rewarded with more interesting portions of the job at hand!