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Building Tips and technical articles. => Building techniques => Topic started by: Bob Hunt on December 15, 2013, 07:58:16 AM
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The Dean of all model airplane magazine editors, Bill Winter, was also a great and prolific builder. I'm very honored to have counted Bill as not only a close friend and valued mentor in the model magazine world, but also as a trusted counselor for many of life's other challenges. We spoke on the phone quite often back in the late 1970's and early 1980's.
I remember vividly mentioning to Bill that for the first time in my life I was having trouble getting motivated to build a new model. Hey, I had a young family, a new job, and myriad issues that come along with those things; model building just seemed too strenuous at that time.
Bill laughed and told me that he had many times like that in his life, but also that he'd come up with a solution. He told me about what he called the "Purple Project." It seems that whenever Bill got bogged down with life and could not muster the energy or enthusiasm to build, he started a new project and vowed to do at least one thing on it each day. No matter how trivial the chore might be - even to the point of gluing on one piece - Bill would steadfastly keep to his self-imposed vow to work on that model each and every day. Of course, sooner or later the project became an obsession - as all our projects do in time - and he was re-energized and working on it diligently until it was finished. Why "Purple Project?" I have no clue; he never explained that...
With all the stresses involved with life these days it's a wonder that any of us can keep focused on a model building project. Perhaps we should all take a page from Bill Winter's book and just start building a new plane, and vow to keep the project going by focusing whatever smidgen of spare time we have available each day to bring it to fruition.
Another great friend and mentor for me was the great Larry Kruse. Larry is mostly known for his fabulous scale free flight models. Larry was the FF Sport columnist for almost all the 17 years I was the Editor of Flying Models magazine, and he continued on after I left that post to explore video making (The old saying, "Don't quit your day job" quickly became my mantra...). Anyway, Larry and I had this same conversation about getting and keeping a model project going and on track. Larry had a different take on that problem. Now, Larry is a very organized individual. He was the Dean of Admissions at Oklahoma State University in those days, and, obviously that was a very demanding job, requiring organizational and administrative skills to the max. He had virtually no time to build, especially during the enrollment period. His solution to the building problem was to use every available spare second in his home life to work on models. He would put in a few minutes just after returning home from work, a few minutes while his wife was preparing to serve dinner, etc. Like I wrote earlier, Larry was very organized, and he could drop immediately into the job at hand, work a few minutes, leave to do other things, and then return to do a minute or two more work.
We are in the Christmas season now, and building time is at a premium. It mat be almost impossible to focus on your new project during this season, but you could sneak in a minute or two while the water for the hot chocolate is heating up to a boil...
Merry Christmas - Bob Hunt
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I got back into modeling after a hiatus of more than ten years with just such a project. It's amazing how much you can accomplish on a model working in chunks of 15 minutes a day.
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Thanks Bob. I nice boost!
Dave
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Thanks Bob,
Bill Winter was one of my favorite writers when I first started in modeling. I loved his stuff. My struggle, as you probably know, was not caring whether i flew or not for the past three years. Didn't take one model out last year! A first for many years, by the way.
My attempt to overcome that struggle is to build a "fun only" profile that will take minimal effort to take out, stooge down, and flip & fly. I actually think it's working already, because I'm more enthused over this plane than any for a few years, and as long as I don't have a guitar build contract, that's what I'm doing. So...I guess I should paint this profile purple? LL~ LL~
Merry Christmas to you, too, my friend, and to all the other modelers here!!!
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Great story Bob. Maybe this will help me get motivated.
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Neat story Bob. I've really been suffering from "Motivational Difficulties" so far this building season, maybe I need to order some purple paint...
And Sparky, what'cutalkinbout, you've started and finished three airplanes in the time I've only been finish prepping the current project. It's going to be finished in maroon though, not purple, so I might still be doomed. :)
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Thanks Bob from the old DOC Holliday. Have two more theropy sessions and then I get evaluated again. Hopefully won't need the shots until next April or later. With Dave Trible finding us a decent flying circle I have been getting stuff out to fly. Then with George Hostler in town I was out for the last flying session. Working on a new project for an old design as soon as I get pictures organized will be posting on it. Anyway thanks again and MERRY CHRISTMAS. H^^
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Hi Bob
Thanks for the nice story as encouragement. I never had the pleasure of meeting Bill Winter, but I kind of got to know him from reading the stuff he wrote In M.A.N. for many years, and I liked him, through what he wrote & how he wrote it.
Hopefully I'll put some time in on my Purple Project this week end and have fond thoughts of Both of you guys. :)
Hope you & your family have a Blessed Christmas
Dan
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I have a plane that is 95% done and haven't been able to get to it in weeks. Need to do something.
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Go pet mister Big 'til he purrs then close your eyes and imagine that's the sound of your electric out on the lines - that should spur you on. LL~ LL~ LL~
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And Sparky, what'cutalkinbout, you've started and finished three airplanes in the time I've only been finish prepping the current project. It's going to be finished in maroon though, not purple, so I might still be doomed. :)
I'm on week 4 of an Ugly Stick build, and I'm almost done with the wing. Rumor has it that Phil Kraft finished the first one, from blank paper to completed model, in 4 days -- with a dope finish.
I ain't Sparky, either.
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I'm on week 4 of an Ugly Stick build, and I'm almost done with the wing. Rumor has it that Phil Kraft finished the first one, from blank paper to completed model, in 4 days -- with a dope finish.
I ain't Sparky, either.
pretty sure an Ugly stick wont help you for appearance judging Tim,, unless maybe you are going for the sympathy vote??
and are you using rubber bands to hold the wing 0n like the prototype,, cause they better be good or the bellcrank will pull it off VD~
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pretty sure an Ugly stick wont help you for appearance judging Tim,, unless maybe you are going for the sympathy vote??
and are you using rubber bands to hold the wing 0n like the prototype,, cause they better be good or the bellcrank will pull it off VD~
It's not for control line, Mark. Jeesh.
Although, a really well built control line Ugly Stick would certainly separate the "I only judge on workmanship and gloss" judges from the "it needs to look good" ones.
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Bob,
This is a great tip and works for many things outside of modeling also. I like to get up early, have a cup of coffee while its calm and go for a short walk. In FL this is easy as we don't have much cold weather to deal with. I get a chance to see where I'm at on a project and think through the next couple of steps, then try to pick-off at least one. I like to have a couple unrelated areas going so if I get to an issue on one particular task that needs to be thought through I can still make a little forward progress.
Best, DennisT
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Don't feel lonesome, I too get on the computer first thing. Check all the E-mails, the forums and Ebay. But, usually take my pills, juice and eat cereal while doing it.
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This is great advice for this guy..... who has procrastinated a decade away ::) Miss you fellas~ H^^