I´m probably one of the worlds slowest modeller (I am probably the worlds slowest student of architecture as well, but thats another story).
It takes time to get things done. That Westinghouse Engine (WE for short) was started some 15 yrs. ago. But the problem is not that I am an especially slow modeller.
The scary truth is: I See High Thresholds.
First you have the usual tresholds: It is less hassle to surf the web, Its less hassle to read modelling magazines and books. Its even less hassle to go downtown for a coffe with Henning (Trondheims finest armchair modeller).
Then it is the “I haven´t got all the stuff I need to get anything done”. Sometimes it is just some small brass screws, a certain diameter of drills, a tap, a certain dimension of brass strips. The curse of scratchbuilding, to put it short.
But there are more curses involved in scratchbuilding. Maybe the biggest curse of scratchbuilding is that you have to design everything yourself. And how are you going to know that what you design can actually be built? Truth is of course, you can´t.
So maybe the largest threshold is this: I might have designed it, but do I trust the design? If I dont start the actual construction, I can always redesign the darn thing. I have to analyze the design for a couple of months. Wich in reality often means that I leave the project alone for a couple of months.
And when I pick up the pieces again, I have all but forgotten what I thought in the first place! Then I have to reanalyze what I have done, scrutinize old CAD-drawings, etc etc. This Paralysis by analasis could also be called circular design. Im trying to break this vicious circle, but its hard. Easier to write a stupid piece for the Blog.
But I try. I really do. I am getting to the point where I trust my former work. In the picture you can see most of the mechanism components for the WE, and I think the problem now is mainly to built up courage to actually start making the remaining holes for bearings and screws. Writing this I suddenly realises I have been paralazed again.
Heck, I just have to start. If I fail i just try again. I just have to start…
