Global Scale Modeller

Interested to hear how others are managing their modelling time
How many hours in a week do you model?
Does it vary with seasons?
Do you have to sneak away from a significant other to get time or avoid chores, work?
What time of day are you most productive?
How much model related time on the internet do you spend?
Like to hear your experiences

That's a great question Scott, always interesting to find out where, how and why other people model etc. For me, I try and get an hour a day in on average. Some days it might only be 10 minutes and other days it might be a whole afternoon. I'm pretty lucky as I work from home and as long as it gets done, I can fit it in whenever. Family and chores always come first, plus I have other hobbies that I like to do as well.

I've never been a great sleeper and 4 to 6 hours a night is plenty for me - which is great, cos I've got more time to fit everything else in!

Good question

I'm lucky I get about 4-5 hours from about 11am to 3-4pm then from 6pm to midnight 2am ish. SO about 11-12 hours a day if i wish

When kids are in bed, usually 8pm-10pm or 11pm each week night to unwind. Although in the process of moving house so everything packed up and in storage until I move. So zero bench time right now unfortunately

It really depends - realistically I'm lucky if I get a couple of hours a week after work, family and housework. The heat at the moment isn't helping either, its just too hot by the bench (which is in my loft)

Pretty much any time I want (after work of course) I have a permanently set up work area, but I tend to do half hours here and there putting little bits together until I've got to put them all together and get the air brush out. Then I'll spend a couple of hours one weekend painting and back to the short spurts to weather and finish. But then I only build two or three models a year so I'm hardly a hardcore modeller.

Usually it is the last thing to do on the agenda. Normally it is after the evening meal and the chores are done as long as I'm not knackered. But then I will have periods of not wanting to for weeks. Yes sometimes I have to sneak away from the other half as she likes company.

Well I tend to do mostly half hour slots when I can, usually around the time Kym(wife) is watching her tv programme 7pm-7.30pm. She does work Sundays so sometimes i can put in a bit of time there. In total about 2 hours a week at the best of times...Wish I could do more.
Im lucky I've built a hobby room that Kym and I share.

My goal is a couple of hours during the week after work, then as much as I can (maybe 8 hours total) on the weekends.

That's the plan, reality is that after getting home I'm usually too tired and just want to veg in front of the TV and/or iPad. Weekend gets consumed by various other activities (aka keeping up with my better half). Then there are vacations/holidays on the road and soon hockey season. As an avid Kings fan and season ticket holder that's 80+ games from October to April, and hopefully more into may and June!

Then there is the uncontrollable, lately that's been heat, broken A/C and ANTS! Yes, ANTS. I can't tell you how many hours I've spent dealing with those buggers! This, for some reason, is a bad year. I probably killed a dozen in the last hour; there's one now:



Finally, there are distractions, the most recent being researching for a new large, multi-year project. I've sunk a lot of time into that over the last month or so; I don't know if it will ever happen but research is half the fun!

Well, today I finished up early at work and actually had time and energy to do some building... and now posting!

My modelling time is mainly governed by my work, I spend residential periods away from home several times a year. June - Sept is very busy for me so I struggle hence my stalled bomber build at present, take out these periods and I can get a good few hours a day. I also don't work set work hour patterns so it depends on the sort of day/s I've had long drives and hard days will deflate me so I tend not to build and have to fit in Mrs/family time.

I'm lucky though I've got a permanent modelling room so I don't have to clear everything away, it's all set up including the spray both. I can spend as much time as I like, my Mrs isn't bothered as long as I'm there for the family time which is well planned out. My Mrs totally supports my modelling, she takes an interest, has been to shows with me she's not so keen on these but who can blame her I also buy stash what I like I don't have to spin stories, hide kits or tell lies

Internet modelling time I guess unlimited as I can access it anywhere I've got a signal, I'm at work now although not working.

I guess it's the same for most who are not retired, semi retired or not working for other reasons, time isn't always my own

I'm definitely seasonal and will spend more time at the bench in Autumn/Winter than I do in Spring/Summer.

During the week my wife works alternate early/late shifts so will often grab half an hour on the evenings she's on late depending on what sort of day I've had at work unless there's something else to grab my attention.

On the weekends that we're not doing anything I'll probably spend a few hours at the bench while she's pottering around in the garden.

I usually get a few hours modelling time per week. I rarely model at my desk, instead choosing to model in front of the TV with my wife in the evening. I'll usually just take a tray with the parts/equipment I'll need for whatever I'm doing. I'll do this a couple of nights a week. Only on the odd occasion when my wife is out or busy I will sit at my desk.

As for internet time - this forum is about it for me, unless I'm planning to buy a new kit and want to check Scalemates for reviews and info. I tend to keep the forum open at work all day, and refresh it every now and then to see what's going on.

I'm very fortunate as I'm retired (broken and obsolete) and have an other half who is encouraging my return to modelling. She takes an interest in the kits when they arrive and happily listens whilst I babble on about them. She's currently studying music at uni by distance so she does that at the dining table, whilst I keep myself occupied in the lounge. The main hindrance to my modelling is the effect of chronic pain on my day (note to youngsters, all those silly physical mishaps you have now WILL return to haunt you). It usually takes a couple of hours for the pain-killers to kick in properly and even then the pain can sap my energy levels quite drastically. It's worse during the cold, rainy days of winter, which are happening right now in Oz. Unfortunately I've got a noticeable shake in my left hand that crops up when I've overdone it that makes modelling impossible. So the short answer is whenever I can within my limitations.

1. When my mojo is still going I try to get around 4-6 hours a week.
2. I definitely do more modelling in the Fall/Winter months. The Spring/Summer I am into my other hobbies more.
3. I don't sneak away but I do feel compelled to ask her if she's ok with it when she's home. She works 2-3 nights a week and a lot of my modelling is done those evenings.
4. Evenings after 8 are my best times.
5. I check ISM a lot at work and I have a few groups on Facebook that I follow so I guess 4 hours a day?