The STRESS of watching someone build a model railway on the 'net

[Harlequin]

I find that watching people build model railways on YouTube, and even following topics on here, can be a stressful experience!

 

They rarely do things the way I would do them! (In my mind of course, I think I'm right and the rest of the world is wrong when it does things differently. This is true throughout life, not just railways... )

 

So I get increasingly agitated as the "mistakes", as I perceive them, mount up and I feel more and more anxious for the owner/builder and the future of their project. Politeness and self-doubt usually prevent me from jumping in and saying, "Now I do not think you wanted to do that!".

 

I think I have a problem! But is it only me? Do you feel the same anxieties?

 

What philosophy would help me be at peace with the (wrong) ways that other people do things?

 

Edited September 4, 2021 by Harlequin

[Ian Simpson]

That's a fascinating question, and I hope it gets some equally fascinating answers.

I don't know if this will help at all, but I quite enjoy making modelling mistakes! I feel I learn even more from my own errors than I do from other people's advice. 

[Chrisr40]

Watch cat videos instead

[F-UnitMad]

1 hour ago, Harlequin said:

But is it only me? Do you feel the same anxieties?

Yes & No, in that order!!  

 

Seeing how other people build layouts can be fascinating, instructive and at times, entertaining. Certainly nothing to get stressed about!! Relax, man, it's a hobby!!!!!

[Allegheny1600]

Yep!

Having followed advice from many, many modelling magazines, from being involved in four different clubs over the years and from building more than a couple of layouts myself, I still didn’t think that I knew it all when I started the topic in my signature.

However, when I see others making much more elemental mistakes that could easily have been avoided by reading that topic or hundreds of other equally valid topics on here and elsewhere, then one has to shrug and say “they’ll learn, eventually” and leave them to it.

 

In other words “you can take a horse to water. . .”

[Flying Pig]

[Colin_McLeod]

Unless you are a teacher, you are under no obligation to teach people. 

 

Enjoy the videos/threads/blogs or watch/read something else.  No need to get stressed.

[Royal42]

I watch videos like that to learn and I enjoy watching them.  It sounds like you are watching to criticise rather than learn and that reminds me of those who get agitated at films and TV when the wrong loco, plane, tank or ship for that era is used.

If you are not learning from watching the videos then the simple answer is don't watch them.

 

Mike

[Harlequin]

1 hour ago, Royal42 said:

I watch videos like that to learn and I enjoy watching them.

Ah well, therein lies another source of stress for me. If the builder is doing things the "wrong way" in my estimation then I worry that other people will learn from him or her to follow suit and do things equally "wrongly"!

 

1 hour ago, Royal42 said:

 

It sounds like you are watching to criticise rather than learn.

 

Your presumption is incorrect.

 

[AyJay]

I think I understand where you are coming from Harlequin. Perhaps I can suggest an alternative perspective...

The person who never made mistakes, never learned anything.

There is more than one way to do something. I find it very helpful to see alternative ideas and I may try some of those ideas to see how good they are. Besides, as modellers, I think that we owe it to ourselves to experiment with alternative techniques.

Unless the technique being taught is potentially dangerous, or should only be done by a recognised professional (in which case you would be right to shout out), then I think its a case of allowing the viewer to try it for themselves and make up their own mind.

[43110andyb]

If your getting stressed watching model railways being built you want to try watching Darlington FC for over 30 years............... 

[njee20]

This is why I don’t post more of my modelling stuff, because I’m not sure I can cope with sucking of teeth and the “dear God man, why did you do it like that?!” comments, even if silently. 

[woodenhead]

I am the opposite when I watch competent layout builders, I think they are all so much better than me.

 

 

[westernviscount]

I am not sure of your personal modelling philosophy but I find that youtube just doesnt cater for me on the whole (i understand it is under no obligation to do so). Perhaps this is your problem also? I have found a handful of vids which genuinely engage me and I "identify" with but on the whole I am left cold. 

 

I am sure most would protest but I think some youtube modellers have taken their eye off the actual hobby and start paying more attention to the form and content providing. Perhaps this has always been the case with modellers creating layouts to entertain and appeal to exhibition goers. I get it, but that isnt my approach. I heard on a podcast (which I do enjoy) thqt the top starter kit for modellers should include tripod and camera!!! 

 

Also, there does seem to be a cult of "mistakes are my friends" these days. Yes we all make them, but must they be celebrated so heartily, and packaged as success in their own right? Acknowledge mistakes, learn from them and be honest about them, but to broadcast them seems a little odd to me and perhaps leads to them not even being noticed as mistakes. 

 

I recommend not watching youtube at all as the form has hidden stressors we might not immediately perceive. Youtube savvy folk might be able to offer tips on managing your feed but the word "managaing" and leisure time are not good bed fellows in my opinion. 

[darrel]

Sometimes I see people making things a different way to how I would have done it. But they end up with a good result so the next time I might try it their way to see if its better. Sometimes it is sonetimes it isn't. The good thing with this hobby is we are always learning new things

[tomparryharry]

I feel YouTube falls  into 2 distinct areas. Some of these 'tutorials' tell you that " this is the BEST way to do this"... Yeah, right...  Others suggest  "try this, and it should work OK".  As usual, filtering out what suits you is the key. I'm never stressed about model railways; The truth is, no-one is liable to die from what we do (I hope).

 

Whatever, good luck to them, I say. Even the 'barge-pole' videos have a use. "Oh crikey, , I'm not doing it like that" springs to mind. 

 

The really good models on here stress me out: Jealousy, I think. Due to diverse events, I'm absolutely on stop with  the model railway. My present sole activity is picking up bargains for my fully planned, but unbuilt 'Masterplaice'. 

 

Aargh!!

 

PS, the gent who released his axle modification on the Heljan D95xx is still very top the pile, IMHO. Short and very instructive. 

Edited September 5, 2021 by tomparryharry

[Derekl]

It is sometimes a little unsettling to see how others do things. An example is laying Peco flexible track, joining two lengths together without removing the chairs on the outermost sleepers so that the lengths slide together neatly, but leaving a gap to be filled later with a spare sleeper or two. It isn't the way I do it (I always trim the chairs on the outermost sleepers, and have had good results doing so), but I am not sure that I would complain about it - well, I am sure, I would not. It is also a pretty minor issue.

I also saw a YouTube video (from the US) of a chap laying Streamline in a curve and then joining the sections (about 4 or 5 yards, as I recall) together with solder. While a good idea for current continuity, this is potentially somewhat disastrous if there is any significant temperature variation. It looked like it was in a cellar, so maybe not a problem in that application, but potentially fairly disastrous in others. He glued the track down. I didn't say anything.

I did post a few pics and comment on early development on my own shed layout some time ago. It attracted little attention, so I have not bothered since. The one or two comments were complimentary and helpful. I was kind of wondering how I would feel about it if the comments were pointing out the errors of my ways. Once done, difficult to redo, but probably helpful for future work. If the comments were constructive, rather than offensive of the "you fool, you do not know what you are doing" variety (not exactly unknown on RMWeb), I think I would regard them as useful.

 

 

[Monkersson]

1 hour ago, darrel said:

Sometimes I see people making things a different way to how I would have done it. But they end up with a good result so the next time I might try it their way to see if its better. Sometimes it is sonetimes it isn't. The good thing with this hobby is we are always learning new things

Agree fully with this!  

 

Sometimes if Im doing something I'll try it the way I've seen someone on youtube.  Sometimes it works great, other times its fit for the bin, but as you've said we are always learning new things

 

I think the only railway modelling videos I regularly watch are Everard Junction's, I enjoy his presentation and the fact that he revisits and reworks stuff he's previously done if he's not happy with them.  There are lots of things he does that I sometimes suck my teeth at, but overall I enjoy his videos and always look forward to the next release.

 

Oh and his video of the Mk1 Granada he restored, stunning! 

[Nearholmer]

I’m perfectly capable of making my own mistakes when building layouts. Having had lots of practice, so have never watched a YouTube video to learn other people’s mistakes.

 

On the other hand, on very rare occasions, I’ve consulted YouTube on a ‘how do I?’ basis around DIY things, and got good answers. I would never in a million years have worked out the trick of getting a cover plate off of a microwave oven to fix a trivial fault without it, and I bet a million microwaves have gone the skip through people not consulting YouTube.

[HonestTom]

I think it depends. How are we defining "the wrong way?" A way that gets a bad result, or a way that gets a good result, but isn't what you personally would do? Did they acknowledge their mistake? Is the builder happy with the end result? Are they looking for advice? Unsolicited and unneeded advice on your work from total strangers, regardless of the intentions behind it, has a tendency to come across like this:

 

 

 

Many crafting channels on YouTube leave the mistakes in, often at the viewers' request, so people can see the pitfalls, can see how they can correct their own mistakes or just for the reassurance that you can get a good end result even if you mess up along the way. Modelling can be quite an intimidating hobby for beginners and if all you see is fifty-year veterans of the hobby turning out perfect results every time, it carries the unspoken implication that real modellers just don't make mistakes and there's no place for those that do.

 

[2ManySpams]

Interesting discussion. 

 

I stopped posting in my layout thread and had it locked mainly because of comments I was getting about doing things the way I like doing them - ie making stuff. I had comments about it being a waste of time when you would just buy things RTP or out of a packet. Also had comments about wanting to get the detail right on coach sets I was forming being pointless and elitist. Apparently it is wrong to enjoy making stuff and bothering with detail in many eyes now.

 

I was more than interested in getting helpful solutions of things and techniques to try. Also pleased to discuss the relative merits of different solutions. I wouldn't have progressed as much had it not been for this help. I also learnt and talked about various mistakes I'd made, which were frequent! I mainly post on another forum now which seems more tolerant but still look in here to see what's occuring.

 

On others' threads I generally don't comment on what I see unless I know the people involved. There are a couple if threads I join in with the banter, but that's encouraged. I will occasionally drop a PM if I have an idea but rarely make comments as large sections of the forum these days are more geared towards people saying how wonderful everything is (apart from the RTR manufacturers who get slated for everything). 

 

With regards to YouTube, I generally stay clear as, again, much of the content appears to be targeted to generating likes and hits. Occasionally you find a gem but unfairly they rarely get the coverage they deserve. Don't start me on Sam's Trains...

 

Grumpy? Probably, but I am over 50 now so it's allowed. 

[Chris M]

I have never watched such a video. As I get worked up at exhibitions where I see so many layouts that have have clearly been built on a flat baseboard it’s best that I don’t watch any construction videos. It takes me all my self control to keep quiet, especially when people invest so much into excellent model making but spoil it by being members of the flat earth society.

[westernviscount]

12 minutes ago, 2ManySpams said:

I stopped posting in my layout thread and had it locked mainly because of comments I was getting about doing things the way I like doing them - ie making stuff. I had comments about it being a waste of time when you would just buy things RTP or out of a packet. Also had comments about wanting to get the detail right on coach sets I was forming being pointless and elitist. Apparently it is wrong to enjoy making stuff and bothering with detail in many eyes now.

 

This is fascinating.

 

I have said a couple of times on different threads that the more "serious" modeller is likely to have a more live and let live approach. This is my experience anyway. It seems anyone being seen to be taking something seriously is fair game for sending up as a rivet counter, but the other end of the spectrum is lauded as not taking themselves too seriously and a few are celebrated for dismissing the hobby as just toy trains and of little value ultimately. Again, I have not encountered Chief Inspector Rivet Counter and his junior officers are few and far between.  

 

I think there are a few who will point to the lack of necessity to make things as a way of posturing about their ability to buy expensive things. This status signalling is at best tiresome and at worst discouraging and best confined to Instagram. 

[melmerby]

17 hours ago, Nearholmer said:

 I bet a million microwaves have gone the skip through people not consulting YouTube.

But there is always the possibilty that someone, who is not capable, will attempt something like that.

Microwaves can be extremely dangerous in inexperienced hands due to the magnetron supply, which can be around 1250v with a 1000W or more capability.

Makes 240v mains seem tame in comparison.

Leaking microwave radiation is also not to be messed with!

Edited September 6, 2021 by melmerby

[TheQ]

My micro waves go into the skip when they're dead, Norwegian parrot style, But then I'm more used to 4MW  magnatrons that bite from a distance... This ones about 18 inches tall including the red bit.....