coachmann Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 I can thank Oldddudders for kicking this one off.... I swear you build coaches in less time than it takes some of us to get the RTR box open! So I put on some 1930s music (Washboard Sam) , photographed the clock then started building just to see how fast I could build a coach ( LMS D1791 Period II corridor composite). The basic box (body) was completed in around 20 minutes.... At 55 minutes the coach and interior were built.... Stepboards were quickly fitted to the bogies so i could take a photo on the 1hr 5 mins.... The coach was well washed but then the roof took a while to drill and fit torpedo vents and rainstrips. Then I rushed outside (the sun had just broken through) for a snap with Mrs.coachmann holding the clock...! 1hour 25 minutes washed and ready for spraying. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 Huh, it takes me that long just to read the instructions - then twice as long to understand them. You are no stranger to this kit I presume? That is some pretty nifty work there. Do you get heat into the iron by moving so quickly? But I've never seen kit building as a race to the finish, it would take all the pleasure out of it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold gwrrob Posted April 15, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 15, 2011 You've got too much time on your hands. Unbelievable. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted April 15, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 15, 2011 Marvellous! Hadn't intended to "bait" you quite like that, but it does set a benchmark for the rest of us, thanks. Well done, Larry! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike W Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 Very impressive indeed! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted April 15, 2011 Author Share Posted April 15, 2011 Huh, it takes me that long just to read the instructions - then twice as long to understand them. You are no stranger to this kit I presume? That is some pretty nifty work there. Do you get heat into the iron by moving so quickly? But I've never seen kit building as a race to the finish, it would take all the pleasure out of it. I'm no stranger to this coach as it the latest in my range. Any pleasure I might derive is somewhat diluted when it is my full time occupation, but I do enjoy building for myself occasionally. In business time is always important, although I raced through it today just for this excercise. The LNWR push pull saloon coach I built on another thread took two days. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted April 15, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 15, 2011 That is massively quicker than I can build a 2mm coach of similar construction. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 Of course you could be foolin' all of us and at least 24hrs past between each photo, or you had someone wind on the clock (not involved with that lunar landing were you?) I spend all day building kits and Sometimes I just wonder where the time goes when I find that I have achieved so little. When SWMBO inspects what has been done at the end of the day she reckons I must keep nodding off, but if that were the case I'd have more burns to show for it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium mirreles31 Posted April 15, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 15, 2011 That's amazing, one huge slap on the back there coachmann . Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.A.C Martin Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 Simply stunning! If I could make things as half as good in twice the time, I'd be happy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted April 15, 2011 Author Share Posted April 15, 2011 Thanks for the slap on the back...Just what I needed to wake me up! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted April 15, 2011 Author Share Posted April 15, 2011 I'm truly disillusioned that someone hasn't come back with the news that they once had an original K's loco kit up and running smoothly in double quick time without being served an ASBO.......... and it only took them 2 years............. . naughty naughty.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micklner Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 Sorry totally pointless exercise . Why is there any need to rush a kit , as said before above how is their any enjoyment in building ? . Back to the enamel paint and drying times !! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy M Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 Now just wait on there a minute! I think a bit of independant verification is in order here................what is there to say that is not the same clock photographed on different days eh!?! And another thing...................if you are going to rush stuff like that, then you will just end up ruining it! Seriously though Larry, you are the man......you are the Coachman. Regards, Andy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted April 15, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 15, 2011 Mmmm, can't beat him, can't join him, might start a new thread "How slowly do you build a coach?" Looking at my trail of part / nearly finished models I think my record is 8 years Mind you the Bulleid BCK is probably only 2.5 years and I'm sure I'll finish it this year. I'd have to have a clock with day / month and year on! (PS if someone is good at something and has the time to do it that you can't knock them... carry on coach) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted April 16, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 16, 2011 Mmmm, can't beat him, can't join him, might start a new thread "How slowly do you build a coach?" Looking at my trail of part / nearly finished models I think my record is 8 years Mind you the Bulleid BCK is probably only 2.5 years and I'm sure I'll finish it this year. I'd have to have a clock with day / month and year on! (PS if someone is good at something and has the time to do it that you can't knock them... carry on coach) My record is the thick end of 30 years, started to convert 2 Mainline BSK's into a BG when they first came out, still haven't finished it. Seemed like a good idea at the time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwealleans Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 I have some BSL kits which I think I may have started before the children were born... and my eldest is 9. What I was going to ask, though, Larry, is how much of that coach folded up and how much did you have to solder together? If I remember correctly your floor/underframe etch has the ends attached so they just fold up. How do you do the solebars? Having an accurate etch for the interior helps as well; cutting all those windows out of plastikard because nothing's provided takes a long time. Of course, droplights etched into the sides speeds things up, doesn't it? Only four hinges as well? It does show how a bit of thought in the design of the etches can help. Roger Chivers' etched kits fold up extensively and they're very quick to put together as well. Of course most of a lifetime doing this sort of thing doesn't do any harm either.... I'd have been less impressed at how quickly you turned that out if you hadn't done it so damn well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Max Stafford Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 And there was me pleased at having started to build a loco on Wednesday night and having completed the loco body and mainframes by last night with no more than eight hours' work! Like others say, it's not a race, but it is nice to make progress in a task when most tasks in your professional life proceed with frustrating slowness! Outstanding work, Larry. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 The answer for me is usually 'not quite quickly enough to finish before the loco/ coach is announced in RTR' I hear that one Pete Waterman is pretty handy at a very quick and high quality turnaround, though.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted April 16, 2011 Author Share Posted April 16, 2011 Mickler : Sorry totally pointless exercise Not quite. If your boss said you could go home as soon as you have completed a task at work, would you ignore him and spend all day in work? Surely you must know coach building is my full time occupation, and so having completed a coach in 1½ hours my days work was completed......I had made my wages! The point is, it was a light-hearted thing while I had the house to myself. Had there been any cock-ups, telephone calls, visitors or call-outs, then the job would simply have taken longer, as it regularly does, and I would have recorded that fact. I just thought others on here might be interested to see things from the commercial side for a change. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alastairq Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 my first major hurdle is opening the box Followed by the reading of instructions.....usually delayed because I can't find my reading glasses. Which means things get put aside.....not to be touched for an age....[an age, in LOTR terms, as well] I firmly believe [from my viewpoint] that a kit should be completed quickly, in a continuous manner..... before the water goes off the boil! I agree with Coachman's sentiments....and regularly look forward to his missives. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 96701 Posted April 16, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 16, 2011 I thought I was doing badly with my Comet Mark 1, but I see I'm not the slowest. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin parks Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Larry, you built a coach in hour and twenty-five minutes?! I'm going to chop my fingers off! Colin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micklner Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 Mickler : Not quite. If your boss said you could go home as soon as you have completed a task at work, would you ignore him and spend all day in work? Surely you must know coach building is my full time occupation, and so having completed a coach in 1½ hours my days work was completed......I had made my wages! The point is, it was a light-hearted thing while I had the house to myself. Had there been any cock-ups, telephone calls, visitors or call-outs, then the job would simply have taken longer, as it regularly does, and I would have recorded that fact. I just thought others on here might be interested to see things from the commercial side for a change. Ah ha ?? how to do a commercial exercise, now that makes sense Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 I firmly believe [from my viewpoint] that a kit should be completed quickly, in a continuous manner..... before the water goes off the boil! That I agree with. if only it could be so usually I get just so far then find I'm missing something or have misunderstood the instructions (if I'm lucky and the instructions are of use) That usually results in another box being opened as another project box closes until it comes round to dusting time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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