Average time spent on model?

[Gotlift]

I'm mostly interested in learning to build aircraft models. I'm wondering what your average time spent to complete a model is? Thanks

 

[sunsanvil]

Do you mean actual hours or days/weeks/months?

I've often been asked how many hours one of my builds take. Impossible to say as its the sum of many short sessions, some of which overlap with other things (example sometimes I tinker with a part while partially paying attention to the TV or a conversation with others). Best guess I can make is 60 hours or so.

A couple years ago I was doing what I consider intense modeling, finishing four kits in a year. Lately other things have pulled at my time and I'm barely finishing one or two.

 

[VoID_1]

Like sunsanvil mentioned, it varies greatly.

I found that when I started off I only focused on actually constructing the model and didn't think to paint them. I ended up finishing models pretty quickly - maybe 5-10 hours max.
As I progressed and my skill level improved, I started incorporating more techniques (painting, applying decals, weathering) and being more pedantic about the final finish. Accordingly, I now spend more time per model - definitely 30+ hours per build.

Depending on how much time you are willing to invest in the hobby will determine the build time. I would recommend spending your first few builds focusing on the construction of the model and then move on from there.

Have fun with it - it is great fun once you get into it.

 

[Junkie]

Hard to say. That spaceship kitbash thing I did was 25 hours. The AT-AT dio was closer to 40. The pickup truck diorama was 7 weeks and about 70ish...hours.

 

[Grendels]

It really depends upon the model. I have some that have 50+ hours on the model and others that have only a few hours in them.

 

[spud]

Months................ Not going by hours.

 

[Beobachtungsbereich]

Last one was 110-ish....but mostly trial and error stuff ate up all that time! Getting up to par is hard work!

Regards

 

[Bizarre]

If I build OOB without corrections I can build a Dragon smart kit for 4-5 evenings, and then paint it slowly for whatever time it takes.

 

[MossyOakClan]

Between my career and demands of my time as a husband, father, and homeowner......It's hard for me to sit down uninterupted for a couple hours and work on a model. I usually piddle paddle at it for months. That B-24 I built probably took close to two months of just working on it here and there. It's what I like about it.......I can drag it out as long as I like...or not. Model complexity and quality play a significant role in determining the time spent as well.

It's all personal choice....if you choose to "bang it out"....you could probably put a handfull of model planes on the shelf pretty quickly.

 

[Gotlift]

Between my career and demands of my time as a husband, father, and homeowner......It's hard for me to sit down uninterupted for a couple hours and work on a model. I usually piddle paddle at it for months. That B-24 I built probably took close to two months of just working on it here and there. It's what I like about it.......I can drag it out as long as I like...or not. Model complexity and quality play a significant role in determining the time spent as well.

It's all personal choice....if you choose to "bang it out"....you could probably put a handfull of model planes on the shelf pretty quickly.

I hear you there. I have all the competing priorities that you do with an additional project that I need to finish. I'm building a single seat sandrail that is about 90% done (or atleast 10% left before driveable) that I need to get going on again. If I do end up relocating for a year due to my job then I will have a lot of time to myself for modeling. If not, then it may be a while before I can get started.

 

[the Baron]

Months................ Not going by hours.

Me, too. I'm currently working on a pair of 1/72 Italian fighters, Italieri's Re 2001 Falco, and Airfix' Fiat G50. I started them in June, I think, though I've probably spent no more than 8 hours total time on them.

My USS Pennsylvania build has been in progress since 2010, I think, and same thing--probably about 12 hours total time so far, maybe a little more. I have an Essex that I started back in 2006 or 2007, can't remember, but I think I've spent only about 4 hours total on it, so far (and it's only about 1/4 complete).

Well, it is a hobby, not a job, so I don't worry too much about my pace

 

[the Baron]

All kidding aside, though, I think I'd average 8 hours over the span of 2 to 3 weeks to complete a 1/48 single engine aircraft. I built a couple of Mustangs last summer (which I had originally started in 2010, with an eye towards finishing for my club's December meeting that year, theme was "Ponies") and finished them in that timeframe, in about 8 hours. Apart from having a lot of kits in progress at once, I have to account for steps in which I'm waiting for something to cure, like glued joints or coats of paint. I wait 24 hours, for example, between applying a gloss coat for decals and actually applying them. That tends to stretch the schedule out. And on that Fiat G50 I mentioned, I've redone the paint twice, because I wasn't happy with the results. That pushed completion back even further.

 

[Neo]

well my A-7 for the BSC here too me 3month minus 4 days... minimum of 5hours a week plus another 6 the week end

so 3 months is like 91days -4 =87 +-12.5weeks *11hours =138hours

man thats alot of time ... and his is a minimum im sure it took me more around 180hours !

but in general
1/48 AC 3 months
1/32 AC 6 to 8 months

 

[TBadger]

My BSC build took just shy of 3 months.....as in 3 days less : my build times should improve with better technique and having more time with fall coming

 

[Ziz]

I have the same schedule for all my builds - "eventually". It'll be done when it's done, not before.

 

[Quaralane]

My builds vary, mostly by the complexity of the project.
Some take loads of work, while others take only a few hours of actual work time.

Examples:
The X-wing I'm currently working on might end up with about 15-20 hours of actual work on her.

The BSG-47 Solaria I did for this years BSC was more along the lines of 35-40 hours of actual work because of the modifications for lighting and adding the armor.