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Author Topic: How many projects at once?  (Read 1042 times)

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Offline TheBaconWizard

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How many projects at once?
« on: February 05, 2016, 04:32:49 PM »
I'd like to get a consensus of advice from saber smiths with a bit of experience if possible.

I have just started my first build. It's quite ambitious for a first and I will have to learn new skills both to stop costs from spiraling and perhaps to achieve it at all, since sometimes a part or a service just aren't available at the time when I want to spend the money on it or whatever.

I am prepared for this to take maybe 18 months to complete and to be still tinkering with it and perfecting it after that, especially as I learn lessons and maybe want to go back and do something over again, better.

I have been considering doing 2 builds though, so that if at the time I have the resources and spare hours etc I'm stuck for a part, or at a dead-end for the time-being, then there will be something to do on the other one.

It will mean being more patient as my attention and wallet is divided, but maybe it'll keep the rhythm going and at the end I might have something to sell which would part-fund the main project.

On the other hand, this could be a huge strategic mistake!

I'd welcome comments and perhaps warnings from people who've done long-term piecemeal projects before. Two projects to stay in the game? Or concentrate solely on getting my first one built before I take on other things?

Thanks in advance.

J

Offline Das Ding

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Re: How many projects at once?
« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2016, 01:55:41 AM »
Depends mostly on wether the two sabers share a lot of aspects. If the main one is a high end saber with complex electronics and the "free time saber" is just a simple stunt, go for it. I did something similar with my first, had the hilt ready and built a stunt in it while waiting for components. Then emptied the hilt and built the one i wanted when i had everything.
If they are both supposed to be complex, either externally or internally, I'd recommend finishing your first saber before starting another. If you do two at the same time you might cause a problem early on and notice it very late, causing you to start both builds over. If you just focus on one, any problems that force you to start over will only affect the one saber and you learn something for the next. Also any skills you learn for the first are then available for the 2nd, making it even more awesome ;)

Offline Greebles

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Re: How many projects at once?
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2016, 09:53:40 AM »
For my first build I stuck with just the one. Once I completed that and had more confidence I started two more advanced builds so that I could switch between them. Now I tend to have 3 to 4 in progress at a time ranging from "simple" installs to fully custom machined full core reveals. I move between them when I am waiting on parts, tooling, stuck on a problem or lack time. My builds are on the advanced side (custom machined hilts, reveal cores, etc.) so they take me 6-9 months each.

My suggestion is to start small and add builds as your skill and confidence grows. Keep pushing yourself with each new build. The downfall of having several build in progress at once is that it takes longer to get any one of them done.

Also be warned this can be an expensive hobby especially if you decide to machine your own parts. I have been in this hobby for about 3 years now and have spent nearly $15000. Much of that money was spent on tools (Lathe, milling machine and related tooling.)

-Denzil
« Last Edit: February 07, 2016, 09:56:45 AM by Greebles »

Offline Scorpion

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Re: How many projects at once?
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2016, 11:12:53 AM »
I usually have 2 to 3 on the go at once as usually when the next one comes along the last one is not finished,
Once I had 5 on the go but costs get silly
So I try to stick to 2 or so


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Offline darth hondo

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Re: How many projects at once?
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2016, 08:07:24 PM »

Also be warned this can be an expensive hobby especially if you decide to machine your own parts. I have been in this hobby for about 3 years now and have spent nearly $15000. Much of that money was spent on tools (Lathe, milling machine and related tooling.)

-Denzil

No kidding. It is an expensive and time consuming hobby for sure. A black hole of a hobby. Lol. For $15K you could have commissioned 7-10 high end sabers but probably not as satisfying.


Offline Onli-Won Kanomi

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Re: How many projects at once?
« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2016, 08:35:55 PM »
If you are new it certainly doesn't hurt to build a simple stunt in advance of a full bells-and-whistles build...or work your way up to that through several 'steps' of progressively more complex sabers e.g. stunt -> NB -> PC -> CF. The skills and confidence you build with simpler sabers will carry over to the more complex ones. And because this hobby can sometimes take a lot of patience when parts are out of stock etc it can be good to have another saber that one can feel one is 'making progress' on to offset the frustration with the build that one may have to wait to continue work on.
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Offline Greebles

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Re: How many projects at once?
« Reply #6 on: February 08, 2016, 05:18:01 AM »
No kidding. It is an expensive and time consuming hobby for sure. A black hole of a hobby. Lol. For $15K you could have commissioned 7-10 high end sabers but probably not as satisfying.

Admittedly I would not have spent that much if I was just buying hilts from runs and doing installs. Most of that was spent on a lathe and milling machine. 1/3 of my garage has turned into a mini machine shop. :)

-Denzil

Offline Iggy

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Re: How many projects at once?
« Reply #7 on: February 08, 2016, 05:36:57 AM »
I would say start and finish one, then go crazy.  :cheesy:

Once you get one under your belt, everything will change a bit with the way you tackle your other project.

Right now, I have 10+ sabers in progress with varying stages or progression. (Some are just waiting for me to sit down and install, others still need machining).

I also seem to have another 8-10 prop projects in progress and another 8 costume pieces to finish (clone trooper armor, other 501st builds, etc.)

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Offline Sethski

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Re: How many projects at once?
« Reply #8 on: February 08, 2016, 06:11:52 AM »
I'm in similar boat in some respects and have planned and started fabrication on my first custom from scratch build, having done installs and mods to off the shelf hilts before now.(Look forward to sharing in near future when it's come along a bit)

I've actually been keeping a log of expenditure and breakdown of hours spent and categorizations for this (research, design, process planning, sourcing parts and materials, tests, fabrication) which might seem a bit much, but has taught me a lot that's really helpful to apply to second build - useful knowledge that I'd be much less able to apply if I was doing 2 simultaneous builds. If I had a lot of free time and was looking at days or a short number of weeks, this wouldn't be a big deal, but defo glad to be doing one at a time where it's going into weeks and months. It also gives me an idea of time and costs if I look to making sabers to sell in future. A plus of working on more than one saber I can see is that, if making more than one part (or basis for a part), I've found a much larger proprtion of time than I anticipated has been in setting up work holding and tooling on my small lathe and mill for a particular part or operation, so something to be said for making multiples of parts there.

I've also been learning a lot that I just didn't anticipate until I got to starting the actual fabrication and found oversights in my planning, which has resulted in a bit of avoidable use of time and metal and offers lessons for next build.

Like you, I'm in the UK, and ordered a bunch of aluminium from Aluminium Warehouse - ordering a good amount offsets the cost of collection (if you're nearby like me) or delivery. This also means that I have the opportunity to work on simpler sabers if I have to put my main build on hold for a bit (and simple doesn't have to mean crappy - take the Kota design for example - pretty simple, but looks awesome).

So from my experience, and echoing some of what others have written, I'd recommend sticking one relatively complex/ambitious build so you can carry what you've learnt to the next build and doing some 'playing' on simple hilt designs if you have spare time or time gaps waiting on parts during your main project. Certainly when the build involves a lot of learning and new processes.

Of course, that's just putting forward some of the pros of what works for me and there's a huge personal aspect to it. Worth considering how you manage to juggle more than one project in other contexts like work, study, family, etc. I tend to focus on one thing a bit obsessively and give it my best when circumstances allow and don't work so well or enjoy when I'm working on more than one thing simultaneously, but others thrive on this, so that might (or might not) suit you better.

Offline TheBaconWizard

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Re: How many projects at once?
« Reply #9 on: February 08, 2016, 08:30:29 AM »
Cheers peeps, this is all useful stuff :)

 

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