Bench Rage! Have you ever lost it?

[JARRNO88]

Last night I had a bad case of Bench Rage. I was working on a Semi Truck model that I have put alot of detail work and time into, I have about 2 years building time into it and I had just finished painting it about 1 week ago and started doing some assembally work last night. For about three hours straight everything I tried to do went wrong and some paint got messed up, some parts broken etc. I did alot of yelling and cussing and felt like smashing the model.Thank GOD I never did. My wife does'nt understand why I was getting so upset and says that I was acting like a little baby. I finally walked away from my workbench for a good while and after I cooled off I went and fixed some of the things that I messed up. I decided to take tonight off from model building. Keith

[robertw]

Been close...been very close. I've gotten to the point that in forcing something to fit I've broken a piece but never to the point where I killed a model in cold blooded rage. I've learned to walk away and then when I've calmed down to come back into the room put the model away in the box and not look at it again for at least several years.

eov

[philo426]

I have never smashed a model but i have had moments when I was tempted!i have yelled and cursed but managed to put it down and got back to it when I have a calmer state of mind which allows me to think of a solution to the problem.

[Kaleb]

I just about lost it today, I was painting the Chassis, or trying too with over-spray. Lo and behold the car pops out of the holder and falls right into a water puddle. Yes I have to paint outside. I put it back and went to read a book.

[Darin Bastedo]

Y'all Just need to chill...

[bigmikevee]

Hey Gang,

Darin hit the nail right on the head, if it is making you upset, take a little break, when it stops being fun.....then it is no longer fun.....and that's no fun at all.

If a model makes me mad or frustrated, I give it a time out and put it back in the box, because it must be the model, it could never be me, right? (Now that's funny!)

Mike

[SuperStockAndy]

I've never done it with models, I'm usually more patient with modelling than anything else I do.

However, I can totally identify with the feelings of the OP, and the wonderful sense of calm which envelops you after you've destroyed the object of your frustration.

Some years ago, I had a lawn mower which gave me only one attempt to start it, and that was only after taking out the sparkplug and dipping it some powdered graphite. If it stalled, I'd never get it going again until the next day. One day it got me so mad, I took revenge on it with the log splitter. Had never felt so good for a long time. The first mrs warra knew about it when she saw me coming back home with the neighbour's borrowed mower. She's never let me live it down, and still happily regales the story.

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

How can you kill an engine like that? :( I would've GLADLY rebuilt it for ya, but it's too late now -.-

Edited November 15, 2011 by Andy C.

[FASTBACK340]

One thing I've learned when it comes to model building:

There is a fine line between WORKING on a model and WALKING on a model.

BTW: Dude.... that Citroen engine would look great in a ratty little T bucket.

Edited November 15, 2011 by FASTBACK340

[Greg Pugh]

I'm dead serious now. If my wife would ever touch one of my models in a malicious way, that would be the end of my marriage on the spot.

X2!!! Holy ######! My wife knows better but so help me God.......

[CAL]

x3, she has threatened but hasn't even actually gone through with it. If she ever did, I'd be all done.

Otherwise, no bench rage here. I just walk away and do something else.

Edited November 15, 2011 by CAL

[Johnag4004]

Never harmed a model, but I did pop a desktop computer out of an open window...

[charlie8575]

Fortunately, I have no wife to throw stuff...

When things get bad, I either put it away and work on something else, or put it away and do something else altogether. The idea is supposed to be "this if fun," and I do my best to keep it that way.

Charlie Larkin

[Lunajammer]

Breathe in... breathe out... breathe in.... breathe out.... go into your cave. You are going deeper into your cave and you will find your power animal.

[sobpinstriping]

Breathe in... breathe out... breathe in.... breathe out.... go into your cave. You are going deeper into your cave and you will find your power animal.

Hahaha, awesome!

[Chuck Most]

Breathe in... breathe out... breathe in.... breathe out.... go into your cave. You are going deeper into your cave and you will find your power animal.

[Psychographic]

I've had this problem my whole life, now relating to models, I have this "This model or part will NOT beat me, I MUST win by getting whatever it is that's giving me the problem done. I cannot walk away, it's just not my nature, yes a major design flaw in me.

So far, I've only destroyed one 427 Ford motor and that's OK, I'm a Chevy guy, so you can't hold it against me.

Unless you're a Ford guy, then I deny anything said above.

[Craig Irwin]

Nope, just put it away and grab another kit, and pick it back up later.

[High octane]

I haven't had any "bench rage" in quite awhile, but I do remember in the mid 60's crushing a nicely painted Chevy Impala body in my bare hand after I messed up on painting the chrome trim.

[SuperStockAndy]

I haven't had any "bench rage" in quite awhile, but I do remember in the mid 60's crushing a nicely painted Chevy Impala body in my bare hand after I messed up on painting the chrome trim.

Bare. Metal. Foil.

[Chillyb1]

I'm glad to see the many responses and to see that so many of my modeling confreres have such maturity and reserves of self-control.

When I built as a teenager, I never got so frustrated or discouraged that I destroyed any models I worked on. And as an adult builder I quickly learned what to expect from different kit manufacturers. I'm not a modeler who likes a "challenging" kit when challenging means dealing with poorly molded, ill fitting parts requiring dozens of hours of sanding and other prep work. Fortunately for me, Tamiya makes a vast array of kits of subjects I really want to build; and even among their excellent offerings, I've learned to aim for kits from, say, the last fifteen years or so.

Once upon a time I got the Gunze-Sangyo rebox of Heller's Citroen 2CV and was excited about it. Later, after attempting to build it and being thwarted at every step, I acquired my first of several of Tamiya's version. Straight into the trash went the Gunze/Heller 2CV, and good riddance to bad rubbish.

I happen to think that the Citroen DS is the coolest production car ever made across all of automotive history. Therefore, the only game in town is Heller and they don't even offer one in 1/24!

I may have to revise my earlier equation to include some way of accounting for the difference between high expectations for and very low realization of some kits.

Edited November 16, 2011 by Chillyb1

['08SEAL]

I always have bench rage. Today I almost got it today. The body on the F-1 isnt lining up straight the way its supposed to. >:I

[62rebel]

only seldom does the fact that i'm frustrated with the MODEL itself lead to a meltdown..... not to say i haven't thrashed a few over the past thirty odd years. i'm a diagnosed passive-aggressive and that in itself means i have a smoldering fuse for a temper....

but i've learned that i can recognize the signs that i need to chillaxe and breathe deep and let it GO. or... have a heart attack. that's my choice of options, the doctor says.

[peekay]

In all my years of modeling I can only recall one or two kits where the manufacturer had considered assembly as a possibilty. Factor in my own stupidity and yes, there can be tantrums. But that's just the way I am. There isn't a cure and don't tell me to find another hobby - I'd get angry weaving baskets too!

[Harold]

About four years ago, I snapped so bad that I was finding small odds and ends around the apartment for the next few months. Earlier this year, I snapped so bad trying to find one misplaced piece that I felt like a complete wreck for about a week. And this is just a hobby (don't ask how well I've been dealing with everything that got burned).

[Junkman]

Never harmed a model, but I did pop a desktop computer out of an open window...

I like that. How did it feel?