Motivation to finish…
Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2024 11:18 am
by rwthomas1
Hello All,
This may be an odd post however please bear with me. I purchased a partially completed Sonex (A model) 5-6yrs ago. Kmacht was very kind as he inspected the “kit” before I purchased it Other than having to build a new flap, the airframe is complete. I converted from Aerovee/tricycle to Corvair/taildragger. Daleandee kindly allowed me to visit his Corvair powered Sonex and take a whole bunch of pics of his engine installation. I built and test ran a Corvair flight engine, the engine and I went to Florida and test ran it on WW’s test stand. That was two plus years ago, and then I hit the wall. The engine sits on the bench where it landed after returning from Florida.
Aircraft parts hang from the basement ceiling. Dust, boxes, and other items from being a father having an active family of five, have accumulated around the fuselage, etc. as time has passed. I think about the fact that a spinner, prop, avionics, etc. are the few things left to purchase to complete this aircraft. I have most of what I need, but can’t seem to get out of my own way and get moving. I don’t have a lot of free time, but that’s a cop-out. I do have some, I can make some, but I don’t. Maybe its the fact that I didn’t build the airframe, and to be honest, I’m not sure exactly what to do next. Some of it is obvious, but I’m paralyzed by the idea that I’ll screw it up and then have to undo it all.
Does anyone else suffer this kind of thing? I’m to the point where I need to either move forward with this project or liquidate it and move on with life. I’ve even considered hiring a pro, or a consultant, or something just to point me in a direction. I’d like to see it fly, I can see that in my mind I just can’t seem to connect the dots and move forward. Has anyone else had this, for lack of a better word, “mental block” with regard to projects? Anyway, thanks for listening. Have a good one, RT
Re: Motivation to finish…
Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2024 11:37 am
by Bryan Cotton
Ye gods yes I lived this. I managed to not give up. I should have been done 3 years before I actually finished. You need peer support, not technical but psychological. You are not the only one.
Finish, enjoy, it will be awesome. I promise.
Edit - look for my story in this month’s Sport Aviation. I mention this very topic.
Re: Motivation to finish…
Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2024 12:27 pm
by WesRagle
Hey RT,
Everybody goes through what you describe. It comes in various degrees but every body experiences it.
Here is how I get going again.
First, clean shop. Whatever you have for a shop clean it up. That includes cleaning all of the bits and pieces of the plane that are already built. I’m blessed with a lot of space. All that means is that I can collect a lot more junk while not actively working on a project. Here is a pic of one of two loads of junk going to the dump before I started on the Onex.
While cleaning up the juices will likely start to flow.
Next, get the plans out. Start flipping through the plans from back to front noting all of the work that has already been done. Keep flipping until you find something that needs done. Don’t do it right away, just take note. Continue until you know exactly where you left off. It may take several two hour sessions but that will get you back in the mind set and you will likely remember how excited you were when you started. Time spent walking circles around the plane and checking the plans is time well spent.
Next, pick something small that you can do that will move the project along and do it. Remember that 95% of the project is a simple matter of match drill, debur, rivet. The big exceptions to that are wiring and firewall forward. If you are stuck on that, just go ahead and hang the engine (with the tail tied down). If that doesn’t get you excited maybe it is time for plan B.
I do know how you feel. I’m in the throws of finishing a Bearhawk project that I’ve had for 15 years. Taking a break right now but will be walking circles around “Big Bird” again soon.
Good Luck,
Wes
Re: Motivation to finish…
Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2024 12:42 pm
by Bryan Cotton
The one thing that really helped me finish - what is the life lesson to your kids if you finish? What is the lesson if you don’t?
Re: Motivation to finish…
Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2024 1:03 pm
by BobDz
Bryan Cotton wrote:
Edit - look for my story in this month’s Sport Aviation. I mention this very topic.
Great article Bryan!
Re: Motivation to finish…
Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2024 11:05 am
by WaiexB22
BobDz wrote:
Bryan Cotton wrote:
Edit - look for my story in this month’s Sport Aviation. I mention this very topic.Great article Bryan!
Excellent article! You are definitely an inspiration for me to wrap mine up…back to work.
Re: Motivation to finish…
Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2024 11:43 am
by Bryan Cotton
Thanks guys! RT, I was right where you are.
Re: Motivation to finish…
Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2024 5:04 pm
by kmacht
Updating this post: after further discussion with Rob it appears that maybe both he and I have mixed each other up with someone else. He does not appear to be the one who took the tools mentioned in the post below and I’m pretty sure I’m not the one that went and inspected the kit with him. Sorry for the confusion in the follow on posts. Rob seems to be a stand up guy. If anyone does know who the builder in the northeast is that bought a used quickbuild kit I mentioned in the follow on posts please let me know.
“If you decide to sell do you think you could return the clecos and pliers you said you were going to borrow for just two weeks to start building while you waited for your Wicks order to arrive? I don’t mind helping people out in the sonex community but when you drop off the face of the earth right after borrowing something I consider that essentially theft. “
Keith
#554
Re: Motivation to finish…
Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2024 10:41 pm
by daleandee
It was about 8-9 months after earning my tailwheel endorsement that my Corvair powered tailwheel was finished and ready for test flying. I had sold my previous nose roller Sonex many months earlier so I wasn’t really current in a Sonex but the first flight went well (although the first landing attempt was a bounce and immediate go-around).
Some few hours later during flight testing I returned one day from buying fuel and made a horrible landing. The plane didn’t ground loop but it was clear that I wasn’t in control. It really got my attention. I came home and told the wife I was considering selling the plane. When I told her why she firmly said to me … “nope, you knew this was gonna be a challenge the whole time you were building it, now put on your big-boy pants and go learn how to land the thing!”
I asked what to do if I bent the plane and she countered that I had built it I could rebuild it if needed. I was humbled as my wife is smart, usually quiet, & calm, but now she was insisting … but I knew she was right. That was 12 years ago. I’m very thankful she pushed me to continue.
You have to finish this build. I didn’t spend all day with you taking apart an airplane and giving you all my secrets for you to abandon the project now. So as my wife would say … put on your big boy-pants and get this plane flying. You’re all grown up now and we’re ready to cheer you on and see it fly!
Dale
3.0 Corvair Tailwheel
Re: Motivation to finish…
Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2024 11:40 pm
by BRS
WesRagle wrote:Here is how I get going again.
First, clean shop. Whatever you have for a shop clean it up. …
Wes, I had to smile when I saw this. So many times I have gotten stuck with many projects and not feeling like doing anything. I’ve learned that in cases like this to just clean, and put away all my tools and sweep the floor. It doesn’t take too much cleaning when I start to think of things I was wanting to do. So then I go do them.
Re: Motivation to finish…
Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2024 1:53 pm
by rwthomas1
kmacht wrote:If you decide to sell do you think you could return the clecos and pliers you said you were going to borrow for just two weeks to start building while you waited for your Wicks order to arrive? I don’t mind helping people out in the sonex community but when you drop off the face of the earth right after borrowing something I consider that essentially theft.
Keith
#554
Hello Keith,
Are you sure you have the right guy? To be honest I don’t recall that happening at all. You went to Torrington with me to look at the orange Sonex? I only met you that one day, we went to look at the kit, and that was it. I don’t know why I would have borrowed anything at that point because there wasn’t anything to start doing immediately. That said, if I were you I would understand how you feel entirely. Again, not saying it didn’t happen, just that I have no recollection of this event at all. It would be unusual for me, as I don’t think I’ve ever done this before… All that said, if you are sure it was me, how do I make this right for you? I sure don’t want this following me around.
RT
Re: Motivation to finish…
Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2024 1:07 pm
by kmacht
Rob,
I tried pming you but it’s stuck in the outbox and won’t send.
I only ever recall going to see a partially built kit with one other builder. It was a quickbuild kit for an aerovee tri gear but with no motor yet. The person and I met at the parking lot for my job in East Hartford and we drove up together to see the plane. He ended up buying it a few weeks later. Soon after he asked both myself and another local sonex builder if he could borrow some tools as he was waiting on an order from Wicks that had things on back order. The other builder declined but I foolishly lent out about 50 clecos and a pair of cleco pliers as you couldn’t buy them locally. He then stopped answering emails and texts and I never heard from him again. It’s not that I couldn’t afford to lose those tools but it left a really bad taste in my mouth that someone could spend thousands on a used kit but then essentially steal tools to build it with. I’m currently out of the country and can’t easily search my old email and texts until I get back next week but when I do if it somehow turns out to not be you I’ll post a retraction and apology.
Keith
#554
Re: Motivation to finish…
Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2024 4:11 pm
by rwthomas1
kmacht wrote:Rob,
I tried pming you but it’s stuck in the outbox and won’t send.
I only ever recall going to see a partially built kit with one other builder. It was a quickbuild kit for an aerovee tri gear but with no motor yet. The person and I met at the parking lot for my job in East Hartford and we drove up together to see the plane. He ended up buying it a few weeks later. Soon after he asked both myself and another local sonex builder if he could borrow some tools as he was waiting on an order from Wicks that had things on back order. The other builder declined but I foolishly lent out about 50 clecos and a pair of cleco pliers as you couldn’t buy them locally. He then stopped answering emails and texts and I never heard from him again. It’s not that I couldn’t afford to lose those tools but it left a really bad taste in my mouth that someone could spend thousands on a used kit but then essentially steal tools to build it with. I’m currently out of the country and can’t easily search my old email and texts until I get back next week but when I do if it somehow turns out to not be you I’ll post a retraction and apology.
Keith
#554
Well, the situation sounds similar with some differences. I met you at a restaurant/shopping mall type of place, and we drove together to see a kit build (non-quickbuild) tri-gear Sonex with the Aerovee already installed on the fuselage. The kit had already been painted orange. Do you remember the color of the kit?
was it painted at all? After inspection, and your recommendation that I buy it, we returned to the parking lot and that was it. Do you remember the vehicle/color they were driving? I recall only meeting you in person that one time. We did have a lengthy email discussion on the Corvair and Aerovee, I have record of that. How did you deliver the cleco’s and pliers to this person? I went and looked at my aircraft tools and I only have one pair of pliers and clecos I’m pretty sure came from AS. Mine are like new, I only built a flap… Additionally, my email has been the same for around 30yrs, and my phone number the same for at least 20yrs. I also know only one Sonex builder locally that I have met, and that is you. FWIW, I have some fairly specialized tools for automotive work and I have lent them out repeatedly over the years, through forums like this, and they have always come back. I can understand why you would be upset. I just can’t imagine I would forget something like this, let alone ignore emails and texts. This is making me question my own sanity a bit, but I’m pretty sure you have the wrong guy. I look forward to you sifting through old emails and texts.
Re: Motivation to finish…
Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2024 7:54 pm
by kmacht
Well maybe we both have each other confused with someone else then. I only remember going to see one partially completed kit in the past few years. I met up with the builder and we drove to a hanger where it was being built to inspect it. It was a quick build kit with a tri gear motor mount but no engine. It wasn’t painted outside maybe the composite wing and tail tips but I don’t remember the color. The guy that took the tools came to my house and picked them up Are you sure it was I that went with you? I have no recollection of going to see any other partially built kits but have had numerous discussions with others online over Corvair’s and engine choices. Since it seems that this wasn’t you I’ll go see if I can edit my post. I apologize over the confusion and hope you do find the motivation to finish. If we ever get a chance to meet up at Oshkosh or a local fly in some year I’ll buy you a drink and we can see if we can sort out exactly what transpired back then.
Re: Motivation to finish…
Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2024 8:46 pm
by rwthomas1
kmacht wrote:Well maybe we both have each other confused with someone else then. I only remember going to see one partially completed kit in the past few years. I met up with the builder and we drove to a hanger where it was being built to inspect it. It was a quick build kit with a tri gear motor mount but no engine. It wasn’t painted outside maybe the composite wing and tail tips but I don’t remember the color. The guy that took the tools came to my house and picked them up Are you sure it was I that went with you? I have no recollection of going to see any other partially built kits but have had numerous discussions with others online over Corvair’s and engine choices. Since it seems that this wasn’t you I’ll go see if I can edit my post. I apologize over the confusion and hope you do find the motivation to finish. If we ever get a chance to meet up at Oshkosh or a local fly in some year I’ll buy you a drink and we can see if we can sort out exactly what transpired back then.
Wow, this is really crazy. I have the whole email thread, just reread it. You had me meet you up near Hartford, I parked at a Wal-Mart shopping plaza, we rode together. I would have been in a maroon chevy 1/2 ton or a blue TDI Jetta. So the kit we went to look for was in Torrington, builder was Nick Popovich. We went to look at it, fuselage was on its gear with the VW engine installed sitting in his garage. It is very orange, all of it. The rest of it was down in his basement. Old New England house with fieldstone steps down to basement. I have for sure never been to your house, although we were supposed to meet at your airport at some point. You, me and Mike Smith had several exchanges regarding me keeping or selling the Aerovee. I can forward you the email if you like. I for sure haven’t been to your house, I have no idea where it is. No worries about the confusion, I’m just happy it wasn’t me. I’m sure we’ll meet up somewhere. The Sonex community isn’t large. Take care. RT
Re: Motivation to finish…
Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2024 11:15 am
by rwthomas1
Hello again Gentlemen,
It appears that I’m not the only one who has suffered through lack of motivation, etc. in trying to finish a build. Nice to see that many of you made it through and are flying your creation. I’m starting with cleaning my shop, a bit of progress just yesterday, and knocking out the small projects that are on the bench. Already moving some of the stuff around the fuselage. Its a start. Thanks again, RT
Re: Motivation to finish…
Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2024 12:19 pm
by BobDz
I cleaned yesterday. My build is only slightly stagnated, mostly due to a nasty head cold. Which highlights one of many, many reasons progress flatlines.
Re: Motivation to finish…
Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2024 12:37 pm
by daleandee
rwthomas1 wrote:Hello again Gentlemen,
It appears that I’m not the only one who has suffered through lack of motivation, etc. in trying to finish a build. Nice to see that many of you made it through and are flying your creation. I’m starting with cleaning my shop, a bit of progress just yesterday, and knocking out the small projects that are on the bench. Already moving some of the stuff around the fuselage. Its a start. Thanks again, RT
You are more than welcome and even encouraged to send me some build photos and update information. I believe you have my email address & phone number. I’d love to see your progress!
Great to see you back at it …
Dale
3.0 Corvair/Tailwheel