Poll: Do you like building or launching more?

Back in the day, it was the launch. Now, I prefer the build. As others have said it is quiet time and a test of my abilities/skill/knowledge. I generally launch them at least once, but that is more like a final exam, once it done, it's over, time to move on... My problem is I like quiet time, a lot. The dogs help me keep the population down, mine seem to really enjoy the taste of balsa.

I build because I'm old school and still believe in the "Builder of the model" rule.

I launch because I like the shock and awe.

I often tell my friends and colleagues who "don't get it" that I love this hobby because it offers me so many different therapeutic benefits.

I get to build things....which I love to do. I get to learn things...which I love even more. I get the solitude and intense focus when building. I get the anticipation of seeing the result of hours of labor sitting on the pad. I get the thrill and excitement of watching it successfully fly. I get to spend time with some of my favorite people in the world every month. I get an ego boost when they approve of my project. I could go on and on...

Take any of those away, and this hobby wouldn't be the same. But most important to me are the bonds of friendship that I have built over the past 2 years.

Cheers,
Michael

Building or Flying - either one will put a smile on my face and help me forget about the every day BS. Not many things beat spending the day at the rocket pasture.

Building. As prefect, launching is rare.

I enjoy the building process, but after the first launch, successful or not, I enjoy watching them fly. A bad outcome means I get to go to the bench and work on them some more. A good outcome means I get to enjoy them many times over.

I get a lot of enjoyment out of building the models, but it's not really finished until it flies. I can't really separate the two, so I voted for "both".

I went for launching more so than building. I haven't built in 3 years, just have not had the urge to go to the work bench and put one together since I retired. When working always looked forward to spend some time evenings working on them. Now that I have all the time in the world, well lots more than when working, I just don't feel like working on them. I'll get it back I'm sure.

I prefer building over launching up to the point that I screw- up a complex rocket kit or scratch-build project; at that point I prefer launching over building up to the point where one of my pricey complex rockets goes Wile E. Coyote on me; at which point I go back to preferring building.

It’s the Ouroboros of model rocketry.

I also voted for both equally. I get the greatest satisfaction from building a tough project but the most fun from flying.

Verna
www.vernarockets.com
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HHJHOK6/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
https://www.facebook.com/RocketBabeDustStorm

I voted both, but in truth, it varies depending on my mood.

I swing both ways here. Launching inspires building, and building inspires launching. Unfortunately, those of us east of the Mississippi, have fewer days to launch due to rainy weather. I have a boat load of unfired rockets waiting on a maiden flight. Once that's done, I'll be ready for newer builds. My parts are collecting dust!

Building and flying just seems like way too restrictive a classification. I like designing, simulating, hacking OpenRocket to fix the simulation, ground tests, problem/failure analysis, competition, socializing at events, acquiring new skills, electronics work, glider flying, and machining, not to mention the pure fun of just pushing the button.

Its not the building or flying that gets me down. It is going to the pickup cab for a big cry after a really bad crash and burn. But then everything is OK and I get into repair mode. A little ice cream can also help on a hot Summers day.

Today, I was supposed to enjoy some Launching more than Building, but when I got to the Field, I realized it was too Windy to fly.
I came home, and started enjoying some Building once more again.
Weather has a hard time Thwarting a Build, but can totally scrub a Launch Event.
The Wind turned out to be a Blessing for a current build, as I had to play the Bondo/Primer Game.

Conspicuous by absence is the "design" option. I'd say that's my favorite part--with building and flying close seconds.


Later!

--Coop

It's all about building for me; flying is just to prove that I did it right.

JohnCoker said:

It's all about building for me; flying is just to prove that I did it right.

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Yep, that is getting close for me. I think though that the poll is inadequate because I love the design phase which isn't mentioned at all. I equally like design and build which are very separate things but when working on innovative platforms both take significant time. So maybe for me, the "Like Scale" is: 40% Design, 40% Build, 20% Fly (as John says, to prove it's right).

I love the building and quiet time. But there are times the pressure to launch makes it feel like more of a race. I've been working to get myself to stop that, if it isn't ready it isn't ready.

Flight certainly induces anxiety, but there's nothing like seeing a main chute blow out on the horizon...

Yea, roger that.

o1d_dude said:

I build because I'm old school and still believe in the "Builder of the model" rule.

I launch because I like the shock and awe.

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I still like to build, but when I am doing it for recreation, I like to fly more (mostly aircraft models, but more rockets lately).

I have been a professional model builder/design engineer since 1986, working for a large aerospace company that shall remain nameless...
Ergo, I get the enjoyment and satisfaction of building, designing, creating and on rare occasions, even flying stuff while at work.

Come the weekend, I mostly want to fly. Aircarft wise, I do about 90% R/C ARFs, some modified, some not and about 10% scratch building R/C aircraft. Rocket wise, I do a lot more building and a lot less buying.

If I am going to build something for fun, I have to want to build it enough to be willing to build and sand and prime and paint or finish in other ways on my days off, after doing a lot of that same stuff at work all week.....

I voted both because for me it is kinda the "Love the One Your With" philosophy.

When I'm building, I can't imagine doing anything else. When I'm flying, I can't imagine doing anything else. Unfortunately I don't get to do either often enough.

I have to agree with John C. on this one. As a designer, I'm always interested in seeing my end result make a successful flight. My end results are usually on the mark, but I have been wrong before. Here is a design that I honestly did not have any doubts about, but fellow rocketeer geeksteers questioned somewhat. This is Gyro Dragon. The orange and black model. Made like a tube finned rocket, but said fins were cut from a 4" HPR tube. A swept delta fin pattern wrapped around the tube as a template.



I didn't see a spinning issue here, but everyone else did. Not only were they wrong, but it gave assurance that two finned rockets will fly stable. Here's a vid also.
https://s343.photobucket.com/user/glbyrum/media/GyroDragon_zpsfc6532c5.mp4.html?sort=4&o=4

I can completely identify with all of the different points of view expressed so far because at various times every one has also been true of me. I viewed the two choices, "building" and "launching" as two very general categories that each incorporate any number of specialized activities and disciplines. I don't know that any single poll could really cover all of the possibilities in this hobby; it's just too richly endowed with them. But when anyone asks me what I like to do for a hobby, I always reply that I build and launch rockets. "Build and launch" sums it up pretty well for me.

Unfortunately, right now I have no good, close by place to launch so I'm mostly building more than anything. I want to launch but can't really do much but very small ones.
Michael

Gary Byrum said:

I swing both ways here. Launching inspires building, and building inspires launching. !

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Hit the nail on the head there Mr Bryum.
It be nice if there was a "Designing" choice.
Me..
#1 Designing
#2 Building the design
#3 Flying the design
#4 Going out for dinner.

You all have great points. But remember, the poll asked which of the two things you like MORE, not which is your FAVORITE.

If I asked you, "Which do you like more, apples or oranges?" and you said, "Peaches," you aren't answering the question. You are inventing a new question.

Hence my three choices. I like building more than launching, or I like launching more than building, or I like them about the same.

Someone else can create the poll for favorite, and include designing, purchasing (sometimes I like shopping and choosing more than I like launching or building), recovering (the walks are nice), etc. But like someone wrote, you'll never hit them all.

There's no risk in building.