Fenster's Fresh Produce by Bar Mills

It looks like I'm finally rolling with it! As a side note, I acquired a resin 3D printer about 18 months ago, and so far, I haven't done much with it. But that's about to change.

When it comes to 3D design software, there are multiple options, some of which can be quite expensive. Therefore, I've decided to learn Blender, which is free. This is perhaps my fourth attempt to learn it. My brief encounter in the mid-2000s, trying to unfold some shapes for paper modeling, might count as an attempt. In 2018, I bought a video course on Udemy. I got through a couple of chapters but then stopped. The course was geared more towards game development and animation, although its description mentioned 3D printing as well. I found myself disinterested in texturing, lighting, and that kind of stuff.

Some time later, the company I was working for introduced its version of the Udemy platform. The selection of courses was limited to what the company felt we should learn. It goes back a few years, and I can't remember if I had a choice of several courses on Blender or just one. Anyway, the one I ended up with was more 3D design-oriented. Unfortunately, I didn't make it far either.

That brings us to today. The company I am working for now requires us to have a certain number of learning hours every year. They support Coursera, though. I was able to find several different level courses there. I picked one that seemed to match my level. Can't say I'm happy with it. It is heavy on texturing, but that doesn't bother me too much. What bothers me is the teaching style, or basically the lack of it. The instructor rushes and mumbles a lot. I try to follow him, building my own version of the 3D models, but I frequently have to stop, rewind, and re-watch the lessons. That triples or even quadruples the time.

In addition, I am going through the Udemy lesson I bought a while back. The content has changed since the last time, and the instructor has changed as well. I think the course is better now. Unfortunately, the time I spend learning with this one doesn't count towards the company's learning hours, so the motivation is a little lacking. Additionally, I bought another Udemy course that promised to focus on precision modeling and 3D printing. It is more in line with what I need. I have almost made it to the 50% mark. The other two courses obviously made it easier.

I have an idea for my first 3D design, but I am still missing a few techniques to achieve it. I might have to finish one or two courses I have started to gain the required knowledge.

That was a long intro, wasn't it? I don't really have much to say about the Fenster's Fresh Produce kit. That is probably why. Or maybe because I am excited about my 3D design progress. Anyway, I started this kit many years ago. I thought I had a post here, but I couldn't find one. I really loved the shape of the structure. I started working on it and then got distracted by another shiny thing. Then a customer at the time saw Fenster's on my list of started projects and asked me to finish it for him, and that is what I did. I hope the pictures tell a better story than that.

Pilcher's Arcade and Kone Shack by FOS

 As I approach the 30-month anniversary of not updating my blog, I find myself reflecting on the past and the familiar cycle of guilt and determination that often led to unfinished entries. If you're reading this, it means I have finally broken that cycle and succeeded in updating my blog once again.

Before 2020, and for a few months into it, my daily routine included listening to various podcasts during my commute to work. However, when COVID-19 hit, my work situation changed, and I found it difficult to focus on podcasts while working on models. This led me to stop listening altogether. Recently, my work situation has changed again, and I am now driving to work more frequently. This has given me the opportunity to resume my podcast listening habit, picking up where I left off about five years ago.

Currently, I am catching up on Wiley's Bench Time podcast. After replacing my phone, I wasn't sure where I had left off, so I decided to start from the beginning of 2020. Listening to episodes from the early weeks of the quarantine has been an eerie experience, bringing back memories of those uncertain times. There are a few more thoughts I have about the podcast, but I'll save those for another entry to keep this one concise.

In addition to my podcast journey, I've been busy with various model-building projects. One notable project was a commissioned build of the Pilcher's Arcade and the Kone Shack kits from the FOS monthly kit series. The color combination of the ice cream shack was a bit unusual, but I had a photo of the real structure to back it up. I probably still have that photo somewhere on my hard drive. Another interesting aspect of this build was the need to change the business of the add-on on the right side of the arcade building. Originally, it was an ice cream counter, but having two ice cream counters next to each other didn't seem realistic, so I turned it into a candy shop.

This 30-month-old project is just one of many I've worked on during my hiatus. I have a lot of catching up to do, and I'm excited to share more of my experiences and projects with you in future blog entries. Thank you for joining me on this journey back to blogging.