It’s human nature, we all do it. We have a project going – whether it’s a piece we are building or a piece we are refinishing – and there is a whole bunch of time and energy in the rough stages of the project. We keep carving, cutting and shaping it until it takes the form we had in mind. Most of the enthusiasm and excitement is used up at the front end of the project.
By the time we get to the end of the build or restore phase, we then realize that it is time to finish. There is always more that you feel you could do with any project, but there comes a point where it needs to get done. There is usually more joy in the creation process than in the finished product presentation stage.
Even if you are a frequent flyer in the spray zone, there is always a stress about it because finishing is a commitment…there is an implied finality about it. When finished, you are basically saying: “this is what I produced”. You always feel it could be better, which is what keeps you coming back.
So, how do we build confidence in that final stressful phase of projects? We learned early on in our woodworking adventures that when we are in the “process” phase, there is not much pressure. Anything can be changed or fixed during creation, so it is comfortable. The finish stage is different because that is where we “lock in” the creation. We are always nervous that we could ruin it all in minutes during finish, so it is uncomfortable.
Our advice to all who seek a more fun comfort zone for spraying is to do it more, and not on projects. Activities require practice to build experience, and spraying is no exception. Spray a bunch of things that don’t matter before you spray one thing that does. We learn when we play in spray. Grab a piece of cardboard and some water. Practice spraying the cardboard in a vertical manner so that you can wet the entire piece without having the water run. Find yourself some time to play in 2020. Happy spraying!