Does building or restoring make you smarter?

[iFLYblog]

I asked this question over on VAF.net and got some interesting responses. I thought I would put this question to a wider audience (not just RV builders, but all builders and restorers).

Does building or restoring make you smarter and in this context "smarter" we'll say means you are a better problem-solver?

[steveinindy]

I think it depends on how much actual "building" you're doing and how strict you're being with yourself. I know a few homebuilders whose problem solving might be better described as "problem causing". The Dan Lloyd RV fiasco comes to mind as a textbook example of this which saddens me more than I can put into words since Dan was a friend.

That said, I think it helps many folks in a practical sense with solving complex problems. Even just the design process has vastly improved my spatial reasoning skills and problem solving abilities (or at least that's what I like to tell myself!).

[Racegunz]

It made me poorer and several steps closer to single! LOL! Seriously I learned alot, and love MY airplane. Mine was more of a one-off so problem solving came for sure, but it's hard to say I got better at it cause once i solved the issue the next one was totally different. I have much more confidence for my next build and there will be at least one more for me. I'll let you know in 3 years or so when it's done.

[steveinindy]

It made me poorer and several steps closer to single!

As if I needed more proof that I have the most awesome fiancee in the world: she's helping me with the design and build process.

[Auburntsts]

That said, I think it helps many folks in a practical sense with solving complex problems. Even just the design process has vastly improved my spatial reasoning skills and problem solving abilities (or at least that's what I like to tell myself!).

+1. I'm not smarter but my problem solving skills have definitely improved.

[iFLYblog]

Thanks guys!!

[Frank Giger]

I think it's stretched my problem-solving muscle parts of my brain, but didn't really make me any smarter. I just had to work out solutions using the materials I'm working with, which is new to me.

I suspect that a lot of builders are generalists - good at a lot of things but not really masters of much at all - that like to tie different skill sets or ideas from multiple disciplines together.

Spacial reasoning + basic skills + ego + confidence = builder.