Go on buying... though…

During the last months, I was a bit far from Modeler Site. I started pondering, as I always use to, about how long life lasts, what we expect to do along it, how many projects do we intend to face that in general we don’t have much time to spend on. This month, I want to call your attention on a fact I believe use to happen to all modelers, our collection of boxes.

In my opinion, the first stage of a modeler who undertakes this activity in his adulthood, is BUY, keeping the same attitude along the whole life in relation to modelling. Every subject that gets us excited, every project that calls our attention or let’s say everything we wish within the modelling activity, finishes in one way or another in the hobby shop.

Thus, it’s usual to see modelers that having been engaged with this hobby for seven or eight years, have gathered about 200 or 300 kits.

Making a simple estimate about how many years I think I’ll go on modelling per the number of models I build during a year, one can easily arrive to the conclusion that something doesn’t work. For example, if thinking that I’ll go on modelling for at least 20 years more onwards, and I’m able to construct 10 kits a year, then…20 x 10 = 200.

This means that at the end of 20 years and having built 10 models per year, I would have got an average collection.

This sounds like an utopia, Who can build 10 models a year during 20 years without making a stop?, and the new ones that will be appearing?, and if I want to have a sabbatical year?…or if I only build one kit a year as many model builders I know do?

And here, we face with the hard reality, our dreams will quickly turn frustrated when sooner or later we take this calculus into consideration. Okay, I know…I’m already frustrating dreams :-).

Here below I’ll list some thoughts about what you could do to avoid feeling frustration because you couldn’t build, everything you collected with so much love…

1) Go ahead and keep up buying!!!…:-), is one of most exciting aspects of our hobby, to receive a new box. You couldn’t deprive yourself, Could you?. Guess my answer…
Now then, think about the subjects you’ll choose, buy just what really captures your attention, those that although not being built immediately, may be devoted to other aims that will be explained later on.

2) If you’re building models, and your calculus gives such a ridiculous number like the one I offer above, you’d rather take a decision:

a) Build a superdetailed model per year, in this case you might collect quite a limited (as your life lasts) amount of superb models.

b) Devote to straight from the box projects, in this way you’ll add to your collection along few years, your most liked models, furthermore if you’re skilful enough, you’ll succeed in reproducing beautiful models with neither much time-consuming nor effort.

The decision is yours, of course, I just intend to show you objectively the number possible chances, however after having built models for more than 40 years, proving myself that I can construct very good ones, it’s time to begin myself enjoying from plastic…and not the other way around

3) If even after making your own decision on building straight from the box, your calculus is still ridiculous, you can choose between two ways:

a) Be a happy collector, there are too many; think it over what you really want to build and which kits you’ll get for collection purposes, perhaps some fine day, if you choose well or buy on the Internet discontinued subjects, you’ll come across a capital stock, it’s funny and you’ll get in with kits.

b) Perhaps, the most difficult decision would be, giving others to build some kits in commission. If you’ve enough funds in your purse, contact other modellers, don’t be ashamed; you can build yours, but at the same time you may be adding some items that you dream of seeing on the shelves, consult your friends or acquaintances, probably you meet a couple of modelers intending to try this work, and even with pleasure.

4)If you didn’t feel identified with none of the abovementioned, and you’re happy buying boxes, even knowing that you’ll not be able to build them… keep up that way!, and forget this editorial, because…

Plastic modeling is an amusing and recreational activity that lets us enjoy our free time, and, although for some people means the way to earn their living, it’s still done with love and pleasure, all the while keeping in mind that it’s a pastime that aims at helping human beings feel happiness, at last the main goal in life! Don’t you think so?.

That's a question I keep asking myself every other day.

The answer really depends on each of us.
Some people build models OOB, others love to add lots of details.
Some manage to build lots of quality models in short time (take a look at one of the forums members, Iskandana (if I'm not mistaken), who built around 50 models in 2 years.
Others, like me, have a hard time finishing a model per year.

I already got over 100 kits on my stash, and 100 of them are kits I would like to build.
However I'm not sure if I'll be able to build models for another 50 years at least, in order to finish 100 of them.

One day I'll have to decide which ones stay and which ones go. That won't be easy at all. :(

I start to like what you ar writing here every other week.

This subject is concerning me as well since I have the habit to collect interesting kits over a year and when the bug hits me - I resell them just to resart to collect various boxes...:banghead:

Cheers


Robert

Interesting thoughs are you offering us, Mario.

The cool things is that those ideas come on mind (whit a bit of frustration) when you have spare time to though of enjoy the stash (anyone know this activity? It's cool, take a 2-3-400 kit's stash, open box, inspect for PE, superb decals, dream for a second or two -sometimes you'll do it in the bathroom to skip time LOL- and close the box) and not when you're excited for the rare model you found on ebay or the latest news arrived in your LHS.

Well, I forgot the issue about how model I'll do in the year in front: I'm 40 YO, and I can't suppose how I have to live yet, I see friends die and 100 YO guys unable for sure to manage micro PE! Worst, I'm able to do one or two model/year so I must expect to have a 30-40 built models in the next 20 years, with a stash of 3-400 models, with a lot of multimedia "troublefitting" stuff :D

So I have not solutions but a couple of thought more:

1- try to be free by the "owner syndrome", in other therm, sold something sometimes, at least my passion is modeling, and modeling techniques, not few pieces of plastic, resin or metal in a box. When I'm able to leave a good model to go, becouse a change of my subjects priority, I feel good.

2- Sons. I got 3 kids. I'm trying to teach them, with words but mainly with my dealings, how much stupid is (FOR ME) this consumerism (sorry dunno know if is the right translation: I meant the way we live eating 10 time risources than we needs, working like mad to buy things that we don't need), and then they come to the workshop and see plenty of new models any months....
Ok modeling is my mainly passion, I don't drink (not too much at least LOL), don't smoke, don't play munny.... yep just excuses :D

awesome post!!!

This is relative to so many other hobbies, just not modelling particularly. Also has me thinking! Great post man.

Well....I keep thinking about this too...almost all the time lately. Mostly because my modeling time shrunk next to nothing, and I have plenty of boxes in my modeling closet.

It used to be worse though. Just like you, I decided to do some math one day, and realized that there is no way in the world I'm going to build 1500 kits in my life, going at a rate of 5 per year. What did I do? I sold 1400 of them. Left only the best and the precious ones that I will definitely build. What did I do with the money? I invested them.....in Hiro kits! I think I bought about 40 MFH and other rare resins.... Soooo, I'm down to about 200 kits now (I bought only 3 or so kits this year, as I've been doing for several years now), but I know I will try to build all of them....or maybe not - at my capacity of 1-2 models per year, I think I need to do another revision :-)

My purchase to build ratio is roughly 5 to 1. I'm 53 yrs old and figure when I die there will be enough kits to melt them into a styrene coffin!

Well to be honest I don't really get people that stock so much kits. I understand if you buy some special and rare kits, even if there's only a small chance you'll build it, but why on earth buy 1000 kits? I'll buy them because I can? Some people have the equivalent of a serious real car worth in models, I really don't understand that.
At the moment I have my biggest stock ever: 2 unbuild, 1 just started and 1 almost finished. When I walk trough a modelshop I sometimes have the urge to buy one, but then my selfcontrole kicks in and I leave it in the shop, go home and start working on my unfinished models.
To me 360spider did the most logical thing. Sell most of them and keep the special ones.
I think buying so much models has not much to do with modeling itself, it's more an addiction than a hobby.

I was talking to a very experienced modeler at a show a while back and he was selling some kits from his garage full of boxes. There was a nice and rare 1/12 there, and when I asked why he was selling it and he said he just realized he could not possibly build them all, and this one had to go. But he added that one of the main issues he has with all of those unbuilt kits is that several of them have become redundant when better versions were released. Definitely something to consider when adding yet another stock auto to your stash...

Well, Im 23 years old now, still schooling, and therefore does not have a fixed income to buy more kits. But in my collection, i already have 10 over unbuilt kits which always makes me wanting to build them now. But i also realised given my time no, with schooling as well as working in the near future, i may not have much time to build everything. But anyway, buying more kits is a pleasure as well as a hobby to me too.

Ro

What you have to keep im mind is that the kits usually don't loose any of their value with time especially resin kits which will probably raise in value in like 10 years. So it's not like you buy 300 kits and you have to build them or you loose tons of money... Just an example I sold a new perfect parts detail set which I bought couple of years ago. I figured I didn't need it anymore and I almost got 5x more than what I paid for it... better than any investment in the stock market lately :biggrin: :biggrin:

So I go for 4) (but without forgetting about the thread :wink:), I buy what I like or what I am interested in and see if it will be ever build, if not just sell it again :cool:

I buy what I like or what I am interested in and see if it will be ever build, if not just sell it again :cool:

Very true. Kits are a good investment. Most kits that is.

I just think there is no need to do any math, this hobby is FUN and it should be kept that way, if building 1 model a year with a lot of work on every piece give us satisfaction, beautiful!, if building 3 kits a week to fill the shelves is what we want, beautiful! if we enjoy buying 10 a month and building 10 a year, beautiful! If we don't buy the next one until we finish the model in the bench, beautiful!
My wife, after ten years of marriage, keeps asking me if I'm going to build my 400+ stash, and the answer is always the same: "No I won't but it is a hobby, and collecting kits is part of it (in my case), and I'm lucky enough to be able to do it, so I will, and there is nothing to justify, IT IS A HOBBY, IT'S JUST ABOUT FUN"

So, do not torture ourselves about the right or wrong, it is a hobby, just enjoy it and let it go the way you want...

So, do not torture ourselves about the right or wrong, it is a hobby, just enjoy it and let it go the way you want...
Amen!! :thumbsup:

I just think there is no need to do any math, this hobby is FUN and it should be kept that way, if building 1 model a year with a lot of work on every piece give us satisfaction, beautiful!, if building 3 kits a week to fill the shelves is what we want, beautiful! if we enjoy buying 10 a month and building 10 a year, beautiful! If we don't buy the next one until we finish the model in the bench, beautiful!
My wife, after ten years of marriage, keeps asking me if I'm going to build my 400+ stash, and the answer is always the same: "No I won't but it is a hobby, and collecting kits is part of it (in my case), and I'm lucky enough to be able to do it, so I will, and there is nothing to justify, IT IS A HOBBY, IT'S JUST ABOUT FUN"

So, do not torture ourselves about the right or wrong, it is a hobby, just enjoy it and let it go the way you want...

Well said Ramon.

Next January I will turn 40 YO and I have in my store 400 kits (1:12, 1:24, 1:20, and 1:43) along with almost double the number of upgrade kits/PE, Decals...etc. I didn't have time in the past to build them nor I expect until to be around until I retire.... I feel frustrated when I look to all these kits setting in the dark store waiting while my wishful thinking about building them all turn into reality which is not going to happen.

So I made following decisions:

1. Stop buying.... no more kits unless it is something outstanding in subject and quality. No more repeated subject from different manufacturer, no more road cars (buy a die-cast), no more kits which has no enginesdetails.
2. All low value kits that worth nothing today in the secondary market because either collectors/modelers won't be interested in the subject or there so many of them floating on eBay started finding their ways to my 2 sons how destroy them while they learn basic skills in matching parts to together.
3. Some of the same category of kits in point 2 will be donated to children and young modelers who can't afford to buy because they are in poverty.
4. Big kits will be sold off to buyers who prove to me they are modelers and will build them into something beyond what is offered OOB.... I decided to take a loss on these ones. Same thing will happen to the 1:43 kits apart that I will sell them at cost without making losses or profit.
5. Few kits which are either out of production or the manufacturer closed down will remain in my collection for future builds by me or commissioned to some one have the time to do for me.
6. Many of the expensive kits which still in production will remain in my collection as a long term investment and will be sold off on the right time. MFH kits form the biggest number of kits.

The enjoyment for me was in collecting projects (kit+PE+Upgrade+transformation Kits+Decals)... but the reality of life I don't have the time or when I have such free time it is dedicated to activities with my two sons... but they are growing up and I am getting older so some time this free time will become empty as they go on with their own choices in life which perhaps will give time to build one of these expensive rare few kits I am keeping in the jewelery safe.... provided I have the mental and physical health.

Next January I will turn 40 YO and I have in my store 400 kits (1:12, 1:24, 1:20, and 1:43) along with almost double the number of upgrade kits/PE, Decals...etc. I didn't have time in the past to build them nor I expect until to be around until I retire.... I feel frustrated when I look to all these kits setting in the dark store waiting while my wishful thinking about building them all turn into reality which is not going to happen.

So I made following decisions:

1. Stop buying.... no more kits unless it is something outstanding in subject and quality. No more repeated subject from different manufacturer, no more road cars (buy a die-cast), no more kits which has no enginesdetails.
2. All low value kits that worth nothing today in the secondary market because either collectors/modelers won't be interested in the subject or there so many of them floating on eBay started finding their ways to my 2 sons how destroy them while they learn basic skills in matching parts to together.
3. Some of the same category of kits in point 2 will be donated to children and young modelers who can't afford to buy because they are in poverty.
4. Big kits will be sold off to buyers who prove to me they are modelers and will build them into something beyond what is offered OOB.... I decided to take a loss on these ones. Same thing will happen to the 1:43 kits apart that I will sell them at cost without making losses or profit.
5. Few kits which are either out of production or the manufacturer closed down will remain in my collection for future builds by me or commissioned to some one have the time to do for me.
6. Many of the expensive kits which still in production will remain in my collection as a long term investment and will be sold off on the right time. MFH kits form the biggest number of kits.

The enjoyment for me was in collecting projects (kit+PE+Upgrade+transformation Kits+Decals)... but the reality of life I don't have the time or when I have such free time it is dedicated to activities with my two sons... but they are growing up and I am getting older so some time this free time will become empty as they go on with their own choices in life which perhaps will give time to build one of these expensive rare few kits I am keeping in the jewelery safe.... provided I have the mental and physical health.


That's the point I was focusing in!!!!, to take decisions. I'm 54 YO so it wasn’t difficult to me to understand why some odd answers to my post, I'm sure most of them come from newcomers to the hobby. I felt some reflection was done without to finish the reading.
I realized that I built 1000+ models along my life and will not be able to build other 1000 in the next 20 years ( if I'm lucky) so I had to take decisions about what to do with my collection. My post aims you meditate about that, as I received during the last years many emails from readers and contributors about this matter. This post from dude2000 looks interesting, you take decisions about your hobby, and realized that is to have fun, so no matter finally what you do with the kits, and share with us the freedom to buy already built models ( diecast), what is more or less I say in the post when pointed you could give the kits to others to be built.
Many thanks to all you for the rich answers.

If you don't care I'd like to ad a few words of my own experience and thoughts about that question, as I've just taken a big decision 2/3 days ago...


I consider myself as a "big collector", having around 900 models to build, either kits or TK upon basis (+ or - good models :sly: ) or even decals alone waiting for a basis.

I started buying models around 10 years ago aiming to build a 1/43 rally cars collection when in the same time I was starting building 1/24 kits for the pleasure of modeling.
then I bought many things, many good ones, many worse ones !

I started many many projects, models, kits, scratch etc etc but almost never finish something because next one was already calling me...
the more I start the more I want them detailed, accurate, realistic etc. And the more I can't finish something... So I start something else...

Today I'm sitting between two seats ! on a side many things to build, on the other side many things I seem not be able to finish, by lacking willing, energy, or even parts or documents...

What is the future of such a collection ? Is it what I thought to when willing to collect rallycars ? surely not.

Today I'm sure I won't be able (and it's probably impossible to) build a rally cars collection as important as I wanted to, as I dreamt I could have...

But what is the important thing ? a big collection ? so what ?
or pleasure to build something, to achieve something ?!

considering building an complete (as far as it could be) collection would take much more money, time and energy I really can give to a hobby, not my job, or should be a job (?!?), what would be and what is the most reasonable decision to take ?

I do want to have some of the rallycars I love, but I don't want them in a box...
I want them built !
and more than this, no pleasure to have them if I don't have built them... :eek7:

If I made this choice, I would have chosen to collect diecast !
maybe should I have done that choice ?
humm... :nono:

But what I like the most is modelling. So I have to get out of the idea of collecting, moreover collection something "complete" or representative of rally cars history.
I have to choose what pleases me the most, which models I want the most, which projects I'd like the most to be proud to lead to an end...

I have TO MAKE CHOICES !

I can't go on wasting money, time and energy to collect boxes !
If what I like the most is building, so it's time to forget the idea of purely collect something.

Let's choose the most interesting, challenging projects according to the cars I like the most and just sell back all the rest !


That's precisely the decision I recently took.
I'm listing most of my models to sell them, aiming to come back to pleasure to build, start and finish something I really enjoyed building and I would be proud to dispaly or show, not caring if I have the white one of the year before or the driver of the year after...

let's talk about modelling, about projects, about pleasure, not about how many boxes to build, how many models still to find (and buy!) to bring decals a life etc etc.

Today I decided I won't care if I have or not a model, even one I like, what is the most important is that what I (already) have gives me pleasure and fun, and gives a result, a finished model !
from today when I'll buy something it shouldn't be anymore to get it but to use it !
I will never complete a collection, there's no end to such one ! (except mine :runaround: )

so I should confess today I'm more happy to make the lists of my models for sale than sad...
it's something like giving a new start to my hobby. Even a new sens.

I only dream to one thing I haven't been feelling for a long long time and I only wonder if I'll feel it once again, the excitation to look at the next model I could buy and build after having completed all what I got before...
(Ok for that I should sell everything, but a kind of such excitation will satisfy me enough :biggrin: )
maybe opening a new box or starting a new projets will be this excitation, because now there will be a sens, taking model and projects one by one.

more than the question of what to do with a big collection (built or not by the way), I think it's important to think about the sens of how we practice this hobby and the way we buy, collect, build or not models.
that was the question for me.

Maybe it took me too much time to realize it, but today I'm not interested anymore in having more and more models, I want to have, lead and finish modelling projects.
because fun comes from what I do, not what I think I should do or have to do (or shouldn't have to :sly: )



that's what I think about the question. I couldn't say everyone should have the same wondering but having had it may help me to feel better with my hobby :cool: and getting back pleasure and fun.


thanks for reading
(hoping my english was understandable enough :screwy: :confused: )

If you don't care I'd like to ad a few words of my own experience and thoughts about that question, as I've just taken a big decision 2/3 days ago...

(hoping my english was understandable enough :screwy: :confused: )


That's the point Phil, you have to do what you feel it makes you happy, finally as I told in the beggining modelling is to have fun and be happy, no matter the way you can get that felling.