There’s some really good responses to this issue. I agree, the bottom line is to enjoy the hobby. This dosen’t mean you won’t want to improve skills and try new techniques. I am getting back into modeling after being away from it for many years. After looking at the skill level of many people and being intimidated by what I saw I seriously wondered if I should do something else. I am 66 and don’t have 30 or 40 years to improve. But heck - you know what - I just decided to do it to enjoy it and to improve as much as I can at this late date and in the last 2 years am surprised at how fast things have come together. The secret is to actually spend time building. The biggest thing now is starting to use an air brush. I live in a condo and am not sure if a spray booth and exhaust system will be enough to keep things safe with a hot water tank and furnace in the basement a short distance away from my work bench. I will be doing a major air brush learning project this summer out on my patio and will then have more of an idea of how an airbrush behaves. I have 6 1/32 Me109’s I got at bargain price built and waiting to become my air brush practice models as well as a few others. Look forward to the experience.
Well, when someone says “model building” then it is assumed that they mean building it from a kit. “Kit building” is what the hobby pretty much revolves around. I dont think modeling would be the same without kits.
He is right to a point, kits have resulted in scratch building being a smaller part of the hobby. Without kits all modelers would be scratchbuilders out of neccessity, but the hobby would be microscopic.
Agree with everyone here, snap-together, PE, AMS, OOB, resin kits, carved it out from solid granite, its all good for the hobby.
There have been some good responses to this thread. All the master model builders in my model ship club say that kits got them started in model making and most admit that they may not have become interested in model building without the kits. All scratch builders I know started on kits. This hobby needs kits otherwise as someone pointed out thepeople who enjoy this hobby would be small otherwise, and I feel there would be even less scratch builders out there as well as they would have had no kits to get them interested when they were younger. I have seen planty of kits that are out of this world! Some I have to do a double take to make sure they are really models when I see well photographed models. Keep the kits coming we need them and enjoy them along with scratch building. [t$t]
I build for my own personal satisfaction, and try - emphasis on the try part - to make each build a little better. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t, but each one is a learning experience. And each one goes on the shelf with a feeling of accomplishment and pride. And each one starts out as a kit, because I am a realist and mindful of my limitations. “What if” doesn’t get it onto the shelf!
HEY , DOOGS The picture went through my mind of me trying to hand crank my ex-police cruiser , Broken arm and dislocated shoulder anyone ? I agree with the comments you made . The fact is even airplane models became kits over time and the rest followed . Kits are fun when I am too tired to layout a new scratchbuild . So it,s into my stash I go . Sometimes I close my eyes and just grab a box and whatever I grab gets built . That spices things up a lot . If anyone thinks that kit builders aren,t modelers then I would like to see what that person builds and if it would pass my scrutiny . Remember I do this for bucks as well as a hobby . catchya later—tankerbuilder
I’m with Hercmech. I build models for my enjoyment. I really don’t give a damn what anyone says in this or any other forum. I like this site because I get to see some really incrediable model making efforts and I’m picking up some very useful tips and techniques.
That said, if anyone around here is too critical, he/she can eat my shorts.
Oh yeah, the remote control has really ruined TV viewing.