Funny. Me? I stand there, sometimes with a box in my hand at the store – or creating wish list after wish list on Squadron.com, HobbyLinc and Spruebrothers and thinking – OH MY GOD, these things are way too expensive!
Having started my hobby as a kid collecting soda pop bottles (3 cents for 12 oz and 5 cents for 20 oz coke bottles for example), crushing aluminum cans (at 10 cents a pound) or mowing lawns all around my neighborhood with a manual push mower, every model was ‘expensive’ to me and today? Nothing’s changed other than what I consider ‘cheap’ and that’s only by degrees.
So I don’t have a stash and I don’t think I ever desired to have one. I have always been a ‘I’m getting this, that and this for a diorama and the rest I’ll make myself,’ type.
Now, miniatures for D&D is a bit of a different story, however I have my collection based on being a world designer and DM for a while, so I needed monsters, NPCs and armies, so I have a set of very sturdy plastic boxes from when I worked at AMD (semiconductor equipment maintenance tech) that used to hold parts for the machines. They came with very strong and resilient foam padding, that I cut out spots for each figure. I think I have maybe five of these stuffed with goblins, kobolds, humans, flinds, gnolls, giants, trolls, etc. that are still yet to be painted and a very large number of them that are, but need repainting.
I guess that’s my ‘stash.’ As for models, though, I have always been hunting down the models I wanted for a diorama or for a display I had in mind of a favorite plane, tank or ship. Most of the models I had are just – gone. I might have a few under the tarp/canopy area, but if they are still there, the boxes that protected them are probably mouse/insect/snake infested, weathered down to shreds of plastered sheet stock and possibly unrecoverable – I’m actually afraid to check for several reasons.
So reading all your tales of your stashes is both mildly amusing and a cause of envy. Not amusing like I think you’re all funny, but amusing like ‘I wish I was in your situation’ amusing.
I get to live vicariously through all of you about having models you’ll never be able to ‘build in my lifetime’ tales.
However, if ANY of you decide you do have to make room, I’m available for donations! LOL