The Purple Unicorn of Hobbies and Special Interests

General Discussion General Modeling Discussion
1

I’m not sure about any of you in our forum, but just recently I’ve received just about every kind of response (except positive) when sharing anything related to scale model building.

It starts when friends or family get together. If its friends who are now retired they all want to talk about and share thier hobbies involving golf, beer, wine, old cars, trap or skeet shooting, etc. That’s when everyone starts sharing thier “other” hobby interests. When it’s my turn I bring up my enjoyment in scale modeling and everyone gives me the stinky diaper look.

Even family ask about my modeling hobby and once they ask they immediately go to another subject or just look at me and say, “Are you still doing that kind of stuff? I thought you did that when you were a child. I remember slapping them together and shooting them with my BB gun when I was young. I didn’t even think stuff like that even existed anymore. Why don’t you build or restore 1:1 vehicles instead? Is that junk really fun? Where would you find something like that anymore? For me, I grew out of that in high school”, and so on, etc. etc.

Nobody understands scale modeling anymore except other scale modelers. Almost nobody can comprehend the prices, time, or skill needed to complete a scale replica today. A few months ago I was at a hobby show and I overheard a (non-modeller) person ask a modeler if they would sell thier built contest model and offered them $50.00. That set of a reaction by both parties; the modeler was surprised first that it was not for sale, and second that the person thought so little of the model to only offer $50.00; and the non-modeler who was interested but ignorant to the cost, time, effort, and venue. Unless you are active in this hobby you would never know the costs, effort, and skill that goes into making a contest worthy model.

My older brother is a retired industrial engineer. He has restored over 10 classic cars, 15 antique tractors, and 35 classic motorcycles. Then he looks at what I do an tells me he does not understand how I can work on this little toy things. The funny thing is when he was younger he was the one more than anybody who got me interested in model building.

My brother-in-law is a retired professor from BGSU. He asked me what I’ve been working on in my modeling and as soon as we begin to talk about it he says, “Well isn’t that special”, and then moves on to another subject after just 1-2 minutes.

My wife puts up with me modeling in the basement because she knows where I am, I am banished to the basement, and she puts up with the lower costs of scale modeling versus 1:1 classic vehicle restoration.

I suppose after all of the local hobby shops closed this kind of turned in to a closet hobby. Your local hobby friends either gave up the hobby or you see then at the monthly model meeting, never at the local store anymore (because they are all gone).

The only people who can relate or care to share any interest in scale modeling are long distance friends I’ve gained through clubs or contests, or people like you in the forum. So I guess I should just say, thank you Fine Scale Modeler and thank you forum members, for allowing me to share the joys and challenges of my hobby with all of you.

It is nice to have a place like this to go…

Ben

2

It’s true, Ben, modelling can be a lonely place what with the local shops mostly gone. The internet is truly a support community, hobby shop and reference resource all in one; thank goodness we have it.

I don’t expect anyone else to be very interested in scale modeling beyond “I used to do that when I was a kid”. What it does for me is provide some very welcome time to myself, working on things that require coordinating eye, hand and brain skills, along with developing a better understanding of history, a favorite subject.

An amusing true story…

My younger sister, who has known me to model off and on all my life, recently told my wife that I should “get a hobby”!

3

Drums01 I know where you’re coming from. My wife and 3 kids are supportive, putting up with me working at the kitchen table at night, asking for their opnion for my latest build, and my always looking for a hobby store when we’re on a road trip. My older siblings,friends, and co-workers(I’m since retired) always look at me with the same looks that you get. When I wanted to start a model club at school for my students, my principals said that they were just toys and a waste of time. It gets frustrating but I’m at the point in my life when I just smile and get back to work on a kit. I’ve found that if you build a kit as a gift for a vet or someone else they sometimes get an appreciation for our hobby.

4

Egads Ben, that is awful. I dont have much support either but I dont think I have ever been treated in the way you have. I have one person in my life that appreciates the hobby and he is my brother.

Just tonight I was showing pictures of my current project to a long time friend and her wording was somewhat surprising. “That looks really good. It doesn’t even look like a toy.”

A toy? Really? That is what you think this is? I didn’t say all that but that is what I thought. I tried to educate her on the finer points of this hobby.

Ben, you can always commiserate with me about models, any time.

5

When I first met my wife, a long time ago, she didn’t understand either, calling them toys iwth detail. Fortunately there was a club just outside the base and my friend upstairs was a member, and built models when he wasn’t in his aircraft. She gets itg now and each year helps out with the annual Modelpalooza contest.

6

Although I can pretend, to be polite…hearing people talk about boring stuff like golf makes me want to find a tall building to leap off of.

I can manage putting up with it by knowing that my hobby is better than theirs. [:D]

7

My son and daughter have a mild interest - but I’m converting my son-in-law. He’s been building a kit here and there and I sent him my old airbrush [6]. Baby is on the way in September so we’ll see what happens.

I do like the forums - fun to see what folks are working on and all the great tips and online friendships.

8

My lady kind of understands, and puts up with my addiction. No kids or other family, and not many friends. One used to build vehicle kits 20 years ago, but not able to anymore due to Parkinson’s.

Any negatives, I just let slide right on over.

9

My friend restores antique tractors and steam engines. He is actually one of the people most interested in my modeling. Helps that every couple years I make him one for a Christmas present if I can find a suitable subject. (And he even has them displayed as well in his home)

Next up will be a Model T because he plans on building one within the next year or two.

10

My wife has been a seamstress for over 45 years so she is my go-to for matching paint on a build. She comes up to the loft and checks on my current builds and sometimes critiques them. She’s a keeper.

My grandsons, on the other hand, will not build anything. When they come over, they will ask about what I’m building now and what’s the story behind it. They will sit and watch me work but won’t try to do anything. One’s 18 and the other is 21. I’ll keep trying though I’ve been trying for years to no avail.

Jim [cptn]

Stay Safe.

11

Nobody in my family over here and in Japan builds models. I guess I’m the black sheep. Or purple unicorn.

My aunt in Japan told me only little kids build model kits, and that I should grow up and smoke cigarettes, drink beer, and play golf. A friend in Japan once tried to teach me golf, but after a frustrating morning, he looked at me and said “Neeru-San, this golf, not base-u-boru; no 3 strikes.” Needless to say I stink at golf, and I like it even less.

So, unlike other people with baby or vacation pictures or stupid tik-tok videos of their kids badly singing hip-hop songs, I generally do not share any model stuff with anyone except my model buddies. And I’m OK with that. And apparently so is the world.

12

I have a wife and two daughters. I mentioned to the youngest (and sauciest) when she was ten that I was in the same boat as another man at work, in that the rest of the family really wasn’t interested in what I was doing. She told me that that wasn’t true: she was very interested, as how could she properly make fun of it if she didn’t know what it was all about?

Interestingly, since the pandemic she’s taken up painting using acrylics and watercolours she’s “borrowed” from my hobby table.

13

I build for enjoyment and quiet time. Also, I’m hoping it helps keep my hand/eye coordination and dexterity. A good friend of mine, who is a dentist builds for the same reasons, so I guess I’m correct in this assumption. Also, the hobby ties in history of which I’ve always enjoyed. While I envy the skills of guys that can do full 1:1 restores of vehicles, engines, boats, etc…building a scale replica is certainly cheaper and I don’t need a garage just my workbench in the corner of my shop. I get the blank stares sometimes when I tell people that I build scale models but It doesn’t bother me. It’s my life, my time.

14

Many people still think of model kits as toys you assemble. And way back when, they were right. Tanks had operating features and often ended up in sand boxes. Planes had operating landing gear and some dropped ordnance. They were toys.

As a child, I could fully assemble an Aurora tank model kit or Monogram car kit in an hour.

Many current movies, Star Wars jumps to mind, still release model kits that are toys. My local Target had quite a selection of Gundam action figure model kits. Even had Bandai sprue clippers there for the budding model builder.

So while “serious” model builders are more the mainstream norm, there are still folks out there that think of models as toys. And model companies and retailers cater to these model builders as well.

15

I guess I may be something of the odd man out here. My wife supports my hobby activities, but does tease me about it, as do my kids. I don’t have much extended family that I associate with, so there is no grief there. As far as friends and neighbors go, when they come over and see my work area or display room, they all tend to appreciate the craftsmanship put into my builds, and say as much. I sure don’t get any ridicule about the hobby from those whose opinions that I care about. At least not beyond any good natured ribbing. And I’m fine with that.

16

When I get that kind of response, I point out that our Art Museam has a beautiful model sailing ship on display. I tell them I do the same kind of stuff.

17

I’m very lucky - my Mrs is very supportive & takes an interest in my models, to the point of watching build videos etc. with me. She built a couple of kits herself, years ago, and even has one on the Shelf of Doom! Other people tend towards the “polite interest” end of the scale, and that’s fine by me - I’m not interested in things they may like, such as football (soccer), rugby, golf, etc. Each to their own[:)]

18

People have all kinds of hobbies that I consider goofy, but my opinion should have no bearing on their enjoyment. I really don’t care if they approve of my building “plastic toys”.

Scale modeling is just one activity I enjoy. I doubt that anyone would consider it a defining element of my life.

19

Hi Ben:

Yeah, I have found except for short stints starting and drifting away from model clubs, that’s it’s an oft mis-understood hobby. Folks don’t have a problem with " Birders" ( Bird-Watching) Forging, Woodworking etc. They see these things as educational or instructive.

What we do? Nah! to them it’s a waste of time or nonsense. Yet they ,many of them anyway, will spend hours playing Video Games and such like Dungeons and Dragons or Age of Sigmar at gaming Clubs! So much so that the games have even drifted over to LEGO, MEGA-BLOX etc. or watching weird movies on their Phones.

No one gives a wit. We build in quietude and solitude. But we Create what in our vision what we see, would like to see, or have seen. I for instance build all kinds of ships from Pristine Freighters and Tankers and Passenger liners. Out of more than one media. The idea? To build it Like New and forty or fifty years lateer-Which for ships is a stretch. Then there’s the nautical " What-Ifs".

I also build models of Esoteric " What-If" Aircraft or those that might’ve Been. Then there’s my Cars and Trucks (Mostly Pick-Ups) that reflects my taste in certain company’s vehicles. Call it a miniature trip down Memory lane. Can’t afford to do it 1;1

Firstly I would need a vehicle that runs or tries to. Then the shop to work in. Budegetary constraints interfere with that. So Models it is. Besides The models can be( even while W.I.P ) stored in their boxes in the Garage or Closet! I do understand other hobbies, and even have dallied in them. Still prefer building models of everything I can visualize. From the local SuperMarket to a 67 VW!

During the years (24) that I built proffessionally for Lawyers to use and Film Studios to use that was different. Really? Well, Yeah, I was Making Money! The stuff I built for Hotels and Convention Centers, to display as an accent piece of a permenant 3-d display weren’t toys! Really? Could’ve fooled most of my friends who had a hard time believing a person could be paid for building Models of anything!

They also never had been in an Architect’s Studio or an Engineering Firm’s Office Where models were built for both Customers and Banks to visualize the project. ( they do most of that on Computers now) (It’s called Computer Modeling) I would Rather be able to hold and touch it, rather than visualizing it on a screen! Funny though, Those modelers don’t get derided or laughed at. Why? They are doing it on Computers, not some toy sitting on the table( That’s the way most folks think of it).

20

I guess I’m very fortunate, my entire family (including in-laws) are supportive and appreciative of the hobby. Neither my son (36) or daughter (31) model, but they like hearing about what I’m doing and contribute - at a recent flea market trip my daughter found a stack of unfinished award/decopage placques of all sizes and shapes, all perfect diarama bases for my 1/72 builds. I hadn’t seen them, but they showed up in the car on the way home. We also do WWII Re-enacting and I find the aircraft crews particularly interested in modeling.

I’m another one that simply can’t see the point of Golf, which used to drive my folks nuts. I used to get ribbed by the folks at work who would give me a hard time about not coming out to play a round with them, until I invited them all to come to one of my karate classes…