I am a 60 year old disabled balding fat guy that sounds like a cattle stampede across acres of bubblewrap when I get out of bed, getting back into the hobby after 45 years. Loved modeling when I was kid, but life intruded. Nowadays, since I physically can’t do many of the things I love, I’ve jumped back into modeling with both feet. I’m going to build ships, planes, and armor that I’ve experienced in person over the years, followed by things that interest me. I may revisit some of the models I built when I was a kid, although the price of vintage models is shocking. That should keep me busy until I croak.
There is hope for the hobby. I’ve got a nephew of 15 that loves Star Wars and Lego, and I’m getting him into model building. I got him one of those paper models of a star destroyer that he’s building right now. Waaaay better than spending his time on “screens.” I think that one of the biggest obstacles to growth in the hobby is the lack of physical hobby stores. The kids don’t get exposed to it unless one of us geezers show them how much fun it can be.
I’m still in the acquisition of tools phase, though that is slowing, so cost per model is now coming down. I love working with my hands, doing research, problem solving and the like, as it keeps my mind agile. Additionally, this is the first time that I’ve interacted in any type of forum. I’ve lurked, but now that I’m actively participating in the discussions, I’m finding it very fulfilling. Thank you everyone for that.
Ha ha that’s a perfect picture of my life as well:rofl:
I have resin kits and printed kit mods.
I’ve been putting off building the resin ouragon for a while, I wanted a little more experience.
I am 48 and I have been building since I was 7yrs old. I was introduced to the hobby by my dad who still builds at 84!
Like most, life, work and family came into play and my bench time became more scarce.
However when my oldest son came along, at 6, I got him a snap tite kit and introduced him to my bench.
He thoroughly enjoyed the build and now at 19, he still builds.
He graduated last year from high school and again like us, girls, work and cars have occupied his time. However, he gets to the bench at least once or twice a week.
I also have a daughter who is 8 and like I did with my son, I introduced her to a snap tite kit, a Revell Mustang in fact.
She too enjoyed it and from time to time will tinker with a snap tite kit or just comes down to hang out with me at the bench.
In this scenario, this helps keep our hobby alive by showing and introducing our kids to it but never force or push em as they will loose interest in a heart beat.
I am currently the president of our local model club and for the past three years, we have picked up five junior moldelers, from 14 to 17 years of age.
It is definitely great to see the younger kids interested in this hobby and it is very promising that this hobby will continue.
This is another great thread and the poll is very eye opening in regards to the age range!
Happy Modeling,
Mike
Official stance:
Old enough to know better…and young enough not to care.
Unofficially:
Happy that I can buy kits without having to justify a damned thing and use the phrase… " Because I want it !"
I’m 76 and have doing models for 65 years
You are getting excellent mileage Terry, and welcome to the forums!
I’m 76 and have been building WWII planes. i have trouble with shaking and my eyes blurr but I’m happy and love models. i enjoy all the articles here. thank you
I’m 20, but that’s because I’ve started giving my age in Celsius.
Antique Troy, you are a genius! Using your age calculation system, I’m only 16!
don’t know how to respond to some of the comments but up figure it out
Yeah, I have done both, been into trains and early revell models for about 50 years. Sold my trains because the train hobby got too expensive, 500.00 for an engine, I can buy a lot of vintage revell and minicraft models for that, just saying…
I like that, my thoughts exactly.
I disagree. I don’t think the ages of FSM members is directly related to the state of the hobby. I think it says more about the age of people who still use Internet forums. Younger people are using other media than forums.
We can get a better idea of the health of the modeling hobby when we look at subjects other than historical, auto, airplane, and ships. There is a lot of interest in sci-fi and mecha, for example, and judging from the number of shows in the fantasy wargame and sci-fi genres, and the number of people who attend them, I think the hobby is doing pretty well. Also, we need to look outside the Anglosphere. There are a lot of modelers in all subjects, in Asia, and their work is relatively unknown to many of us. Just as our work is unknown to many of those modelers.
So I don’t think we should worry just yet.
I think @the_Baron is right on, at least in my area. My local hobby shops have an ever-expanding Gundam/Mech/anime girlie figures (?) section. While this is cannibalizing space from the military scale stuff, at least we’re getting better tools and paints out of the deal…
Kelvin sounds like a better comparative scale for me…
You make an excellent point that I hadn’t considered. My local club meetings have about 70 people show up. 65, 60+ year olds and 5 in their 20s who are building Gundam. I’m 60 and I’m probably 7 years below the average age. But I’ve read that people in their 20s are less likely to nteract with clubs much (in person or on forums) so my experience is skewed from those meetings.
I think I totally would be involved in clubs, but there aren’t many near my school. I started a model-making club at my college, and we have 10 members! We range from 18-22 and build aircraft, ships, Gundam, armor, and miniatures! It was my best attempt to make something that was similar to IPMS.
Where do you go to school and what are you studying?