Why Do You (we) Stash?

General Discussion General Modeling Discussion
1

When I started back into the hobby after many, many years on leave (February of this year), I almost immediately started to stash kits. Just had to have them, didn’t think about why … at first. When I hit about twenty kits (current stash, i.e., kits not on the bench, is sitting at 52, but will probably climb), I began to feel foolish, and even kind of guilty.

Then, I began to rationalize my behavior …

“When i was a kid,” I told myself, “I couldn’t have all the kits I wanted (and, in fact, did without any kits at all for long periods of time), so I’m just compensating, and that’s OK, to a point …”. When I blew by that ‘point’, I then rationalized thus, “The kits seem to come and go on and off the market so fast that, if I don’t buy it now, it might not be there later.” Having waited too long on several kits in just the first couple of months of my return to the hobby - which, shortly after they gained my attention (and desire), disappeared before I got around to buying them - that rationale worked for a while. However, by the time I got around to joining this forum, I was feeling foolish and extravagant once more. Then, I began to read here how all modellers exhibit this same strange behavior. I was relieved, and now feel a lot better about it. In fact, at 52 kits, I don’t have it as bad as many of you. However, I do wonder: Why do we stash kits? I’m not sure, myself, but we all seem to do it.

So, in search of modelling emotional/psychological/sociological/metaphysical truth, confess - Why do you (we) stash kits? What drives this phenomenon? All answers/insights welcome …

[8-)]

2

My stash is tiny, in fact many do not consider it a stash. I have 2 in the stash. This is because I just got back into the hobby a couple of months ago using a gift card that I was given for my 40th birthday. I had enough money to buy 4 kits, so I bought 3 for me and 1 for my daughter.

I do have plans to build a bigger stash. I am planning on doing every plane the Blue Angels flew in 1/48, including their support aircraft. And of course I will need some other planes and some cars to do in between some of the Blue Angels.

3

In my case, it’s a combination of grandiose schemes and not wanting to be in the position of looking for something later and saying, “Darn, shoulda gotten that kit when it was $20 and not $400.”

4

I think it’s due to a number of reasons.

My stash sits at about 31, with 3 on the bench.

I do enjoy having a good variety to choose from for my next build, but i know that is not the main reason for buying so many (and certainly not a justification).

However, i can understand some people may buy simply to collect, knowing they may never build the kit, but that if they wanted too, it is there to do so.

To be honest, i still get a rush from just reviewing my stash from time to time, opening the boxes, going over the sprues, reviewing instructions, making notes on them and considering what i’ll do when i finally get around to building it. I know this is a factor in why i have a stash.

Finally, i think it’s a bit of the psychological marketing of companies - they make “limited issues” of kits, so, if we as humans think we’re going to miss out, we’ll be more inclined to buy now, even if we know we won’t get around to building it for another 5 years, during which time it’s been reissued once or twice.

5

My stash is in the hundreds. I bought kits I wanted to build but soon had more kits than I could ever build. It didn’t help that I bought out the stock of a small department store which went out of business. It also didn’t help that I worked as a news reporter for 50 years and worked up to 18-20 hours a day and didn’t have much time to build models. However, I don’t regret any of it and now that I am retired can work in the hobby room anytime I wanted to.

6

It’s amazing how quickly a stash builds. I’m selective too. Almost all 1/48 US flown aircraft and 1/24 autos.

I think for me it was all about having a selection to choose from when I have a whim to build something.

I see people have regrets for building such a large stash, thinking they would never build them all and some people even decide to sell off the kits. Not me, I have no regrets.

7

I buy them, because I’m a sucker for a great price. I also buy newly tooled offerings. I remember when I was a kid and was wondering why Monogram didn’t make more armor subjects LOL. I also thought they could use extra detailing. Well today, the sky’s the limit with subjects available. Since I have more then I can build (about 32), I can wait for the kit I want to be at the best available price or one that I’m comfortable paying for. I will shop ebay, Spruebrothers and occasionally shows. I refuse to pay retail for a kit i know I can save a lot of money on by being patient.

8

I have over 200. Most of my stashing has taken place over the last 10-15 years and was due to the “better grab it now before it’s gone” mentality. Swap meets usually lead to the “I HAVEN’T SEEN THAT IN YEARS!” factor which adds more to the pile. Rarely a new release will strike me that adds more to the pile, or I’ll barter for kits…so many ways…so many reasons…

9

In recent years my stash has stabilsed around 150 kits. I buy fewer kits then I used to, only if I really want them (for instance for a certain theme/collection that I am buidling). I used to buy a lot more kits. My reasons where “this offer is to good to pas”, “this kit makes good practice material”, “it is a limited run so I got to have this one” etc etc.

Especially when I just started working and got a lot more desposible income I bought kits per dozen.

Nowadays I buy more AM items but these can be helpfull in reducing the stash (eduard mask comes to mind) by making the build easier.

10

Why Do You (we) Stash?

For winter?[whstl]

I used to delay purchases till I was ready to build…

Unfortunately, manufacturers have shortened the time kits remain in production.[:(]

Due to this, I now buy and store kits till I can build.

11

It used to be the kid the most toys wins!

Growing up my stash was pretty big, hundreds of kits. My mother was afraid I was a hoarder in the making. I was lucky enough to grow up with a group of guys who were also builders. Who ever had the most kits was pretty bad-***.

I split my entire stash and tools between all my friends when I left for basic. I re-build it after I left the service and lost it in a fire several years ago. The lost stash was in the 60-70 kit range. I am rebuilding yet again… this time I am very selective on what I buy. I currently sit in the high 20s maybe even 30s by now.

… so GREAT question! I have no idea why I do it. I have yet to complete a single build this year. I have many started but none completed.

12

For me it started small and becasue I had to bring out my tools everytime I wanted to build, I built super slow. Then I get on kicks…licke buying every night fighter I can find.

I just like buying kits and dreaming of how good they are going to look when I am done. I guess if I built them up to my expectations I would build more, but it seems like I get more out of buying than building.

13

I stash for a simple reason

there are about 5 moldings that I “don’t have enough of for my collection”,and they are all OOP and no longer available at even the second hand kit websites,I need about 25 of those moldings in total,I will and can build around them and work them in later on in the build order, picking them up here and there at various shows when I see one or two of them

about half of my collection is now made up of kits that we either can no longer get easily or kits with markings options that have been OOP since 5 or more releases back if it is a specialty kit

so, knowing that over 250 are already OOP, it is not a far stretch to think that a large percentage of the other 250 will wind up OOP someday,and I don’t plan to spend the next ten years searching for a specific molding every time I want to build a specific Aircraft and Squadron for my collection’s theme

the “New” Academy Crusader is one example,you can still see the original released F-8E now and then, but, the current release of F-8E has a different decal sheet,5 or 6 releases from now, and you won’t be able to get the first release’s markings options

this is not a big deal if you want to build one F-8E to go with your one F-8J,but, it can cause problems if you are trying to build a VF-211 F-8, a VF-24, then a VF-51 and VF-53, etc, etc, 20 to 40 times per aircraft type

Rex

14

Like others, i buy kits while they are still around. Sure, if they go OOP they may well come back later, or i can get tham on E-bay. But then again they might not. It also gives me a lot of choice when it comes to what i am building next. My stash has grown a lot since i got back into the hobby 5 years ago. It now sits at just over 200, most of it bought in the last few years. But i am now more selective in what subjects i am going for.

It also means that when a GB comes up that i am interested in, i will probably have something that fits.

15

I stash because my brain thinks I build faster than my hands do…

And sometimes I find a deal I just can’t pass up.

And sometimes I come across a kit & think “when will I see one of those again…”

And sometimes I need to buy something to balance out a recent shoe purchase that SWMBO made.

And sometimes…

uhhhhhh never mind! [:$]

16

I have also noted this particular benefit, though it came well after the advent of my stashing … [;)].

17

Ordie:

LOL…If someone really thinks that stashing kits is “strange behavior,” then I suppose it makes sense to ask the question “why do you/we stash?”.

I can’t answer the question. Maybe building miniature plastic machines in the first place is the truly strange behavior, and collecting them is just an associated and complimentary symptom?; kind of like how addictions always come in threes.

I never considered this behavior, i.e. the desire to build kits, as the least bit strange.

But then, the professionals say it is dangerous to try and diagnose yourself.[proplr][whstl]

Hmmmm…strange behavior…how about base jumping, or feeding sharks by hand?[:D]

Dom

18

Same here, i have a smallish stash before i started entering GB’s. But it does give me added incentive, and justification [:)]

19

For me, it’s probably due to some kind of a complusive-hoarding disorder that only manifests itself with certain, specific interests- models and certain comic-book lines.

20

Because if I don’t buy that kit now Now NOW! I will never see it again here, at this price, or hear at this price. Someone else will buy it and I will be laughed out of the hobby for being the only modeler NOT to have this kit…That’s why.