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For the First Time, I’m Worried


RLFoster

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How about the "disposable" income that goes into cigarettes? When I put $50 into my car's gas tank (lower lately, thank you), I see the signs in the gas station (convenience store) window for a carton of some brands on sale at $100. $100! Holy smoke (pun intended)! For less than one month's supply of cigarettes (one carton per week) you can buy that 1/32 B-17G and have enough left over for the resin, PE, paints, and glue, too. A visible wispy $400 smoke cloud curling in the air vs. a tangible B-17G model in the display case . . . hmmm. :smiley6:

 

Ed

 

While the prospect of health issues definitely played a factor, it was the cost of cigarettes (and the personal decision to quit) that finally got me to kick the habit about 2 years ago. At the time, I had budgeted $250 per month for the habit...ouch! 21 September 2012...the date of my last puff.

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That's a long of way of saying disposable income is not what it used to be for young people, including the 30 somethings that are traditionally the new comers to our hobby. I don't think the costs of kits are a big barrier to getting into the hobby - a much bigger problem is that few if any toy stores still sell kits - but I don't think its negligible either.

 

Don

 

 

 

Disposable income is a huge, huge issue with a number of my peers.The vast majority of my fellow graduates had to take out student loans in order to cover their college expenses (while holding jobs,) forcing significant debt on someone BEFORE they even stepped foot into a professional career. Many of these people graduated in the 2005-2008 period, when finding a "good" job was a difficult endeavor. Many worked retail or many part time jobs just to ensure SOMETHING on their resume.

 

Throw into the mix that you don't really have the middle class manufacturing jobs, service jobs, or anything outside of stronger STEM careers, and you've got a generation that's happy just to pay the bills. Many also have little regard for fiscal responsibility (often from a fatalistic and cynical attitude toward the future) making such things as model building, well, tertiary at best.

 

I've tried engaging people that I know into the hobby. I've had a few bites, but most simply choose more uh, social constructs. Most do not have the money/time for both. I fear that until we start seeing some sort of relief at our wallets, you won't see large numbers of geeky 30-somethings building plastic like earlier generations.

 

Frankly, video games are generally cheaper, overall. I picked up Dragon Age: Inquisition for $45. This'll give me at least 100 hours of entertainment, assuming I play at a medium pace. It's also flashy, pretty, and plot wise, pretty wicked.

 

I wish I had a solution. I still feel like the hobby can be kept on life support IF we were to better engage the Warhammer/wargaming crowd. Both Games Workshop stores in my area are always packed. Unfortunately, most of them emphasize the game over construction/painting their figures.

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How about the "disposable" income that goes into cigarettes? When I put $50 into my car's gas tank (lower lately, thank you), I see the signs in the gas station (convenience store) window for a carton of some brands on sale at $100. $100! Holy smoke (pun intended)! For less than one month's supply of cigarettes (one carton per week) you can buy that 1/32 B-17G and have enough left over for the resin, PE, paints, and glue, too. A visible wispy $400 smoke cloud curling in the air vs. a tangible B-17G model in the display case . . . hmmm. :smiley6:

 

Ed

 

Heh. My mother smokes and lives on very limited means. It's frustrating for the reasons you've pointed out. :unsure:

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I see Gil's point about "entry level" modeling. It does betray the fact, however, that he and I and we are all afflicted by Advanced Modeler Syndrome! I think we forget that many modelers are very happy with basic assembly and painting. If you don't believe me, come to one of our local Hobbytown USA contests. I have judged at these. Good grief! Most of it is awful. Yet, these builders are quite proud of their work and happy with the result. The fact is that these folks (none of them IPMS members, I might add) are buying and building most of the output of the kit manufacturers. We modeler snobs are not sufficient in numbers to justify Airfix bringing out a new mold Supermarine Swift or Bedford Light Truck. There must be enough average, modeling for fun only people to sustain the industry. We at IPMS are benefiting from the support their numbers bring to the market place. So they- the average, not so serious modelers- must have, not only the interest in the vast variety of subject matter being produced in kits, but also the disposable income to purchase them. Regards, and Happy New Year to all. Nick Filippone

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AMS is a bish, isn't it? :)

 

Still, I've had some bad run ins at contests lately that have largely muted my enjoyment of that part of the hobby. I'm really just back to doing what makes me happy (which, is sadly, as much PE/styrene/insanity as I can manage!)

 

I'd love to talk more on this, but I'm afraid where I'd LIKE to take it would require a move to the IPMS only section.

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A great number of good points here. And it's all rather Catch-22ish. The only way we might hope for kit prices to come down, is dramatically increasing the number of kit builders. So what can IMPS do to that end? Most of us old farts are indeed afflicted by AMS. Like diabetes, we brought it on ourselves. We strive for some level of excellence. Nick made a good point about the kit basher, where we all started. So we as IPMS need to knock off the "basher shaming." My first ever local chapter meeting, I was 14, and brought a trio of a 1/48 Monogram Hurricane, 109, and Ju-87. I was proud of them in spite of how bad they actually were. I felt devastated when an older modeler tore them apart with snobbish remarks, not realizing it was the work of a kid. As an adult, I continued to hear modelers do it, and didn't hold back MY criticism of the "shamer" in a face to face chat. IPMS has probably chased away more modelers than they've gotten members.

 

An idea. Local chapters hold public model displays. Malls are a good place. Set up the tables in a square, rope them off, and man them all day. In addition to the usual contest quality work, display some basic skill, kit bashed models. Noobs can identify with those. Never tell a would be modeler what they should do to build better, UNLESS THEY ASK.

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Funny, but the price of cigarettes when I was a kid was what kept me from smoking! Dad would send me to the 7-11 with $2 (my weekly allowance at the time) to buy 4 packs of Kents (remember when kids could buy cigarettes for their parents, no questions asked!?). All the way there I was looking at that $2 thinking of it as my allowance going up in smoke, not to mention the "raise" I could get if dad didn't smoke it away! Thus, I never took up the habit, wanting to spend my money on models, toys, comic books, and Mad magazine!

 

If there were easy solutions, IPMS would have already adopted them. I agree that the local level is the place to "hook 'em". But, as Nick points out, most of the "noobies" are very happy with what they do, and are not interested in joining us to do more, and also fear a group like us "judging" their work if they do. There's only a small percentage of builders who want to expand their plastic hobby to include our little neck of the woods.

 

GIL :smiley16:

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A great number of good points here. And it's all rather Catch-22ish. The only way we might hope for kit prices to come down, is dramatically increasing the number of kit builders. So what can IMPS do to that end? Most of us old farts are indeed afflicted by AMS. Like diabetes, we brought it on ourselves. We strive for some level of excellence. Nick made a good point about the kit basher, where we all started. So we as IPMS need to knock off the "basher shaming." My first ever local chapter meeting, I was 14, and brought a trio of a 1/48 Monogram Hurricane, 109, and Ju-87. I was proud of them in spite of how bad they actually were. I felt devastated when an older modeler tore them apart with snobbish remarks, not realizing it was the work of a kid. As an adult, I continued to hear modelers do it, and didn't hold back MY criticism of the "shamer" in a face to face chat. IPMS has probably chased away more modelers than they've gotten members.

 

An idea. Local chapters hold public model displays. Malls are a good place. Set up the tables in a square, rope them off, and man them all day. In addition to the usual contest quality work, display some basic skill, kit bashed models. Noobs can identify with those. Never tell a would be modeler what they should do to build better, UNLESS THEY ASK.

 

I like that idea. I've been trying to get our club to set something like that up but so far, no takers. I guess I can also say that I'm one of the extreme few that is not afflicted with AMS. I do strive to perfect the basics, taking care of seams and alignment, but I won't go purchasing aftermarket to improve something I'm working on. If such aftermarket is included in the kit I'll dabble but for me the basics are focused on first and I move on. Maybe that is why I am able to complete so many models in a year.

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I guess I can also say that I'm one of the extreme few that is not afflicted with AMS.

 

 

AHHH Mark, when you you out build the world and call it Mad Dog Manufacturing, I do believe you have AMS. How many kits did you build this year along? HUMMMMM your so funny,' I don't have AMS really"!!!! :Smile-tongue: :smiley29:

 

Chris G. :Smile_sceptic:

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I used to organize model displays for my old club once or twice a year. Often times it was under the guise of "don't pi$$ off one of the contest judges" lol. Seriously, we loved doing. Spending all day talking about models to new faces, girl watching (or people watching now days)' just too much fun really.

Edited by Gromit801
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You'd be surprised how many places will NOT let you do such "displays". Even when you tel them you'll bring your own tables, and that you're selling absolutely nothing, they still say no.

 

They seem to be afraid if they let "one group" in, then they have to allow everyone else, and they'd sooner just avoid the whole thing.

 

I agree that such displays can be productive, and even fun at times. However, they not only require a place to do it, they also require some logistics by a club in coordinating people, models, and any other items for a whole day; which often makes it tough to do!

 

GIL :smiley16:

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Oh yeah, we had a mall that would never play ball with us, but two who did. Always seemed to work out, but perhaps now days they're more afraid of liabilities, and of course mall space is taken up by kiosks selling cell phones, jewelry, and such. If not a mall, look for a local military base open house, etc. We're modelers! We're imaginative! We overcome, we adapt, we improvise!

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I still run across casual modelers who do not feel the need to paint a model if it comes in the correct color of plastic. This goes for car models, tank models, and sci-fi models (Trek or Star Wars). Although most current Star Wars kits come pre-painted and are marketed as not needing glue or paint. I remember back in the early 70s getting to use those little Testors dime bottles of paint to paint head lights, rubber tires, black or silver machine guns, etc.

 

We tend to be our own hobbies' worst enemy; we started simple as young kids in the 60s by twisting parts off the sprue, tube glue bombs, fingerprints, unpainted plastic and upside down decals. We raised the bar to what it is today and often expect today's beginners to at least try to reach what we now consider to be the current minimum standard.

 

By minimum standards, I mean everything painted (like headlights, rubber tire portions, machine guns), no glue marks, basic adjustments like drilling out machine guns, cleaning seams, touching up chrome where it was cut from the sprue, etc.

 

To a lot of casual modelers, this is often the "joy sucking" part of modeling. They just want to glue the thing together. Much like we did as kids.

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I guess I can also say that I'm one of the extreme few that is not afflicted with AMS.

 

 

AHHH Mark, when you you out build the world and call it Mad Dog Manufacturing, I do believe you have AMS. How many kits did you build this year along? HUMMMMM your so funny,' I don't have AMS really"!!!! :Smile-tongue: :smiley29:

 

Chris G. :Smile_sceptic:

 

 

 

But... but I don't have AMS!! :smiley5: I just throw these together without any aftermarket additions! :smiley13: :D

 

Oh, and I did finish 28 models this past year.... down from my usual 45-50. :blush:

 

 

Yeah, I'm terminal.... :smiley18:

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Funny thing is that at a show the Make & Take tables are chocked full of kids. Now is it that Mom is just "time wasting" doing something for free while Dad is in the contest or Vendor Room? I wonder how many of those kids go home with a kit or two to build?

 

My lil guy (12) is into model building as much as he is his XBox or whatever. As a matter of fact at the Hampton Nats, he came home with more kits than I did (and paid for with mostly his own money). He started building with Snap Tites and then eventually graduated to glue kits. But to make it worth while for him he's building 1:72 planes and armor. This way he gets the thing built in a day or two and then prolly another day painting it.

 

Kids are essential to the continuation of the hobby. A 1:72 plane or tank goes for around $15 and that's not bad as far as he's concerned b/c he wasn't around when kits were $5. He doesn't know any different.

 

I think even below the Local level of clubs, the Moms and Dad's gotta be buying their kids a kit or two and get them interested. Because of building my son is becoming quite the WW2 buff. And interest in history is always a good thing.

 

Just my 2 ¢

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  • 2 weeks later...

Further to my last post, there have been some comments about encouraging youngsters into the hobby.

Not quite so easy these days...Computer games being the main distraction..and here to stay!

At IPMS Scale Modelworld Show in the UK, Airfix had a make and take area that was well used by many boys and girls.

Model making to children can be a passing fad like stamp collecting, art and other hobbies that get dabbled in and interest lost after a short while. There will always be a few who get interested long term and this interest should be nurtured.

I don't know how US chapters operate, but would imagine that many meet monthly and the meetings held mid week like branches in the UK. So this makes it difficult for youngsters to attend even if they want to, due to school commitments like homework and getting to bed at a reasonable time. Also, if meetings take place where alcohol is served this just exacerbates the situation. I am not aware of any UK branches that meet on a Friday evening or over the weekend when they could go, and I guess in the US it is much the same. Fridays and Weekends tend to have other family things competing for attention, so probably things will remain much the same in the future. Getting kids into the hobby long term is certainly a big challenge, as manufacturers now have to chase the enthusiast market. So hence the demand is for kits to be very accurate and the subsequent development costs have to be reflected in higher prices.

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Noel:

 

Looking over the lists of 220+ chapters, many (most?) meet on the weekends and that is encouraging to youngsters. My hope is that if you introduce them now, you payback is at best 15 years down the road when they settle down and have a family. it was how I go back into the hobby after being off for a long time. Add to that something to reach out to the chapters to help them and then something to address the adults wanting to get back in, we have a good chance to being here for years

 

Dave

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FWIW, I started building again based on dim memories of many Revell Arizona and Bismarck kits turned into floating wrecks with firecrackers as a kid.

Now, well, such damage to models is anathema.

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I really enjoyed reading this thread, so I thought i'd post my two cents about it since i'm a relatively young modeler who is also a video game junkie ( i have EVERY system except for Sony's crap) and I will try to touch on some points that are brought up and hope i don't go off on a tangent too much.

 

BACKGROUND INFO

 

To me, modeling was about spending time with my dad, I'd come home from school (when i was 10ish) and we'd have dinner then dad and I would go into the basement and I'd sit there while he worked on the B-52 or the Saturn V and I got to paint the bombs or the engines. Then i'd have to go to bed and I'd wake up the next morning and go straight to the basement to see how far dad got the night before. It was ALWAYS exciting. Then I also had my video games, I was addicted to Super Mario 3, or Super Mario World, Tecmo Bowl, you name it. But I always had modeling with dad as a fun time for us. He has never been into modeling like me, when i was about 13 he stopped because he didn't enjoy it anymore and I started doing it myself because I enjoyed it. Then when I turned 16 i started to have more of a social life and modeling disappeared for a while, when I hit about 22 I looked at my wall of models and said "damn I never finished making all 6 blue angels". So I got back into it and now here i am today.

 

START DISCUSSION

 

PRICE

 

I never needed to spend a ton of money on extra resin pieces for any kits and I still don't feel that need. I build my kits out of box 99.9% of the time unless someone gives me something to put into a kit, I try to make it as accurate as possible but don't care if I don't have all the exact detail, which makes the hobby cheaper for me in the long haul. That being said i'm bug eyed on the 1/72 scale Anigrand C-5 that is a kit I MUST HAVE and I think that kit is around $400? But I'm also a collector, and I want to have one of each plane, but i'm not a collector that will let the kit sit, it has to be built. I also try to avoid gathering kits of multiple planes (minus the F-14). I don't have the need to get every single version of the F-16. I have the F-16C, i don't need the D, or G, or A, etc. Which I, personally, feel like a lot of people will spend their money on getting those variant kits. Which to me doesn't always seem worth it. I also buy kits I want to build that way I don't have all these extra kits sitting around that I think "eh I may want to do that some day"

 

I also rarely purchase a kit from a store (if i do it's Hobbyland (plug!) if you're in Columbus and don't know it check it out!!!)i will wait till a show and check them out there, although recently I've been addicted to eBay. These prices, $20 a kit Revell ~$50 a kit Tamiya, have always been the norm for me. Each time I start working on a kit i probably drop about $30 on supplies so when I build i'm typically spending $50-$80 a kit. Which can take me anywhere from a few weeks to 2 months to build. I have no issue with the prices the companies are putting kits out there for I think it really just depends on how you split your money up and being a young graduate, with a decent amount of student debt, modeling is something that keeps me from spending a ton of money going out or just wasting money. There are a lot of weekend nights that I just stay in and model rather than go out with friends. So really spending that initial $100 or so saves me another $200 if you think about it.Thankfully I have an incredible girlfriend who, i hope you're sitting down, ENJOYS IT WHEN I WORK ON MY MODELS!

 

JUGGLING GAMES AND MODELING

 

I typically go through spurts where i'll model for a few months straight then i'll play games for a few months straight, but video games are also a good break when you're waiting for something to dry. When I putty something I don't typically work on that kit for 24 hours ( and i only work on 1 kit at a time, working on multiple kits drives me insane, literally). So i get my break and can get my gaming fix in. GTA V anyone? So in my opinion there are plenty of reasons why these two hobbies can go hand in hand. Yeah sure, i binge video games, i also binge modeling, when i'm stuck in a game, or i feel like just watching TV i go model. When i'm letting something dry or getting frustrated I go play games. If anyone I think it's better to have someone who's interested in both. And games can be just as expensive as models ( at least for me). Games now-a-days come out with all this "you can add this better thing for your game for $XX!" I don't buy it because I don't need to. But roughly $60 a game, and roughly $50-80 a model seem to wash for me.

 

INTRODUCE THEM YOUNG

 

I'm split on this, as i said i started this to spend time with my dad, but i also LOVE legos. And i feel like this is a big kid "legos". While I think introducing it to them young can help it's not always necessary. They can get into it at any time, especially if they're into building things. Who didn't like building stuff when they were younger? I've tried to get some fellow engineers into this but it doesn't really stick to them because they enjoy the more active social life. While I've had one or two friends actually sit down and enjoy it but only feel like building one when they're given something to build and won't go out and buy it. So while introducing it young may have helped I don't necessarily think it's something you need to do.

 

IS MODELING DYING?

 

I know this wasn't the original posters intent, but I've had this conversation with my girlfriend and friends my age who don't model. Going to shows scares me, I see very few people who are my age in this hobby. I know they're out there but I do worry. I know there will always be kits but it does seem like a lot of younger kids are shying away from the hobby. I think it comes from the demand of wanting everything right away. No one has patience anymore to build a kit they want it done immediately. That's the way, again in my opinion, society has led us with all this technology right at our finger tips. And it will only get worse.

 

I hope i'm extremely wrong on the younger generation not getting into this hobby and it's only been my unfortunate or fortunate, depending on how you look at it, luck to see an older generation at the shows I attend.

 

 

I hope if I ever have children they'll want to sit with me and model but if they don't I will understand, but maybe some of them will get the lego bug and realize this is just big kid legos :-P

 

 

anyway just my thoughts

 

-Tom

Aim High

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Tom,

 

I feel you on the video games and miss my old Nintendo. My childhood was spent mostly getting dirty, though I did build some models to blow up in the lake. That.. was about it.

 

//But I'm also a collector, and I want to have one of each plane, but i'm not a collector that will let the kit sit, it has to be built. //

Dude, this is a smart practice. Massive stashes are, IMO, pretty useless. I've cut mine down to something manageable myself.

 

Aftermarket is an absolute necessity for ship models, in my opinion. If I ever got around to a plane, I'd probably stick to mostly OOB. Still, for my chosen genre, a kit will cost me about $100 with everything included in 1/700 and likely twice that for a 1/350 beastie.

 

//Yeah sure, i binge video games, i also binge modeling, when i'm stuck in a game, or i feel like just watching TV i go model.//

 

Feel ya here. I'm obsessed with Dragon Age: Inquisition right now. Honestly, any hobby can burn you out, quickly. My prior obsession with "show season" and trying to win nearly axed my enjoyment.

 

Spreading the hobby does present a challenge. I still feel like our best bet is trying to reach out to the miniatures guys who actually like painting tiny little things. Many have at least a passing interest in history and may actually enjoy building something new.

 

I'd like to add that I'm also a fairly social, "weekends out" sort of person. My wife is getting her MBA, which gives me SOME more modeling time, though social obligations, work, and burn out have contributed to my work being minimal when compared to prior speed building.

 

I love your comment on this being "big kid LEGOS." I wonder if it would be a decent way to market it to the late 20's, early 30-somethings who are looking for some sort of connection to their childhood as they approach middle age. It could be a good hook....

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OK... I've been sitting back and reading all the very good comments, and so I might as well throw in my two cents worth. The following is edited from a National Director's column I wrote for IPMS Canada's publication, RT about a year ago:

 

"While at IPMS UK's 50th anniversary Scale ModelWorld in November, I had the opportunity to chat with many leaders in the worldwide IPMS scene – both past and present. This included officials of IPMS UK, and branches throughout Europe. Also many others from various UK, US and European local chapters. And finally, some of the luminaries of IPMS history such as Dick Ward, Mike McEvoy, Julian Edwards, etc.

One subject which always seemed to arise in conversation was the need to bring more youngsters into the hobby. We live in the era of instant gratification, computers and video games. It seems that today many young people aren't interested in sitting down at a table and building scale models. If the hobby is to survive into the future, it must bring the youngsters into the fold. But how? Some ideas were bandied about, and what follows is not a set of rules or even a proposal, but just some of the collective wisdom which emerged.

While undoubtedly some youngsters become interested in modelling because of dad's (or mom's) interest in the hobby, it's not something to be relied upon to encourage interest and develop skills. Most would probably rather be doing what their friends are doing, be it video gaming, skateboarding, or whatever.

It was felt that a good source of younger potential modellers was to be found in existing organizations such as cadet units, scouts and guides, Boys & Girls Clubs, etc. These groups already have an organization and structure in place, which would make it easier to approach them with an offer to help provide modelling-related events.

It was also thought that it would help greatly if the potential modeller could relate to the model that he/she is building. If you have no idea what a Spitfire did or its place in history, it's just a plastic toy – a big Kinder Surprise. There is no emotional investment. Perhaps it might be useful to preface the building of, e.g. a bunch of Spitfire models with a showing of a film like "The Battle of Britain", or at least a brief visually impressive (remember… this is the video generation) history lesson.

Model contests exclusively for youngsters might also be a good means of arousing interest, and I don't mean just inviting them to a regular chapter contest. How about a contest for a cadet unit (or several units),or a scout troop, or one held at a school on the weekend or evening. Or maybe just a display where they can bring their models and everyone receives a "good show' ribbon but there's no competition which might discourage the "losers". IPMSers could offer to organize such an event. Maybe there could be a simple "how to build better models" class or display the week before.

"Make & Take" events have proven popular, and could be run through the above-mentioned organizations. These require a good adult modeller to youngster ratio, and do, of course, have the added problem of where to obtain some simple models and supplies free or at little cost. It might be a good opportunity to get the local hobby shops involved, as having more modellers is in their interest as well.

It goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway) that any initiatives like these would have to be undertaken at the local chapter level, because they are the ones with the 'boots on the ground'. Remember, all this is just a very superficial look at this situation. I think it warrants further discussion. Any thoughts or ideas you have on this would be most welcome."

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I never needed to spend a ton of money on extra resin pieces for any kits and I still don't feel that need. I build my kits out of box 99.9% of the time unless someone gives me something to put into a kit, I try to make it as accurate as possible but don't care if I don't have all the exact detail, which makes the hobby cheaper for me in the long haul. That being said I'm bug eyed on the 1/72 scale Anigrand C-5 that is a kit I MUST HAVE and I think that kit is around $400? But I'm also a collector, and I want to have one of each plane, but I'm not a collector that will let the kit sit, it has to be built.

 

You have just described me to a T as well. I am constantly talking with kids whenever I have the opportunity about models. I work with every make-n-take I can and I always encourage anyone coming into the hobby as best I can. Sometimes, it's the simple fact of letting someone feel welcome and capable that reels them in.

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  • 1 month later...

Dave Morrisette's post was interesting in that he points out that most USA Chapters meet at weekends.

A definite advantage to be able to encourage youngsters into the hobby.

Other posters have mentioned that kids these days lack hand skills, patience and look for instant gratification.

Unfortunately, I have to agree to a certain extent. For the last four years running up to my retirement, I worked as an Engineering CAD CAM Technician at a local high school. What an eye opener that was! When I left school at the age of 15 to go into an Engineering Apprenticeship, I had already mastered how to make a coffee table in mahogany from plans using proper tenon and dovetail joints. Most of the kids of 13 plus years old at the school where I worked had difficulty in making a pull along toy from dowels, battening and MDF! Sad to say that the demise of practical lessons from a young age has brought this about, not to mention ambulance chasing lawyers and parents too willing to sue over the slightest accident. A sign of the times we live in where risk aversion is done for the wrong reasons.

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Noel, part of your next to last sentence..."not to mention ambulance chasing lawyers and parents too willing to sue over the slightest accident" identifies one of our biggest problems. I have thought several times about trying to develop a modelbuilding class for kids...meaning ages 8 or 10 on up...at either a Hobby Lobby, LHS or even a nearby library and have decided against it. Why? Several reasons, such as:

 

1. They can't build a model without either handing them an exacto knife or having one available for their use. This alone puts you in danger of being accused of 'transferring a weapon to a minor'. Remember, some model kit manufacturers

have gone so far as to put a notice in their instructions that you need to "be sure to push the knife away from you because knives are sharp and you might get cut."

2. Even a sprue cutter can draw blood if you get your finger in the way. That's a lawsuit that would claim you 'failed to exercise proper control of a dangerous tool'.

3. Model glue, liquid or otherwise. Since the fumes are toxic if concentrated or deliberately inhaled, the only solution to that one is to hand out respirators to everyone attending. Of course I've been using glue of all kinds for more decades

than I can count and I still have both my liver and my brains. But the courts would ignore that fact.

 

I could go on, but things are nowhere as ridiculous as that list sounds. They're worse. Recently, a father in the Ft. Worth area accidentally discharged his gun inside his OWN HOME while preparing to clean it. The slug went thru an inside wall, barely missing his daughter. While that might have been stupid, it was nothing more than an accident that occurred within a private home. In spite of that, he wound up being charged with Injury To A Child, which is a felony. Since the daughter wasn't hurt, where is the justification for the charge?

 

Is it any wonder that we have to think three times about the legal risks of anything we do these days? And don't get me started about copyright and intellectual rights violations! That one is a quicksand bog all its own.

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