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Are we model builders or collectors


mark31

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Once upon a time, long, long ago, when summer holidays were endless, Airfix kits were 2 shillings and my weekly pocket money was 1/3, I was a builder.

 

Now, I have a bit of spare cash, I can buy anything I like in two mouse clicks, but 6 months can go by before I get more then 30 minutes of 'me' time to myself, I am essentially a collector of kits and a dreamer of projects......

 

But ONE DAY, just you wait! Such models I will build! Such FANTASTIC models!!!!

 

If I didn't believe this, I would go mad.

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I'm too cheap to be a collector.  I maintain about 20 kits in my stash.  I try to complete a kit a month, and keep my stash rotating.  I would love to have a huge collection of kits.  But it's not practical.

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At the rate I build, I'm a collector ....and a AM who#e.......Harv

 

ditto here (other than AM stuff).  My eyes are worsening and that's prolly gonna preclude me from modelling in the future, even with larger kits/parts.  Frustrating as hell!!!!  I can no longer read stuff on the iphone, nor my computer screen, without resorting to wearing glasses, and this is just in the past 3 months...thankfully long distance eyesight is still good, and doesn't affect my passion for driving!

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Given that my build pace is comparable to Continental drift, I suppose I'm more of a collector at this point. I do, however, have a shelf unit to rotate kits on/off of to address my ADD. I am finding though, that I'm finding more focus in my collecting, which helps with O.S.R.I. (Overall Stash Rate Increase) ratio within S.A.B.L.E.

 I have knocked down a fair portion of my 1/35 stash, and have made a definite list of ships I want. I still need to go thru my 1/16 figgys, and reduce that.

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My name is Martin and I am horder, procrastinator and occasional assembler

My name is Jeff and I am a hoarder, procrastinator, and occasional assembler

 

BUT it is an  "Investment"...................... that's what I keep telling my wife, as when I finally go to that big model store in the sky, she can flog my stash for a little dosh and have herself a party.....I also tell her it is better than leaving her an ash tray full of used butts...... seems to work... :evil_laugh:

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I'm too cheap to be a collector.  I maintain about 20 kits in my stash.  I try to complete a kit a month, and keep my stash rotating.  I would love to have a huge collection of kits.  But it's not practical.

Honestly, you have it just about right. There is very little advantage in a huge stash. Some kits - Wingnut Wings - can be purchased because they sell out, but other than that it's a huge pile of money that is depreciating every day (except Wingnut Wings, again. But even that's starting to change with their re-boxings of OOP models).

 

Sure, the excitement of a new kit arriving in the post is great. Open the box, check it out, marvel at the moulding & worry about the decals, check you've the correct paint's - but then it disappears into the stash, only to be opened again to add the inevitable after-market bits you end up buying. That buzz subsides quickly.

 

Psychologically, a huge stash is tiring. You are reminded every day that you have too many kits. It subconsciously rushes you, so you tend to build faster to get to the next kit, rather than building at your own, enjoyable and comfortable, speed.

 

Practically, manufacturers are releasing new kits every year. Because of advances in research, technology & moulding, they tend to be superior to existing kits - otherwise, what's the point? So your huge stash will slowly acquire more "obsolete" kits, even if you don't buy any more. That 109 you had is suddenly overtaken by another "must have" kit. So either you make do with the kit you have, or you bite the bullet & buy the new one.

 

So I envy your 20 kit stash. It sounds just about right, just under 2 years supply - if anything a tad too big perhaps?

 

Don't go down the dark side & buy kits purely to stash them. It'll not end well.

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Both, but in terms of £'s, I'm a collector.

 

Part of the culture of the hobby is stash building. This will vary from person to person.

 

I recommend Scalemates to keep track, before you get out of control, like me:

 

=Kits]https://www.scalemates.com/profiles/mate.php?id=11376&p=stash&fkSECTION[]=Kits

Dean, that's not a stash that's a model supermarket.........

Edited by Bomber_County
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I'm too cheap to be a collector.  I maintain about 20 kits in my stash.  I try to complete a kit a month, and keep my stash rotating.  I would love to have a huge collection of kits.  But it's not practical.

Gazzas, I agree and live by your mantra except " complete a kit a month" in my case it's 12 to 18 months a kit...........I am presently sitting around 20 in the stash..........so contented......

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After being out of the hobby for 30+ years (no, I was NOT in prison), I have bought too many kits over the years. It is said we buy books or models because we think we're buying the time it will take to read/build them. I have recently cut back my purchases and review kits almost to the bone (though not quite, I'm like John and already waiting for the new Tamiya Corsair, though I'll only build one of them, John!). So at this point I would rather finish some of the GREAT kits I already have, and am trying to hold off the many GREAT kits coming out.

 

Meng and Takom over in armor are really challenging that resolution, along with the HK Models B-17E/F.

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I've been experiencing a slow evolution of sorts; a desire to crank out some simple (time wise) stuff, blended with a few long term and much larger projects. This way, I reason, I can attain the satisfaction of some finished projects, while at the same time, continue working on some more gratifying larger projects.

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Guest The Southern Bandit

 

It is said we buy books or models because we think we're buying the time it will take to read/build them

 

 

Wise words Bill, never thought of it that way, but its true.

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I'm too cheap to be a collector.  I maintain about 20 kits in my stash.  I try to complete a kit a month, and keep my stash rotating.  I would love to have a huge collection of kits.  But it's not practical.

 

Gary,

  Wow a kit per month. :bow: I'm lucky to get one done every 3-4 months, and that's if I work on it nearly every day for a hour or so. 

Joel

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