Models in the closet

[Christa]

I wonder how many unbuilt kits in my closet were veteran unbuilt kits in other closets? How many other closets? What is each kit's accumulated closet time?

 

Maybe we could apply a discreet mark, sticker or notch to kit box lids to indicate each kit's closet years and probable transit air miles - disregarding points of origin in Ukraine, New Zealand, China, Japan or those remote mountain fastnesses of southern England, of course.

 

A Furthest Flown Unmade Kit competition is not in contemplation today. That would be silly.

 

Aye

 

Chris

[ScottsGT]

First post of thread, original poster talks about a closet with model stash.   LOLOLOLOL….How about a garage full? 
 

My wife and adult kids know I have some very expensive kits in the stash.  I’ve given her several phone numbers of dealers that buy collections. Told her just tell them to come get them to keep them out of the county dumpster. Not concerned about financial recovery.  Could you imagine the horror of 4 or 5 Fisher kits and correction parts, dozens of Tamiya and big Trumpeter kits going into a dumpster? 
 

My youngest son (28) is getting into building custom RC rock crawlers. Getting into airbrushing and general modeling. Never know, he may want the stash one day. 
 

I’m just hoping I can find a home for my built models one day. 

[intheway]

I guess maybe I'm the (un)lucky one. My stash is presently 11 and sits on one shelf in the closet.

[MikeMaben]

Why would I care ?   I'll be dead  

[ScottsGT]

I’ll be dead but my spirit will be attached to that one kit I always wanted to build, but put off for that special time.  
The only way for me to crossover will be someone having to build it!  Hope someone finishes it before I become a bitter old haint.   

[BarryWilliams]

I build 7/8 models a year and try to keep my stash down to 10 (all 1/32).  It did rise to around 23 once but that was when I had a ‘spurge’ on 1/48 scale. 
 

Right now it is at 10 and I will be getting the HKM A20K when it’s available so it will rise to 11.  As I am currently building the Border Lancaster I won’t be building the usual 7/8 over the next 12 months so the stash may get bigger,  but only if any really interesting new releases arrive. 
 

if my stash falls below 6 I do get a bit twitchy!!!  
 

 

[LSP_Mike]

As I may have a few original Revell and Hasegawa kits, there is some likelyhood they've done some travelling ... 

[RadBaron]

Well said by all, and I think we're all bitten by the same bug. 

In an effort to attempt to hold back from simply buying everything that looked cool, (and in attempt to fit things in the cabinets) I've restrained myself to buying only specific topics in specific scales, and difficult to find/rare kits. 

 

Which hasn't worked at all to quash ridiculous amounts of buying, if anything now that purchases are subjects close to my heart, it makes them harder to part with every time a purge is considered.

 

And, as can be attested on this very sight, my Build/Buy ration is somewhere in the realm of 1/100. So to build what I already have will take approximately the same time as the latent heat death of the sun, let alone what I'm yet to buy.

And let's not mention the stash on the OTHER side of the planet...

 

 

AND this isn't even taking into account the other time consuming hobbies. 

 

Totally a first-world problem, no doubt, but we're in in good company. And at least it keeps us off the streets!

 

Denzil

 

 

 

[Iain]

I can absolutely relate to almost *every* word of that Denzil!

 

Apart from the Global stash bit - my two stashes are only 50 miles apart... 

 

Iain

[RadBaron]

5 hours ago, Iain said:

Apart from the Global stash bit - my two stashes are only 50 miles apart... 

 

Iain

 

I can assure you, it's not something I'd recommend striving for 

[MikeC]

20 hours ago, ScottsGT said:

I’ll be dead but my spirit will be attached to that one kit I always wanted to build, but put off for that special time.  
The only way for me to crossover will be someone having to build it!  Hope someone finishes it before I become a bitter old haint.   

 

You could always haunt their modelling area (be it dedicated man-cave, a tray on the lap in the sitting room, or anywhere in between) until they do finish it.

 

8 hours ago, LSP_Mike said:

As I may have a few original Revell and Hasegawa kits, there is some likelyhood they've done some travelling ... 

I recall some years ago, at a show, looking at all the people wandering around carrying new and second-hand purchases, and discussing with a friend what proportion of those sold would get built eventually: we guesstimated 15-20%.

 

As for my stash, it hovers around 30 atm, not all LSPs. At my current building rate that's about 6 years-worth, assuming no more purchases ( a rash assumption with no basis in observed fact ). I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my health and dexterity last until then, but it's very difficult modelling with crossed fingers ...

[Archimedes]

On 5/1/2004 at 9:36 PM, ChrisS said:

I looked in my closet this weekend, and while I know I don't have it half as bad as some of you, why on earth do I have 4-5 years worth of builds in my closet?

 

What in the name of all that is sane am I doing hoarding unbuilt models when my build rate is so slow?

 

This may or may not be the case for some folks, but these closet kits feel like they make me a little bit insane. They sit there in the dark waiting for me. While it's not a big deal at all, that creates some ammount of pressure and I'm wondering why I foster it.

 

I could build a kit, finish it, then buy a new one and repeat the process. But right now I have a list of kits I'll "be getting to" that I can't really keep straight in my mind. Do I do the tbolts, THEN the MiG? Should I blast out the Wildcat and then settle into the Lightning? How much of this sillyness keeps me from finishing whats on my bench right now?

 

I seriously have considered selling EVERYTHING I have that doesn't have a direct relation to completing the model on my bench right now. I can't imagine that would be a detriment to my focus.

 

I recognize the feeling that I get when I grab a new kit. The potential is so warm and fuzzy. But 2 years later the thing is collecting dust. Did I spend the cash for that little tingly fix and not even realize that the kit won't be built for a few years...and maybe not at all (by me)?

 

Ok ok...ranting shoes off. But I am seriously thinking I'm gonna blow it all out soon and buy/build one-at-a-time.

 

Thoughts?

This is an interesting question to pose. I think there are several reasons many of us have ‘a stash’.

 

1. I’m going to draw a parallel with books: it is a known phenomenon that when we buy a book, we imagine we also buy the time to read it. This is only my opinion but I imagine that the same may be true of models: we buy the latest kit of interest, we look at the box top and we imagine ourselves building a magnum opus and it turning out perfectly. It makes us feel good at the time.

2. We buy kits even though we know we do not have the skills to build them and plan to build those skills up until the day we feel confident to tackle the subject. 

3. We buy what we feel may only be available for a short time and, even though we know we won’t build it now, at least we have it before it ceases to become available.

4. The kit that we can buy is the only option available at the time even though we know it is flawed and it sits there whilst we build up skills and confidence to tackle its flaws (see reason 2 above). So we buy that and stash it, fervently hoping a new über-kit will emerge of our latest passion.

5. A new über kit is released of a subject we obsess over.

 

I’ve bought kits for all of the reasons listed above (and others). I have 58 kits. So far my completion rate on LSP has been 0.56 per year. But, my rate is speeding up as I learn because I am always doing things I cannot do in order that I can do them. There is a Latin phrase ‘ARS LONGA, VITA BREVIS’ which means ‘art is long and life is short’. For myself, I know that to be true and that fact is compounded by procrastination fueled by worry of messing a kit up, actually messing it up and going around again and a hundred other reasons.

 

So, I have slowed buying kits markedly. I tend to support the industry predominantly now by buying books, consumables, accessories and decals. But there are some kits I still hope for. A good example is that I have the Revell Beaufighter and the Lodella add ons. It is sat there ‘in the stash’ and probably will do for a long time to come as I have other kits I want to build ahead of it. It remains the only option, I’m glad I have it and, should no enterprising company produce a better version, will be the kit I will build when I get to it. 

 

I bought every WnW kit that I could afford at the time because a) I could not believe anyone was producing these subjects this well and b) I could not see it lasting. So, I have 24 unbuilt WnW kits, the oldest of which has sat there for a decade.

 

I built my Matchbox Tiger Moth G-AIVW as a rigging tutorial  to teach myself because I didn’t want to mess up the kits in the stash that are important to me (the WWI subjects primarily). Ironically, I gained a greater admiration of DeHavilland’s little trainer through that experience than I ever imagined and it turned out scratchbuilding a new cockpit was far harder than doing the rigging! I bought the WnW Felixstowe Duellists kit knowing I was (and still am ) short of the standard of ability I want to do it justice. The Felixstowe and the W.29 sit waiting along with all of the other WnW, CSM and Lukgraph kits.  But that’s OK because I am getting closer to the day I will be happy to crack open those boxes and start building. 

 

So, I have a readily available set of models every one of which I want to build sat in my cupboard. And that, kids,  is how I met your mother is why I have a stash. 

 

Kind regards,

Paul

Edited March 24 by Archimedes
Typo

[RadBaron]

2 hours ago, Archimedes said:

1. I’m going to draw a parallel with books: it is a known phenomenon that when we buy a book, we imagine we also buy the time to read it. This is only my opinion but I imagine that the same may be true of models: we buy the latest kit of interest, we look at the box top and we imagine ourselves building a magnum opus and it turning out perfectly. It makes us feel good at the time. 

 

I'll come back to these great points, Paul, but your post has me reflecting, yet again, on the vast array of differences in our tiny niche of a hobby. This time, the difference between those who want to build a SUBJECT as opposed who want to build a KIT. 

 

Both want to build models to the best of their ability and learn the skills, so there is no negativity directed at either, however I wonder if hoarding is more prevalent for the former, due to wanting to obtain that particular subject when its availiable. The rarer the subject/kit, the more likely it'll be purchased well before its likely to be built. 

Where as the latter is just happy to build kits, and most likely prefers more modern kits due to ease of build/accuracy/price/aftermarket options/buildreviews etc. 

 

 

As to your points, #1 strikes home. With every new kit, I know I daydream/mentally plannout the entire build, from start to finish. However, that mental build takes place in a vacuum, a faraway land where time stands still, and all builds are straightforward and without Interruption. 

 

We all know what the reality is 

 

Point #3 about availability is certainly a motivator. After the fall of WnW and the tragedy of Fisher Model and Pattern (among countless other long gone producers) FOMO is truly up there, especially when you want to built a particular subject, the FOMO can dramatically intensify!

 

Great topic

[Mark_C]

On 3/20/2024 at 6:26 AM, ScottsGT said:

I’ll be dead but my spirit will be attached to that one kit I always wanted to build, but put off for that special time. 

 

 

With my luck, my spirit will be attached to an original issue Trumpeter Wildcat.

 

 

 

 

[Archimedes]

2 hours ago, RadBaron said:

 

I'll come back to these great points, Paul, but your post has me reflecting, yet again, on the vast array of differences in our tiny niche of a hobby. This time, the difference between those who want to build a SUBJECT as opposed who want to build a KIT. 

 

Both want to build models to the best of their ability and learn the skills, so there is no negativity directed at either, however I wonder if hoarding is more prevalent for the former, due to wanting to obtain that particular subject when its availiable. The rarer the subject/kit, the more likely it'll be purchased well before its likely to be built. 

Where as the latter is just happy to build kits, and most likely prefers more modern kits due to ease of build/accuracy/price/aftermarket options/buildreviews etc. 

 

 

As to your points, #1 strikes home. With every new kit, I know I daydream/mentally plannout the entire build, from start to finish. However, that mental build takes place in a vacuum, a faraway land where time stands still, and all builds are straightforward and without Interruption. 

 

We all know what the reality is 

 

Point #3 about availability is certainly a motivator. After the fall of WnW and the tragedy of Fisher Model and Pattern (among countless other long gone producers) FOMO is truly up there, especially when you want to built a particular subject, the FOMO can dramatically intensify!

 

Great topic

RadBaron

 

Thanks for your thoughtful response. Now you have me thinking because you make a great point about wanting to build a particular subject or a particular kit. I tend to gravitate toward the subject end of the spectrum but I can totally see why someone would pick a kit because it is ‘that kit’ that they want to have a crack at it. Personally I do that with Ships, Cars, Armour and Motorcycles. For example, when Tamiya released the 1/12 Honda RC166, it was a shoe-in because it was a Tamiya kit rather than any need to do the RC166 in particular. 
 

On reflection, I do think it is worth saying that model making and collecting kits are two very distinct parts of the overall hobby and it is perfectly fine to be either one of them (or both!). Some people enjoy having their own personal hobby shop in the loft or basement and at the other end of the scale I know others who will only buy a kit because they’ll crack it open today. 
 

I am grateful to all who buy way more kits than I ever do and have vast hoards because they support the manufacturers even if they do not build a single kit they put down money for. They got their pleasure in a different way to people who are of the ‘buy one, build one ‘ persuasion. 
 

Grand ain’t it? 
 

Kind regards, 

Paul