misterNNL Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 How did your modeling change after you retired? I personally did some organizing like making a list if every unfinished model project I had at that time(8 years ago) and what I needed to finish each one. I also finally got my real 1908 to current Ohio license plate collection mounted on my garage walls. I choose my projects more carefully now than before retiring considering that at 76 I am most likely in the last decade of my ability to build models. That same realization prompted me to start what I call "closet clean-out reality" and have started selling any kits I realistically would never build. Yes guys that time eventually does come,like it or not because I do not want to burden my wife and children with disposing of everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 I've been trying to retire for over a year now, but the last two jobs I promised to complete have been dragging on and on and on and on...for a variety of reasons, some even being my own fault. I walked away from the bench a while back, intending to try to concentrate on work, but finally found I just wasn't happy at all without the whatever-it-is-I-get from building models. Last week or so, I've been building some, and it makes everything else in my life more enjoyable somehow...even the stuff I detest having to do. I realize this isn't what you asked, but I'm really looking forward to being able to build...or not...whenever I please, without the ever present guilt that I should be doing something "important". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrObsessive Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 Tom, I think about this from time to time. I'm 57, so I have quite a bit of time till I retire. I really don't plan on retiring to at least 70 the way things are going, maybe a tick later depending. You bring up an interesting point though, time marches on and the time will come to retire from whatever job we do on a daily basis and make room for 'the next guy'. I have sooooooooo many kits and projects however that I know that I'll never build them all. I buy them for just the enjoyment sometimes of having one of my favorite cars 'in my hand' and not always with the intentions to build it right away. But, sooner or later I'll have to decide what's going to become of all this stuff once I'm no longer around. I have no wife or kids to leave things to, and I'd hate to have all of it end up in God knows where. Tough things to think about as it's not always a pleasant subject, but a reality just the same. To your point though............I'd sure love to get at all those 'off putting' builds that have been rolling around in my mind in some cases for years now. I'd sure have plenty of time, but as you said-------we'll all reach a point when it may be physically impossible to do this any longer. BTW, I don't consider 76 to be really 'old' these days! You're a couple years younger than my Mom and while she has some health issues, she still gets around pretty darn well considering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maltsr Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 When I was working I was an active member of a car model club and tried to take at least one new build to each monthly meeting - I was building around 15-18 models a year. Now that I've retired, my production rate has gone up to about two a month. I find that although I have more time at the bench, I take more time over each build. On that basis, I have about two year's worth of builds in my stash, but that doesn't stop me from adding to it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterNNL Posted November 30, 2018 Author Share Posted November 30, 2018 32 minutes ago, MrObsessive said: Tom, I think about this from time to time. I'm 57, so I have quite a bit of time till I retire. I really don't plan on retiring to at least 70 the way things are going, maybe a tick later depending. You bring up an interesting point though, time marches on and the time will come to retire from whatever job we do on a daily basis and make room for 'the next guy'. I have sooooooooo many kits and projects however that I know that I'll never build them all. I buy them for just the enjoyment sometimes of having one of my favorite cars 'in my hand' and not always with the intentions to build it right away. But, sooner or later I'll have to decide what's going to become of all this stuff once I'm no longer around. I have no wife or kids to leave things to, and I'd hate to have all of it end up in God knows where. Tough things to think about as it's not always a pleasant subject, but a reality just the same. To your point though............I'd sure love to get at all those 'off putting' builds that have been rolling around in my mind in some cases for years now. I'd sure have plenty of time, but as you said-------we'll all reach a point when it may be physically impossible to do this any longer. BTW, I don't consider 76 to be really 'old' these days! You're a couple years younger than my Mom and while she has some health issues, she still gets around pretty darn well considering. Nice to hear about some other points of view here and I suggest that you consider writing down all of those "someday" projects that are rattling around in your head and get them on paper including just what you might want them to look like when finished. I have that same "brain cruise" going on all the time,I call my" headbone nationals"> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 (edited) Very interesting perspectives from both sides of retirement. I have just turned 60 and think about this quite a bit. I will work from home sometimes a week at a time, and after a few days I feel like a house cat and go stir crazy! So I cannot imagine retirement. I like to build models, but realize for me it's done in evening length sessions. I've taken a vacation week and decided I'd do nothing but work on my models, and was ready to tear my hair out after a few days. I can and will collect a pensions from two former employers at 65, but cannot collect Social Security until 66 and 8 months. Like Bill, I'm thinking I wouldn't retire until 70 at least, later if I'm still having fun. I have a hoard of those "someday for a special project" parts and such, and I've asked myself what I was waiting for. I've been using those parts on my current projects. This is a personal decision for each person, still it's interesting to discuss. Edited November 30, 2018 by Tom Geiger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vamach1 Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 (edited) I am about a year away from retiring @ 61 and I hope to devote at east a few hours a day to building. I'm build in spurts and sometimes go for weeks wthout building as in the evening I just want to chill. I think you are being very realistic and if you have a plan for what will happen with your built kits then you're good. I watch these pickers shows where people have acres worth of mostly junk yet they can't even part with anything well into to their 80's. Sad and stupid and the heirs get stuck with selling or disposing 95% of the trash/treasure. Edited November 30, 2018 by vamach1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badluck 13 Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 I am what I hope is six more years to retire and in my mind that is when I actually plan to sit down and work on a kit a couple there days a week... I must say being a plate collector myself that your collection sounds mighty impressive would like to see a picture of that, I too have many plates that need to be hung...oh well someday... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motor City Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 I've been wondering the same thing about retirement, which is approaching soon. The last real kit I built was an '82 Trans Am (in 1982)! It was molded in black, so I assembled the whole thing with Elmer's glue. I wanted it to be like the old promos, so nothing got painted. Since then I assembled a die cast, pre-painted '41 Chevy convertible several years ago for my Dad while sitting in a wheelchair recuperating from a work accident, and then a '14 Mustang snap kit. I can't believe it has been 36 years since I painted a model car. I have done some paint work on several of my real cars, so I guess that counts? I'm looking forward to getting back into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exotics_Builder Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 Excluding the down time due to the cross country move, my build rate has yet to change from pre-retirement levels. Maybe after settling in the new home that will change, but a lot of things have occupied my time such that I am almost as "busy" as before retiring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenGuthmiller Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 I'm what you might consider "semi retired" working about 22 hours a week, and I'm finding less time than ever to build! Of course, that could have something to do with just buying a house that needs a complete make over. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motor City Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 4 minutes ago, Exotics_Builder said: Excluding the down time due to the cross country move, my build rate has yet to change from pre-retirement levels. Maybe after settling in the new home that will change, but a lot of things have occupied my time such that I am almost as "busy" as before retiring. that's what I'm afraid of … too many other things going on in retirement to spend as much time on cars as I'd like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disabled modeler Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 Well for me being forced into early retirement way before I would be ready from my accident I find now that i have all the time I need I dont have the funds needed to. With my age and health issues I have a clock I am up against as some have said too with progressive nerve damage to continue to enjoy my life long passion for building and restoring them..has me worried at times. At least I know mine will stay in the family once Im gone so I do not have to worry about that. I cant imagine not getting the ones I do have restored while I can and when the time comes where I cant build or restore them any more...scary thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landman Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 I was downsized out of the company I worked for in 2000. I worked contract until about 2015. The first few years of that was with year-long jobs (away from home) which seemed to occur every two years. During those years 05-13 I restored my '34 Chevy. the last contract was an on-call thing which started in about 2012, became sporadic after 2014 to finally end in 2016. In 2014, I found a box full of saran wrapped models under the stairs. So I started again, at first restoring them. I found this place. I discovered resin, the aftermarket and dioramas. So it has been fun. As far as retirement allowing more time, yes but there are other occupations as well. In my case it is about 1.5 hours in the morning before breakfast and another hour or so in the evenings after supper. Occasionally , I'll spend most of a morning down there . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffdeoranut Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 retirement for me has been strange...in 2014 I suffered a stroke at the age of 52 losing the use of my left hand(of course im lefthanded) and was able to walk short distances with a cane. before this I completed 3-5 models per year-usually a wild custom with lots of detail and scratchbuilding. about 10-15 hrs a week. since then I have built exactly one-not much added detail but did involve converting a vw beetle into a pick up-95 % of the work done with one hand. next, 3 months of therapy-could walk without cane but could barely use my left hand. im a stubborn sob so in spring of 2015 with help from my son and a friend I built a 25 x 25 shop, landscaped the yard, built a deck around a tree in the back, planted trees, extended and graveled driveway, built a 6' x 8' entertainment unit-can hold about 75 builts, bought a 40 chevy truck rat rod to piddle with, bought a welder and forced my lefthand to work and lost the cane. I hike a lot now-love being in the woods and fish a lot but im not building any models. im about 2/3 done with a 6 axle stretched can do wrecker but have not touched it for 2 years. ive acquired several holy grail kits-2 of which are about 1/2 done. I don't know why but im just not motivated to build much which is weird because now I have time. between my lady friend and myself there are 9 grandkids n one otw. my first grandson is 2 months old-im hoping that I live long enough to interest him in models but have began selling some of the stash as no family member builds models. I have many project ideas floating around in my head but am doing nothing-if any of yall have a tip on how I can motivate myself-let me know, please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxer Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 (edited) I'm 72 and have been retired for 10 years. No forced retirement as I was an owner in my engineering firm. I simply got tired of dealing with the clients that had no clue to what I did. I eventually got the basement setup as a model shop and have really enjoyed getting more serious building. I got into a mode where I'd go down for at least an hour every day and more in the beginning. I still create way too much to do on every build and things get done no sooner with all the time in the world to do them. Everything gets done at my own pace, as it should. Nothing in retirement should have a deadline. Even thou I've been diabetic for over 50 years, my health has been better than it ever has. I've been sure NOT to treat my model building as a job. If I don't go down to the shop today, so what. )) Edited December 2, 2018 by Foxer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmustang Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 (edited) Having been retired for 14 years now, I find that my building time is split. Between surfing on Ebay (both buying and selling), going thru my parts boxes (wish I had a nickel for every time I been thru them), pulling out old kits from the attic (and putting them back), and going thru the MCM forum, I find my actual building time hasn't increased much. I try to finish at least one build a month (I've never been into major detailing), so this is obtainable. My new problem is all the information available on the forum and the internet, I find I am constantly pulling out old builds and adding newly discovered details or completely redoing them. But I will admit with doing all this, I don't know when I would have time for my business that I sold 14 years ago. Edited November 30, 2018 by magicmustang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Van Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 About the same level or a little less. It seems everyone 'needs' me more now and I end up doing more outside the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espo Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 I retired early after countless changes in the General Manger's at the dealership I was working. The owner had asked me a couple of times to come back even as a part time deal. By early '05 we shook hands and parted friends but I no longer saw the point of putting up with all the other bs from people who couldn't distinguish the difference from a hole in the ground and a body opening. This has given me additional time to both build models and do yard work on our 1/2 acre of grass and trees and planting beds. I have also faced the idea that I have far more models than I could ever hope to build. I have often had a table at a yearly local show and swap meet were I have tried to sell of a lot of duplicates and even sold a couple of hundred to a reseller to try and dispose of what my wife calls her "Widows Pension". The good thing is that I get to work on my models several times a week and also get to visit all the great people on this forum almost as often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterNNL Posted November 30, 2018 Author Share Posted November 30, 2018 10 hours ago, Badluck 13 said: I am what I hope is six more years to retire and in my mind that is when I actually plan to sit down and work on a kit a couple there days a week... I must say being a plate collector myself that your collection sounds mighty impressive would like to see a picture of that, I too have many plates that need to be hung...oh well someday... Mike,send me your email address and I'll send a couple photos of my plates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyjim Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 I've been retired for almost twenty years. Been so long I don't remember if my buidling have changed or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterNNL Posted November 30, 2018 Author Share Posted November 30, 2018 11 hours ago, Badluck 13 said: I am what I hope is six more years to retire and in my mind that is when I actually plan to sit down and work on a kit a couple there days a week... I must say being a plate collector myself that your collection sounds mighty impressive would like to see a picture of that, I too have many plates that need to be hung...oh well someday... Mike,send me your email address and I'll send a couple photos of my plates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterNNL Posted November 30, 2018 Author Share Posted November 30, 2018 I surely understand the desire expressed by some forum members to enjoy being out-of-doors during nice weather. We've lived in this same home for 51 years and in that time have created a lot of nice landscaping. After multiple knee surgeries I can no longer even mow our yard. My wife is permanently on oxygen due to lung and heart problems so it all falls to me to get it done. I do work on models outdoors weather permitting. I have a briefcase that has everything I need to do that so I set up on our deck table to tinker with styrene stuff. It can be interesting to see what you can create in a limited space with minimal tools and supplies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmike Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 I have been retired for 23 months now and my building has increased. I am building more now that I have the time, but I do tend to other projects that call a priority to everything else. I also have more builds on the bench now since I like working on one thing and if that needs time to dry, I'll work on another. If I don't feel like working on anything, I don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjordan2 Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 Work fast. Your hand skills may desert you sooner than you think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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