What do you do with your built kits?

[Spottedlaurel]

I'm going to have to rethink how and where I display my stuff soon. At present it's still all sitting in plastic boxes in a cupboard in my work office, where I put them out of harm's way during the house move.

That's been and gone, and the unbuilt kits have migrated to the new place (and slightly unexpectedly ended up in the house in the spare bedroom, although that's just temporary while I sort out the garage shelving). Now I have to think about the built ones.

At present I have just one 1:20 kit sitting in an old hand-me-down display cabinet along with my 1970s Matchbox Superfast diecasts. I remember it at my grandparents' house from when I was young and I'm pleased it's still in use, but there's no room in there for any more built kits.

I bought a couple more glass-fronted display cabinets at the local auctions, they're a bit dated and one has a rather funky 1960s look - I presume they were from local house clearances. I'm hoping to get one on the wall on my side of the study/hobby room, and another up in the garage. I was struggling for display space as it was, with lots of old diecasts also needing to go somewhere, but at the moment I can't easily see where to expand or add anything.

I'd love to incorporate one of those glass-topped ex-shop display units into my garage storage and shelving scheme. Might have to leave a bit of space......

[cobraman]

On 10/26/2021 at 11:20 AM, Ace-Garageguy said:

"

"built kits"...

Sorry, I'm not familiar with the concept.

Well I happen to know you do have one very cool Chevelle !

[Ace-Garageguy]

On 11/1/2021 at 1:44 PM, cobraman said:

Well I happen to know you do have one very cool Chevelle !

Thanks Ray. But even it's not really done-done.   

[RSchnell]

I'm getting ready to move from my current place into an oceanfront condo which has the benefit of being oceanfront and close to good restaurants, but smaller square footage. In addition to cars, I also build space subjects and aircraft so there are a good number of built kits on display & boxed up. 

Believe it or not, I sold quite a few common built kits at the yard sale for $10-40, ones that got broken in storage were cut up for parts, some I gave away. 

I will probably get a few of those Nascar diecast display cases that can be hung on the wall for the cars & trucks and a couple Ikea display cases for the space & small scale aircraft. If done right It can look very tasteful.

[doorsovdoon]

I went looking for some suitable cabinets at the junk stores the other day and was surprised how hard they are to find. They were either the type with leaded glass frames all fancy like, and the others would have been perfect if they had glass doors.

[Bugatti Fan]

Less well built kits from years ago generally get cannibalised.

Funnily enough I broke up a lot of old kits years ago and created a bits box.

It sold at a local meeting a lot quicker than any of the old complete built up models!

It's a sad fact that built up plastic car models no matter how well built are poor re sellers compared to well built white metal, resin and multi medium kits.

The only exception as far as I can see are very well built Pocher classics.

Edited November 5, 2021 by Bugatti Fan

[Anglia105E]

Our small cottage is pretty much full up with ' stuff ', and only two of the seven rooms have permission from she who knows best to store or display scale model cars. Usually a build takes me around one month, or sometimes two months if it is a large or extra detail model. I coild not possibly bring myself to sell or break up for parts, any of my built models...... I do agree that the building is the most satisfying part of our hobby, but once completed each car has a history and a personality, almost. My downstairs middle room, which is not very large, is where the dioramas are on permanent display and many cars are kind of ' parked ' in diorama settings. The loft room is also not large, and that is the workshop. Model cars are lined up on shelves in the loft. Fortunately, I don't have many unbuilt kits in storage, as I tend to purchase a kit, build that kit and finish that kit as I go along. Maybe I should take the advice widely given on this forum, which is to make a build last much longer and put far more detail into each build. Other members have mentioned 6 months to a year for one build..... this could be the way to go..... ? ( or buy a larger house ! )

David

[vamach1]

On 11/3/2021 at 10:19 PM, RSchnell said:

I'm getting ready to move from my current place into an oceanfront condo which has the benefit of being oceanfront and close to good restaurants, but smaller square footage. In addition to cars, I also build space subjects and aircraft so there are a good number of built kits on display & boxed up. 

Believe it or not, I sold quite a few common built kits at the yard sale for $10-40, ones that got broken in storage were cut up for parts, some I gave away. 

I will probably get a few of those Nascar diecast display cases that can be hung on the wall for the cars & trucks and a couple Ikea display cases for the space & small scale aircraft. If done right It can look very tasteful.

I had to sell two of the larger display cases (a hutch and bookcase) I had when I moved so all my diecast cars are in storage.  I have most of my built kits in the remaining smaller display cases but I miss my dedicated model car room where I also had all my books, magazines, computer, etc.  I did not have a basement so there was no dedicated place to build except the kitchen table which is what I am doing now.  I did not really sell any kits before the move from a house to a condo but since there are other item in storage I do not feel to bad that it is only models.