Tom Geiger

Oh tell it like it is.... Yea, yell it out loud and clear. No uncertainty there! Actually when I critique models it's more in the spirit of a suggestion then a criticism. I have known guys in my clubs who just couldn't wait to tell you "what you did wrong". It was their joy, note that none of them ever finished anything themselves. But that didn't stop them from raining on everyone elses parades. I guess you could say they knew the proper techniques if they ever got around to building anything! I sometimes pass up on commenting on models that have glaring errors, especially if I don't know the builder, how they will take criticism or their circumstances. I don't know if I'm commenting on the very best efforts of a handicapped person, or the sixth grade efforts of a very lazy guy! I don't do the lame kudos comments, I just don't comment at all. I do comment on cool stuff, espcecially if a builder did something unique or somthing that just catches my attention. That deserves kudos! And I will go out of my way to praise. I alway say that my models are an acquired taste, I build for myself and my small group of like minded friends. So if someone makes that mark, I'm sure to let them know! I like to comment in a positive way on works in progress. If someone has a wrong detail or could use some help, I don't hesitate to comment. I'm hoping to catch the error before they can't fix it, and hope they have that intent in their build. Like I said above I like to post suggetions rather than hand out demerits! If I do feel I need to comment on something wrong, I will send a PM rather than blather it all out on the board and possibly insult someone.

Old WW II military vehicles are interesting and rare because few survived. Many were destroyed in battle and the remainders scrapped after the war. They weren't built to last, vehicles like Kubelwagons were designed to last 3 months on the battle field. No rust proofing and not even paint on inner surfaces. So those that did remain rusted away. No mention in the article about how many of these actually remain, so it's probably near one of a kind.

Reminds me of my nightmare trip to Denver back in the 1980s! New Jersey had just started issuing photo licenses to people under 21, but for the rest of us our license was printed out on the same bank note form as our titles and registrations. So I get ot Denver and attempt to rent a car. The agent looked puzzled and brought out a book (pre-Internet era) that had a picture of every state's drivers license. The New Jersey entry showed the under 21 photo ID one. So they refused to rent me a car since they determined that my license was ficticious. I had to go to three different rental companies before one finally rented me a car. Then when I got back and tried to file my expense report with my company, I had a heck of a time getting reembursed for my rental car since I didn't use their approved vendor. Argh!

Interesting Scott. I never thought of that. Obvious that I've never owned a pickup in that configuration, but I never was too keen on the idea of sharing the cabin with 20 gallons of gasoline!

Back when I started building some 26 years ago I started collecting up 1960 Valiant kits. My goal was to build the 8 Compact Class cars that raced at Daytona in the 1960-2 seasons. Many folks never heard of this racing series, the only decal set was for the Marvin Panch car, and you could piece together the Lee and Richard Petty cars from other sheets. I never could find decent photos of the rest of the cars, never mind color! So I never did the project. I've since seen builts of all three of the above cars. That quest started my Valiant collection. Probably 100 pieces strong at this point.

Those who complain the most build the least! Some folks hobby is "whining on message boards". I don't have any gripes here. I know the folks involved and expect that this will be right when it's released. Why? The presidence of their previous products are all top notch. Moebius will sacrifice a release date to go one more round of modifications to make it right. They don't have big box store deadlines on the project, which is why previous models from some other manufacturers went to pressing with glaring and easy to fix errors.

Warren Buffet to the railroads, "You will let my hobby use your logos or I will crush you!" Done deal! Legally they have to challenge and protect their intelectual property. Because when they do need to take an offender to court, they need to prove they've been dilligent or they risk their property falling into public domain. Brands like "Scotch Tape" meaning tape, or "I'll make you a Xerox" being any copy are examples. In fact in the early days a "Ford" could have meant any brand car. So companies are forced to have large staffs on the protection end, so they have them on the licensing end hoping not only to protect the property but maybe to recoop some of the costs. The other big one looming out there is litigation. Lee Iococca touched on this in one of his books. At that time litigation was the largest cost in every Chrysler vehicle.. followed closely by pensions and benefits for retirees, far surpassing the cost of steel and other actual ingredients! It was said if little Johnny swallows a tire off a Hot Wheels Mustang, they sure Mattel AND Ford. Our system is set up to go after 'deep pockets' hoping the companies will offer a settlement in lieu of having to go to court. It's cheaper for them. So that's part of the licensing equasion.

Per model kits and other products produced in China, Korea or other countries without proper subject licencing... it's not a matter of how the laws or lawlessness is in the country of origin, but the same in the country where they are being offered for sale. How many times do we read news accounts of raids at US flea markets and other venues that seize fake designer bags, glasses... you name it. And shirts with sports team logos, car company logos and the like? It would be more effective for Ferarri to pursue with US marshals to sieze those kits from US hobby distributors once they hit here. Once it was known that they'd be grabbed up, nobody would invest in them out of that fear. End of market. End of manufacture. China is notorious for counterfit merchandise, everything from pharmaceuticals to cigarettes. A few years ago there was a sting in NJ where Chinese nationals were arrested for importing fake cigarettes. The news report said that these were popular brands like Marlboro and Newport, and the packaging was very accurate, complete with fake NJ tax seals.

I think you need to tell us what paints you are using over this. Are you using cheap Wally paint and other hardware store paint for your final finishes? Hobby paints like Testors regular line, their laquers or Tamiya paint? Or what will automotive sprays like Plastikote or Duplicolor do over that primer?

I have a bunch of cars where I have a MIB kit, but I also have a restorable old built kit or two. I'd always build a model from the old built up first, as I'd rather build value from something needing work than dive into the pristine new plastic. Plus, I'd enjoy that build and results more since it's a lot like restoring an old 1:1.

The world was taken by surprise by Henry's $5 day, nearly double what the average auto worker made in those days. He realized that if he wanted to sell millions of cars, they had to be affordable by working people. So he raised the wages to create that middle class. And there were some funny side effects. First, turnover stopped dead and in a short amount of time they realized it was actually cheaper to pay the high wage than to constantly recruit and train new workers. Interesting how those things work out!

Couldn't happen today. The government would've broken it up as a monopoly! The volume they managed to build is amazing considering that there was no computer automation at all. Just making sure the cars got shipped to the right places was a major paper effort!

I know the feeling. I was a big stamp collector and got into the business end, buying and selling collections and my first day cover business took off and had a life of it's own. It got old fast, try affixing stamps to 2500-5000 specially printed envelopes for each and every new stamp issue! When that ran it's course, I didn't want to look at a stamp for years!

I have at least a dozen of my favorite old pickup kits... 1950 Ford, 1953 Ford, 1955-7 Chevy and even more of the old Falcon Ranchero kit. I never realized it, but whenever I'd see one at a show for $5 or so, I'd buy it. I just didn't realize I had done so that many times! I found a lot of these when I tried to get organized last year. I did some consolidations, like taking all the open ones of those kits and dumping them into plastic tubs to build from. I only kept the sealed ones intact. Heck, I am going to build 'em or use them for parts. Oh, old Valiants... dozens and dozens!

I had Lego when I was a kid. Maybe not mainstream here in the USA, but a relative who visited Germany brought me a set as a present maybe 1964 or so. Now what was the building toy where we had red plastic girders that we could assemble as a steel frame building, then add thin plastic panels to make the outer walls? Pretty much how a real building goes up with beams and curtain wall. I used to build large garages for my Matchbox cars back then! I'm thinking 1966 era.

Ya know, you are right! There's probably younger folks who do even know what it stood for! I was thinking how strange it is to get personal mail these days. Sure you get invitations, cards and bills and eBay purchases, but it's odd to get a letter in the mail. I received one recently, from a modeler who doesn't do the Internet or email. There it was, hand addressed envelope and a note on loose leaf paper, hand written. We had gone back and forth, but several weeks between communications. I hadn't thought about the loss of mail in a long time, but you know what? I'll take email anyday!

We do! It's the International Model Car Builders Museum... and we go there when we go to GSL every two years!

Not much of a market for a Tucker. What ever thirst there was has been satisfied by the Modelhaus kit (mastered by TSSMCC member George Ellis) and there was also a Franklin Mint version in 1/24 as well as a 1/18 scale diecast (either sold under multiple brands or there are several dif versions to choose from). For those who wish to whine that they can't afford Franklin Mint, there are several to many listed on that auction place for less than the price of a current kit. A few summers ago I had a summer intern at work whose first name was Tucker. Almost immediately I asked him about the car and he had never heard of it! When I showed him the history etc he did think it was cool, but think about it.... if in this kids 20 years of life nobody around him had ever associated the car with his name??

I just did the same. Sometimes when threads go on a while we forget how great the model actually is. Super job! I like the way you took the progress shots so we could all see the work that went into this beauty.

Hey Virgil, thanks for replying. I agree and disagree. True, Lego mega sets are specific builds, but so are box stock models. Most instruction sets include a painting guide, so it's not much different for those who wish to do something compliant, and without deviating from the plan. But in the Lego world, there are huge competitions for people, many are adults, who create their own major projects using Lego. That does parallel what we do with model cars and dioramas. I'm sure that there are Lego folks who are building that castle and decide they want to make some changes. My point in the post is that there is enough of a demand for the high end lego, and that parents are dishing out hundreds of dollars for them, to keep a small hobby like toy store flourishing, even when Walmart has an entire aisle of the common stuff at deep discount. The analagy is that there isn't much difference between Lego and model cars. Both 50 year old products, but somehow Lego management has turned this product into a huge sensation all over again. As far as the model companies, there is a lesson to be learned here. Not sure exactly how it would be applied, but it shows that a toy product that old can be revived, and dispells the theory that youth will not work with their hands. So the Lego thing dispells two major roadblock theories. A. Kids don't work with their hands, and B. Nobody will spend the money needed to enjoy our hobby. And just what would the model companies be able to do? It would no doubt be far from product we, as a group of consumers, would want to buy. But so what? We're the aging dinos content with what the product is today, where the model companies need to create a whole new market for the consumers that follow us.

Yea, we're gonna be needing a mess of those! Dave had told me that they specifically didn't do the stepside version because that 1953 AMT box fit perfectly, and was still valid for these years. There were some minor changes in that box over the years, but nothing that would be seen in scale.

For the most part, the kids you see at model car shows are the children of model car collectors / builders. They've already had the full dose of model car stiluli. They have access to unlimited tools, kits, after market and mentoring from their dad. Some will build a little for the son/father experience (as I had the same with my daughter/father experience), and a few will take the hobby on as enthusiastic as we have. Others will show no interest what so ever. I know a lot of modelers whose sons never built. I know one prominent guy who has twin sons who were into sports and baseball cards. They never even were into 1:1 cars like their dad. Make And Takes are great events, but are best done at non-modeling events to bring in new interest, those who may not even be aware that model kits exist. I like Revell's program at full size car shows. They know the participants are already into cars, a prerequisite to wanting to build models of cars. Hobby shop events are also good, since now the attendees know where to get more models. Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts (and other like programs, church groups etc) are good because there are merit badges that can be earned. I did a snap kit build with the Girl Scouts once. These girls are now 30 and still talk about the time we did that together. I cannot say the number of Make and Take participants that move on to actually taking up the hobby. It's got to be very small, but worthwhile to find those who will join in.

Here's something important... When I was a kid I built models. Like most of us, not very well. I was depending on my own skills and imagination to figure out how to build with minimal supplies and guidance. When I was in my 20s I decided to build models again. I pulled out a kit and my results were the same as when I was a kid. Why? Because as careful as I was, I was still employing the skill level and techniques that I used as a kid. Not very encouraging and I put the models away, discouraged. Then 26 years ago I stumbled upon Scale Auto Enthusiast Magazine in a book store. I was super pleased that there was a model car magazine, and floored by the builds shown inside. My very first issue was their first all aftermarket issue and I was amazed at all the things available to modelers at that time! In the back of this magazine was a small classifed ad for the Tri-State Scale Model Car Club. I sent in my SASE for information, and got back a three page typed letter (note that we didn't have PCs just yet). The letter said I should come to their show in a few weeks, which turned out to be NNL East 3. There was that bucket list item from my childhood... "attend a model car show". So I went and there was no turning back. The big change in my modeling came when I suddenly had skilled peers. Before this I thought the perfect models I saw in the magazines and at the show were the work of artistic geniuses and i'd never be able to do it. My new mentors taught me that it was all learning proper techniques and using the right tools. Easy stuff that made you slap your forehead. Things that are perfectly in our skill wheel house but we just hadn't thought of them on our own. Now I had all this experience to guide me and my modeling skills grew amazingly in that very first year. I suddenly was building better models than I ever could've dreamed. Back then I had to rely on a monthly meeting, and maybe a phone call or two during the month to hone my new skills. The big advantage today is that we have these amazing Internet boards, and everyone has a cell phone camera at least, so that we can communicate, read about new techniques, and ask questions 24/7 to our heart's content. It's very ironic that we were so worried that the Internet would destroy the hobby, but it's improved it greatly. So today guys who wish to improve their skills have great ways to learn and make every model better. The lists of "firsts" in this thread are evident that we're all working towards that, and a lot of the things we are learning aren't all that difficult to master. We just need to be aware of them, and have some instruction from a peer who has already learned that technique or skill! There are those who are happy plodding along with their sixth grade skills. Maybe the hobby isn't all that important to them. Or they are afraid of trying new things and maybe failing. I can't crawl inside their heads, but they are robbing themselves of the satisfaction of personal growth, and the excitement of seeing better models materialize in front of their eyes.

Kids do work with their hands today, it's not all electronics. Lego has taken on a huge popularity, and it will be even bigger due to the new Lego movie. We can call this a FAD, and there will be an end to the phenomina. The Lego company has found a way to take their 50 year old product and make it relevant and exciting to kids today. And it is a world wide phenomina, not just a US thing. The model companies need to study their business, and see how they can apply. When I was looking into the numbers of opening a hobby shop, I came across a small toy store in a suburban shopping center, much like the size and location I'd want for my hobby shop. I went in to look, wondering if they had hobby items like model kits. They didn't but they had this huge Lego presence, and the same for a few other toys that are big now. I had noticed my local Walmart also has a full toy aisle of Lego. The owner of this store was very open and when I asked how he survived, he told me he was doing very well. That he was savvy enough to stock, or get to order, the very hard to find Lego sets and such. I feared for this nice guy and his store since the supermarket next door to him had vacated, so there went his anchor store. He did admit that sales were off a bit since then, that was last fall. The supermarket space is still empty, but there was a big sign in the toy store window... they are opening a second location in the next town! So they must be doing well!

Cok Guzel!