How big is your... stash?

[Bainford]

1 hour ago, Dave G. said:

12

You are a man of tremendous and admirable restraint, Dave

[espo]

Let's just say it's more than my wife realizes and more than I'll ever be able to build in what's let of this lifetime. 

[fairlane1320]

I'm around 400 right now, and they're 99% F-O-R-D kits. Of those, there's about 100 Mustangs, and about 50 1968-69 Fairlane/Torinos.

Obviously I'll never finish this pile. The lack of free time, and energy don't help the situation! 😴

 

 

[Gramps46]

My inventory list says 396 kits in the stash.  All are 1/24 or 1/25 scale. Those in the little white boxes are resin bodies or transkits though.  Too many for an old man in his mid-70s.

 

[vamach1]

2 minutes ago, Gramps46 said:

My inventory list says 396 kits in the stash.  All are 1/24 or 1/25 scale. Those in the little white boxes are resin bodies or transkits though.  Too many for an old man in his mid-70s.

 

Thanks for posting to the forum.  I was fortunate to see your collection many times and all your built ups and expanding diecast collection in your man cave.

[Rocking Rodney Rat]

Here's my stash of parts up on shelves in the The Rat Hole. Very few of these are complete kits, they're "boxes of parts", to me. There's some complete kits, resin bodies (they don't like tropical heat), the Revell parts packs, award trophies and whatnot under A/C on a shelf in the laundry room (not pictured). I'm running out of space, time to cull out some BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH. Also a pix of finished builds all tucked away in an IKEA bookcase (with the optional glass shelves), I'm almost out of space there as well...  -RRR

[Rick L]

8 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

There's no question in my mind that it fills some emotional need(s).

Just taking out and looking through a vintage kit I had when I was a kid immediately takes me back to what I feel to have been better times, with memories so vivid, they could be from yesterday.

They also give me something to look forward to enjoying in the future when I have more free time, and I really believe that's helpful in maintaining a positive attitude despite advancing age.

And sometimes, when a new kit purchase is the result of having learned something new regarding automotive or aviation or railroad or maritime or military history, the additional opportunities for further learning help to keep my mind relatively young and agile. Learning new things is medically documented to have positive effects, at any age.

 

I agree. It’s funny how the mind works. I can tell you about models I built 60+ years ago but I couldn’t tell you what I had for lunch yesterday.

[Rbray47]

About 30 or so. They cost too dang much, and I have a tendency to part out 2 or 3 kits to make a single build. 

When I was a kid, I could only afford one a month maybe. After I got my first job, I began to stack em deep. Had about 200 at one time. Built (or cannibalized) most of them. 

[Dave G.]

5 hours ago, Bainford said:

You are a man of tremendous and admirable restraint, Dave

My shelf space fits 12 with closed doors and no cramming with fudge room to get in 2-3 more but I don't. Instead, If I move one out to completion that leaves an open spot to fill in. I mostly like old classics and not every one interests me I look at folks stashes and about 90% of whats in them I have no interest in. It's really simple lol. Now I completed two since last week so there are two open slots that can be filled, don't think my mind hasn't been at work what will fill the two slots..

[slusher]

7 hours ago, Rocking Rodney Rat said:

Here's my stash of parts up on shelves in the The Rat Hole. Very few of these are complete kits, they're "boxes of parts", to me. There's some complete kits, resin bodies (they don't like tropical heat), the Revell parts packs, award trophies and whatnot under A/C on a shelf in the laundry room (not pictured). I'm running out of space, time to cull out some BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH. Also a pix of finished builds all tucked away in an IKEA bookcase (with the optional glass shelves), I'm almost out of space there as well...  -RRR

 

I don’t understand what you mean about Revell Part packs and air conditioning?

[MeatMan]

On 1/11/2023 at 5:06 PM, Pierre Rivard said:

In my short (7 years) "career" I have completed about 30 builds. I used to buy, build, buy,  build but lately it's evolved into a buy, buy, build, buy, buy, buy...

I now get it when I read from you guys about "THE STASH"

So here's my modest stash. I do plan to build maybe 12 of the 15 on the pile, starting with the one at the top TOMORROW!

How big is your stash and your split between "I will build it" and " why did I buy this" ?

 

I've got about as many as you plus about four bodies that I may or may not build. I've throttled back purchases and will now only buy a kit that simply won't allow me to ignore it.

[Pierre Rivard]

I did not expect this thread would generate so much interest (60 responses so far) since posting 3 days ago.

Beautiful to see such passion. No matter how big or small the stash, it's the passion for the hobby that is the common thread

I love seeing the pictures of everybody's "collections" but it makes me realize that for me the satisfaction from impulse buys can be short lived if I immediately move to another impulse buy. So my stash of 20 is small but perhaps that is what's best for me. The few I bought on impulse I may never build because there was no planning leading to the purchase. I enjoy building models but I enjoy just as much or perhaps more the research of the subject I want to replicate i.e what car in what race and what kit to start with and parts, decals and modifications to achieve the replica.

So that is my learning for the day, finding a formula that works for me between the research & planning, purchasing and model building.

[bluestringer]

I've been back in the hobby for about a year and a half now. I've built around 30 during that time. I have 15-20 in my stash. I have now started getting into the military aircraft kits, so I'm buying both cars and planes now.

 

[Dave G.]

1 hour ago, Pierre Rivard said:

I did not expect this thread would generate so much interest (60 responses so far) since posting 3 days ago.

Beautiful to see such passion. No matter how big or small the stash, it's the passion for the hobby that is the common thread

I love seeing the pictures of everybody's "collections" but it makes me realize that for me the satisfaction from impulse buys can be short lived if I immediately move to another impulse buy. So my stash of 20 is small but perhaps that is what's best for me. The few I bought on impulse I may never build because there was no planning leading to the purchase. I enjoy building models but I enjoy just as much or perhaps more the research of the subject I want to replicate i.e what car in what race and what kit to start with and parts, decals and modifications to achieve the replica.

So that is my learning for the day, finding a formula that works for me between the research & planning, purchasing and model building.

You hit it on the head Pierre. Besides the idea that not all models interest me the real thing of what I model does. I have to research color charts from 1932, photos etc for instance. Sometimes the history of that model car, engine colors etc. I only go that far if I know there is a kit out there. Now and then I do a theme car or truck, usually 1950s or older, nothing modern at all. But your point of the research being half the fun is true for me as well.

[ewetwo]

I buy 1 new kit for every 5 kits I sell from my stash. And the new one is one I don't already have.

[Gramps46]

1 hour ago, Dave G. said:

You hit it on the head Pierre. Besides the idea that not all models interest me the real thing of what I model does. I have to research color charts from 1932, photos etc for instance. Sometimes the history of that model car, engine colors etc. I only go that far if I know there is a kit out there. Now and then I do a theme car or truck, usually 1950s or older, nothing modern at all. But your point of the research being half the fun is true for me as well.

I am pretty much in sync with both David and Pierre.  I have an intended purpose for each model in the stash I have and a large library of books and magazines plus many thousands of digital photo files which I have collected over the years.  Though I have to admit it is much easier in the digital age to find good reference material and the hard copy is not as necessary unless there is valuable text to good along with the photos.

 

[Pete J.]

I would contend that all numbers are not the same.  I have a spreadsheet that tracks all this.  It helps keep me from buying duplicates, but it also keeps track of how much I have spent.  Roughly $15,000.  I also periodically add current value and it it way over $45,000 at this point.  Here is a photo of my large scale cars shelf.  At today's prices, it is pushing $7,000

  Why so many?  That is easy.  When I got back into the hobby 30+ years ago, I paid way to much for out of production kits and decided that wasn't going to happen.  Large stash means I can build what I like when the urge moves me, not when I can find the 1963 cannabis crate hot rod hauler.  I got it 'cause I liked it in the past and want to build it today!

Edited January 14, 2023 by Pete J.

[restoman]

On 1/13/2023 at 9:42 AM, Ace-Garageguy said:

There's no question in my mind that it fills some emotional need(s).

Just taking out and looking through a vintage kit I had when I was a kid immediately takes me back to what I feel to have been better times, with memories so vivid, they could be from yesterday.

They also give me something to look forward to enjoying in the future when I have more free time, and I really believe that's helpful in maintaining a positive attitude despite advancing age.

And sometimes, when a new kit purchase is the result of having learned something new regarding automotive or aviation or railroad or maritime or military history, the additional opportunities for further learning help to keep my mind relatively young and agile. Learning new things is medically documented to have positive effects, at any age.

 

Yup. Half the fun, to me, is thinking about what could be done with each kit: build it to resemble a car from my memory, customize it, hot rod it, stock build, etc... and then digging into the parts bins to see if whatever I've come up with could be done. I've changed direction several times on kits that I likely will never get to, but it's still highly enjoyable to me.

I've got a thumb drive loaded with pics and articles of potential what-ifs. 

[restoman]

A few years ago, I sold off a bunch of kits that just no longer appealed to me (of course, now I want them back), and ended up with roughly 100 on the shelf.

I intend to keep myself around that number, or lower. Build a couple, buy a couple...

Glue-bombs or re-builders, though... I can't stop seeking them out.

[Ace-Garageguy]

16 minutes ago, Pete J. said:

...Large stash means I can build what I like when the urge moves me, not when I can find the 1963 cannabis crate hot rod hauler...

That is also exactly part of my outlook.

I'm much better stocked than any imaginable hobby shop, and have almost exclusively things that I am personally interested in and really want to do something with, as opposed to random acquisitions just because they were 40% off.

[Ace-Garageguy]

13 minutes ago, restoman said:

Yup. Half the fun, to me, is thinking about what could be done with each kit: build it to resemble a car from my memory, customize it, hot rod it, stock build, etc... and then digging into the parts bins to see if whatever I've come up with could be done. I've changed direction several times on kits that I likely will never get to, but it's still highly enjoyable to me.

I've got a thumb drive loaded with pics and articles of potential what-ifs. 

I understand entirely.

The hard drive on my old Win7 machine is just about full of photos, and several bookcases are groaning from the weight of reference and idea material.

[stitchdup]

28 minutes ago, Pete J. said:

 not when I can find the 1963 cannabis crate hot rod hauler.  I got it 'cause I liked it in the past and want to build it today!

Typo? if not i'd be interested to see it, lol

[Dave G.]

Also to me it's not all about the kits but airbrushing, mixing colors,. A big one, conquering acrylics (which I have a really good grasp on now that I've experimented, practiced and used them for 8-10 or so years) . I'm as confident with acrylic now as I am with enamel and that hasn't come without sticking it out, experimenting, making thinners etc. I have more shiny, pretty painted prescription bottles than anyone on the planet and I threw a bunch out at that ! Next I think will be mica powders, there is a certain look you can gain from them that I want to learn those ropes.

[Rocking Rodney Rat]

12 hours ago, slusher said:

I don’t understand what you mean about Revell Part packs and air conditioning?

A/C was in reference to resin bodies warping in the heat, not parts packs.... -RRR

[SCRWDRVR]

I've seen some huge stashes, mine is relatively small. According to my Scalemates inventory which might be missing one or two I have 154 in my stash, 31 started (which includes build ups) and 93 Completed currently...