The model car mob

[Little Timmy]

The closet  modeler.

He hides his workbench and models so SWMBO won't see him " Goofing off" and not doing chores. 

" there will be time for your little toys after you finish this, and this , and this, ....... "

 

[Oldriginal86]

The Model Car Forum Reader:

Spends all his bench time on model forums reading about other’s projects to get ideas but never putting them in to practice due to time restraints.

[Chuckyg1]

26 minutes ago, Oldriginal86 said:

The Model Car Forum Reader:

Spends all his bench time on model forums reading about other’s projects to get ideas but never putting them in to practice due to time restraints.

Bingo!

[Bills72sj]

6 hours ago, Tabbysdaddy said:

How about "the dreamer"? Piles and piles of unbuilt kits, always buying more for that next project. Thinking about how they will be built, wheels from this kit, engine from that kit. Which other mods to make. But very little actual building going on. 

I am ALMOST in that category. My stash is always growing faster than my building. However, I DO actually build around 4-5 a year. Just not as fast as I would like. (Especially since I have become my own worst Rivet Counter...) I also have to consciously avoid Squirrel behavior due to limited WIP storage space.

[JJ Deuce]

9 hours ago, Bills72sj said:

I am ALMOST in that category. My stash is always growing faster than my building. However, I DO actually build around 4-5 a year. Just not as fast as I would like. (Especially since I have become my own worst Rivet Counter...) I also have to consciously avoid Squirrel behavior due to limited WIP storage space.

That's been me for awhile.  I've gotten better the last couple of years, but it's eye-opening when I think about an idea for a kit, and then open the box and realize I had forgotten that I've already bought or scavenged the parts for that idea.  

[BlackSheep214]

18 hours ago, Richard Bartrop said:

Oh, I have no use for those people.  You don't have to time or desire to build a microscopically detailed masterpiece every time, that is perfectly reasonable, but there is something deeply wrong when someone whines that such gems are bad because their existence somehow makes that person feel sad and inadequate about their own efforts.  Some modelers are better than others, and no matter how good you are, there is someone who will blow you out of the water, but it would be a sad and miserable world if we start dragging everyone down to the same level because a few sad people can't handle that.

I don't think it's a pot shot towards anyone in particular nor insults. It's all in good humor. Remember... this is suppose to be a relaxing hobby.

I , too don't have time for folks who get offended too easily or assumed anything out of jest. 

Look, even my wife tells me I'm a "hoarder" with my model kit stash. I laugh and call her a hypocrite because of the ungodly number of shoes, summer sandals and clothes she has in her closet. Oh yeah... half of them either she doesn't or hardly even wear. Go figure. 

[sfhess]

The trophy hound.

 

[jaymcminn]

On 11/1/2023 at 5:58 PM, BlackSheep214 said:

Those who build aircraft, armor and ships are the worse rivet counters than car modelers.

Ooof, I've been on a couple of aircraft sites lately because I'm working on the Tamiya 1/32 Spitfire IX. I haven't built an airplane kit since before the internet was really a thing. Although I have some "rivet counter" tendencies in my car model builds, I was bemused by some of the discussions going on over there about every minute detail. My Spit will (hopefully) look good, but I'm not going to drive myself nuts poring over grainy 80-year-old photos trying to determine if the interior of the landing gear door is painted aluminium or the underside color! I swear, I'll never again roll my eyes at an impassioned discussion on this site over spark plug firing order. 

[NOBLNG]

I suffer from squirrel syndrome for sure. Also “The Inconsistent”?… I will get obsessed and fuss over the tiniest details that I deem important, yet totally forget or ignore other more glaring deficiencies of a kit.😕

Edited November 3, 2023 by NOBLNG

[Lownslow]

Im definitely the tool nut

[Tom Geiger]

There was a guy who pined over 66 Impalas. At every meeting all he talked about was that some model company needed to bring one out, then his life would be complete!
 

Then RM actually did! At that club meeting the local kit vendor brought a case!  I expected him to be deliriously happy as we all bought them but he just sat there. I asked and he said he needed to see the contents to see if the kit was worth buying!  
 

We all met eyes and none of us opened a kit!  The last kit got sold and he went home empty handed!

Edited November 4, 2023 by Tom Geiger

[BlackSheep214]

Ok... out of the "labels" of a model kit hobbyist I know I'm not a rivet counter, a whiner, trophy hound- heck, I don't even build to get in a p!ssing contest at shows, closet Modeler, tool nut, one who spends time at the bench reading forums than building, etc...

Am I a hoarder or "squirrel"? Depends on who you ask. I wouldn't consider as one. I build my stash only on stuff I want. Am I constantly buying kits every week? Absolutely not. If I find a kit at a garage sale/estate sale/antique store/Goodwill store that interest me for a great cheap price... oh yeah as long as it's complete.

I'm always on the lookout for vintage model kits I used to build as a kid as long as the price is reasonable.

That's my story and I'm sticking it it. LOL! 

[StevenGuthmiller]

15 hours ago, Tom Geiger said:

There was a guy who pined over 66 Impalas. At every meeting all he talked about was that some model company needed to bring one out, then his life would be complete!
 

Then RM actually did! At that club meeting the local kit vendor brought a case!  I expected him to be deliriously happy as we all bought them but he just sat there. I asked and he said he needed to see the contents to see if the kit was worth buying!  
 

We all met eyes and none of us opened a kit!  The last kit got sold and he went home empty handed!

Be careful what you wish for?

 

I have to admit, I'm kind of guilty of this kind of behavior myself.

I'm a vintage kit fanatic, and though I have most of what I want, there were a few that eluded me.

At some point, I may have been willing to pay a sizeable price for some of these, but now that Round-2 has began re-issuing some of them, I find that I'm not really all that interested.

The '64 Olds Cutlass and the '71 Dodge Demon were always on my bucket list, but since the Olds was re-popped, It's not really all that high on my priority list anymore.

As a matter of fact, there's a fair chance that I may never build it.

I suspect that the same thing might happen when the Demon comes out.

 

I think it has something to do with the fact that I have a real distaste for working on something that everyone else is doing.

I'm not sure why it is, but every time a new kit comes out, and I start seeing example after example every where I look, it's kind of over with for me.

Even though it might be something that I thought was desirable just a short time ago, they become real ho-hum for me once you can't avoid seeing them anymore.

 

 

 

 

Steve

[Bucky]

17 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

Be careful what you wish for?

 

I have to admit, I'm kind of guilty of this kind of behavior myself.

I'm a vintage kit fanatic, and though I have most of what I want, there were a few that eluded me.

At some point, I may have been willing to pay a sizeable price for some of these, but now that Round-2 has began re-issuing some of them, I find that I'm not really all that interested.

The '64 Olds Cutlass and the '71 Dodge Demon were always on my bucket list, but since the Olds was re-popped, It's not really all that high on my priority list anymore.

As a matter of fact, there's a fair chance that I may never build it.

I suspect that the same thing might happen when the Demon comes out.

 

I think it has something to do with the fact that I have a real distaste for working on something that everyone else is doing.

I'm not sure why it is, but every time a new kit comes out, and I start seeing example after example every where I look, it's kind of over with for me.

Even though it might be something that I thought was desirable just a short time ago, they become real ho-hum for me once you can't avoid seeing them anymore.

 

 

 

 

Steve

That makes me happy that you started your '68 Coronet when you did! LoL 

[StevenGuthmiller]

34 minutes ago, Bucky said:

That makes me happy that you started your '68 Coronet when you did! LoL 

Exactly!

If I hadn't done it when I did, chances are pretty high that I would have bypassed it for something more unusual.

 

I'm kind of in the same predicament with the original AMT 1960 Ford pickup that I have.

With Round-2 getting ready to release it again, my interest in building it is already beginning to wane.

 

It won't be long after the re-release, and you'll be seeing them everywhere.

Most likely that will be all that it takes to kill it for me.

 

 

Maybe this could be considered another member of the "Model Car Mob", although I'm not sure of what to call it.

"The Unconventional Eccentric"?

 

 

 

Steve

Edited November 4, 2023 by StevenGuthmiller

[atomicholiday]

25 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

Exactly!

If I hadn't done it when I did, chances are pretty high that I would have bypassed it for something more unusual.

 

I'm kind of in the same predicament with the original AMT 1960 Ford pickup that I have.

With Round-2 getting ready to release it again, my interest in building it is already beginning to wane.

 

It won't be long after the re-release, and you'll be seeing them everywhere.

Most likely that will be all that it takes to kill it for me.

 

 

Maybe this could be considered another member of the "Model Car Mob", although I'm not sure of what to call it.

"The Unconventional Eccentric"?

 

 

 

Steve

I get what you’re saying.  A little off topic, but I’m that way about movies.  Once everybody and their brother is saying you HAVE to go see it, I lose interest completely.

Maybe “individualist’?

[StevenGuthmiller]

12 minutes ago, atomicholiday said:

I get what you’re saying.  A little off topic, but I’m that way about movies.  Once everybody and their brother is saying you HAVE to go see it, I lose interest completely.

Maybe “individualist’?

I’m the same way with all of the “series” that seem to be everywhere on television these days.

I’ve never been big on series anyway, but inevitably, when people begin to suggest the latest Netflix series, or what have you, I automatically subconsciously, (or maybe even consciously) zone it out.

Maybe it’s some psychosis about feeling like you don’t want to be told what to do?

At least that might explain both the model and television thing. 😉

 

 

 

Steve

[Snake45]

19 hours ago, BlackSheep214 said:

Ok... out of the "labels" of a model kit hobbyist I know I'm not a rivet counter, a whiner, trophy hound- heck, I don't even build to get in a p!ssing contest at shows, closet Modeler, tool nut, one who spends time at the bench reading forums than building, etc...

Am I a hoarder or "squirrel"? Depends on who you ask. I wouldn't consider as one. I build my stash only on stuff I want. Am I constantly buying kits every week? Absolutely not. If I find a kit at a garage sale/estate sale/antique store/Goodwill store that interest me for a great cheap price... oh yeah as long as it's complete.

I'm always on the lookout for vintage model kits I used to build as a kid as long as the price is reasonable.

That's my story and I'm sticking it it. LOL! 

 

When you come up with a name that includes all that...let me know.  

 

On 11/1/2023 at 8:44 PM, Oldriginal86 said:

The Model Car Forum Reader:

Spends all his bench time on model forums reading about other’s projects to get ideas but never putting them in to practice due to time restraints.

Oh yah, got that too. Reminds of the guys we call "sexual intellectuals" (well, that's the polite term--I can't post the other versions): Knows 87 exotic oriental lovemaking techniques, but doesn't know any women. 

[David G.]

What about a "Hobbyist"?

The Hobbyist: A builder who enjoys the process of building models. The Hobbyist is more focused on the satisfaction of the build and the competent completion of an appealing model rather than high levels detail or accuracy. While the Hobbyist may be fully aware of details like the correct wiring sequence for spark plugs or if body color chosen was available for that particular model year, they're not all that concerned. They dismiss the relevance of such details out of hand, they just want to enjoy the build and have it to look good on the shelf when it's done. Though favoring one particular genre like cars, figures or armor, the Hobbyist is likely to build a model just because it appeals to them. This can sometimes lead to a rather eclectic collection of finished models.

Cheers,

David G.

[StevenGuthmiller]

5 hours ago, David G. said:

What about a "Hobbyist"?

The Hobbyist: A builder who enjoys the process of building models. The Hobbyist is more focused on the satisfaction of the build and the competent completion of an appealing model rather than high levels detail or accuracy. While the Hobbyist may be fully aware of details like the correct wiring sequence for spark plugs or if body color chosen was available for that particular model year, they're not all that concerned. They dismiss the relevance of such details out of hand, they just want to enjoy the build and have it to look good on the shelf when it's done. Though favoring one particular genre like cars, figures or armor, the Hobbyist is likely to build a model just because it appeals to them. This can sometimes lead to a rather eclectic collection of finished models.

Cheers,

David G.

Sure, but you make that sound as if those of us that enjoy the "satisfaction of the build" precisely by focusing on "details and accuracy" are somehow not "hobbyists".

There are all different echelons of hobbyists.

Those that get into the minutia of the project, those that do not, and everything in between.

I personally get great satisfaction and relaxation from researching and implementing things like correct firing orders and body colors, so the implication that we are somehow not "enjoying the build" is frankly completely inaccurate.

 

I think a more appropriate title for what you are describing might be "The Minimalist".

I suppose the opposite of "The Rivet Counter".

 

 

 

Steve

Edited November 5, 2023 by StevenGuthmiller

[StevenGuthmiller]

"The Styrene Narcissist".

 

The modeler who has the belief that his approach to building is the correct approach, and everyone else's is wrong.

 

This delusion can manifest itself from both ends of the spectrum.

Whether from the builder who goes to great lengths to include every detail possible in his model and views those that do not as "slackers" or "amateurs", or the builder who feels that the only objective is something that looks acceptable sitting on a shelf and feels that anyone who involves himself with the finer details is an "attention seeker", "trophy hound" or "braggart".

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

[David G.]

Hi Steve.

47 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

Sure, but you make that sound as if those of us that enjoy the "satisfaction of the build" precisely by focusing on "details and accuracy" are somehow not "hobbyists".

Honestly, I was placing the "Hobbyist" on a somewhat lower or more basic tier than some of the others you mentioned. Rather like a "Folk" artist compared to a "Studio" or "Commercial" artist.  I have done many builds focusing on detail and accuracy and I've enjoyed them greatly. I've enjoyed the research, the hunt for just the right part and learning new technique and skills to accomplish my goal.

But sometimes I just want to "build something". I just want to glue some stuff together and paint it. I consider those my "Hobbyist" builds as opposed to my "Project" builds or "Skill" builds. Or "Holy Grail" builds.

I often have to do several "Hobbyist" builds to gain the skills or confidence of technique to advance on one of these other "Project" builds. Sometimes (often) my ambitions outpace my skills and I need to step back and gin up a little.

 

59 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

There are all different echelons of hobbyists.

Those that get into the minutia of the project, those that do not, and everything in between.

That's exactly my point!

I see "Hobbyist" as part of that everything in between. I see "Hobbyists" competing at an "Amateur" or "Sportsman" level as compared to "Professional" or "Olympic".

Rereading my previous entry I see a typo that may have caused some confusion: 

"They dismiss the relevance of such details out of hand, they just want to enjoy the build and have it to look good on the shelf when it's done."

Was supposed to be:

"They don't dismiss the relevance of such details out of hand, they just want to enjoy the build and have it to look good on the shelf when it's done."

My apologies for that and the confusion it seems to have caused. I usually proof my submissions better and frequently catch those errors.

1 hour ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

I personally get great satisfaction and relaxation from researching and implementing things like correct firing orders and body colors, so the implication that we are somehow not "enjoying the build" is frankly completely inaccurate.

As do I.

As long as I feel I have or can develop the capability to do the task. As I mentioned above, it was never my intention to dismiss or demean those who choose to build in such a fashion. I myself have done many of those builds. Though not nearly at the level such as you regularly do.
 

1 hour ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

I think a more appropriate title for what you are describing might be "The Minimalist".

I suppose the opposite of "The Rivet Counter".

I'm not sure I would agree with "Minimalist". That reminds me of building model kits when I was ten years old and had not the benefit of paint, skills or good adhesives. Every single one of them was a monochromatic styrene-colored saggy mess. The barest minimum of what could be done.

I think that term would work better for the very early days of model car building when many kits were nothing more than an appropriate sized wooden block, wheels and some templates and stickers. Now that's  "Minimalist"!  

There were some fabulous models fashioned from those kits though. 

So, I hope everything is cool between us as I intended no ill will or disparaging thoughts. I think my typo bent things in a different direction than I intended.

Regards,

David G.

[bobthehobbyguy]

Although we can create different labels for modeling. I think that it is more common for us to fit into different categories at any time depending on a variety of circumstances. 

[redscampi]

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

Lets not turn a lighthearted thread into one that just bashes all of the perceived negative traits of our hobby. Keep it clean and respectful please.

Yup, please. We tend to beat the stuffing out of some topics and inevitably someone gets upset. I was really enjoying the first part of this thread but it's losing focus rapidly.

[StevenGuthmiller]

54 minutes ago, David G. said:

 

noun

1. a person who engages in a hobby, an interest or activity pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as one’s main occupation:

    

   I was focusing more on the text book definition of a hobbyist, which would basically include ALL of us who engage in this hobby, regardless of what direction in which we choose to go with it, so I suppose it boils down to more of an objection to how you're defining the term than how you view the subject.

   I used the term "minimalist" to describe the modeler who's general perspective is to build basically in a box stock configuration as their regular routine, not so much as just a occasional respite from a more detailed direction.

   My impression is that some of the other terms that you used in your response would be more applicable for your mob name.

   I think "The Model Sportsman" would be a perfect fit.

    

   1 hour ago, David G. said:

   So, I hope everything is cool between us as I intended no ill will or disparaging thoughts. I think my typo bent things in a different direction than I intended.

   Regards,

   Absolutely not David!

   I consider a modeling forum to be a place for open discussion, and if we have no discussion, it's really a useless venue.

    

    

    

   Steve