The freshness of new plastic.

[whale392]

I love the freshness of new plastic. The feel of the celophane being wrinkled in my hands, the crispness of the cardboard against my fingertips, the kid at christmas feeling I get once the box top is lifted free. Then comes the visual rush of fondling the bags of sprues, of unfolding virgin instructions and molesting exposed decals. As mock-up starts, my minds eye goes crazy with a kalidoscope of ideas, a veritable cornocopia of 'what-ifs' spill through my overwhelmed mind. Then when the glue touches the plastic for the first time.....anxiety! As I near completion of a kit, something new comes along and renews these feelings; removing me from the doldrums of turning the 'what-if' into a boring reality. Does anyone else get these feelings, this disease? Or am I alone in my joys and sufferings, trapped on this roller-coaster powered by glue, paint, and plastic?

[James W]

Hundreds of unbuilt kits tell me I've got the disease.

[Junkman]

Gosh, and you aren't even Canadian...

I can relate to it, but I like the smell that comes out of a box which hasn't been opened for 20 odd years even more. This slightly moldy fragrance, which is reminiscent of the aromatic ambiance of a real old car. I think they should sell it in spray cans. And nothing beats fondling plastic which has embrittled in dignity for half a century.

[ChrisPflug]

Lately I've been getting just as distracted disassembling and cleaning up models that were built by someone else years ago

For me it doesn't even have to be fresh

The "fresh" plastic means "donor kit" (although even if I have a dozen of the same kit I can't keep from opening them all and feeling around )

[RTK434]

Lately I've been getting just as distracted disassembling and cleaning up models that were built by someone else years ago

For me it doesn't even have to be fresh

The "fresh" plastic means "donor kit" (although even if I have a dozen of the same kit I can't keep from opening them all and feeling around )

Same here. I can buy the same kit over and over but I still have to open it and look around. And my shelf of unbuilt kits is way bigger than my shelf of finished kits.

[Junkman]

Same here. I can buy the same kit over and over but I still have to open it and look around. And my shelf of unbuilt kits is way bigger than my shelf of finished kits.

Explain 'finished kits'.

[ChrisPflug]

I finished two last year- it was a strange and new experience

(of course I had started and painted both ten years earlier)

[Junkman]

I finished two last year- it was a strange and new experience

(of course I had started and painted both ten years earlier)

this sounds all too familiar. Two is a remarkable figure.

[Tony T]

There is something to be said for the ritual of initially 'grocking' a newly opened kit. The sites, smells, sounds, looking for potential, ooh and aahs as you examine the parts, the potential, see the model going together in your mind's eye...I have numerous unbuilt kits that have been grocked and have yet to see glue or paint.

I AM Canadian.

[george 53]

There is something to be said for the ritual of initially 'grocking' a newly opened kit. The sites, smells, sounds, looking for potential, ooh and aahs as you examine the parts, the potential, see the model going together in your mind's eye...I have numerous unbuilt kits that have been grocked and have yet to see glue or paint.

I AM Canadian.

[Junkman]

I say, I say. Yes, the potential of these kits, indeed. Espcially all these really rubbish Japanese kits I have what with shallow interior inserts to hide the electric motor and batteries and drastically oversized wheel wells to clear the poseable front wheels. So much potential, so little time...

Did you notice, that the fragrance of a Japanese kit is distinctly different from the one of a US kit?

Edited February 4, 2010 by Junkman

[crazyjim]

Some of you guys are really sick - "nothing beats fondling plastic"; "ritual of grocking a newly opened kit. Could it be I feel the same way and that's why I like it so much? Well, except for the fondling part.

[JamesW]

I can definatly relate to some point. For me it is a NECESSITY to open EVERY new kit I get just to look in the box. Even if I have owned the same kit numerous times I can't stop myself from opening a new box. I try to keep the bags sealed until I am ready to build, but if it something I have never owned I can't stop myself from tearing the bags open. The Hilux I got on Monday was an open box but the bags were still sealed. Well, within 5 minutes of retrieving it from the shipping box I had the inner bags opened and parts laid out for inspection. Same with the Impala I got on Tuesday, although the bags are still sealed.....................but for how long?

[disabled modeler]

And I thought I loved plastic?

[JamesW]

And I thought I loved plastic?

It's a disease Mark, one that none of us really want to find a cure for.

[disabled modeler]

I must have it too....The site of a cool kit gets my instant attention .

[SSNJim]

I'm the same way. I walk out of the hobby shop, get into the car, and open the kit. I look it over, do a bit of "grokking" and test fitting of loose parts, and put it back in the box for the drive home. I've done that for just about every kit I have bought over the last 35 years.

[modelhut]

Fantastic, the majority has spoken, I'm normal!

[RTK434]

Explain 'finished kits'.

LOL Those are the kits I pretend I have finished and put them in the display case for awhile. Two kits in the past 15 years made the journey. I'm going for a third by the end of this year. It was painted about 5 years ago so I think its ready.

[Guest]

Hi, my name is Lee, and I am a plastiholic! Are there any 12 step groups for those of us with this disease?

[whale392]

There are no 12 step programs I am afraid, but there are some killer support groups out there (like here for example). I just had this experiece again yesterday when I revelled in the freshness of the MPC Daisy Dukes Road Runner re-issue, the Double Dragster tin set (with its' slightly metallic tinge exciting the pallate), the Lindberg 64 Plymouth with the lazy half-dozen engine option, and the AMT re-issue of the White-Freightliner Cab-over in all of its glorious plastic heftness. I am addicted to freshness and grocking..............no cure needed or wanted!

[george 53]

I know watcha mean Roge, Since I joined this forum on the 11th of Jan, 07, I HAVEN'T FINISHED one kit!!! I've started a couple, but I don't spend half as much time at the workbench as I do at this danged computer!

Guess I like lookin at OTHER guyses builds more than lookin or workin on my OWN!!!! Man I got it BAD!!!

[wgflatliner]

I love the freshness of new plastic. The feel of the celophane being wrinkled in my hands, the crispness of the cardboard against my fingertips, the kid at christmas feeling I get once the box top is lifted free. Then comes the visual rush of fondling the bags of sprues, of unfolding virgin instructions and molesting exposed decals. As mock-up starts, my minds eye goes crazy with a kalidoscope of ideas, a veritable cornocopia of 'what-ifs' spill through my overwhelmed mind. Then when the glue touches the plastic for the first time.....anxiety! As I near completion of a kit, something new comes along and renews these feelings; removing me from the doldrums of turning the 'what-if' into a boring reality. Does anyone else get these feelings, this disease? Or am I alone in my joys and sufferings, trapped on this roller-coaster powered by glue, paint, and plastic?

wait.... you're talking about model building, right? lol

[Marc @ MPC Motorsports]

Lately I've been getting just as distracted disassembling and cleaning up models that were built by someone else years ago

For me it doesn't even have to be fresh

The "fresh" plastic means "donor kit" (although even if I have a dozen of the same kit I can't keep from opening them all and feeling around )

Same here.

The only things better than new plastic is unwrapping a 30-40 year old kit and smelling new vintage styrene or seeing minty fresh plastic underneath decades old paint!!!

[seeker589]

I LOVE the feeling/smell of a new kit or even one that has been stored for years.

What I love the most is exploring a kit that someone else started. I love looking for parts I can use on other kits and seeing how I can salvage others mistakes or intent for the kit initially.

A few weeks ago I got a Stars and Stripes Greenwood kit from Ebay. The windshield frame was cut-off and it was painted green - badly. I automatically thought of a SCCA B-Prepared autocross car. As soon as I have a workbench - it is on my list of projects.