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When is there to many


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The kits were there FIRST. Then I got married. She either accepts the whole package, or walks.

When my wife and I met I had probably 150-200 kits. I GREATLY reduced that around 2003 to about 15. It stayed like that for a few years, and then when I discovered the forums I started in again. She does mention my "hoarding" once in a while, but jokingly. She's happy that I have a hobby that keeps me out of trouble (I had a BIG problem getting into a LOT of trouble when I was younger). Was actually "gone" for 2 yrs because of it. So building , or, "collecting" is my escape and occupies my mind.

Edited by grimreaper
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To keep it short... YES!!!

We had a discussion like this about a year ago (or so)... and someone got a kick outta this pic, so I'll share it again for you guys:

mountainclimber2.jpg

Gotta go drop the kid off at school... Be back in a bit. ;)

BEST.

PIC.

EVER!

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When I got back into building model cars, I was hyperactively buying kits; not such a good idea. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to find the kits when I was ready to build them. That fear was unfounded. Go to a model car show, and you can find several of just about anything. If you cant, then those kits are the ones to put in your stash.

I went back through my collection last year with the notion of weeding out models that I didn't want to build. I came up with a couple, but aside from the model railroad stuff, I still want to build what I have. The model railroad stuff? My wife wants to keep that. Go figure.

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I have a lot of kits also I spent my first ten years or so buying every new kit that came out .I then progressed to buying out of production kits often overpaying for them .After that it was buying everything that was discounted .Now I am more discriminating and only purchase the things that I want to build.I feel that I do have too much and thinning down would be great and encourage more building.

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I think it becomes a problem when it takes over your life. I am not aware of an episode of Hoarders about a model collecting hoarder, but I am sure there are a few out there. A few years back a friend of mine who owns a hobby shop was asked if he would buy as estate of hobby related items. He went to the late fellows home and could hardly walk through any room or hallway as model kits, model railway equipment, and just about anything hobby related was piled to the ceilings. 99% of it had never been opened. He knew the late collector as he frequented his store 2 or 3 times a week. He purchased the contents of the house from the family and had to hire a large truck to move the contents.

I was also attending a hobby show where one of the vending tables was selling off die-cast cars, and N-scale model railway stuff from the estate of his late father. He was selling everything for pennies on the dollar. People were walking away with brass locomotives for $10 - $15 and believe me there were 100s of locomotives on that table. I could only imagine that the poor guy who owned all this stuff was screaming from his grave "What are you doing!".

Now, this is when one knows they have enough.

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I think it becomes a problem when it takes over your life. I am not aware of an episode of Hoarders about a model collecting hoarder, but I am sure there are a few out there. A few years back a friend of mine who owns a hobby shop was asked if he would buy as estate of hobby related items. He went to the late fellows home and could hardly walk through any room or hallway as model kits, model railway equipment, and just about anything hobby related was piled to the ceilings. 99% of it had never been opened. He knew the late collector as he frequented his store 2 or 3 times a week. He purchased the contents of the house from the family and had to hire a large truck to move the contents.

I was also attending a hobby show where one of the vending tables was selling off die-cast cars, and N-scale model railway stuff from the estate of his late father. He was selling everything for pennies on the dollar. People were walking away with brass locomotives for $10 - $15 and believe me there were 100s of locomotives on that table. I could only imagine that the poor guy who owned all this stuff was screaming from his grave "What are you doing!".

Now, this is when one knows they have enough.

We all are only temporary curators of whatever we call our possessions. All of them. We can't take them with us.

What happens to them once we are gone has absolutely no relevance for our lives.

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I at one time had 300+ kits. I ended up selling the whole thing. When I came around and got back into the hobby again, I made a list of the kits that I wanted to build. I don't just grab up everything that comes my way anymore. I only get the ones that I feel like I just can't live without. I'm approximately ten (or so) kits away from having all of the ones from my list and that will put me around the 100 mark. Then, I can focus on just building. I will probably pick up the occassional new release when they come out with something else I can't live without but, for the most part I'm pretty satisfied.

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I have twenty unbuilt kits or so, but have never had move than 30 or so. I am lucky to finish one kit every five years, and eBay and swap meets always have what I'm looking for if it's an older kit.

Darrin, if that yellow and orange '67 Impala is a Radio Shack R/C car, consider selling it as the fetch a good amount on eBay. That'll help you thin the collection of stuff and make Shelly happy. :)

Edited by Casey
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I sometimes cringe when I look at most of my stash and to really think that I'll build all of them is only in my wildest dreams. And yet if a new model comes out that strikes my fancy or I see one or three at a swap meet I buy it. Oh well, what's a few more on the pile? My wife doesn't complain about that at all, however she does find other things to complain about/ LOL!

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How many is too many?

-I keep a small binder with lists of all the models that I've purchased and built over the years so I could find out how many kits I have by pulling it out and counting......I'm afraid to.

-It has happened more then once that I've decided to build a certain model, looked in my binder (sure enough I have one) but instead it was easier to go out and buy the kit again then to figure out what box, building, closet etc the first kit was stashed in.

-Every time I start looking at kits with the idea of thinning down the collection I'm reminded of why I bought it and what scheme or color that I wanted to do it in and I can't force myself to get rid of it.

-I'm building more kits now then at any other time in my adult life (about ten a year) so I know I'll never build all that I have but despite that I'm still buying with the intention each time of building it.

You bet some of us have an illness. I'm just waiting till one of those hoarder shows realizes what we're like and that the potential exists for a whole new series. And when it does a bunch of us will be headed to the kit hoarders house in hopes of picking up good bargains. LOL I also wonder if the storage locker shows will ever hit on a locker full of kits?

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You guys make it sound as if it was a bad thing.

It is called 'collecting'.

The majority of the 2000+ kits I have are part of my model kit collection. Comparatively few of them are intended to be built.

I also collect diecasts, real cars, and bicycles.

This is not a disorder or anything. This is a collection, which is motivated by the same appreciation for form and function, as is collecting art or artefacts.

We all are only temporary curators of whatever we call our possessions. All of them. We can't take them with us.

What happens to them once we are gone has absolutely no relevance for our lives.

I'm with Junkman on this one.

I couldn't have said anything better..

Thanks

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I may be 15 but I'm stocking up on kits for that golden word "Retirement" I here all these stories from vets or other people saying that it is the most boring thing they have everdone.Thats gonna change for me.

Besides working on my model cars, going to swap meets and NNL's, going to real car shows and cruise nights, cooking, doing things around the house , going on vacations, belonging to two model car clubs, retirement for me is ANYTHING but boring, so I don't know who you've been talking too.

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I started building/collecting over 20 years ago and have like 1700 kits i know i won't build them all,but some kits are donors for resin bodies,parts kits and some will be kitbashed with other kits,lately i've been just buying new releases but even then they're at least 10-15 kits i still wanna buy!

Edited by kelson
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I may be 15 but I'm stocking up on kits for that golden word "Retirement" I here all these stories from vets or other people saying that it is the most boring thing they have everdone.Thats gonna change for me.

Atta boy , Austin !

Just make sure that whatever female type that comes along .... She has to love models. , otherwise , down the road she goes ! Next !

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Casey, that 67 i do believe it is a remote, it has a motor but no remote, i think its 1/12 , i was going to put it on a 57 chevy chasis because the wheelbase is almost the same, i just dont want to tear up my 57, so now its up for trade.

Justin i think ithat picture is preety old, it was painted on the canvas, but whats cool is the lights light up, someone put lights on the back of it, if you want to see a picture of it, let me know i will post one.

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