Thank you to all you fellows.

[cobraman]

I would like to thank everyone here who posts photos and tips and tricks. I enjoy watching the progress of some of the fantastic builds that appear here as well as the modelers who are just starting out. I have been building kits on and off for just about 50 years. Although I have still not acheived some of the talent that some of you guys I do find them insprational. I spend more time here than I care to admit. I am very old school in most of my building and I am amazed what some of you can do. In my day of building there were no airbrushes, no quick setting glues, no aftermarket, no resin, no P.E. parts no Slixx decals, you get the idea. Imagine having to wire an engine with sewing thread pulled through beeswax to remove the fuzz. For customizing there was no dremel, I used a hot knife that I heated on the stove. The glue ? Oh the glue. There was Testors and I think Pactra ( maybe others ) that stuff was stringy and took forever to set. Does anyone remember Notox ? The glue that they made the kids buy because it was found that some youngsters would sniff glue. I believe that Notox really meant "No Stick". I think the hobby now is so much more advanced but talent is still needed to do the kind of jobs we see here on this forum. As I get older and the eyes are not as sharp as the once were I find it getting tougher to build the quality of model I would like to build. Still however I find it fun and relaxing and at 60 I am stiil building. I honestly enjoy spending time here and hope to for some time to come. Although new here I have been geting all the model magazines for years even going back to Model Car Science. I have built more models of all types than I can remember. Thanks again for sharing and I look forward to many more models to admire.

[Harry P.]

In my day of building there were no airbrushes, no quick setting glues, no aftermarket, no resin, no P.E. parts no Slixx decals, you get the idea. Imagine having to wire an engine with sewing thread pulled through beeswax to remove the fuzz. For customizing there was no dremel...

Well, you might not have known about all those things, but the Dremel tool was invented long before you were born, CA glue in the 1940s and the airbrush was invented in the late 1800s.

[Ramfins59]

Welcome to this Forum Ray. Quite a lot of us are "old farts" also (I'll be 65 tomorrow) and I remember the hobby just as you do way back when... It's a great time to be a modeler now with all the advances and new stuff and improved kits that are available to us. We all learn new stuff with each new day and hopefully each model we build gets a little better.

[CorvairJim]

I know about those antique Dremel Moto-Tools, having worked with the one my dad inherited from HIS dad when I was just beginning to try customizing back in the 1970's That tool had the handpiece connected to a soup can-sized motor by a 3' length of flex drive similar to a speedometer cable. It was a basic 2-speed unit: On and Off! Clunky and cumbersome to use when compared to today's Moto-Tool, but with practice just as useful.

Oh, and happy birthday, Richard!

[brad4321]

I've been in the hobby for less than ten years. But I spent the first several of those years completely ignorant to the fact that there were aftermarket parts, and fancy glues and putties,etc. I had no idea people actually sanded away seams, or stripped chrome, or wired engines, etc.I figured the hobby was for me and a bunch of 9 yr olds. And boy was I obviously wrong. It's one thing for the tools and techniques to be available. It's another to know about them. Not a year goes by that I don't learn a great new way to do something, and think, gosh I wish I had known about that years ago. Modeling is like golf. You always continue to learn and get better. And no matter how bad or great you think you are, there are hundreds better and hundreds worse than you are. The hobby is both rewarding and humbling.

[Mercman]

Ah yes the memories High Tech engine wiring with sewing thread.

Or how about those 49 cent Monogram kits.

My first X-Acto knife cost me 29 cents. 10 cent paint and glue, 69 cent spray cans, Amt 3-1 kits $1.49.

Lest I forget both of the models pictured are in my collection yet. The Mustang was my first contest winner, took 2nd place.

Edited April 3, 2012 by Mercman

[JunkPile]

Ray, please do not forget about the experts.

[Tucohoward]

It really is a great time to be a modeler. If you take advantage of all the advancements you can get great results, but it still needs to be enjoyable. I think patience is still the most valuable tool in in anyones toolbox, and that hasn't changed. That and always trying to learn and make your next model better.

[Sixties Sam]

Ray, I'm one of those old guys (62) who built model cars in the 1960's. I returned to the hobby a few years ago, and have learned a ton of good things from this forum. I've used aftermarket parts (photoetched grilles, resin bodies, wired distributors, etc.) that we didn't have back then. I remember using thread for plug wires. My mom had a spool of black carpet thread which worked well. It was thicker than normal thread, and not fuzzy - had some kind of coating on it. the kits are better now, too. Better molding, more detail. I'm enjoying it, and you will too!

Sam

[GrandpaMcGurk]

Yep, ain't life grand?

You can't wait 'til you turn 21 so you can have all the privileges of being an "adult" only to discover that it comes with all sorts of hassles and responsibilities.

Once that sets in you spend the rest of your life trying to revert to your childhood and the wonderful memories of the models with their 1 piece windows, interior tubs and screw on chassis.

I doubt that I will ever be able to match the rush I got as a young 'un when I received a Monogram "Big T" for Christmas. (That was back when they were brand new and cost way less than a 1/25th kit does now).

I'll be 65 this year....going on 12.