Is our hobby, growing or skrinking?

[Chris White]

I am going to add to what Rob said, we all learn new things with this hobby, while most of what we learn for the most part only pertain to the hobby, but we are still learning new things, and knowledge is power, and makes us better .

How many of you guys have come here to this forum or any other model forum, or for that matter Google because you were seeking information on how to do something when its comes to building models? and I am sure you learned something, right?, so while building models may not educational in the true sense of education, we are all learning new things on how to build better models. I am sure there are a lot of us that when we starting building models did not have the first clue on how to do award winning paint jobs if you will, but you learned by seeking out the knowledge on how to do better paint jobs.

I will agree that what we learn to build better models will not help us in other forms of our life, but we are still learning things

Amen

[Harry P.]

I want to know what "skrinking" means.

[Rob Hall]

I want to know what "skrinking" means.

Maybe a blending of 'shrinking' and 'skanking' (a type of dance to Ska music) ?

[Harry P.]

As long as it's not twerking...

[clovis]

I'm not picking a fight... but how exactly is model building educational?

I think the learning and educational aspect is different with every age set.

I built models all through my teens, and I was literally appalled when I got to college and discovered how many of my fraternity brothers didn't know how to use a rattle can.

In my opinion, the learning is mostly about learning a skill set that will stay with you for the rest of your life.

The attention to detail that I learned while building models has helped me earn more money in my life.

Building models also taught me that things go together a certain way, and it gave me an insight to how and why something should work together. This was an especially important lesson that has helped me be a better rebuilder/fixer/restorer, even though I only tinker around the house.

I am still learning...every project, and every model...I learn new things.

[clovis]

I forgot to mention that I think model building is such and educational tool and a needed skill set that I am actually thinking about trying to teaching it.

One of our local schools has an after school program that meets for an hour after school each day.

The idea that I have is to team up with Revell, if possible, and use their Make and Take kits, and let the kids hammer away at them for the six week program while I offer guidance and the teaching of basic model building skills.

I am just kicking the idea around in my head, Still lots of thinking to do, deciding if I want to make the commitment, and figuring out some of the hurdles.

(Some of those hurdles: Where on school property can we safely primer and paint the bodies?; Figuring out how much the supplies would cost; Is there enough material to cover 6 weeks of a class?)

[Modelbuilder Mark]

In addition to the spacial or abstract learning concepts, a kid can also learn patience, perseverance, pride in the finished project, and eventually build a desire to learn more and ask "wonder why ..." or "I wonder how..." etc.

Then, there are also those "visible engine" kits or the human organ/body kits etc.. basic knowledge could be picked up there.

[Scott Colmer]

I started building models very young. One of the stories my parents tell and retell is how I learned to read so I could read model car instructions. My brother had decided he did not want to read them to me anymore. Not sure how true that is, but it could be.

I can say that when I finally got a real car, I knew what most of the major assemblies were and could rebuild an engine following the instructions in the owners manual.

Then there is the fabrication and repair that needs to be done around the house. Lots of model car training helps that too.

I am working on the physics formula to determine the flight path of an unladen PE screw in relation to the compression of a pair tweezers and the necessity of the part.

Overall, I would say a learned a great deal from working on model cars.

[Harry P.]

I am working on the physics formula to determine the flight path of an unladen PE screw in relation to the compression of a pair tweezers and the necessity of the part.

Don't forget to factor in the coefficient of pile depth...

[ERIK88]

I want to know what "skrinking" means.

yes i was thinking the same , what exactly does skrinking mean ?

[Chris White]

yes i was thinking the same , what exactly does skrinking mean ?

Gettting smaller, was the original meaning of the question. Was the hobby industry growing (or getting bigger) or shrinking (getting smaller) ? in context, is it the rebounding economy with more disposable income, or is our youth even interested in this past time.

Edited September 6, 2013 by Chris White

[ERIK88]

I don't think this hobby will be able to attract youth like it once did before. There is just too much technology out there that kids rather be utilizing as it is fast and quick to play with. You don't see many youth being very interactive, taking hobbies of any sort, and being imaginative. It's all about the next shooter game or zombie game that does not involve much thinking. Then Xbox runs ads catered for teens on their Xbox home pages to join the Army and how they can get ahold of the greatest technology by doing so, figure that one out. Games like Civilization or Europa Universalis are rocket science for most kids I know jk. I embrace technology, but I miss the simple ways were it seems like families were more interactive and had things such as family game nights, riding bikes, hiking, camping, etc. I think the hobby will probably grow slighty while there are still baby boomers retiring but drop steadily once that stage is over, probably marking up prices very high in order for the model making companies to survive and only be catered to the serious hobbyist. That is why I am stashing as many models as I can! lol. I might be wrong though, just my opinion.

Edited September 6, 2013 by ERIK88

[ERIK88]

Its people from my generation that can still save this hobby!. There should be many out there, I mean when I was a kid is when the model making industry was at its best 90s and early 2000s. I would see many models of every kind at just about any brick ad mortar store at very reasonable prices.

[sjordan2]

I haven't built anything in a very long time, but I have learned a lot about craft techniques and from doing research on individual cars. Used to be I didn't know much about what makes a car go, but this forum has filled me in, or sent me to the proper sources. I think this forum is IMMENSELY educational.

[martinfan5]

I don't think this hobby will be able to attract youth like it once did before. There is just too much technology out there that kids rather be utilizing as it is fast and quick to play with. You don't see many youth being very interactive, taking hobbies of any sort, and being imaginative. It's all about the next shooter game or zombie game that does not involve much thinking. Then Xbox runs ads catered for teens on their Xbox home pages to join the Army and how they can get ahold of the greatest technology by doing so, figure that one out. Games like Civilization or Europa Universalis are rocket science for most kids I know jk. I embrace technology, but I miss the simple ways were it seems like families were more interactive and had things such as family game nights, riding bikes, hiking, camping, etc. I think the hobby will probably grow slighty while there are still baby boomers retiring but drop steadily once that stage is over, probably marking up prices very high in order for the model making companies to survive and only be catered to the serious hobbyist. That is why I am stashing as many models as I can! lol. I might be wrong though, just my opinion.

You have to place some of the blame on the American model companys, young people, or any generation that is not a part of the baby boom generation is not of any concern to them at this point. Their may target customer base is in the 50 + age group's, those are the ones that they cater too, and sure, you can not really blame them, but will that bite them in the rear end one day?, only time will tell

Edited September 6, 2013 by martinfan5

[Tom Geiger]

You have to place some of the blame on the American model companys, young people, or any generation that is not a part of the baby boom generation is not of any concern to them at this point. Their may target customer base is in the 50 + age group's, those are the ones that they cater too, and sure, you can not really blame them, but will that bite them in the rear end one day?, only time will tell

You have to be kidding... Revell just did a major contest aimed at the general public and young people. There are threads on the boards about the Foose kits that are aimed at that same market. Even Round 2 is issuing old kits in new boxes with licensing aimed at the TV and Movie collectors market.

[martinfan5]

You have to be kidding... Revell just did a major contest aimed at the general public and young people. There are threads on the boards about the Foose kits that are aimed at that same market. Even Round 2 is issuing old kits in new boxes with licensing aimed at the TV and Movie collectors market.

No, I was not joking

That contest is nothing more then a way for Revell to drum up sales , nothing more, nothing less.

All I was saying is that the hobby is aimed at the baby boomer generation, which, it is.

[ERIK88]

No, I was not joking

That contest is nothing more then a way for Revell to drum up sales , nothing more, nothing

All I was saying is that the hobby is aimed at the baby boomer generation, which, it is.

I agree Martin 5 it is catered to the baby boomer generation now more than anything. What will happen when there gone????

[ERIK88]

Prices would probably be cheaper if they had a younger audience target.

[ERIK88]

I wonder if they can maintain being innovative or adopt to current circumstances when baby boomers are gone, since I can't imagine how you can improve this hobby really. Besides better tooling and such things , which the general public wont be able to notice anyway. Another thing to ask is if model cars of the future are even going to be cool? Lol. Is it going to be fun building that Eco friendly car, gas efficient , and compact as well? Lol.

Edited September 7, 2013 by ERIK88

[Dave Ambrose]

I'm not picking a fight... but how exactly is model building educational?

I can buy that as far as people who do a lot of research for their project, like military builders. Yeah, they might learn something along the way, even if only by accident! But the general casual model car builder? I doubt they are learning anything by building a model... especially when you see some of the bone-head mistakes made by many builders that could have been avoided by doing a simple image search before building. My guess is that to the vast majority of model builders (not "forum types" like us but "regular" builders) aren't learning a whole lot of anything while slapping together a model kit.

I can only speak from my personal experience. I built all kinds of models as a kid; ships, planes, cars, Oddly enough, no armor. but from that I learned how things were put together. It wasn't perfect and some of my attempts to build flying airplanes were doomed from the start, but I still learned. It probably helped that my dad was an engineer and could answer most of my questions. Most people have only the vaguest notion about how cars work. They'd almost certainly get a much better idea from building a model.

[ERIK88]

I can only speak from my personal experience. I built all kinds of models as a kid; ships, planes, cars, Oddly enough, no armor. but from that I learned how things were put together. It wasn't perfect and some of my attempts to build flying airplanes were doomed from the start, but I still learned. It probably helped that my dad was an engineer and could answer most of my questions. Most people have only the vaguest notion about how cars work. They'd almost certainly get a much better idea from building a model.

I agree, I knew more than any grown adult by the age of 7 about different car parts and their function. It helped me gain knowledge of how each system operates as a whole and shocked my fathers buddies when I knew what part they were replacing on xyz car. . A little help and explanation from my step dad who is a auto tech, went a long way too. Edited September 7, 2013 by ERIK88

[Art Anderson]

I'm not picking a fight... but how exactly is model building educational?

I can buy that as far as people who do a lot of research for their project, like military builders. Yeah, they might learn something along the way, even if only by accident! But the general casual model car builder? I doubt they are learning anything by building a model... especially when you see some of the bone-head mistakes made by many builders that could have been avoided by doing a simple image search before building. My guess is that to the vast majority of model builders (not "forum types" like us but "regular" builders) aren't learning a whole lot of anything while slapping together a model kit.

Hmmm, questioning whether model building is educational?

From a personal point of view, it's been very educational for me, and I don't mean merely "how to build, and how to build better" either. Model building of all subject areas has opened up a lot of education, not only for this now-white-haired developing geezer, but countless others. When you think about it, many of us have learned not just about cars, but how they were/are designed, much of "the how's and why's different types of cars and trucks developed as they did; even a lot about the history of our country in the 20th Century.

If one, as an automotive model builder does any research at all (online, in print, or even "asking the man who owns one", exposed me to far more than the shapes, colors, engine types. What about the environment in and surrounding the real vehicles of which our model cars and trucks are miniature representations?

I'm rather amazed how, over these past 61 years (and counting still) I've learned FAR MORE about all the things that existed around the cars I build, the companies that built them, the people who sold, serviced and drove them. In short, a lot of history, even sociology (not to mention the science and engineering behind automobiles and their supporting infrastructure (and even the infrastructure out there that automobiles themselves support).

So, educational? You bet!

Art

[ERIK88]

Hmmm, questioning whether model building is educational?

From a personal point of view, it's been very educational for me, and I don't mean merely "how to build, and how to build better" either. Model building of all subject areas has opened up a lot of education, not only for this now-white-haired developing geezer, but countless others. When you think about it, many of us have learned not just about cars, but how they were/are designed, much of "the how's and why's different types of cars and trucks developed as they did; even a lot about the history of our country in the 20th Century.

If one, as an automotive model builder does any research at all (online, in print, or even "asking the man who owns one", exposed me to far more than the shapes, colors, engine types. What about the environment in and surrounding the real vehicles of which our model cars and trucks are miniature representations?

I'm rather amazed how, over these past 61 years (and counting still) I've learned FAR MORE about all the things that existed around the cars I build, the companies that built them, the people who sold, serviced and drove them. In short, a lot of history, even sociology (not to mention the science and engineering behind automobiles and their supporting infrastructure (and even the infrastructure out there that automobiles themselves support).

So, educational? You bet!

Art

. Couldn't have explained it any better, there is rich history behind every car built.

[LokisTyro]

There's plenty to learn by doing models. We even learn about how to model safely and care for our health.