ratdoggy Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 I am amazed at some of the stuff available today compared to when I was doing this 40 some odd years ago. In my opinion it has to be the internet and home computer. I can print decals off my printer Find out what color the transmission of a '68 Roadrunner is with a few mouse clicks Order a model from the other side of the earth without speaking to someone Connect with other modelers easily as I can in this forum What are your thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chepp Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 More (I presume) serious adult model builders. This results in more of everything for everybody: 1. More new kits and accessory parts that are accurate and detailed as well as more variety in subject matter 2. More online resources, from model car websites/forums as well as reference material for production vehicles and race cars/modified vehicles from today and the past; plus, more art of fantasy and phantom vehicles that can provide inspiration (or ridicule about what doesn't "work") 3. Useful tools, often from fields that modelers haven't known about or haven't had access to 4. More venues to show our work, from non-competition displays to contests that cater from "everyday" good modelers to the amazing best-of-the-best craftsmen So, essentially, I'm repeating what you wrote. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratdoggy Posted February 6, 2014 Author Share Posted February 6, 2014 So I guess I'm on the right track? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 In my opinion it has to be the internet ^^ This. It's affected almost everyone in the world in one way or another, but has opened up so many options for model builders-- worldwide sources from which to purchase kits, advice, tips, and suggestions from fellow modelers, as well as places to show your work and view others' work without leaving your home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southpier Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 computer/ internet acc adhesives resin photo etch awareness (maybe sophistication) of builders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pharoah Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 What has changed the hobby for me? first,and it might sound trivial,is Bare Metal Foil.If it wasn't for this,I wouldn't be building. I hated trying to paint silver on the window frames and emblems,and I wasn't any good at it. Second is air brushes. Spray cans were always kind of hit and miss with me. I'm using T**iy* spray now,and I really like them. But for custom colors,you can't beat an air brush. Third would be styrene shapes like Plastruct and Evergreen. Great for scratchbuilding. Fourth is Resin casting. Very handy to have. Fifth would be the internet. An endless supply of reference pictures,articles and connections to places like this forum. My 50th of a dollar.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quick GMC Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 The single reason I got back into building 7 years ago, after not touching a model since I was 10, is phot etched pieces. i have always had an attraction to detailed miniature stuff and when I saw what was available for detailing stuff, I sold all my RC cars and got into models Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnag4004 Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Just think of what it might be like in a few more years with 3D printers slowly getting cheaper, I think that might be a great boost for us, maybe not so much for the model making companies, so I think they will also have to adapt, hopefully lowering some of their prices... Andy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratdoggy Posted February 6, 2014 Author Share Posted February 6, 2014 Yes the 3D printers will be a great boon to this. All you need to do is scan a Johan body and then re-pop them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JabMan Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 For me it would be the Internet because I was able to see what otherpeople were doing in the model building world which in turn inspired me to improve my model building skill. Just think of what it might be like in a few more years with 3D printers slowly getting cheaper, I think that might be a great boost for us, maybe not so much for the model making companies, so I think they will also have to adapt, hopefully lowering some of their prices... Andy... I'm not sure that 3D printing will hurt the model industry, because they themselves can (or will) benefit from 3D printing. One thing is they will be able to make parts in better detail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Not quite. Many people are over estimating what 3d printers will do. The population who will have equipment will be about the same as those who own lathes today. There will be a skill set you will need to earn. And the printing media will be costly. It won't be as easy as putting a model body in a magic box and getting free bodies out the other end Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScaleDale Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 The Internet. It has reunited builders from around the world with a hobby many have not taken part in since their teens. Without it, this site wouldn't be here and neither would most of us. Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent G Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 The Internet. It has reunited builders from around the world with a hobby many have not taken part in since their teens. Without it, this site wouldn't be here and neither would most of us. Dale Double ditto. G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1930fordpickup Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 The internet has kept me wanting to build more. I will say it has been the down fall of the Local Hobby shop, but it keeps the people all across the world at one show without traveling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 The internet has kept me wanting to build more. I will say it has been the down fall of the Local Hobby shop, but it keeps the people all across the world at one show without traveling. Very true.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 The internet. It has revolutionized the hobby and the way we participate in it. Nothing else even comes close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete J. Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 (edited) Since I have been back in the hobby for the last 20 years I am going to list several things and some logic behind the listing: #4 Photo etching. These little bits of metal seemed to resurrect the hobby industry 20 years ago. I remember going down to my LHS just to see what was new. It fired a lot of enthusiasm. #3 Super glue. Oh how this has changed the hobby! If you remember having to wait overnight for tube glue to dry, you remember what a revolution this stuff really was. #2 The computer. Or more correctly computer aided manufacturing. This changed the accuracy of the molds used to make our models. We now expect a quality piece every time. Before we were just happy to get a lump of plastic that kind of looked like what the box art showed. Now we expect the highest level of detail and accuracy and we actually get stuff that goes together easily. We can spend our time on the details and finish rather than just getting tab A into slot B. #1 Internet- Wow has this made a difference. Without this tool we would not have 90% of the small shop suppliers who rely on it to stay in business. We would not have easy access to thousand of outlets for just about anything you can think of in modeling. We now can get any model or parts we want within a few days from anywhere in the world, not just the very limited(as part of all that is out there) supply of our LHS. We have research at our finger tips any time we want it. Last but not least is the gathering of, dare I say it, millions of modelers to share our interests, enthusiasm and knowledge with. It is like a club meeting any time you want it. Edited February 6, 2014 by Pete J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmvw guy Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 What everyone else said and retirement in my case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jantrix Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Paint removers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinfan5 Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 People Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbowser Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 The internet. It has revolutionized the hobby and the way we participate in it. Nothing else even comes close. I have to agree with Harry on this one. From purchasing to researching and everything in between, including communicating to manufacturers what we would buy if given the chance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddyfink Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 eBay and forums Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyjim Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 I used to rob Mom's sewing basket to get her thread to use as ignition wires - not anymore. This forum has helped me build better models and our club, Florida Auto & Scale Tracks (FAST) has helped tremendously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Smith Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 (edited) In my first phase of building, which went from about 1978 to 1998, Scale Auto Enthusiast was the biggest game changer for me - what, there are people that take this hobby this serious? In my rebirth period, from about 2007 to now…the internet - without a doubt the single most revolutionary concept. Without the internet, you have no eBay, no forums, no online shopping, no connection to a world of modelers - not to mention Google searches. Edited February 6, 2014 by Erik Smith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramfins59 Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 What everyone else said and retirement in my case. I have to agree. Retirement has given me more time to work on models, research for details. window shop and purchase through the Internet, and stay in regular contact with fellow modelers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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