Model building - a childhood past time??

[wulos]

I remember as a child wasting away many enjoyable? hours surrounded by plastic, paints, and the smell of plastics glue. Looking back now, I wonder how many 'simple tradesman skills', I picked up along the way that have helped me learn the right (and wrong) ways of solving many larger problems.
With that in mind, I thought I'd introduce my lad to the joys of model building.
The following are a couple of quick snaps of his first ever build - A dodge Viper GTS-R(He picked it out as he said it looked like a Ford GT. brought a smile to my face)
While the model was a quite straightforward build compared to many kits out there today, I think he did pretty well, and considering the look of accomplishment on his face when he finished, was well worth the "father and son" time.






How many other model collectors /builders do we have here on AFF? Have you passed on any of your hobbies to your children???

[Falc'man]

That looks great, well done to him.

Didn't spend too much time myself, but it won't before long before the young bloke will be getting some kits.

[onroadracer]

i still build model cars and boats and planes but i am lucky or unlucky i work in a model shop so i get to do it a lot more than most

[Ford_The_Win]

That's great that you are spending that quality time with your son, he's lucky to have you as a dad.
I have dabbled in model making over the years - when I was about ten I spent months toiling over an enormous model of the Titanic. I still have it, I put lights in it and everything and it looked awesome, but bits have fallen off over the years and it's gonna be a project of mine in 2012 to build another one.

[2011G6E]

Hand proudly in the air here...model making allows you to have cars that you'll never own in real life.

Super detailing is where the fun is...this is the 429 out of a Fairlane GT in 1/24 scale I completed a while back...



Not bad if I do say so myself for an engine only a bit over an inch long...

[Jim Goose]

Not just good for kids! Model building (of any sort) keeps the motor skills going and its very good for kids as well as adults. Plus what better way to have a collection of your favourite Fords and not spending a fortune?

[Tonz]

Plastic model kits V diecast models
Irecently got rid of the last of my 1/18 scale collewction that had over 300 in its heigh day.
The best part is getting a model stripping it down adding carpets, seatbelts painting the dash etc then start on the outside.

Unfortunately the better diecast websites are members only but what some of them do to Ferraris, Lambos etc defies immagination.

With plastic you build once then look at it with diecast you can (usually) pull it apart several times.

Check out Ebay under Biante, Ertle, Minichamps, autoArt, etc etc

[GT69]

My battleship Tirpitz, 1:350.

[nstg8a]

i used to build heaps as a kid, but grew out of it i guess, but lately ive been thinking of getting a nice complex kit and giving it a go again.

[GT 160]

Ahh this brings back so many memories.

Used to spend days/weeks/months building models, mostly aircraft but sadly they all disapeared over the years as i grew up and moved onto other things.

My old man was a huge toy collecter/seller when i was growing up. Mostly your older cars/toys etc from the 50's, 60's and 70's (Dinky, Corgi, Matchbox, Revell etc) also lots of those old ride on and tin toys.

We had a 3 car garage with wall to wall display cabinets, boxes etc not too mention anywhere in the house there was room.

From memory the shed alone was insured for well over $100K at one stage.

Then one day he decided enough was enough and started selling it all off, that was about 10-15 yrs ago now and he still kicks himself because i shudder to think now what alot of it would be worth today.

[wulos]

GREAT STUFF guys - keep it coming!!!
Making me keen to get back into building once again..

[Jim Goose]

My favourite movie car and car in real life... I havent weathered it properly, one day ill get round to it.

[noosacuda]

Originally Posted by wulos

GREAT STUFF guys - keep it coming!!!
Making me keen to get back into building once again..

Yeah, me too,but being a jeweller and working on fine stuff all i lost my patience to build model kits anymore.

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

My favourite movie car and car in real life... I havent weathered it properly, one day ill get round to it.

image

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Where the hell did you get that??? Staying at our daughters place for new years, and she asked me what I might want for my birthday in March...I think I've found my answer...

[Jim Goose]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Where the hell did you get that??? Staying at our daughters place for new years, and she asked me what I might want for my birthday in March...I think I've found my answer...

Its from AOSHIMA... 1/24 scale.
They are available in Australia, have also seen them on eBay

[casabonka]

Haha, I wish it was a childhood pastime - I only started getting into it about 3-4 years ago (am 25 now). Here is a pic of the models I have built - there is 24 I have built, I also have about another 40 die cast models (all packed away at the moment as Im moving house soon) :(
I still have another 3 in boxes to build, majority of my collection is Formula 1.
Sorry about the crappy quality, phone was handy, camera wasnt!

[xr6turbo2005]

Originally Posted by nstg8a

i used to build heaps as a kid,

same here - had a job as a paper boy when i was around 11 or 12. Purchased a model plane with first pay and went on from there.

still have most of them at home in the wardrobe.

[fordman302]

Best past time ever when you are at home, haven't done allot of cars, just buy die cast models of them, but have done the u.s. Missouri and now starting the enterprise aircraft carrier and have a Lancaster on the list to be done as well, you get a great deal of satisfaction out of doing these things right, maybe we need a non car related project section in the bar for people to show their progress with some of these projects (mods?)

[Jim Goose]

maybe we need a non car related project section in the bar for people to show their progress with some of these projects (mods?)

Good ideas... I have seen a few models posted on here in the past, specially in the Aviation thread.

[wrongwaynorris]

It may start out with many of us as a childhood passtime , but for me went on to become a lifelong hobby . I have been a member of a model club since my early twenties commitee member and president of one for several years . Sadly it is a dying hobby as the overwhelming majority of todays younger generations want INSTANT gratification with zero effort invested .

Check out below and if you are in Sydney feel free to PM me if interested .

http://sites.google.com/site/apmasydney/

http://www.ammssydney.com/

[wulos]

clicked on that second link - none of the links on the page load - just the homepage.

[aussie muscle]

Actually there's not a lot of kids doing model building these days. the majority are grey haired fat guys like me.

[2011G6E]

There's an age-old debate about plastic versus die cast models. Plastic has it all over the die cast for really fine details, but door hinges are one area that has always been a problem for both of them. With plastic models you can have many tiny finely detailed bits, and on nearly all die cast models there's a lower limit to how small a piece can be before it can still be a viable and recognisable part of an engine or interior...the metal just can't fill the mould well enough in most cases.

One of the finest detailed models I ever had was an old Revel 1/24 scale 1957 Chev coupe. It had opening doors, boot, and bonnet, the interior of the boot had seperate pieces and was finely detailed, as was the interior with a CB radio under the dash also finely detailed. The engine was the real gem, a fuel injected 283. The interesting bit was that not only was the outside detailed, but the seperate cylinder heads had the combustion chambers and valves moulded into the face of the head, and under the rocker covers were the rockers. The top deck of the block showed the pistons sitting at different heights, and underneath was the crank. All this was covered up once you glues on the heads and the sump, so no reason they had to go to that fine level of detail. I'd love to find another one of them and make a diorama with the engine left in pieces on a workbench.

It's unfortunate that Australia is such a small market, or we might see plastic 1/24 models of Aussie cars down through the years. A big market like the USA means you can find models of the most ugly and miserable and unpopular cars they made over the decades, but it's rare as rocking horse crap to find a model (anything more than a resin body actually) of popular Australian cars...

[wrongwaynorris]

Originally Posted by wulos

clicked on that second link - none of the links on the page load - just the homepage.

PM me M8

[wrongwaynorris]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

There's an age-old debate about plastic versus die cast models. Plastic has it all over the die cast for really fine details, but door hinges are one area that has always been a problem for both of them. With plastic models you can have many tiny finely detailed bits, and on nearly all die cast models there's a lower limit to how small a piece can be before it can still be a viable and recognisable part of an engine or interior...the metal just can't fill the mould well enough in most cases.

One of the finest detailed models I ever had was an old Revel 1/24 scale 1957 Chev coupe. It had opening doors, boot, and bonnet, the interior of the boot had seperate pieces and was finely detailed, as was the interior with a CB radio under the dash also finely detailed. The engine was the real gem, a fuel injected 283. The interesting bit was that not only was the outside detailed, but the seperate cylinder heads had the combustion chambers and valves moulded into the face of the head, and under the rocker covers were the rockers. The top deck of the block showed the pistons sitting at different heights, and underneath was the crank. All this was covered up once you glues on the heads and the sump, so no reason they had to go to that fine level of detail. I'd love to find another one of them and make a diorama with the engine left in pieces on a workbench.

It's unfortunate that Australia is such a small market, or we might see plastic 1/24 models of Aussie cars down through the years. A big market like the USA means you can find models of the most ugly and miserable and unpopular cars they made over the decades, but it's rare as rocking horse crap to find a model (anything more than a resin body actually) of popular Australian cars...

If you want a really detailed 1/12the kit look at Tamiaya Formula one series , working suspension ,working steering with an actual rack and pinion . Superbly detailed kits

[GT69]

This is the most extreme modelling I've ever seen

http://www.carrierbuilders.net/galle...prise_1-72.htm

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by GT69

This is the most extreme modelling I've ever seen

http://www.carrierbuilders.net/galle...prise_1-72.htm

Holy. Crap.
That's the most awesome model I've ever seen! The smart bit was choosing 1/72 scale...the planes, trucks, equipment, weapons, and men available off-the-shelf in that very common military-model scale to detail the scratchbuilt ship is staggering...that scale is probably the commonest for military stuff from all eras...you could either find what you need off the shelf or be able to easily modify what's available to suit your model.

[LUXO_8]

Originally Posted by aussie muscle

Actually there's not a lot of kids doing model building these days. the majority are grey haired fat guys like me.


image

ahh someone else with an icon 1:8 GTHO... i havent built mine yet....waiting to have somewhere good to do it.
im also subscribed to the magazine to build the 1:8 james bond DB5

this 1:8 stuff is an expensive hobby!

[My poor XF]

Originally Posted by GT69

image

image

My battleship Tirpitz, 1:350.

That's a fantastic Tirpitz, i have 3 1:350 builds on at the moment, the japanese battleship Musashi, German Heavy Cruiser Prinz Eugen and the USS Enterprise.

Just got nowhere to put them.

Heres the Musashi in progress.



Havent built many cars but i collect die cast ones. Have a 1:18 of the BA GT in Acid rush and several supercars.

[Powdered Toast Man]

I used to build a few models in my day. Was crap at painting though.

A guy at work (in his 50s) is an avid aeronautical model builder, loves his planes. But he makes his models from scratch, i.e he makes the parts himself, they're not store buought kits.

I would have though model making is a dying art with todays youth. They want instant gratification, making a model would take too long. I know I stopped mid paint with a couple I had due to losing interest.