What will eventually happen to your builds?

This is a really good question, and thank you all for your honest and frank replies. 

Recently we (my family) performed a house purging to clean out our basement. During the cleanout I was challenged to just throw away many built and unbuilt kits. I stood my ground as I am not ready to do that just yet. 

That episode motivated me to figure out what I may do with several hundred unbuilt kits. I know that many of the older ones are not up to the current mold / detail / fit quality of current kits; but I also know that many of them are sought after by vintage builders and are not produced anymore. 

There was a thread in FSM about donating them to various sources. There have also been discussions on trying to sell them. I can tell you that if you want to sell them, you will make more selling individually (built or unbuilt). If you have any local or nearby modeling shows, I think that would be the easiest. When selling them in bulk, most buyers want photos and a spreadsheet. Selling in bulk will usually result in getting around 35% of thier worth if your lucky. 

As for me, I have already connected with the Columbus Eddie Rickenbacker IMPS chapter to get my unbuilt models once I pass. They can do what they want with them. I am also going through the process of donating around 75 kits to a group in South Carolina who coordinates with may active duty and veterans affiliations to get them to those who want them.

Many of my builds have gone to local hobby shops (some shops are still here and others are now gone). At one time I got free models of my choice to build with the understanding that they must be displayed in the hobby shop for 6 months before I take them home or give them away. I have also donated numerous kits to several central Ohio museums where they currently reside. On occasion I have given them to people I have met or thier children (built and unbuilt) simply because they really liked it or wanted one. 

Out of those I built and still have, my two sons and my daughter want several of them; the rest will most likely either go to the Columbus IMPS for thier annual silent auction or into the trash after I pass on.

Then there is the associated stuff like paint booths, air compressors, air brushes, hand tools, paint, work benches, paint racks, on and on.... but that is a whole other thread.

Ben

When I'm ready to let them go I put them on EBay, built and unbuilt ones. This way I get money in return and someone else enjoys the models. I have sold 20-30 year old builds for decent cash which helps fund othe projects. 

My sailing ships are easy to get rid of, seems there is always someone willing to snag one for a decoration, but my planes and other weapons of war usually have a shlef life of less than five years thanks to my love of having cats and lab retrievers around the house.  

scottrc

My sailing ships are easy to get rid of, seems there is always someone willing to snag one for a decoration, but my planes and other weapons of war usually have a shlef life of less than five years thanks to my love of having cats and lab retrievers around the house.  

 

I am afraid to package and ship any of my ship models.  I have had bad experiences with shipping even cars and planes.  How do you pack up and ship a ship?  Or do you get rid of them only in local area?

Don Stauffer

 

 

scottrc

My sailing ships are easy to get rid of, seems there is always someone willing to snag one for a decoration, but my planes and other weapons of war usually have a shlef life of less than five years thanks to my love of having cats and lab retrievers around the house.  

 

 

 

 

I am afraid to package and ship any of my ship models.  I have had bad experiences with shipping even cars and planes.  How do you pack up and ship a ship?  Or do you get rid of them only in local area?

 

I would be afraid to ship one too, too many small parts and rigging to get damaged.

Planes and armor are very easy to pack. I make a cardbord tray to rest the plane upside down into a recessed slot cut to let the fuselage rest in between the cardboard. I then use plastic shopping bags cut into strips and used as tiedowns to secure the plane to the tray. The plastic strips are stapled to the cardboard. I use a box that will allow 3-4 inches clearance all the way around the model and use poly fiberfill to suspend the plane in this sandwhich. This is the best method by far for shipping planes or armor. The cardboard tray prevents the model from shifting and the fiberfill suspends and cushions it. 

Good Point:

    Shipping a ship is not for the weak of heart. I usually create a cradle out of foam. Then Cteate a Forward and Aft block to protect the ends and side blocks that connect to a block at the top for stability. 

 I have NEVER shipped a sailing ship. I deliver them in person in the car. I have even shipped Brass and Plastic parts in a box and they arrived with the brass destroyed and the plastic intact and whole. Go Figure!

The longer I spend at this hobby the better I get at it, so looking at some of my earlier builds I realize they need to be replaced.  So I buy another kit, build it and chuck the old one.  I've only ever donated one of my builds.  Mini Whiskey 7.  I'm currently working on #2 as it will be displayed on my stand along with Mini Movie Memphis Belle, and Mini L-16.  All of which are aircraft my daughter flew in that are owned by the museum I volunteer at.  So I hope once I'm dead and gone my daughter at least keeps those three.  Everything else she can pitch them or keep them.

My ships are easy to ship. You just need to keep the base from shifting. I then put the box into another box cushioned with bubble wrap or constuct the exterior box out of wood. Expensive to ship either way.

Locally.  I just mention I want to get rid of one and a number of friends or relatives speak up. Mention I want to get rid of a battleship or plane, and no responses.  

Don't know what will happen to my builds when I finally depart the planet. I'm not too concerned though, I'll be gone. I only have two siblings left out of a cast of six and neither of them would be interested in something they would consider clutter. My stash is only 30/35 kits and I've told a good friend who is an internet seller - reseller that he can have them when and if I'm gone. In the meantime I enjoy seeing my builds on the shelf, I enjoy going to shows and seeing the builds submitted for judging and the companionship and camaraderie the hobby affords.