Comfort Zones

I build mostly aircraft but do some tanks as well.  This past year I have also bought a lunar lander dio, a '69 Mustang and a ship model for the stash.  It's nice to mix it up some.

Mike

Funny, I always thought student loans were intended for education expenses, not 30 - 40 models......

Cadet Chuck

Funny, I always thought student loans were intended for education expenses, not 30 - 40 models......

LMAO.

30-40 every semester? Holy Moly.

I think student loans are used for living expenses, and what is living without models?

CV 64 is the USS Constellation?  Go Navy!!! 

My comfort zone is 1/72 aircraft, recently forayed into 1/700 ships.

There really isn't a model kit outside my 'zone', since dioramas are my thing, and the kits are just part of it... The only genre I've never venturered into would be flying models, although I did got R/C for a spell with "store bought" planes that were a lot of fun, but the "bug" never really bit me, and the cost was prohibitive, mostly because the learning-curve is pretty steep (Reverse-controlling when the plane's coming at you is something I never really twigged onto) ... I partially built a Guillow's Fokker D VII once, many, MANY years ago, but ended up using the balsa on a regular diorama...

Basically though, I'm a "Military Modeler"...

I'm pretty much all aircraft and armor now, but I DO have a Polar Lights (Ex Aurora) 1/32 scale 1966 Batmobile going into a Batcave diorama...   I wanted to do a dio with lotsa little lights, and wasn't on space-ship...  Saw the Batmobile in Hobby Lobby (40% coupon, naturally) and jumped on it...

Be looking for a Batcave diorama in about 3 months... 

My interests are so varied- aircraft, armor, racing ('80s NASCAR, F1, NHRA), tractor-trailers, space (real and sci-fi), some ships- that my comfort zone is rather broad. I don't often get bored perusing my stash......

Yes CV64 is the Constellation, served onboard from 92-94.

I buy my models online form the same place where they are generally about 1/3 off, so I pay about $6-10 for each one.  I usually pay about $300-400 (with a max of $10 for shipping) for them all and occassionally get something from ebay.

Trust me, most of my student loan goes to pay for my class expenses and tuition but I have to have something to do to take a break from classes, I'm in class for about 25-30 hours a week.

I'd love to be able to do dioramas but my overall ability is pretty low.  I can follow directions and make stuff look decent but to be able to scratchbuild the stuff and mix and match other models to put together into a diorama is generally above my skill.  Especially the weathering.  Stuff like the Lunar Landing that is all in one I feel I can do.

I won't go away from what I do,but I do build armor,ships,and planes.but I don't see myself doing a car or sci-fi for example.

Don't feel apologetic, Gonavy.  My youngest daughter is in college right now, complete with student loans/grants and the whole bit.  I know that if she didn't have some way to unwind, she'd go nuts.

As a matter of fact, even when I was in college, I built models in my down time--right through grad school.  I have a few models left older than my marriage!!!

And thanks for your service.  It is appreciated.

I hope to do the same thing with the batmobile that you did atleast partially.  Hoping to use the 40% off at Hobby Lobby for the Batmobile. 

gonavycv64

I'd love to be able to do dioramas but my overall ability is pretty low.  I can follow directions and make stuff look decent but to be able to scratchbuild the stuff and mix and match other models to put together into a diorama is generally above my skill.  Especially the weathering.  Stuff like the Lunar Landing that is all in one I feel I can do.

The only way to learn how to build dioramas is build them... KISS Rule (Keep It Simple Stupid) applies at first... 

Then, before you start a dio, go get a copy of How to Build Dioramas by Shepard Paine.  It's the BIBLE for diorama-building... IF you ever only buy ONE modeling book, that's the one you want... It's also the textbook for "Gizmology 101"...

Shep takes you through EVERYthing you need to know...

Aircraft

I usually build aircraft but I do build armor, cars, ships, and figures to. My comfort zone would be anything allied. Every once and a while I'll go out of the comfort zone though.

Mine's not so much a comfort zone as an obsession. I'm obsessed with aircraft and have little interest in modeling ships and armor.

Though I do like to see any model that is nicely done.

Aircraft and Amour

Tbh it always has, Ive got a model of Battle ship Yamato (1/700) sitting up in my cupboard for over a year now, probably should start but something just makes me want to build other things (above mentioned).

I guess it started when my older bro and oldman worked on the 1/72 scale Shackleton bomber back when I was very young, can still remember it now  :D

Aren't you worried about paying the interest off for years to come?  I'm just throwing out some numbers but just to give a "for instance", let's say you spend $900 per semester on 30 kits.  After the loans are all paid off, you'll end up spending much more than that thanks to the accumulated interest.  I think that would bug me.

Eric

I build aircraft right now but would like to get into armor, sci-fi and ships at some point.

echolmberg

Aren't you worried about paying the interest off for years to come?  I'm just throwing out some numbers but just to give a "for instance", let's say you spend $900 per semester on 30 kits.  After the loans are all paid off, you'll end up spending much more than that thanks to the accumulated interest.  I think that would bug me.

Eric

I spend about 300-400 a semester on models.  The vast majority of my student loan goes towards books, tuition, supplies, transportation, living expenses.  The models I buy are the only luxory that I spend my student loan money on.  Even the scooter that I bought is used almost exclusively for school (Bus is not always practical, especially when you have a 6 am class or one that gets over at midninght)  I don't look at paying the interest as something that would bug me because I need to go to school.  I'm 39 and have spent my life doing physical labor/factory jobs.  I've lost part of my right leg and am no longer able to do those kinds of jobs.  I'm working on a 2 year degree right now and will go for a 4 year as soon as I'm done with it.  Sometimes life throws you a curveball and you just have to swing with it.

I hope you know I wasn't trying to be judgemental by any means.  I was just pondering.  That was all.  Heck I'd probably take a little of that money and get myself something purty, too.  By the time my last semester of college came, I was able to pay for it and my housing on the first day of school which left my bank account pretty much zero'ed out.  I was barely getting by when I graduated a few months later but I was able to get out without being a single penny in debt.

By the way, I'm 40 and have a 2 year and a 4 year degree.  I think I've gotten more mileage out of my Associate degree than I have out of my Bachelor's.  Good job on going back to school!

Best wishes,

Eric