Kit Obsession?

Hi guys,

OK, this started out as fun, but then someone took it too far, attacked some other members, and that isn't allowed here. Measures have been taken to rectify that. I'm gonna close this one down just to let the heat dissipate.

Tim

Here we go again.....

We now return control of your television set to you. Until next week at the same time, when the control voice will take you to – The Outer Limits.

AS, your comments are delivered in a rather personal and condescending manner. I suspect this is not the first time this has happened with you online. And it's not exactly very wise to ASSUME someone's outlook on things based upon remarks made regarding a single pastime and one aspect of that pastime. As far as needing a lesson on how the world works, I don't think that myself, or most of the folks here need that. I know that I have been around long enough to get a handle on how the place operates. Life is not easy or fair in any way, shape, or form. Except perhaps in the occasional place where all there follow certain rules, and those that do not, have the penalties of said rule violations enforced upon them.

MC, Mustang, Mark, and any others that I may have put off with my comments above, sorry 'bout that says I.  I just could not move on without saying my piece on the issue of something that I took exception with. I'll leave it at that.

We can now get back to our discussion of the need for therapy or not in this shared obsession of ours.

Do you count your stash or sheep when trying to fall asleep?

Good Lord.

Mark,

Sorry about this. It sometimes happens to the most innocent of posts. These threads can go off the rails until someone re rails it or the modulators shut it down.

Now back to the original subject, I agree with Bill, we should be called "Fine Scale Modelers Anonymous", so no you don't need a 12 step program.

Steve

Sprue-ce Goose

Fortunately, some folks prefer Honda or Subaru.

Fortunately, some folks prefer Honda or Subaru.

The way kits disappear so quickly from the market these days, I am not be surprised if some buy more than one of each kit.

Who said anything about demanding a higher grade vehicle? I personally dont care about what car you drive or do not drive. I only concern myself with what I drive because it provides needed transportation to work, for errands etc.. And I do tire of that statement that you are making regarding that. My gripe is about certain individuals who artificially drive up the price of an item in this hobby at a certain location. I have the patience and good fortune of location to look for what I want elsewhere at a more reasonable price. Not everybody on this site here has that luxury.  It's an annoyance, nothing more.

You appear to presume a lot about myself and Bish, whom you do not know, and appear to be lumping us in some category like we a couple of "occupy" or redistribution of wealth types with your condescending statements. I dont know you either, as you are one of the new folks here. But I can tell that you're gonna make lots of friends here and likely be a contributing positive asset to the forums.

Oh yeah, last time I checked, the air containing the oxygen that we breath daily is free and not a paid for commodity.

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful replies.   I learned more than a few things.  Much appreciated.  :)

Wow, that's a rather insulting statement. I would hardly consider scale models a resource. Resources are necessities for one thing or another to keep life, industries, or a society functioning. This hobby certainly is not a necessity. And I don't think that the world owes anybody anything. It's just annoying as sin, when some individual corners the market on an item in this hobby and intentionally drives up the prices on that item. That is manipulation. On a grand scale, or with certain commodities, it is often illegal. Since this is only a hobby and no one but us really cares, it is not. It is simply profiteering by manipulation. It is nice to see when a company re issues a kit and that individual loses out on their marketing scheme.

FlyItLikeYouStoleIt

As for buying another of the same kit for replacement parts ? . . .  Hell no! You know, you could just contact customer support for nearly any manufacturer and tell 'em those parts were missing or molded horribly, even with really old models.

ASanders

Bish

ASanders

I don't know. Seems like if you have the funds to buy a new kit to get a part you messed up more power to you.

As for kits as investment. Seems like those Wingnut kits are a good place to start. Some of the releases have sold out and their prices have begun going up on secondhand market. It will be funny when they rerelease them and guys are complaining about buying them on ebay at 300% markup.

I don't actually think its that funny when genuine builder's have to buy highly inflated prices for a kit they want all because of collectors who have no interest in the kits or those who just want to make a fast buck. I have seen the same thing with books which when released were around £16 and now go for the 10's, 100's and even on the odd occasion the 1,000's. 

It's a simple case of supply and demand really. That's how the world works. If I don't like the asking pricefor an OOP kit then I don't buy it. But I can't really get mad at someone for having the disposable income and insight to stock up on kits.

Supply and demand is just another way of saying profiteering. I hear that excuse for a number of things, usually by those who want to squeeze every last penny out of others.

That might be how the world works, but it don't make it right and it don't stop me thinking its pretty nasty way to operate.

Let's stop *** footin around here. Yes, you have a problem. Yes, you need help. That's why we're ALL here. This is our support group. We don't all have the exact same issues or handle our problem in the same ways but we can all offer some kind of support, help and/or understanding. This is an addiction. The forums here should be called "Fine Scale Modelers Anonymous".

As for buying another of the same kit for replacement parts ? . . .  Hell no! You know, you could just contact customer support for nearly any manufacturer and tell 'em those parts were missing or molded horribly, even with really old models. The kits that give me the most frustration are the ones I am never touching again. Hell I even cringe at the sight of the box art from those.

My main problem is that I'm never really done with a model. Every model I've ever built finds it's way back to the bench some time or another, sometimes for just a little touch-up, other times for a complete rebuild or paint job.

Well if it makes any one feel better, I've been to a number of peoples homes to buy kits, where they had them stacked to the ceilings in every room. Usually their wife won't even say hi.

I only buy one of each kit, not because I think I'm good enough not to mess up......please! It's because there are so many more kits out there that I want. I will usually build only one of something and move on. If I mess one up that badly, it goes into the pale of shame, gets relegated to the spare parts box, turns into a crash diorama, or is given to the grandkids for a more horrendous end.

As far as saving a kit as a collector, I tried that with the Accurate Miniatures A-36 and P-51B once. I used to live down the street from Squadron in Carrolton Texas years ago, and would stop by and purchase kits right off the shelf so to speak. Well this brand new company called Accurate Miniatures came out with the A-36 and P-51B and had a pretty gold sticker saying "First Production Run". Well the wheels were turning boy. That was what 30 so years ago? Well I sold them a year and a half ago, before getting back into the hobby on eBay for half of what I bought them for. I wish I had them now, along with the 1/32 Tamiya F-4, and a Tamiya 1/350 King George IV and it's PE set. Those I may buy again.

I'm going to go cry now.

Steve

My biggest obsession since returning to this hobby after 20 plus years away is finding Hasegawa's 1/72 scale SU-33 Flanker D Ace Combat Yellow Limited Edition. No way I'm paying $100 plus for this kit. LOL!

hasegawausa.com/.../hsgs5212.html

Keeping my eye out on these ones too:

hasegawausa.com/.../hsgs5227.html

hasegawausa.com/.../hsgs5226.html

hasegawausa.com/.../hsgs5225.html

hasegawausa.com/.../hsgs7391.html

MARK you don't need a 12 step program, you need a friend who likes to build similar things to what you build.

Don Stauffer

Once you can scratch build a model you will not have as much anxiety, since you will have confidence that you can reproduce parts from a kit.  Major items like fuselage or wing are hard, but even those can be done.

Once you can scratch build a model you will not have as much anxiety, since you will have confidence that you can reproduce parts from a kit.  Major items like fuselage or wing are hard, but even those can be done.  Try some major conversions to ease your way into scratchbuilding.

I'm with you there Bish on the guys who buy up kits as speculators, so to speak. On eBay awhile back there were a couple of kits that I wanted but it seemed like one guy had the market nailed on each type. They would buy that kit type every time and then list it for a much higher constant price. Fortunately for me, one was re issued by Revell, and the other I was able to acquire via auctions at AMPS. Doom on you both eBay gougers- Yoda's counsel of patience pays off!

As far as buying multiples of any one particular kit. I do that here and there with the intent of building each one differently from the other. Kit option, conversion, etc. I have bought every kit in my stash with the intent of building it. BUT.... only time will tell if that happens.

ASanders

I don't know. Seems like if you have the funds to buy a new kit to get a part you messed up more power to you.

As for kits as investment. Seems like those Wingnut kits are a good place to start. Some of the releases have sold out and their prices have begun going up on secondhand market. It will be funny when they rerelease them and guys are complaining about buying them on ebay at 300% markup.

I don't actually think its that funny when genuine builder's have to buy highly inflated prices for a kit they want all because of collectors who have no interest in the kits or those who just want to make a fast buck. I have seen the same thing with books which when released were around £16 and now go for the 10's, 100's and even on the odd occasion the 1,000's. 

If I do an OOB build I will only buy one kit. If I'm doing any custom work or "opening one up" for display I always buy a minimum of two....and sometimes I've been known to buy three. As far as buying for collector purposes.........forget it. For me that's a loosing proposition for the reasons already stated. I buy to build.

Wirraway

The 1/24 Mosquito is coming back later this year but in a different variant!

www.airfix.com/.../de-havilland-mosquito-fbvi.html

It will be a lot less than people are trying to get on Ebay

Phil

I doubt I will ever buy a kit again on the grounds that it might become "collectable"  I got burned on the Revell 1/32 Bf-110 (re-popped)  1/32 Bristol Beaufighter (re-popped)  1/32 De Havilland Mosquito (re-popped)  You get the picture  (Mind you, I could be tempted if I ever see the 1/24 Mosquito again)

If I get to a point where I have messed up a kit so bad I need to buy another I'm sick enough of it I don't wanna see it again.

Not sure you need a programme. I can't say I have ever bought a kit because of either of those things. If I make a mistake I will either live with it or fix it by scratchbuilding.

As for buying a kit because it might be worth money, well don't get me stared on that.

I have seen "discontinued" or "OOP" models go on eBay for an arm and a leg, only to be re-released by the manufacturer a couple of years later or re-boxed under a new label at lower prices.

As far as making a mistake in a build, often times unless you point out the issue, you will be the only one knowing the about the mistake and no one will be the wiser.

You do not need help.  This is completely normal behaviour.  You should however buy at least three or four of each kit in case they do become collector items.  And may want build another in the future.               P.S.  Enlarge the garage and put up shelving units.