So caught up in...

Years ago I built for contests, won a bunch,  I took a lot of work. Now I purly build out the box and I have a lot more fun.   Mistakes I make no longer bother me.   The kits are all good.  I still look at a lot of pictures and built models for inspiration, but little things, or big things, no longer bother me.

I use the old "Stand-off Scale" rule that says "You build it, back off about 6ft. and have a look. If it looks good to you, that's great." I only use scratch built, AM and PE on special builds for veterans and friends if needed. I'd love to use more of them but the old hands and eyes won't let me. So, I do the best I can with what I've got. I do have a build of a P-51B that I'm starting today for a special friend so I got some AM and PE for it. Hope I can do a decent job on this one.

Jim  

I've always been a "out of the box" kinda guy. I just build for fun and I'm pretty basic. Several years ago, I bought the Monogram see-thru B-17 and then I went and bought all the aftermarket photoetch parts for the interior. I mean, I really wanted to doctor this baby up!

A year or two went by and it dawned on me that I didn't want to put in that much work. For me, modeling should NEVER be "work". The moment I realized it was going to be an arduous task, I got rid of it all. I wish I had kept the kit and ditched the aftermarket junk.

Eric

Building and painting is the big part of the hobby.  I spend a lot of time looking at others builds, historical photos, history around the subject etc.  I also look over a kit/parts/instructions at least 3 or 4 times before I start.  It's a great part of the hobby that I enjoy while sitting and watching movies with my wife.  I'll have a kit open and look over the instructions and parts.  I'm not a big PE guy, most of my builds are OOB but I will hunt down specific decals and canopy masks etc.  I'd say I spend 70% of my time building and 30% reviewing and searching for extra stuff.

I just like to build. I usually build out of the box, aware of all the warts and bumps that would have a more "correct" builder hyperventilating. But I do try my best to build clean and neat.

And I'm not knocking people who do extensive research and aftermarket add-ons to build a correct model. Their skill and dedication is inspiring. I just don't have as much fun when I get in too deep.

I agree with Tojo, it's satisfying for me to just build a model with good appearance. I build almost all of them to give away, the "two footer looks good" rule is practical and works for me. No complaints from those that get them.

Patrick

Nah,I keep it pretty simple,not too much AM,so I don't really get bogged down.I like accurate,but it's just a hobby.

Now my problem is that I decide to get into a project and then find that the model of that particular subject is either too expensive, requires way too much added expense, or is just plain not available.

For an example, I was looking at building a model of a Type IXC-40 U-Boat as part of a research project. The revell kit is semi-available, but hidiously expensive to procure. So that idea goes down the tubes.

To use to old quote, "I hate it when that happens."

Yes on the paint and PE. Gets spendy too.

But I model mostly as an excuse to buy books, so I have no hesitation digging into research.

The first time that happened to me was 25 years ago.  I spent three solid months researching and building a model.  When it was done, I had something I had never done before.  But I realized I didn’t have fun.  It’s taken me this long to make an effort to return to the fun aspect of modeling.  Your mileage may vary.

Yes, on some builds, where I'm trying to duplicate an hisorical event.

Sometimes, by the time I get everything together, I've lost intrest.

my reply to a face book post a couple minutes ago, "sometimes I just enjoy gluing plastic pieces together with no references, just whittle away and enjoy myself"