Secret Santa 2020/2021 GB

A

Mopar Madness

Lots of new homes on this forum. That's awesome!

 

A lot of people who don't know any better! .  The market is absolutely insane.  But the environment is such that you'd kick yourself if you miss out on the rates.  But after this experience, it's doubtful we'll EVER move again.

Yes, insane.

Here in the Boise area, where BK was as well, so many people are moving here there is literally no housing avaliable....nothing! The new homes being built are way overpriced, higher per sq foot that California due to need, low interest rates and material costs. Those who already live here don't dare sell. If they do, they'll get a super price but won't find anything to move to and if they did, it would be far smaller for the same price.

I am also a real estate agent and times are very difficult (unless you sell for a builder), no one is selling.

modelcrazy

Yes, insane.

Here in the Boise area, where BK was as well, so many people are moving here there is literally no housing avaliable....nothing! The new homes being built are way overpriced, higher per sq foot that California due to need, low interest rates and material costs. Those who already live here don't dare sell. If they do, they'll get a super price but won't find anything to move to and if they did, it would be far smaller for the same price.

I am also a real estate agent and times are very difficult (unless you sell for a builder), no one is selling.

 

Same here in Co.  it's just nuts.

Not much different in OR either.

You'd figure with covid unemployment, there would be a glut of sellers and not too many buying.

goldhammer

You'd figure with covid unemployment, there would be a glut of sellers and not too many buying.

I think a lot has to do with those who can now work from home find themselves free to escape the location they were limited to for a reasonable daily commute.  

Around here, many new owners are families fleeing the issues in the big city too.  (Milwaukee in this case) 

Could be.  I've been working from home, on call.  But the shop is 200-250 yards from home, but would really like to escape, not in the cards... stuck here since '86, until I die.

Glamdring

 

 

goldhammer

You'd figure with covid unemployment, there would be a glut of sellers and not too many buying.

 

 

I think a lot has to do with those who can now work from home find themselves free to escape the location they were limited to for a reasonable daily commute.  

Around here, many new owners are families fleeing the issues in the big city too.  (Milwaukee in this case) 

 

I think you nailed it.  My company has allowed for people to continue to WFH, which certainly influenced our thinking for a new house.  Not to mention going nuts on a new home office which will be a nice tax write off!

Hey everyone! Builds are looking great! I havent had much time for modeling lately. Life and work have been crazy! But a couple days I officially started working on my SS gift, I will get pictures up ASAP. Hope everyone is doing well!

No worries BB. I haven't worked on mine since January. I'm starting to get more time to work on other projects so I'll get back to the Freedom soon. I just saw an article about some Coast Guard personnel onboard the Freedom during drug interdiction.

I had some help the other night:  

Though with friends like this, who needs enemies?  I am still picking hairs of the Paladin assemblies.  

Have made good progess since though.

This kit begs for an interior since all hatches are workable, but no interior assemblies are included.  I decided just to glue them all shut instead.

Coming along.

The look on your helper seems to say.. "Yeah, go ahead and glue it up, I've got plans for that thing, so don't turn your back".

Well, I am cracking this one open

Only one frame with lots of small parts. What was santa thinkin'...

And the PE parts are even smaller. YAY

That is tiny.

You must have forgotten to leave his cookies and favorite beverage out.

Glamdring i bet you locked up some cat dna in there forever when you closed those hatches! lol

castelnuovo looks like you'll have lots of time for paint. Should be a quick assembly...although that PE may slow it down. 1 sprue, Really seems odd given it's called an expert kit right on the box. Guess maybe they were referring to that tiny PE fret. 

Glamdring, I have a lab and half the box is filled with his hair somehow after I complete a kit. I have no idea how I keep it all out of my builds.

I keep a box for the cat. They seem to just love model boxes for some reason, even the empty ones 

Looks like a fun build Castel. I'm intrested in seeing that Arma come together. I bought two of their Huries when they were pushing their new mold but have never really taken a look at em'. What I did see was nice.

Yeah, they consider the kit "expert" when they put PE in it.

goldhammer

That is tiny.

You must have forgotten to leave his cookies and favorite beverage out.

 

I left him a bottle of my favourite Scotch so he must have mixed up the scale. Will be an interesting build 

Glam, leaving an open box with a cat around is just inviting trouble. You are making good progress there. With kits that have posable hatches now I am looking to fill some of those with figures, but closing it up works good too.

castelnuovo

Well, I am cracking this one open

Only one frame with lots of small parts. What was santa thinkin'...

And the PE parts are even smaller. YAY

 

BK

Well, I'm back online again, but that's it so far. My new hobby room is only partially done and all my stuff is in boxes. So, I'll be a month or two before I can crack open my SS gift. Moving sucks, it just plain sucks. Our market, like Steve mentioned is crazy. I had to purchase in a smaller area across the state to get what we wanted and the move took my a full week. I drove Uhauls and personl rigs back and forth across the state "daily". 4 Trips in the Uhaul, largest one they make, and 4 trips in my truck and trailer plus my other rigs. Man, what an ordeal. But, in the end it was all worth it. I have a full 180 deg view out back of the eastern Idaho mountains and I can see the Grand Tetons from my dining room. No houses behind me for miles and nothing but farmland. My neighbors have come by and said hi and welcomed us all. They even took out my garbage, without asking, when I was driving and forgot to do so. Then brought the cans back. This is a fantastic place, we love it here. I won't move again until I'm dead or they drag me out kicking a screaming. I'll update more soon and show you guys some pics. Great to be back online. Have a great day.

BK

What a relief - moving is a pain for sure.  Glad to see you're back Brandon.  Idaho is beautiful.  My brother was stationed at Mt Home AFB and later moved to caldwell and spent 30 years working for Zilog.  I've been up there a few times and loved it.

Good to hear BK!

Man that place sounds great! nice views, neighbors, clean air, water and all the space you could ask for.

We need a pic of your hobby room when you get it set up.

Make sure all the wife's things are unpacked before breaking into your kits! Just sayin.

modelcrazy

Good to hear BK!

...

Make sure all the wife's things are unpacked before breaking into your kits! Just sayin.

 

stellar advice there! The 1st thing I thought when you were talking about being a month or so to get the model room up and running was "aww that's too long to wait", and then i read Steve's comment and laughed at myself 

definately want to see some pics. Those views sound great.

Got some bench time in the new diggs and was able to get some work done on the Spit.

Untitled by Stu George, on Flickr

Untitled by Stu George, on Flickr

Untitled by Stu George, on Flickr

Untitled by Stu George, on Flickr

Untitled by Stu George, on Flickr

Untitled by Stu George, on Flickr

DiscoStu

Got some bench time in the new diggs and was able to get some work done on the Spit.

Untitled by Stu George, on Flickr

Untitled by Stu George, on Flickr

Untitled by Stu George, on Flickr

Untitled by Stu George, on Flickr

Untitled by Stu George, on Flickr

Untitled by Stu George, on Flickr

 

I do have some pics of my new backyard view. I'll work on the hobby room and get some pics of that up soon.

BK

Nice!  That's gonna be tough to mow :)

Nice view BK. Even if that's a corn crop it won't obsure it. I just hope you don't have to smell the cow compost, if they're using it.

All you have to be concerned about now is the Yellowstone super volcano. But if it goes off you won't have to worry for long. The rest of us will have to suffer.

BK that is a great looking view, a real slice of heaven.  No worries about the fertilizer, if they just spread cow manure, the smell will last a day, just until it dries out.  It's hog manure that lingers, for some reason.  (My parents operate a farm that raises both)

I spent my weekend building the big gun.  I was very grateful a metal barrel was with the kit.

I thing this was another 15 or so parts that had align perfectly.  Just have one small gap to fill in on the enclosure that covers the brass tube.

And yes, I included the spring so the gun will recoil.  

I tried assembing the turret with the gun installed, but somthing is not alligned on the gun.  I cannot for the life of me figure out what is hitting top half of the turret.

Finally cracked the code on the turret to eliminate most of the gap.  Took prying the gun off the bottom half, gluing it to the top half, then slowly shaving and trimming the unaligned spots.

Should be smooth sailing now ! 

Oh my, some detective work there.

That looks really good, Robert. Looks like you have the cat by the tail now.

BK