What next

[paddy]

Most of you will know i have been struggling with my builds of late. I dont get a lot of satisfaction from Building OTB.
I usually try and add something with after market , in the past i used to enjoy the Aires resin engine kits in 1.48 but i kinda feel i have done that now

3D print is ok but its just and extension of OTB now. often better than what was in the box in the first place. Soon kits like the new P47 with engine from mini art will be the norm and the new OTB.
I think it could spoil the hobby. Its rather like digital photography, i used to really enjoy getting "that" picture at an airshow or at a motor race, now with digital the skill has gone and anyone with a phone under 10 years old is a professional photographer. However bad the picture, Adobe will fix it

The models above are all Hasegawa and Aires combo's, infinitely more of an achievement than any miniart P47 as anyone who has built anything resin will know

So what next for me ?
Well in order to scratch build i need to be at 1/12 scale for cars/ motorcycles etc., This is a scale i can work will with my fat fingers and aging eye sight. its a scale that my limits of about 0.5mm in drilling and stock dia will work with.
I have been looking at micro lathes , its odd to think the last lathe i used was a 4 axis CNC machine which i think we paid £75k for, now i am looking at a £500 micro lathe which doesnt even have screw cutting At the moment i cant get any spec on these micro jobs like how true the chuck is which is a pretty basic requirement.

I have recently revisited wheel building 1/ 9 that is, replacing 1mm dia plastic spokes with 0.4mm metal and while laborious its also great fun with a sense of achievement and just happens to add a tone of realism to the model as well.

The temptation now is to go up a level and have another attempt at a Italeri vintage race car and add metal spokes.
Maybe break open the Meng (Ayrton Senna) Maclaren i bought and see what could be done with that ? (probably not spoked wheels though)

Anyone else find themselves looking for a new direction ?

 

[Sharkmouth]

I look for new challenges but the one that kicks my butt is finding time!

 

[Rhino]

EEEK! Sum ov yer ayerplanes is haff NEKKID!!

All of your models here have a common theme. Precise detail.
It is clear that your passion is for improving whatever kit you build to enhance it's realism. (Yeah, like you could turn the ignition key and fire it up!)

Have you ever had any interest in a Tank model? There is usually plenty of "canvas" for a meticulous modeler such as yourself to improve on many armor subjects. Take a flight of fancy and pick your favorite fantasy or movie figure, maybe?

Your limited model space says "No" to a 1/200 scale IJN Yamato battleship model to me.

OH!! A 1/35 Steam locomotive!! That's the ticket! A 1941 Big Boy!! Derail your skill set, just a bit!

I love creating things. Mostly, nautical subjects of narrow appeal. Odd business plan for a guy with a $600.00/year website to pay for.
The research, the precise measuring, shaping the shapes into an accurate whole, just does it for me. Like all y'all couldn't tell.

My musings.

 

[Sharkmouth]

A 1/35 Steam locomotive!! That's the ticket!

Trumpeter's BR-52 (or similar). An Italian on FacePlant has made it his journey for many years. Best of all, he was able to replicate all the details shown to him by many. No lie, I was thinking of you and @Heavens Eagle when I saw the build. Chukw too but he was only into aircraft!.

 

[paddy]

$600 web site ?

This is mine www.ducatipaddy.com Web space cost me £100 a year and thats only because i have a package 10x what i need ?.

$600 should buy you half the bloody interweb

 

[Rhino]

$600 web site ?

This is mine www.ducatipaddy.com Web space cost me £100 a year and thats only because i have a package 10x what i need ?.

$600 should buy you half the bloody interweb

Right! I was taken quite aback when the first year statement came. "GoDaddy" and "Free website" are NOT the same thing. 210 listings, some of them are recurring, the TLAR Models ones. Others are vintage, rare or ordinary model kits.

Here's a kick in the head! Bob spends $720.00 annually on our model playground.

 

[moon puppy]

Here's a kick in the head! Bob spends $720.00 annually on our model playground.

 

[paddy]

I use Krystal Hosting. My whole set up including domain name etc is about £130 a year including all the website software from site pro. and unlimited band width.
My guess is you are being stung for storage ? even so i wouldn't expect to pay more than £20 a month foir unlimited storage

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[Impisi]

Plastic model making is pure relaxation for me. I don't look for challenges. There was a time when I built to win competitions - I managed to do that eventually, but it took the fun out of it and I sold almost everything and devoted myself solely to photography. At some point I bought a box full of 1/72 soft plastic figures at a flea market and that's how it started again. Today it's just pure relaxation, I retreat to my corner, put on an audio book and tinker away. Sometimes I do a bit of detailing, then I paint 1/72 figures and make a scene. Just a bit of creative relaxation instead of sitting in front of the TV and getting fat.

What keeps it exciting for me is the change of themes and scales.

 

[paddy]

I'm the same headphones on and...... music in, rest of the world out

 

[Brokeneagle]

Hey Paddy, I hear ya. A new challenge or subject is always the right direction and then after a while I tend to come back and do a few staples like WW2 tanks. Uboats are my current new challenge with the a diorama water setting increasing the unknown.........
I am currently mixing this with modern russian armour in numerous conflicts around the world, to keep it all mixed.
Try to think about what is the most exciting new project that really gets you going in the morning and put everything into just that.
Good luck.

 

[centaur567]

I don't build for contest either anymore. I have a box full of awards up in the closet. Last year I donated around 25 models to 2 local American Legion post. They were very grateful. Now I just build for me. Gary S.

 

[jeaton01]

My focus is on building a museum, so the trade off between detail and completion is defined by that. If the model is something a casual but modeling savvy person can appreciate, then I am pretty much satisfied. I'd rather build important or interesting models than super detailed ones.