It's A Small World
Did you know that I own a 1966 Pontiac GTO, a 1967 Chevelle SS 396, two 1969 Chevy Novas (1 stock, 1 modified dragster), a 1966 Penske racing Corvette, two motorcycles, two world famous dragsters called the ‘Little Red Wagon’ and the ‘Hemi Under Glass’, and about forty other cars, trucks, and vans and all of them are sitting in my basement? Did I mention that all my vehicles range in the scale of 1/24 – 1/8? Yep, I am a model builder enjoying the miniature world.
Model building is an exciting, fulfilling, and affordable hobby. By visiting local hobby shops or looking at the on-line stores, you will be amazed by the different types of models and subjects that are available. There are automotive, buildings, farm equipment, boats/ships, airplanes, figures, and even outdoor scenery and doll houses. There are models created out of plastic, wood, metal, even cardboard and paper. There are even models that use match sticks as a building medium (I have to try one of those!). I can safely say that every interest is covered in the miniature world.
Model kits come in an assortment of sizes (scales) such as 1/100th, 1/24th , 1/8th and so forth. The larger the scale, the larger the model. There are also four different building levels; level 1 requires no glue or paint (Snap kits), level 2 requires paint and glue and usually less than 100 parts (Easy Build), level 3 (most common) has more than 100 parts and requires paint, glue, and a little more patience and planning than the other two levels. Level 4 is the most challenging and can have an excess of 300 parts and may take over a year to build. The skill level four is not a local commodity. Although you will find them in local hobby shops, usually these kits are a special order item that easily cost $100 - $1,000.
Building a re-creation of something that interests you opens up a whole new world. You will find yourself doing research to make the model look as close to the real object as possible. You will start being creative by adding your own personal touches and increase the level of detail. Building an automotive model? How about adding spark plug wires or battery cables? Working on a model of a brick building? Add wooden window frames using match sticks, or put a crack or two in a window or sidewalk. You are only limited by your imagination (which puts me at a loss). The secret of an attractive model is in the details, bringing out the available details by painting or adding items that will make it look authentic. And that is the goal, looking as realistic as possible.
I Have to warn you that model building can become time consuming and somewhat addictive. But it can also become frustrating at times. You will need patience and more patience. There will be times when the model seems to have become impossible to build, or the parts just don’t fit right. That is normal. Did I mention that building models will sharpen your logic and troubleshooting skills? It all becomes easier with experience and time. But save yourself some aggravation and make sure your first model is within your building skills. Start with an easy build (level one) and slowly work your way up the levels. If you think you will enjoy the modeling hobby, you have to buy models that interest you when you see them. They go out of production quickly and may not be available again for many years. An example is the models that I am currently working on are reproductions from the 1970 - 1980 time frame.
Did I spark an interest? I hope so. Although model building is not for everyone, you should at least give it a try. You will discover that it can be very rewarding and give a strong sense of accomplishment. But where do you start? Try visiting your local hobby shop and look around. Talk to the owners and ask questions. You will find that model building attracts some very friendly people that make you feel like you are part of a group and always have the time to talk modeling and provide any suggestions and help that you may need.
As they used to say to little Mikey, “Try it, you’ll like it”.