Proper Model Making - a rant against the decline of good model shops

Graham Watson is a Modeller? Great!

Honestly curouse what loid would thibk of 3d printed models . I love it as it as I can make some realy acurate armies and tanks for a fraction of the cost. But it is missing some of the work side of the hobby.

I reckon a big part of it was that the already small modelling community found the internet a far better source of materials than a shop that for many would be a fair distance away.

Model making is a hobby for people of a certain age. Unfortunately we are an ageing breed. Not long left for us.

I'm with you

Your absolutely spot on . The fun is the building and the sense of satisfaction and from a personal perspective I love doing the research to get the paint and decals correct. I miss the the local model shop my local was the Midland Educational in Birmingham..... Fond memories of Saturday's digging through the piles of models and selecting the correct paints. 48
Years later I still love the hobby.

I remember making models of air-craft carriers & planes when I was a young boy, could never afford the paints though (they were pricey here in South Africa), so everything was kept grey. Never dampened the joy or fascination one bit though

You're right about the internet destroying model shops but not in the way you've described. It's the fact that you can buy models online for a cheaper price than you can in the store that's actually killing the whole model store industry. Industry does sound like too strong a word for what they've got going on in model shops.😊

I was on a car model fair couple of months ago and ofcourse, these were ‘readymade’ models, not the glue-together plastic Airfix and Revell stuff. I think they is a sword of Damocles hanging over this market in the form of the affordable 3D printer, in combination with scanning and 3D CAD software. But things may turn a different way: the 3D printer might also be used to produce small quantities of almost any model part, with magnificent detail! So, in the end, people will not rely anymore on molds that were made in the ‘60s.

If you are in North Wales there is an excellent model shop just off the high street in Portmadoc.

Around 2009 when I was a teenager I had a full 3000 point fantasy elf army which I was losing interest in. This kid in the gamesworkshop agreed to buy it off me but only if I repainted it. Took a few all nighters (back when I had endless summer holiday time) but I got something like 60ish figures, war machines and beasties all uniformly repainted in just one week. The guy ended up pulling out of the deal however I had a pretty decent looking set which rekindled my interest in the army and wargaming.

The problem of the internet in my opinion is not so much the videogames, but rather that you're likely to find any model that you want, any piece, etc without ever leaving the house and you get it in less than a day. Why go to a shop that might not have something when you can ensure you get exactly what you want from home? Btw, I like going to shops for things like these. I'm just going through the average buyer's train of thought.

I do still have a pretty good hobby shop close by, but even I have to admit I don't go there as often anymore. When the cheapest POS AFV's start at $30 and skyrocket up from there... and I'm a lover of 1/32 aircraft, but you're not touching a kit in that shop for under $120 anymore. Sadly, eBay & Amazon have become the best source for deals on kits & supplies.

Lazyness of the modern child lazyness of the parents you mean, and the internet hasn’t killed it, you get all that stuff from the internet, and it’s cheaper,and I’m only 2.21 in to the video , and I’m out.

100% shame that shops like this are so hard to come by. I'm still a younger hobbyist that started around 8 years old, and I don't think its computer games. Just to give an example my game group (that plays tabletops and video games) get together every other week (sometimes weekly) for in person tabletop games, hobby work, and general miniature warfare! Maybe if a new video game just came out someone will skip a tabletop session but its rare, tabletop games are something we all really look forward to. I will say I think its a hobby that really needs introduction, but I'm not sure what the primary culprit is for the decline.

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Im 36 been building models for as long as I can remember. Now I build large scale rc plane's mostly from scratch. But I've been lucky enough to get 2 out of my 4 offspring into modeling in one way or another, my oldest likes D&D so he does the figures and castles and such... 'proud'

One of my complaints with model companies, including Airfix tanks, is that in many cases the dies and molds are so old and are in use WAY beyond their lifespan, and they're still using some very brittle, cheap plastic, that assembling them can be more challenging than it needs to be.

My city (Chișinău) doesn't have any proper model kit shops, i know 2 toy shops that USED to sell literally like 5 kits or more/less and that's it. When i went to those two one time, all the kits were gone. I have never seen anybody than myself buy those kits honestly. There's this arts n crafts shop that has quite the amount of revell kits, just Revell kits that come with a kit, paints, glue and a double paint brush (which i never used those brushes). All these shops care about only Chinese crap toys and lego and lego knockoffs. Btw if there's a businessman reading this or whatever please for the love a god open a model kit shop in the city of Chișinău because i hate online shopping and it's shipping.

Now most model shops are boardgame/trading card shops with a tiny model section

When I was a kid in Essex I would save every penny for the two or three weekend trips we would have up to Sheringham on the North Norfolk coast (my mum's family is from Burnham market so Norfolk was a home away from home). There used to be THE BEST model shop I have ever known in the high street (on the left before you got to the theatre). I would RUN from the market car park to the shop and spend hours in there and spend everything I had (and more). Then one time I did the same...and it was gone. There stood a woman's clothes shop (because there is never enough of those). I never found out whatr happened or why. It was always busy and stock was always bang up to date. Sad.

I have never found a store like I since. The nearest thing I have now is so watered down with other thing's (unisex and girls crafts). Its very sad. I'd love a great model shop but I even have to mail order cement and paints now!

I play a lot of warhammer and D&D (boo hiss I know). But I do worry that these days everything is sort of 'ready made' in terms of scenery and terrain. I do think that 3D printing might bridge this link. Also in terms of scenery I assume you have heard fo Mel 'The Terrain Tutor' ?

Last of the Old Breed! Gotta be that "crazy uncle" that passes it on to the next generation. SIGH...

The biggest plus to a physical model shop is that you can pay cash and your other half will never know how much money you’re “ wasting on toys “.

I would hazard a guess that Minecraft is responsible for taking a lot of eyes away from model building. You can literally build anything you want.

If you pardon the expression - but this sounds less a rant and more a celebration of 'middle class privilege'. It genuinely strikes me as you damning those of us that couldn't afford entry to the modelling hobby, and instead of questioning or even realising the financial barrier to entry, you sneer from your elitist pedestal and try to make it a matter of 'intelligence'. There was no way my parents could afford models and the accoutrement for me in my 90's childhood, and I grew up viewing model shops as a gated haven for single men with free time and cash to burn, whilst my video games -- usually borrowed from pals and rented -- kept me entertained for hours upon end, and that's not something I'm going to feel ashamed for.

Watching this whilst putting the finishing touches on a 1/72 JU87-2 Stuka. I agree wholeheartedly to everything you say!

Yes shops like these are fantastic, I can spend hours just looking around them without buying anything! Thankfully a modelling shop just opened in the village near where I live!

That's what do in Rhode Island USA.

My teenage mutant ninjs turtle collection brought me about 15k so in some instances keeping toys in the package is worth the investment.

You’re right that they really do need to start bringing those back. The hobby shops they have now are just overpriced with a horrible selection which is mostly junk. I do like how you put facts at the end instead of a joke or something for this one.

I love shops like these. 👍🏻

Or I could get a nice 3d printer.

Three great model shops in Southern California...Smith Brothers in Northridge...Burbank House of Hobbies in Burbank...and Brookhurst Hobbies in Garden Grove.

In greece Thessaloniki we have over 4 proper modelmaking stores. I will start my first model in 1 week when i go back

Off to my local-ish model shop today (England)! 🙂

Haha! I found one. Ordered some stuff I needed off of eBay. It arrived the next day! Where the heck did they ship from? Burbank’s House of Hobbies? I jump in my car and drive there - classically small, but packed to the gills with every modeling need - it was like being young again with those Airfix OO figures and Roco Minitanks I grew up with!

The Internet killed all the good model shops

Model making is more of an adult hobby due to the amount of patience it takes for some of these models, and the reason people nowadays might be less interested is because of how busy everyone is now lmao

Is there a model of the Tudor Mary Rose that can be assembled from scratch?

I always saw models growing up, but there was never anywhere to get them near where I lived. Now when I have access to them I just don't have any interest in traditional model kits. Meanwhile I've got a billion legos and have some wild original creations.

"Anyways, cashier, only one chewing gum please."

Totally agree. Nothing better than physically holding and looking at what you want to buy

I have been making models for over 45 years and I always encourage the independent model shops. The biggest firm in the UK was beatties/ tmc/model one who were taken over and run by HMV rejects who let their secretarys order stock that's why it collapsed. When away I always try to find an independent shop and buy at least something to show my support as all model makers should 🚂🚃✈️🚢

I started to build little radios and gas powered U control airplanes when I was 9. I cannot imagine kids here doing anything like that now.

Only reason I cant go to a model shop is bc I cant find one close by here in Sweden. So instead I buy in the local toystore or in the city where I study. It's also very expensive.
Edit: Also the reason I didnt get into this as a kid was because I couldnt focus nor finish a model... And many who I know feel the same way still and feel intimidated by the work. But instead I went against my fear of failure and finishing stuff to make them.

There’s one in Whitley Bay called kitBox 👌🏼and I’m 14 and love thou models

I don't reckon that computer games are the cause. I grew up playing computers and I still got into assembling and painting models when I was rather young.

Plastic modelling is really fun, but it is quite expensive.