Model Clubs and club shows

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

I'm sat here wondering how many of you actually belong to model clubs that you attend on a regular basis, I joined one last year and so each month I tootle along and have a good chat with like minded people, if your not a member is there a reason why? It seems the more people I tell about my hobby the more come out of the closet and say they build kits as well, as though its a sinto admit it in public.

The second part of the title is linked to my taking over the judging at our club, I was wondering if you enter competitions when you visits shows, again if not is there a reason and if you do, do all the clubs offer a best in show reward or just class winners?

I'm trying to get an insight into what may help us as a club expand and create a good atmosphere for visiting clubs.

Adrian

[Guest]

There's an IPMS Edinburgh club in the town that meets (i presume with a bit of a guess) on the third thursday of the month.

I thought about going along but there's only a little blog type thing on the t'interweb and to be honest it doesn't spark my interest as it seems it's only updated intermittently.

I don't know if MichaelM on here knows any more about it or attends as he's in edinburgh.

Regarding shows, well i normally find out about the local ones after they've happened and the others in England are literally hundreds of miles travel.

[Guest]

Adrain I am not a member of a club as we ain't got one on this rock surrounded by the edge of the Atlantic.

Mentioned a couple of times I want to start a club. I know there must be interest as we have 3 shops selling models even with the internet. These cover Aircraft army stuff, Naval & Trains so there is a fair sprinkling.

Going to try & get the 3 shops interested in sponsorship to fund the idea at least to start with.

Have run a Video Film Making Club so running the thing admin etc & publicity are at least a start. Also I have given numerous talk in demos in film making so that would be useful for starters.

But not having been to a model making club what activities do they get up to ? Being only a population of 100,000 people in Jersey the club would have to be tailored to the percentage who are interested.

Any info about other clubs or names of secretaries or chairman of clubs would be a help so that I can get as much info as possible.

I think that getting a club started does mean getting off to a good start to retain the interest & then build membership. Any ideas on that one ?

Really any ideas at all would really help as it is only going to be me starting the thing ? If you know of any Jersey people on other forums please do let me know. In great anticipation thanks. The code word is HELP.

Also another thought affiliation with another or more clubs would help.

:hipno:

Laurie. Now who is this ?

[Guest]

When you think about it forums such as this are, to a degree, taking the place of clubs. You don't get the immediate interaction and the face to face contact but also you don't have to wait a week for an answer and you have access to members worldwide.

[Guest]

My problem is Richard, believe it or not, I have not seen in the real one model made by any body other than me. So I do not really know what my performance is. Being a competitive type I feed on others to improve.

Now there is no doubt about it the stuff shown on this forum is great & so are the answers & there is no substitute. But I would like to show others my techniques & to see the techniques of others & there is no substitute for in the real. Photos show a lot but they also hide a lot. I have put some on this forum & thought pleased nobody can see that bit not shown.

I have often read pieces & seen photos about how a model maker did this or that & thought no do not think that is good enough. But may be that person is better than I at finishing than I am (not difficult some of the time).

Laurie

[mossiepilot]

I'm not in a club either, as I can't find one. Which is odd as there is three shops in Darlington who sell model kits, and two of them sell model paints, glues and associated gubbins. Ok, they're not dedicated model shops, such as Modelzone, but if there was no demand they wouldn't stock the stuff, would they?

I will be going to the local model show, Sword and Lance 2013, some info here - General Discussion Group - missing-lynx.com: Guests at Sword & Lance 2013 - and am looking forward to it as last years was really good. Must remember to take more money this time, lol

Tony.

[michaelm]

Hi Adrian, I'm not a member of any model club, Colin I didn't know there was a club in Edinburgh if you fancy going along to check it out pm me and we'll sort it out.

I went to the Scottish Model Show last April and really enjoyed it, it's the only one I've been to and plan to go again this year, great to see the models and great shopping. M

[Guest]

i am a member of ipms wirral and we our meeting every third wedenday in a local pub and i really enjoy meeting up with like minded souls for a natter. we dont really do any modelling though, just a good old chin wag

[Guest]

Sounds good Andrew. Chin wag is OK but did you not have a drink (sorry drinks) ?

Laurie

[Guest]

i may indulge in a few laurie but usually it is soft drink or non alcoholic as i drive there...... seriously ,if you have a club nearby to any of you then go,you will enjoy. you all now that feeling when you have just finished a model and you well chuffed with yourself.....then you go and show the missus or kids and they go "oh yeah its nice" before carrying on with the latest eastenders or corrie............well when you go to a club that actually care about your model because they are actuallly interested lol

[Guest]

I`m a member of a model club in Nottingham, one of two in fact, and we have a meet once a month.

One of the members is the Headmaster of a Nottingham school and we use a room there for the meets.

He also runs a school model club which we help with when we can with kits advice etc, a good way to get kids into the hobby and away from computer screens.

We also attend shows as a club and display our models and some times a member will enter the actual `show`.

Malc.

[Guest]

Hi Ade,

I reckon i'm 10 minutes at most from the club at Wombourne, but after briefly considering coming along for a look I thought better of it. Why? Because for me modelling is what I use as "me" time to escape from everything and everyone, It's the best stress relief I can think of to lock myself away in the garage and beaver away for a while, I don't think I really want to be sociable about it!

I do attend a lot of shows too but have never thought of entering because 1) i'm nowhere near good enough! and 2) I don't want to get to the point where competition becomes the focus of the hobby for me.

I do think that clubs are good for the hobby though, and admire anyone who's willing to put themselves out to give up their time to keep them running and organised, all the best to you mate

after all without the clubs there wouldn't be any shows to go to would there.

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

Hi Ade,I reckon i'm 10 minutes at most from the club at Wombourne, but after briefly considering coming along for a look I thought better of it. Why? Because for me modelling is what I use as "me" time to escape from everything and everyone, It's the best stress relief I can think of to lock myself away in the garage and beaver away for a while, I don't think I really want to be sociable about it!

I do attend a lot of shows too but have never thought of entering because 1) i'm nowhere near good enough! and 2) I don't want to get to the point where competition becomes the focus of the hobby for me.

I do think that clubs are good for the hobby though, and admire anyone who's willing to put themselves out to give up their time to keep them running and organised, all the best to you mate

after all without the clubs there wouldn't be any shows to go to would there.

To be fair I'm like that when in my room its my chance to unwind and get away from it all, I joined the club to get out of the house a little more and pick up some tips, I can say its not hard core builders, in fact I think we talk about almost everything and just about touch on models, lol

Your more than welcome to pop along any time just for a chat

Adrian

[Guest]

Colin I didn't know there was a club in Edinburgh if you fancy going along to check it out pm me and we'll sort it out.

From what i've found out they meet on the third Thursday of every month at the Para Room, The Royal British Legion, 33 Rodney St, Edinburgh, Midlothian EH7 4EL.

if you put IPMS edinburgh into google it'll come up with a blog, a bit thin on the ground for info and no address but there's some odds and ends mentioned.

I'm up for going along if you can bear associating with an Englishman for an hour or two heh heh

I went to the Scottish Model Show last April and really enjoyed it, it's the only one I've been to and plan to go again this year, great to see the models and great shopping. M

Again, i'm up for going to this too ... if it's a distance away i'll pick you up and we can car-pool

[Guest]

I belonged to local modelling club a few years ago, went along to the weekly and monthly meets. I found it very hard to feel part of such a long established club, it was very cliquey, though there were a couple of friendly/helpful folk. Most of the members were a couple of generations older than me and therefore grumpy old gits :smile: but whatever the reason, I didn't enjoy it as much as I expected so decided not to renew my membership after a couple of years

There are other local-ish clubs that I've thought of joining but as I work shifts it makes monthly meetings a bit difficult