discussion Is scale modelling a cheap or expensive hobby?

[pjgtech]

Just musing, and its all relative I know.....

I've had many hobbies over the years, from playing Football, to running, to playing Golf, and Squash, Cycling, Fishing, Motorbikes, Cars, Air rifle target shooting, gaming computers and consoles, collecting stuff, Lego, etc, etc. Some were relatively cheap, (Football, Squash) and other much more expensive, (Motorbikes and gear!)

I tend to go "all in" when I start a hobby, so buy all the kit etc, yes, I am the very definition of all the gear and no idea! Lol.... So I was trying to work out how much I've spent since getting back into the hobby, and TBH I gave up trying to work it out once I got past a bag of sand (£1k) as its a lot more than that!

But I think bearing in mind some of my other hobbies and some hobbies that I don't partake in (but could), its not too bad and it obviously can be done quite cheaply if you are careful about what you buy, eg: cheap gear, cheap kits, etc.

Thoughts?

 

[PaulTRose]

In the scheme of things its a relativly cheap hobby...... I can think of a lot worse things to waste money on

 

[Jim R]

I always think of the hobby costs in terms of "hours spent against £s spent". In my case that works out as good value.

 

[pjgtech]

Yeah, I agree that I get a lot of time out of the hobby and a lot of pleasure building em....
Think my most expensive hobby was Motorbikes, spent a bloody fortune on bikes, gear and trips away, etc, Lol!

 

[radish]

Sure is a lot cheaper than going down to the pub and buying beer all the time, or even FAR cheaper than if you only smoked one pack a day.

In Australia, a carton of 10 Camel Plain cigarettes packs will set you back AUST $ 385.00, yep you read that correct, Aust$ 385.00, or - 201 English Pounds for just ONE carton of fags, eh.

A carton of XXXX beer, 30 x 375 ml cans, will set you back Aust $ 53.00.

Here's an exercise in futillity, check out what a pint of beer costs at the pub in Aust, I will let you do the conversion for the English Pound.
Do a Google for------------- the cost of a pint of beer in australia ------- then do a currency conversion back to English Pounds.


So modelling is by FAR the cheapest option I got ------------

 

[flyjoe180]

It's definitely more expensive than it was, especially the price of kits. Luckily I collected all the model kits (and more) I need years ago. Materials aren't too expensive, once you've splashed out on some more pricey items such as airbrush and accessories, and accumulated your paints.

 

[Airborne01]

Having weighed off costs against hours of relaxation and mental stimulus, plus the exercise when on hands and knees chasing the dreaded Carpet Monster I'd say 'Cheap as Chips'!
Steve

 

[Andy T]

I think it's one of those hobbies that can be both. Picking up charity shop kits or ebay bargains, taking the time to make small improvements, layering up paints and weathering effects could all make it an absolute bargain using Jim's metric of hours per £.

Or you can buy the newest, most extravagant kits, buy all kinds of fancy extras and tools to put them together and paint them, and it could work out more expensive.

Still, in the grand scheme of things, I think either way is far cheaper than many other hobbies.

 

[PaulTRose]

Put it this way...... If you spent 30 quid on a kit and then 10 quids worth of glue, filler, paint, etc and it took you a month that works out to @£1.30 a day

Far cheaper addiction than fags or booze

 

[Steven000]

As a kid I had a lot of time but didn't have much money, so small 1/72 models were the main thing. After a birthday or Xmass I could go shopping for a 1/35 tank. In those days the kit was started the day I bought it (no stash).

Today, working fulltime I have the money but no longer a lot of free time... Because if this I now also prefere a kit that fits well without too much drama. Thinking of future projects at work resulted in buying more kits then I could ever build (stash).

So as said before the hobby can be cheap or expensive - depending on budget, scale, stash, type of paint and tools... Cheers

 

[Valeron]

I'd say it's relatively cheap. The costs can be high when you're starting out and just can't stop buying stuff. So you £20 model ends up costing loads more than that but costs per model go down over time.

I think it can be super cheap but for many people on this forum it probably isn't as we're always buying extras. I've only been into it for 4 years and don't buy as much stuff now but there is always something out there which catches my eye.

As long as people can afford what they spend, hours of entertainment, relaxation etc etc is really good value. I mean a pint of beer is £5 plus these days and that doesn't last long.

 

[Ian M]

I have (had) some humdingers before. Photography was an early starter. good old days, rolls of 35mm and a bag full of lenses, Hours walking around and taking a lot of time over the act. This has since gone digital. Not nearly as much fun. Just shot and scoot. Fishing... according to may wife I could open a tackle shop. From the humble minnow bashing to hauling 10kg cod over a railing or cradling a 16kg Mirror carp. A fly caught trout... If it was a rod and line, I had it. (still do - it just sits in the shed these days).
I had my (un)fair share of motorbikes as well. but not had one for 30 odd years now. Had quite a collection in my youth!
Now I still have my models, and the money to buy them. Most of the tool kit is new but will out last me.
I dont drink (much) and had not touched tobacco for a good three or more years. So not really a problem. Can I walk past a garden center..... nope.

 

[Tim Marlow]

I’d say it’s got fairly high start up costs as you get kitted out, but then the cost to time ratio drops off markedly. I bought all my build kit years ago, and just replace things that wear out these days. Actual model kit costs are higher than they were, but still reasonable if you cost the model against the time it takes to complete. What you will find as your experience grows is that each kit, project, or what have you, takes longer as you put in more effort to get to where you want to be. I still buy kits on spec occasionally but my hobby spend these days probably comes in at less than a tenner a week.

The aspect of modelling to beware of is the next best shiny thing. It’s pretty much all hype. True innovation is quite rare, and most of the tools, paints, or effects that are touted as essential can actually be reproduced more cheaply and effectively using basic art supplies or good quality tools.

As an example, it amazes me how many paint manufacturers are out there now, and how wide the ranges of basic paint, glazes, washes, triads, and one coat mixes they make. Get a good quality basic paint range, learn how to mix your own colours, buy a wet palette, and learn how to use additives like flow aid and glaze medium and you can replicate all that those ranges offer and more, without spending a fortune.

Etch benders are another one. Get a good set of smooth jawed pliers, a decent vice, and a couple of steel rules and you will cover all the tasks you will ever need. These tools can also be useful for many other jobs, so have far more flexibility over all for probably less money.

Lots of other examples around, so ask around, and think before you buy. Unless you are extremely time poor, or making models for a living, the time you might save is relatively small, so not worth the outlay for normal hobbyists.

Gear heads exist in all hobbies, and are the legitimate prey of the hard sell. Having the latest and greatest is the end point for them, not what they do with it. My other hobby’s, guitar playing, and photography, show this in spades. There are some aspects of both hobbies that you simply cannot reproduce without buying special gear. Lap steel guitar, or high speed photography, for example. But most bread and butter stuff comes down to maximising your technique, not your spending power.

One of the usual guitar questions from beginners is “how do I sound like Hendrix (or whoever the in vogue guitar is these days). What gear did he use…..if I buy that it means I can sound like him/her. It’s a fallacy. You can spend a fortune buying exact replicas, it’s all out there. However, you won’t sound like them because you aren’t them. If Hendrix played your starter guitar and basic practice amp, he’d still sound like Hendrix, because his sound comes from his hands and his techniques. As with all things that are done using your hands, eyes, and brain, you need to put the time in and learn. Only then will you express yourself as you, rather than a pale imitation of someone else, and as a bonus you will be able to better evaluate the “next shiny thing” to determine if it really will extend your abilities, or just sit in a drawer.