My initial reactions on having a spray booth

 

I had been planning on purchasing a spray booth for quite some time.  I finally took the plunge and got it set up in my reorganized hobby room.  (See last post for reorganization)  The booth is portable and sets up pretty easily.  I have the complete venting hose so I can run it outside with only a small window crack, which is important when you are living in Canada and it is winter.

My initial reactions are quite positive.  The things that strike me conclusively are:

• better air quality  (a major plus!)
• better visibility with the light attachment
• less overspray

I have only used it twice, but have felt good about it.  There are some things it doesn't do.  It doesn't:

• improve the way I mix the paint and set the air pressure--improperly mixed paints and incorrect settings cause splotches and poorly atomized paint spray.
• improve my painting technique--practice makes perfect
• hide my mistakes--you'll notice that I didn't use the macro lens.

I certainly don't regret my decision.  I have other areas to improve upon, but having the right equipment is not a mistake.

Getting Organized

The first step in getting back to my model hobby is to earnestly get my hobby desk in order.  While that sounds like a good idea, until you have to move about 30 small paint bottles, little by little, you don't realize that this is a bit of an undertaking.

I have included a before and after shot, just so you can see what I am working with.  It isn't as brightly lit as I would like...but I shouldn't complain.  It isn't like I can't go buy another lamp.

 



Before

If you are interested in my thoughts on organization, and want to read more, please check out my other blog. https://todaysperfectmoment.wordpress.com/2015/01/25/the-better-organized-me/

It isn't really about hobbies, but some of the better writing I have done lately is there.

More organized
 



As you can see by the shot, I have made the decision to purchase a spray booth.  From a health perspective, this was a no brainer.  While all of the paints I use say they are "non-toxic" I fear that a phrase like that, translate through lawyers and other legal jargon, really means, "not as toxic as poison, so you can't sue us, but still not great for your lungs."  I haven't used it yet, but hopefully today or tomorrow.







Discontinuations

Goodbye Polly Scale

 

I made up a word....I'm an English teacher, I do that all the time.  Besides, it really fits the topic of this blog.  As a hobbyist, you have lots to cope with.  Of course those things include time, money, frustrations, small parts, and delays in delivery.  The one that seems to bother me the most are discontinuations.

Discontinuations refer to products you want to buy no longer being sold, and there being almost no way to get them.  It's like going to a Japanese convenience store.  You continually buy a product, only to discover one day that it is gone, and it's not coming back.  You thought by buying them that you'd send a message to the manufacturer that they should keep making it, but you were wrong.

This happens to TV shows that you love.  You think it's great, but you might be the only one.  I loved Firefly, and though I know I am not the only one, they killed it.  I loved an 80's TV show called Shell Game, but it didn't live past five episodes.

For the hobbyist, what usually happens follows two patterns.  In pattern one, the hobbyist waits to buy something.  Maybe they don't have the money (usually my case) or they are hoping to score a better deal somewhere down the line, or they just put some other item ahead of it in the queue.  Regardless, when they finally decide to make the purchase, it's gone.  Lone gone.  They scour the internet and every hobby shop they can find, but to no avail.

The other pattern is that the hobbyist uses something religiously.  They come to depend on it, perhaps even take its availability for granted.  Then one day, it is gone.  The manufacturer has discontinued it.  There were probably warning signs.  There might have been announcement in the various magazines that cater to the hobby.  Perhaps someone had remarked on it in an internet bulletin board.  Had they taken the news to heart they would probably have known about it and stocked up.

Recently, the paint that I have been using for my model train buildings has been discontinued.  What does that mean?  It means that I will have to use something else.  I really shouldn't worry because there are lots of paint manufacturers out there.  Any day now, that same company will probably announce a replacement.  Even if it doesn't, the hobby store will have to find a new supplier, because paint is an integral part of the hobby store.

The uncertainty is frustrating.  When will it happen?  When will it be resolved.  I am not a great enough painter that I have such a detailed understanding of paint or the different characteristics of paint.  I buy what they tell me is good at the hobby shop or they talk about in the magazines.  It's just a minor annoyance.  However, there are hobbyists who have mastered the characteristics of a particular paint brand and are probably going to be frustrated.  They are going to flood the hobby chat rooms and bulletin boards, announcing Armageddon.    I will quietly sympathize, and hope that my paint supply doesn't run out soon.

When Something Needs Stirring...

 

 

We've all said it.  You've said, I've said it.  Like I said, we've all said it. You buy average tools all the time, and you buy quality tools only once.  Or maybe you said, the right tool makes the job easier.  The question is, do you really believe it?

I was doing some painting yesterday.  I noticed the paint needed to stirred up.  So I reached for my official Tamiya paint stirrer.  Yes, that's right.  I have an official paint stirrer.  I could have used a tooth pick, but I employed the paint stirring tool.

At a 300 yen price tag (actually I bought it for 240 yen...and I won't tell you where just in case Tamiya takes their recommended sales price overly seriously) I could have bought a box or two of toothpicks.  All I can really say, is that it was definitely worth it.  Two hundred and forty yen is just shy of three Canadian dollars, when tax is figured in.  Of course, I bought it in Japan, so if I include the price of airfare the overall price really skyrockets.

It isn't so much that it works better than a toothpick, or that I couldn't have MacGyvered something similar with a coat hanger, but I just feel that much more purposeful.  I feel like I am really working on a project and that the project is not working on me.  It is one less thing to worry about while I concentrate on the real task.

Sometimes you just need to have the right tools.  In my various hobbies, I have spent the money sometimes, and cheaped out sometimes.  Sometimes I have been creative and found very workable things at dollar stores.  Who knows?  All I know for sure is that the money I spent on the paint stirrers was not a waste.

Too Much vs Not Enough

 

 

If I didn't include the vast amount of "things Japanese" that I am interested in, I would have to say that building things (plastic models, nanoblocks, etc) is my hobby.  I built cars, motorcycles, trucks, military vehicles, planes, ships and even buildings.  I think model kits and the like are just fantastic.

I am wondering, though, what exactly is "enough".  I have watched some great TV programs (plamo tsukuro--a Japanese model program that you should be able to find on YouTube if they don't delete it, which is truly fantastic) and been to some shows to see the expert work of some people.  In the show I mentioned they labour for a long time over small details.  They spend vast sums of money on detail parts.  It is truly incredible.  As stated before, I have never completed a model I was truly satisfied with.  I have had one or two really good paint jobs, one or two good ideas, maybe even one or two of my decals has actually gone in the right place..... but never anything approaching expert level.

Is it because I am not enough of a perfectionist?  As already demonstrated, I get bored easily, and quickly change to other hobbies and interests.  I don't really want to do the same thing for too long a period of time.  I have had a couple of models on my workbench, and I am thinking that I would rather just chuck them out, than complete them (though that won't happen, they may have to go back in the box for a while).

One of my friends is a perfectionist.  He will spend a lot of time on one model.  He has been working on one warhammer figure for a long time now. (I won't tell you how long, because in all fairness, I have no idea)  Needless to say, when he gets done, it will be fantastic--show worthy.  When I get done, I am not sure if it is even personal showcase worthy.  Sometimes, I just chalk them up to a "personal experiment."  Which is probably a euphemism for mistake.

Spending a lot of time and money on a hobby isn't really bad.  When you figure the dollar value versus the time you spent, there are certainly other interests that cost more.  An hour or two at the pub costs more than a model and paint.  Which one takes more time....well for me, the model will last months.

The question remains.  How far should you take it, and what are you willing to settle for?

What's Next?

As a hobbyist with too many hobbies, I am most often juggling several at one time. Nothing wrong with that as it keeps me from getting bored.  I realize that I have not posted an update on my hobbies lately--mostly because I am not particularly satisfied with the results, partly because I am preoccupied with Christmas (and memories of Christmas' past) and partly because having so many hobbies, work, obligations and a rather long commute, I haven't completed that much.

lots of kits to build

I have managed to actually finish some things, and that means I have to look ahead.  That's the topic of this blog: What lies ahead?  I am sure most hobbyists confront this question.  Mostly, they are confined within one hobby, but I am sure they ask it.  Train layout builders ponder if they should expand their layouts, or redo some part of it.  Video gamers wonder which game they want to beat next.  Puzzle makers consider which kit has the least amount of sky.  Music makers are looking for the next beat.  All of us are wondering what's next.

What makes this question so difficult for me is that it has so many meanings.  Which kit should I build next?  Which Nanoblock kit should I buy and build next?  Which train building needs to get done next?  Which set of freight cars should I buy?  What layout project should I tackle next?  Which blog should I update next?  Should I start a new blog?  Which books should I get from the library?  Should I start a new hobby like remote control helicopters?  Should I get a pool table for my house? (The Hustler was on TV this weekend.... just so you understand how my mind works)  Should I get my motorcycle or pilot's licence?  Should I join the gym?  Wouldn't it be cool to make my own beer?  Baking seems like a good way to feed myself.



lots of model railroad buildings to make

Yes, not only do I wonder what is next in the hobby queue based on what I am doing (I finished one kit, what's the next one?) but also on what new hobby I would like to take up.  Is this wise?  I can't really say that it is, but that is just how things go.  That's what makes the question, what's next? so difficult.



The other wrinkle in all this is preparation.  I might want to do something, but that doesn't mean I am ready to do it.  I might pick a model kit, or building kit and find I don't have the paint or that my glue has dried into a rock solid mass that will never dislodge itself from the bottle.  There is nothing more of momentum killer than having to go out and get something.



and a nanoblock project awaiting

Sometimes a trip to the hobby store is good for getting oneself going again, but for someone like me, it just opens up too many avenues of exploration.  Going to the hobby store for glue might mean the beginning of an entirely new hobby.



So, what's next?



An August Progress Report

I seem to have found myself with a little bit of spare time, so I thought a progress report was in order.

I went to the dollar store (I think this one was called Dollar Tree)  I had never been there before, but I was, pardon the cliché, in the neighbourhood.  I wonder if that applies to big box stores.  I guess what you can say is that I was in the general vicinity after shopping for some airbrush bottles at an art store.

In this new dollar store I was only really thinking about getting something to drink.  Somehow I managed to spend $7, so I guess their master plan worked.  I came out with 2 more jigsaw puzzles.  I don't really regret it because you can't really complain about paying $1.25 for a puzzle..... and yes, even though it is a dollar store, there are things that cost more than $1.

I decided to take the systematic approach first.

Step 1)  Get all the edges

Step 2 Separate into 3 piles: Sky, Buildings, and transition from building to sky

Step 3) attach all the pieces that transition from building to sky.

Step 4) fill in the building part

Step 5) scream because now I am left with only sky

I almost decided to quit the puzzle and move onto something else.  I mean, I had the picture done, all that was left was the sky.  That huge, multi-piece blue sky.  My friend who needs a hobby urged me to carry on, so today I finished it.

I also had some time to apply my first airbrush coat to one of the buildings for my train layout.  Never having worked with that paint before I have to say that I made it too thin.  The result wasn't bad though, and the slight variation should look okay on the building.  This is Design Preservation Models Hayes' Hardware (N scale).   It isn't the most complex building, but it has served as a good introduction to this type of modeling.

 

I will apply the next, slightly thicker coat, tomorrow.

Now you know where things with me stand.

Tools and Tribulations

I was once warned that I could spend a lot of money collecting hobby tools and have no money leftover for the hobby itself.  I don't remember if that was at a hobby show--because I used to go to a lot of those, or whether it was on a hobby website.  While this hasn't exactly happened, I do think it is good advice.  Of course, some tools are necessities, while others are a luxury.  Though I can't always tell the difference, I hope I have struck a happy medium.

The best tool I have every bought was my airbrush.  It has improved my painting a lot.  I still need more practice, but on the whole, I like most of the results.  Can't say I am fond of the clean up, but it isn't really that hard.

The worst tool I have ever bought (not including the multi drawer storage cabinet that binds every time I open it) was a cheap micrometer.  If you are going to purchase this tool, buy yourself a good one.  It isn't going to break and if you have it for ten or twenty years, it really won't cost that much.

There are tools I lust over, and someday will have

I would love a spray booth.  My current solution works, but is not ideal.  I have one of these saved on my Amazon account, so someday it will be mine, all mine,

I would love to have a Unimat hobby lathe.  I saw one fantastic all in one hobby machine, and I have lusted after it ever since.  The price is way out of my ballpark, but,  I think it would be a worthy investment.  Who knows, I might win the lottery someday.

The magnetic jig.  I am not sure this is absolutely necessary, but it sure would help putting those train buildings together.

Life every train enthusiast, I probably need an official NMRA gauge,  I have one for spacing and ride height, but I could probably use the all encompassing one nonetheless.

In addition to these there are lots of files, glue guns, scrapers, hot wire cutters, moulds,  magnifiers, third hand devices, electronic gauges and sensors, clamps, and computer doohickeys.  The list is endless.  When you get right down to it, the warning I received so long ago, seems very appropriate.

Would love to hear about the best and worst hobby tools that you've ever bought.  Please leave a comment.

In the hobby world, it isn't all sweetness and light.  There are things that confound and annoy the hobbyist (and the hobbyist's significant other--but that's the subject of another blog) just as in any other endeavour.  For me, among the many, at the top of my list is paint.

I need paint for my models.  I need paint that is easy to brush on, and easy to airbrush on.  I need colours for cars, tanks, planes, and train buildings.  I need paint for ground cover, and water features.  I need paint for so many of my hobbies that I have lost count of my stained shirts.

Tamiya paint carousel

The biggest problem with paint is that either you don't have the colour you need, or if you do, it is a rock solid mass at the bottom of the paint jar.  There might be a way of stopping this, but all the tips I have received have only worked some of the time.  Sadly, some of the time never seems to be when I really need it.  It is a real progress killer when you have a 30 minute drive when you desperately need a colour.

The next biggest problem with paint is cost.  Some paint is inexpensive, but you get what you pay for.  The better paint costs.  This wouldn't be so bad if I hadn't lived in Japan and seen the Japanese price for the same paint.  Yeah, that paint got on a boat, or plane and made its way to Canada, but that shouldn't triple the price.

a typically messy desk

I suppose you could save money by buying sets of paint, but that is probably the manufacturers way of getting rid of unpopular colours--just how many things you model are Day-Glo green, or ultra bright orange?

The last problem is storage and organization.  I have already chronicled the problems that are posed by this.  As a result, I have other methods of storing paint.  Some are good, some are lacking.  My hobby desk rarely looks neat, and though I can't blame paint exclusively or even for the majority of the problem (my natural sloppiness is probably the major culprit) it is definitely part of it.

Tamiya Paint stand

I have bought several cool toys to facilitate painting.   A painting stand, an airbrush holder, a rotating paint tray.  I have it all, but my desk is still a mess.  One day I will get it all organized, one day.  One day.

Progress Report

I started this blog with the idea that it would contain a whole bunch of things.  I had this mission statement

I plan to write about the different hobbies I have take up, the ones I have researched, and my future hobby dreams--and believe me, I have lots of those.  I will also mix in amusing stories of my hobby foibles, as well as thoughts on the state of hobby pursuits in the twenty-first century.  On top of all that, I may find time to review tools, hobby kits, and anything else.  In essence, I am promising a mixed bag of tricks. 

I think I have covered the foibles and the amusing stories, but I really haven't updated you on my hobby progress. That is where this blog comes in.

Amongst my many hobbies, building plastic models ranks pretty high.  I build cars, military vehicles, Japanese castles, and science fiction subjects.  One of my ambitions is to build a car themed diorama.  It was this in mind that I started the Fujimi Tools kit.

 

I really liked the subject of this kit because it was a little different. I am attracted to more unusual pieces.  I have seen some nice finished examples of this on the internet.  My pieces are coming along, but, as you can see, they need a little finishing.

 I should point out (because I have learnt that there are some very smart people inhabiting the internet) that the engine is not from the Fujimi kit.  I am also working on a Ford Fairlane--but the engine is all that I have managed to finish.

I also recently finished the Schwimmwagen.  (okay, I haven't added the crew, but I probably won't)

That is where things stand, today.  As far as models go.  You'll find out the progress, or lack of progress, in future blogs.