In view of all this forecasting of financial doom and hardship coming from the British Government, I wonder how it is going to affect our ship modelling activities? On the surface of it, we will all be affected to some extent at least.

Will kit builders still be prepared to pay large sums for kits and will scratch builders find their markets falling away as buyers and collectors “tighten their belts?

Will it make you slow down, or even stop. I can’t imagine that I will stop, but I have certainly slowed down and am amusing myself more with less expensive activities such as writing.

Is this sort of thing just confined to Britain or is it world-wide?

I am not asking for political opinions or blame or anything like that. Simply how it will affect your future in building models.

Just wondered what others opinions are?

Bob

Advert

8 June 2010 at 08:05 #7905

Bob Wilson

Participant

@bobwilson59101

8 June 2010 at 10:18 #27163

David Wooley

Participant

@davidwooley82563

Hi Bob An interesting question . In all the past down turns that I can remember model boating has flurished . When people have time on their hands it’s often down to a hobby to fill in some of that spare time. Visiting various shows you would not think there is impending doom and gloom over the horizon or even a slow down in the economy . Just look back to the bad old days of the 1970s for an example. Talking to those in other parts of the world the hobby is expanding not contracting .

Dave Wooley

8 June 2010 at 10:31 #27165

neil hp

Participant

@neilhp

simple answer…….IT WON’T.

I don’t smoke, drink very little and value my sanity in this doom and gloom world…….so modelling is of great importance to me and as such will not suffer at all.lol

8 June 2010 at 11:08 #27166

Ian Gardner

Participant

@iangardner62867

I have squirrelled enough stuff away to last me into old age so I don’t think I will be affected. I imagine older people with less financial commitment won’t feel things so much as younger folk who may lose employment and still have children at home and mortgages.Redundancy looks like a real possibility for my daughter so that will affect us. Who knows how bad things will get? Maybe it will mean people will get back to basics and start building simpler models from cheaper materials. In the general scheme of things I think modelling can still be a fairly low expenditure activity.

By the way Neil, I gave up smoking in 1974 specifically so that I had some money to spend on modelling! I’ve given up newspapers recently in the interests of sanity.

Ian Gardner

Edited By Ian Gardner on 08/06/2010 11:09:54

8 June 2010 at 11:29 #27168

neil hp

Participant

@neilhp

i never started reading newspapers, ian. lol

who said “there are lies, damn lies and newspaper stories”.lol

8 June 2010 at 12:14 #27169

Colin Bishop

Moderator

@colinbishop34627

An interesting discussion. I have talked to a number of the smaller traders recently and they all report that business is fine at the moment. I think Ian is right that most boat modellers tend to be older people, frequently retired, and have both time and sufficient money to support their hobby. I too have enough stuff in the workshop to stock a small traditional model shop. Like Bob, I am doing rather more writing than modelling at the moment because the opportunity is there. I do feel sorry for the younger generation who have a much more precarious future to look forward to and both my daughters fall into this category. A lot of us older guys probably have enough to give us a reasonably comfortable existence with just our health to worry about!

I’d think twice about giving up newspapers though – you might miss your obituary..

Colin

Edited By Colin Bishop, Website Editor on 08/06/2010 12:16:15

8 June 2010 at 13:16 #27170

Bob Wilson

Participant

@bobwilson59101

Thanks for the replies.

I think that it will certainly affect me. This is not a financial thing, but a simple matter of getting rid of them when they are complete. The international demand is still there, but transit insurance is no longer realistic beyond the UK.

For years, I have sent them to the twice-yearly auctions in London, but the fees have already risen and deductions are quite heavy. I recently sold one at auction for £600, but when the cheque arrived, it had been whittled down to £382.49 (£217.51 deductions!).

On top of that, it cost £25 to send and the income tax will take a large slice of what is left!

Article writing is unsatsifactory as well as the common trend seems to be to accept articles and then wait a couple of years before publishing (and paying), so I have given up on that now. My current plan is to write my own books and physically make them as well. I can have them bound in town for less than £3 each. CD disks (e-books) are also very profitable, but I am wondering if people will be spending less.

As I build about 9 models a year, I will run out of space by the end of this year unless something happens to the market..

Bob

8 June 2010 at 14:10 #27171

neil hp

Participant

@neilhp

I’d think twice about giving up newspapers though – you might miss your obituary..

I get up every morning colin, and when i’m not in it, go back to bed, lol

mind you, isn’t it funny how people ALWAYS die in alphabetical order,

9 June 2010 at 02:01 #27187

David Meier

Participant

@davidmeier28154

“will scratch builders find their markets falling away as buyers and collectors “tighten their belts”

That is an interesting question to me Bob.

I just assumed that people built their models for pleasure and put them on a shelf in the shed or in the lounge until she who must be obeyed said enough. At which point you begrudgingly gave one away or tried to sell it.

Just curious, how many people on the forum scratch build with an income motive in mind?

At my build rate I would be rather hungry. Where as someone as prolific as Ashley would be agonising over what would be a safe investment for his next million.

cheers.

David.

9 June 2010 at 06:55 #27188

Bob Wilson

Participant

@bobwilson59101

I build them for pleasure, but I am mercenary enough to want the hobby to be sel-financing and bring in a reasonable profit.. When I left the sea (voluntary redundancy – fed up – after 32 years) in October ’92, I found I was “unemployable” ashore, so I took up ship model building full time. Until 2006, I was producing 14 or 15 a year. Then I was able to take my pension and it went back to being a hobby again. When I became 65 and the state pension was added, I thought I would stop, But found that I enjoyed it so much, I was unable to. I am now producing about 9 a year. I am currently working on Nr. 242 and only three remain unsold. One of these is not for sale anyway (DONNA FRANCISCA – See Static Models). If I am unable to sell them in future, the house will soon fill up – that is the only problem with me! But it is too soon to tell what is going to happen as sales have continued quite well to date.

I believe that the sales success is due, more than anything else, to the fact that my subjects are either obscure or semi-obscure. You will not find me making CUTTY SARK or similar famous ships. Also, my models are rarely more than 14 inches long, so they will fit well into even a small flat.

My wife has no problem with them and even helps by painting the seas.

Bob

9 June 2010 at 10:37 #27194

David Meier

Participant

@davidmeier28154

Good on you Bob. You are on to a winner there. Your models are stunning and their size makes them very collectable. I don’t think I could bear to part with them.

Cheers.

David.

9 June 2010 at 23:28 #27205

Peter Fitness

Participant

@peterfitness34857

The dreaded “GFC” should not affect my modelling, as I now scratch build. Materials are cheap, and the only major expenses are ESCs, props and motors, with the ESC being the dearest single item. I make my own prop shaft assemblies, so the only cost there is for the materials.

Bob, I think you are very fortunate being able to turn your hobby into a small business, and I hope that you are able to find a continuing market for your little masterpieces.

Peter.

10 June 2010 at 07:16 #27207

Bob Wilson

Participant

@bobwilson59101

It really isn’t anything to do with cost of materials for me as they cost next to nothing to build. My international demand is still there, but the good old EEC wrecked that completely for me!

They made it law that the seller is 100% responsible for safe delivery of items and must stand any loss or damage. Also, just to put a nail in the coffin, they said that if the recipient simpy didn’t like the item, they could demand a 100% refund (including transit costs), but had no obligation to return the item – just keep it safe for the seller to collect!

The moment these laws came in, the couriers stopped offering realistic transit insurance and all the ones I have asked about it, will not pay out of the first £200 of loss or damage – well done Europe!

Because of this, I am slowing down at model building until the situation becomes clearer. I will run out of space in about a year’s time. But one door closes, another opens and I am doing a lot more writing these days.

Bob

10 June 2010 at 09:54 #27208

David Wooley

Participant

@davidwooley82563

I think all economic down turns have both a negative and positive effect on our hobby . For those that can remember the worst effects of the late 1960s through to the 1970s Model boating expanded at a tremendous rate even though there was economic misfortune and supply disruption . Bob as an eternal optimist I am certain the market for the type of model that you so skillfully produce will turn again , it always does . Just keep building but perhaps not so many if space may be at a premium . Good idea on a book ,Michael Ainsworth { wrote for many years in Model Boats magazine} published a superb book in 2001 “Warships in Miniature” a sort of compendium of many of his articles but brought up to date.

Dave Wooley

10 June 2010 at 12:34 #27209

Bob Wilson

Participant

@bobwilson59101

The biggest problem is now the transport. If I can’t obtained realistic insurance overseas, then I will not send them overseas and that is where most of them went – USA and Hong Kong. The demand for static model ships in the UK is very limited.

Bob

10 September 2010 at 21:05 #28303

B B

Participant

@bb42502

I am in the unfortunate position where I once had a very good income that is until the armed thugs who assaulted me and put me in a wheelchair. I lost everything and now live on a measely little disability grant.

Needless to say, the little money I have to commit to my shipbuilding would never enable me to buy a kit and then on top of that a fittings kit and any other items to complete the model.

This is where scratch building is so good. Purchase a little here a little there and before you know it you have a model ship. Not just that I find it is actually cheaper to scratch build than to purchase a kit of which there are thousands sold world wide. I end up with a ship that is one of a kind and have the total satisfaction to stand up and say, I made everything!”

10 September 2010 at 23:01 #28309

StuartM

Participant

@stuartm

The present circumstances won’t stop my modellng activities. I was brought up in a ‘make do and mend’ type of environment. So I am quite happy to scavenge materials and only pay out for absolute neccesities. Batteries, motors and the odd bit of specialist metal. Anything I produce gives me great satisfaction though in truth it probably will only be a representation of a particular type of boat or loco. My work is definately of the stand off type and will disapoint ‘rivet counters’ I don’t ever see the day when I would purchase a boat kit. Probably what the trade don’t want to hear but thats my way. It keeps me happy, out of mischief and makes me a patient person whilst I wait for the right bits to become available.

I do have a great respect those that have the time, patience and skills to produce accurate scale models though.

11 September 2010 at 08:41 #28312

B B

Participant

@bb42502

It does not matter what you build. There are some of us who would like to produce the best we can no matter what the circumstances. We had a child who made a small rc boat out of a n old milk bottle. He used a radio control set from a cheap car which had broken and converted this to use on his ship. It sailed very well. I admire this kids engineuety to produce this model. I have never at our club made any comment of anothers baot that he has made even if it looks bad. I rather compliment that person and we all try to help him and give advice where we can. Some are rivit counters and strive for perfection but no matter what others produce under different financial circumstances and abilities we should all stand together and compliment each other on we all produce!

11 September 2010 at 09:14 #28313

Bob Wilson

Participant

@bobwilson59101

The question was really about whether the financial crisis would affect modellers, and nothing to do with what was built, or the quality of it.

It hasn’t really affected me as much as I thought. Recently, I got rid of two old models on Ebay (over 20 years old) just to make more space for storing new ones. As soon as I did that, interest revived again, so things are carrying on pretty much as normal, maybe even a little better than in previous years.

I increased my charges quite a lot to cover the increase in the cost of materials. I fully expected that to kill the demand stone dead, but for some unfathomable reason, it seems to have had the opposite effect.

They are in the process of making a large R/C lake locally (Wetlands project, Brockholes, Preston, Lancs) so I may soon build a R/C ship just for a change.

Bob

11 September 2010 at 10:05 #28315

neil hp

Participant

@neilhp

They are in the process of making a large R/C lake locally (Wetlands project, Brockholes, Preston, Lancs)

Although I taught in Preston for some years, Bob…am not familiar with the areas..where abouts geographically is that…….is it the large lake area that you can see close to the Tickled Trout motorway junction or am I in totally the wrong area.

neil.

11 September 2010 at 10:16 #28317

Bob Wilson

Participant

@bobwilson59101

Yes, that is the one. It was formerly old gravel pits. They are now in an advanced state of construction. There will be fishing lake, R/C lake, wildlife lake etc. Shops & restaurants, parking etc. If you enter:

brockholes wetlands development

in Google, you will see all the progress reports.

Bob

11 September 2010 at 10:21 #28318

Bob Wilson

Participant

@bobwilson59101

Here is a direct link to the site, you can see it is extensive and well-advanced.

Bob

http://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/news/archive/6801-site-visit-brockholes-wetlands-visitor-centre.html

11 September 2010 at 15:15 #28322

neil hp