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New Employmen: Far, Far Away


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Good Afternoon, folks.  I have just received an offer of employment, just as the old saying goes "it is an offer, I can't refuse".  My problem is that not only will I be away from my wife and home, I will also have to be away from my hobby desk.  What I am seeking is recommedations on is what you guys may have done when you were away for long periods of time.  In the past on short term jobs less than a month, I have been able to cut parts, glue small sub-assemblies that will be painted one color, and to place into tackle box storage bins.  But that was the extent of it.  In some of the long term jobs that I have had in the past, my landlords have restricted any painting and the last one I had did not give me my deposit back because he found out that I had been brush painting in the apartment.  So what did you guys do?  I have already toyed with the idea of setting up a temporary studio in a climate-contrilled storage unit but thus far I haven't found one that has electrical outlets in the unit.  So any offer of recommendations would be appreciated.  Thanks!

 

Best Regards,

Ken Bailey

(SonyKen)

Edited by SonyKen
Grammer
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1 hour ago, SonyKen said:

In some of the long term jobs that I have had in the past, my landlords have restricted any painting and the last one I had did not give me my deposit back because he found out that I had been brush painting in the apartment. 

That's odd. You'd think they'd restrict curling irons since one caused a fire in the apartment above me in the 1990s and having had firefighters as friends all my adult life I've never heard a story about model paint causing an apartment fire.

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SWF,

 

He did an inspection before we moved out and his claim was the charcoal stains on the walls over the electric wall heaters (no central air) was due to the paint fumes in the apartment.  I scrubbed those stains for hours and was only able to take about half of them off in my bedroom.  In the living area, where I actually did the painting there were no stains above that wall heater but he claimed that I had left paint stains on the floors in there.  He was just "grabbing for straws" just to find reasons for not paying my $200 deposit back.  Shaking My Head!!

 

Best Regards,

Ken Bailey

(SonyKen)

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All,

 

It has been 8 hours since this post.  Come on guys and gals!  Surely someone else has been in the same situation as I found myself in!?!  Hasn't there been anybody who has had to keep two households and due to the distance, has to spend a mijority at the work location, and will only be able to come home to the hobby desk once or twice a month?  I know that I will be needing to relax some way when I am working, and doing models is my way of relaxing.  Somebody??  Anybody??  Thanks, folks!

 

Best Regards,

Ken Bailey

(SonyKen)

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There is a lot of options? maybe...Mind you I have never rented anywhere that has issue with me modelling. I know our local hobby store, does a meet & make on weekends. Maybe somewhere near by does the same? Depending on where you are renting is there an issue with you placing a small shed up? Maybe see if there is like minded person if they would mind sharing there space. Would building snap together models work whilst you are there? What about your workplace? Would they be willing to let you have a small space? Even letting people here know what area you are going too, there might be someone here who might be will to share space? Thanks

 

Ash

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17 minutes ago, ash74 said:

There is a lot of options? maybe...Mind you I have never rented anywhere that has issue with me modelling. I know our local hobby store, does a meet & make on weekends. Maybe somewhere near by does the same? Depending on where you are renting is there an issue with you placing a small shed up? Maybe see if there is like minded person if they would mind sharing there space. Would building snap together models work whilst you are there? What about your workplace? Would they be willing to let you have a small space? Even letting people here know what area you are going too, there might be someone here who might be will to share space? Thanks

 

Ash

Ash,

 

Now there are some stuff that I had not thought about.  Thanks!  I am going to the Vogtle Nuclear Plant in Waynesboro, GA which is very close to the larger city of Augusta, GA.  Augusta is not very far from Columbia, SC where the 2016 IPMS Nationals contest was held.  So you are right, there has got to be some like minded folks near Augusta.  Thanks for the suggestion!

 

Best Regards,

Ken Bailey

(SonyKen)

Edited by SonyKen
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Only time I was away for long periods, army or basic training in my current job, I just didn't build. Put everything away till I got home. Of course army barracks or the tiny room I had on basic were not exactly helpful or roomy enough for a build.

 

Did build a number of models on night shifts when I was a medic at CFB Petawawa. Just sitting in the MIR waiting for sick people. Think they all gone blown up real good. 

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Hi Ken,

Slightly off topic, but there is a wonderful HobbyTown USA in Augusta off of Bobby Jones Expressway, so you will not want for hobby kits and supplies.  Also, there is a local IPMS chapter in Augusta, but I don't recall the name of their chapter off the top of my head.  Check the IPMS-USA website for more information.

 

HTH,

Jeff Newton

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3 hours ago, CardsFan said:

Hi Ken,

Slightly off topic, but there is a wonderful HobbyTown USA in Augusta off of Bobby Jones Expressway, so you will not want for hobby kits and supplies.  Also, there is a local IPMS chapter in Augusta, but I don't recall the name of their chapter off the top of my head.  Check the IPMS-USA website for more information.

 

HTH,

Jeff Newton

 

Jeff,

 

Not off topic at all.  As I said in an earlier post, I am going to the Southern Nuclear construction of Units 3 and 4 at Vogtle Nuclear Plant.  I just so happen to have been working in the Augusta GA/North Augusta SC area way back in the late 1980's when Southern was constructing Units 1 and 2 at Vogtle.  I have known of the Hobbytown USA off of Bobby Jones for several years as I have been trying to get on this project for almost 10 years.  Iam planning on visiting a lot of the old places that I use to frequent when I lived down there from 1985 till late 1988.  Yes, sir, that helps a lot because it does remind of what I will need to be checking out once I get settled in.  Thanks!

 

Best Regards,

Ken Bailey

(SonyKen)

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Hello Ken

 

Maybe not what you want to hear but, may I suggest paper models? They are fun to do, and some are very detailed; I had to live with relatives for a while, and that helped to keep me busy without a dedicated workplace.

 

Also, Gundams can be an option, I never built one, but I understand they need minimal painting and gluing.

 

I hope didn't commit sacrilege by saying that, and best of luck with your new job.

 

Carlos

 

P.S.

Here are some paper models to start with if you are interested; the V1 is my favorite.


https://currell.net/models/mod_free.htm

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On 9/1/2021 at 1:49 AM, hawkwrench said:

JK

What's the wife and kids think about this job and being away from them???

 

Tim

Tim,

 

Sine the wife and I are a couple of empty nesters, the kids don't care one way or the other.  My contract is for only 6 months so we are not planning any kind of big re-location at this time.  However that could change depending on my contract extensions or anything like that.  We will see!

 

Best Regards,

Ken Bailey

(SonyKen)

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Hey SonyKen,

 

I second what Cruiz said.  I've built both paper models and Gundams before and all are really fun... here's a full article I wrote on building a paper model...  doesn't look like paper at all when done:

 

http://www3.sympatico.ca/greg.leszczynski/P-51DPage/P-51dpage.htm

 

NpBOydl.jpg   

 

I've also build a few Gundams in my day... and they are so much fun... no glue required ... but a bit of black wash doesn't hurt 😉

 

rSwDMC8.jpg

 

 kHhSc3C.jpg

 

Cheers,

 

-Greg

Edited by lgl007
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Curious...  What do you normally build? Scale? Pace? There are plenty of paint options that have no or very low odors or VOC's, so can't see where that would be a problem when brush painting these days.  I am glacially slow, so would not need tons of supplies for a 6 month term for 1/48 aircraft.  I doubt you will have any issues with landlords in that area.  I mean, unless you are using rattle cans inside, I don't see how? Simple matter to pack everything into a few plastic storage boxes and cart it with you.  So long as the humidity is low, you could probably paint outside or near an open window. Temps in Augusta should support that well into the winter.  

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  • 2 weeks later...

I used to take kits, or partial kits, with me that I could assemble without too much painting. I would often end up with subassemblies which I would put together and airbrush when back home.

 

I also clipped parts (wings, fuselages) off of the sprues and chucked them into a (small) plastic storage container to rescribe once at my destination.

 

 

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I too have taken partially assembled kits and done things like gluing, seam work, scribing, etc. - no paint at all.  I think the OP probably has more options than he thinks.  I have also had separation anxiety over being away from my "home bench", but once I got something to work on it was not that bad.  Just be glad you aren't moving.  I was out of the game for almost 2 years between packing all my stuff away to sell the house and then getting a place situated in the new house where I could work.  Man...that was awful.

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Your landlord was just a jackass and was looking for excuses.  If it hadn't been model paint he would have invented some other excuse (cooking with curry, farting the bathroom, whatever).  Just rent your apartment, take a few kits with you, airbrush in the tub and if you lose your deposit, that's just the way it goes. 

 

Get a small box of tools, and setup a folding picnic table to work on, and just do whatever. 

Edited by kozlok
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Dude, first of all, take the job. There aren't many out there - don't know why - at least for my age group (nearing the big 5-0).

 

As for our hobby the first alternatives that I can think of are our forum of course , and magazines/books, especially since the job initially will be for only 6 months. But beyond this point, buy some of the latest 1/72 Airfix kits and the usual accessories. These kits nowadays give a lot and good details to satisfy your "appetite" for adding details something which we-the-old-timers know very well!!!

 

If by chance you run into a landlord that doesn't allow even in the garden to do some painting on your models no worries buy a few good brushes and you'll be OK.

 

The general rule is that not all of our models will be a "gem"! AND you can always (when you get back home) either repaint them or, disassemble-rebuild those kits.

 

Just my two cents and I wish you all the best for your new job.

 

Sernak

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this is K2So no paint just weathering pastels from tamiya, also almost no glue

Pu6f95i.jpg

 

this one is painted but it was not necessary

LZ2UH2u.jpg

 

these guys can also be built with no pain and jsut weathering

 

hr4RPM9.jpg

 

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