Geoff M Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 I have hit a brick wall in my modelling. I have run out of shelf space to display any new builds. At this point I will need to get rid of something to be able to display a new build. It has destroyed the mojo. The problem is I don't want to get rid of anything. First world problems I guess. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Drifterdon Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 Feeling your pain Geoff. I'm in the same dilemma. Used to give stuff to one of the local hobby stores but they are no more. Curious to see what others are doing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cruiz Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 Do what museums do: store away some of the models and make your temporary exhibitions, a WWII one for some months, then change to jets or NMFs; keep things interesting and fresh. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Whiskey Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 14 minutes ago, cruiz said: Do what museums do: store away some of the models and make your temporary exhibitions, a WWII one for some months, then change to jets or NMFs; keep things interesting and fresh. where do you put the ones stored away if there’s no space? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
phantom Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 Been having that problem for a while. Past weekend I unloaded around 20 models to a customer and to a local store. Not even bad models anymore, good ones! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cruiz Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 12 minutes ago, Whiskey said: where do you put the ones stored away if there’s no space? Sorry, I didn't clarify; I put them in plastic boxes the same way I transport them to the contest; with adequate care, I can fit a few models in each box; the boxes are along my stash. I understood it was an exhibition space issue, not a general storage space, but I could be wrong. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geoff M Posted February 6 Author Share Posted February 6 Thanks for the ideas. In the past I have given some to the grandkids and sometimes I just strip any good parts and toss em out. If I have to store them I might as well trash them. I would never get them out again. I like Phantoms idea of selling them. I would be interested to know how he does that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Drifterdon Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 (edited) 38 minutes ago, habu2 said: I never did blow them up with firecrackers when I was a kid. Maybe shot them up with my BB gun on the compost pile out in the back yard. Gave me a reason to rebuild the pieces parts and then repeat the process. Edited February 7 by Drifterdon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Camus272 Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 I will be facing this soon (assuming I actually finish all the projects I'm working on). I plan on rotating the display, boxing up the older items. A box can hold quite a few 1/48 or smaller kits, and in a house that can even be stuck in the attic, although in an apartment space might be a bigger problem. I'll probably start hanging more as well, freeing up the shelf. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thegoodsgt Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 Another one here with the same issue. I will be relocating to a new state this year, so my plan is to simply trash a number of my older builds that I'm no particularly proud of. I'm in my 50s, so reducing the clutter in my life is becoming a priority, too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
phantom Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 14 hours ago, Geoff M said: Thanks for the ideas. In the past I have given some to the grandkids and sometimes I just strip any good parts and toss em out. If I have to store them I might as well trash them. I would never get them out again. I like Phantoms idea of selling them. I would be interested to know how he does that. Have a couple people who come to the house and buy them. One I have built at least 80-100 models for. So he gets a really good deal on the ones I sell him. In fact he bought 3, and I threw in 15 free. Just hate the idea of tossing them and my grandson is far to young to want them yet. ( 5 weeks old) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Collin Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 I think a lot of us are in (or near) this same situation....and you are right....when you start thinking about it, it is a mojo killer. Collin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
eraucubsfan Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 See if there is a retirement home near you, many have Veterans' wings or something similar, you can donate them to them. Some local airports in their FBOs and such maybe interested in them as a display Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geoff M Posted February 7 Author Share Posted February 7 50 minutes ago, eraucubsfan said: See if there is a retirement home near you, many have Veterans' wings or something similar, you can donate them to them. Some local airports in their FBOs and such maybe interested in them as a display Both good ideas! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chuck1945 Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 I built a nice display cabinet using 3/4” plywood with glass shelves and sliding doors, that was more than 50 years ago so I don’t remember dimensions. I subsequently packed and unpacked models for three major moves, the next one we were probably going to have to help pay moving costs so I sold the case, that was in 1993. I’ve drawn up plans a couple of times to make a new one but so far haven’t done so. I can say from experience once models are packed away, unless there is new space available, they don’t see light of day again. I’ve ended up tossing almost all the models built from 1967-2001. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Robert Garelli Posted February 7 Share Posted February 7 The other option to storing them is selling some on eBay, heck, you might make some money for more kits. 🙂 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
andyf117 Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 (edited) 15 hours ago, Robert Garelli said: The other option to storing them is selling some on eBay, heck, you might make some money for more kits. 🙂 Exactly what I've done in the past, and have recently been doing again - and yes, it can make the hobby virtually self-funding! I had hundreds - and likely still have - stored in boxes, which I'm gradually whittling down, as I'm never, ever, going to complete the restorations and projects that I had planned for the vast majority them... ....intact, reasonably well-built ones I sell individually, or in small themed lots, whilst those in less good condition either go into "Builder's Bundles" or "Spares or Repairs" batches - everything gets listed 'priced to sell'; sometimes it's disappointing when there's only one bid, but on other occasions it's pleasantly surprising how much some go for... ....regardless, at the end of the day, I've cleared a little more space, and put a few quid back into the bank account in the process! An example: 1/72 Built & Painted Airfix Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina Edited February 8 by andyf117 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scott Smith Posted February 8 Share Posted February 8 I built a display case years back, but never fully populated it with shelves. One of my projects for this winter/spring is to build new metal supports to hold the glass sheets. Hopefully adding 6 more 22” X 42” shelves. I have to see what the latest glass pricing has peaked at. My last 4 shelves set me back $150 each and that was probably 4-5 years back. My first few shelves were $90 each. But I’ve often wondered what I’ll do when it’s full or that time comes. I’ve thought about ROTC programs or VFW posts that want displays. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spook498 Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 I too am at this point. I have kits built, sitting on boxes because I have no more room. You can check FB marketplace for someone selling display cases. Thats what I am doing. If you have no room for more cases, try selling the kits on eBay. You might also check with a local VA Hospital and see if they have room and would be interested in creating a display area for your kits. Or a local VFW. May even check with a local VA owned retirement center. Heck, maybe check into a recruiters office and see what they say? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geoff M Posted February 9 Author Share Posted February 9 1 hour ago, Spook498 said: I too am at this point. I have kits built, sitting on boxes because I have no more room. You can check FB marketplace for someone selling display cases. Thats what I am doing. If you have no room for more cases, try selling the kits on eBay. You might also check with a local VA Hospital and see if they have room and would be interested in creating a display area for your kits. Or a local VFW. May even check with a local VA owned retirement center. Heck, maybe check into a recruiters office and see what they say? Great ideas Quote Link to post Share on other sites
andyf117 Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 (edited) Worth bearing in mind if offering models for display somewhere such as the suggested locations - or others, like a library or local museum - is that there are basically two avenues to go down: One is to outright donate them, in which case you have no control over their eventual fate, as and when the location decides it no longer wants or is unable to keep the display. The alternative is to loan, in which case you retain ownership, so when they are no longer wanted or able to be kept, you would (or at least should) be asked to take them away. Either way, I can say that in the instances when I've provided models for display in a few settings, including a library and a museum (hence their mention above), and later the USAF O'Club where I worked, it was a most satisfying change to see other people viewing them, rather than fellow modellers casting critical eyes at shows! Edited February 9 by andyf117 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geoff M Posted February 9 Author Share Posted February 9 28 minutes ago, andyf117 said: it was a most satisfying change to see other people viewing them, rather than fellow modellers casting critical eyes at shows! That's a good point Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Youngtiger1 Posted February 13 Share Posted February 13 Last year, we decided to get a new carpet in parts of our home that still had carpet. So, it was a moving chaos. My build models were all over the place and I was not sure what to do anymore. Several were already in safe boxes but still others need to be moved or throw away. A light bulb moment, I have several neighbor kids that I talk to from time to time to see how they are doing. So, I approached them and asked if they like military models and problem was solved. 1/32 F-15E, 1/48 B-25, 1/35 armors…problem solved and kids are motivated to get into modeling Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geoff M Posted February 15 Author Share Posted February 15 I have come up with a solution. I have taken pictures of all the models I have built over the years. The problem is there is no way to look at them as a collection. I started thinking if I could put them in book form with details about each build I could convince myself that it would be ok to get rid of the built models. Every few years I would just have to make a new book. I need to look into Snapfish to see what the cost would be to make a picture book . I will let you know. I have contacted the local VFW but I have not heard back from them. Geoff M Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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