Hello from Lancaster

[PhilHendry]

Hello folks,

 

My name's Phil, and I live in Lancaster. I'm an old fart, who used to be very involved in the hobby - to the extent of making a few masters for Accurate Armour. But 'real life' got in the way in the end. Real life was stressful, and I began to find modelling stressful too - somehow the pressure to 'get things right' got to me so I jacked it in.

 

Life, as I've been out of paid employment for about ten years, has recently taken a turn for the much better. So I'm sort of back... I think...

 

I have a 9/10 built AFV Club Churchill IV AVRE sat in a box, but it's been 90% built for a year or two. And I realise that, after a lifetime of British subjects, I just don't want to do British any more (or not this week anyway!). Somehow, because I 'know so much', I still feel a pressure to get it all right. This AVRE - there are so many possibilities - particular vehicles I 'could' copy down to the smallest detail - and somehow it wouldn't seem 'right' unless I did.. But, frankly, I can't be bothered...

 

I want to hack plastic off sprees, stick it together, paint it (using some of these new techniques I've been reading about (a filter doesn't seem to be just something in a fuel line... Or used for making coffee...), add a bit of stowage and figures, photograph it and move on.

 

I've always admired the ingenuity of Israeli armour. So, sat in the pile of stuff which is going away with us for a long weekend is a Meng Models Achzarit (early), my tools, and a couple of reference books. Wish me luck!

 

In 'other news', I'm sort of retired(ish), though I do a lot of voluntary work for our church. I also swim (I competed when I was young), and take photographs - mostly of insects (dragonflies are my favourite subjects).

 

So here I am. Please be gentle with me. ;-)

[Eric Mc]

Welcome back to the hobby.

 

Any recreational activity one engages in should primarilly be for fun and relation. If you find it is becoming too serious and onerous, then it isn't fulfilling its prime purpose and needs to be reassessed.

 

 

Half the battle is being aware when the fun is evaporating. If that starts happening again, either walk away for a short while or consciously avoid any pressure points in the hobby - such as over obsessing about accuracy or colours.

[Bullbasket]

8 hours ago, PhilHendry said:

(a filter doesn't seem to be just something in a fuel line... Or used for making coffee...), add a bit of stowage and figures, photograph it and move on.

You do no want to make coffee with those filters! Welcome to the land of the OF's. (Well some of us are). I echo what Eric said. If a build isn't working for you, move on to something that does. I do, and that's why I have a load of shelf queens. Revisit it at a later date and maybe the enthusiasm will be there.

But in the meantime, welcome aboard.

 

John.

[PhilHendry]

Thanks Lads!!

 

Really enjoying first day of holiday. Four hours in the pool, a wander with my camera, a good dinner, some 'reading' (a book about the Achzarit - 90% photos!), and generally chilling. Can feel the stress ebbing away. 

 

And now contemplating the Achzarit build - box open, sprues (in bags) strewn across the table. Modeller's bliss!

 

As for stressing over colours... I've certainly picked the 'right' subject with Israeli AFVs haven't I? ... No controversies there are there? ROFL!! But equally, no two vehicles look the same colour in any photos you care to choose, so anyone who cares enough to criticise my colour choice can go jump off a cliff!!

 

Cheers,

Phil

[shatters]

Welcome aboard Phil, I'm not that far away, just a bit further up the M6. 

 

Phil

[PhilHendry]

Ah, I trundle through Ulverston every now and then (and you can see it from the top of the hill about 200 yards from my house - bit of a long swim to get there though!). Used to visit regularly as a kid - old school friends of my parents lived there.