Hello from another long lost modeller just picking up the airbrush again

[carthorse]

I think I packed away my modelling tools about 20 years ago when the kids were small and time was a valuable commodity ….. now after the eldest has flown the nest I’ve exhumed the toolbox from the depths of the loft and I’m thinking about gluing plastic together again. Luckily I did stash some kits and half completed projects away and I’m looking forward to seeing how the hobby has moved on in the last years. 
Just browsing this site has left me in awe of some of the paint effects and detailing people are achieving. 

[Watto]

Welcome to the forum, you'll never be short of inspiration and help. 

 

Good to have you with us 👍 

 

Watto. 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Hello carthorse …  from the city of Chicago USA. Im mostly an military aircraft builder myself.
 

Dennis

[Steve86]

Hello and welcome back to the hobby.

[Neddy]

Hello, welcome back!  I was in your position a year or two ago when I joined having taken up plastic-hacking again after about 40 years and was just as impressed by what I found here.  I've learned a huge amount and really enjoyed my sojourn here so I'm sure you will too.

 

What categories of models do you/did you enjoy building?

[Keeff]

Hello 👋  and welcome from another 'returner' 

Lots of advice and great information to be had here .... hopefully you'll share some of your work soon....

 

Keith 😁 

[carthorse]

12 hours ago, Neddy said:

Hello, welcome back!  I was in your position a year or two ago when I joined having taken up plastic-hacking again after about 40 years and was just as impressed by what I found here.  I've learned a huge amount and really enjoyed my sojourn here so I'm sure you will too.

 

What categories of models do you/did you enjoy building?

Well back in the day I was a real Tamiya fan boy and churned out a lot of their 1/35 military stuff, and after a browse in Hobbycraft while my wife was buying some knitting supplies I was amazed to see a lot of the kits I remember from years ago are still available! 
I also built a few 1/48 WW2 aircraft and even a couple of 1/350 ship kits. In fact I’ve got the Tamiya 1/350 USS Enterprise sitting waiting to be started that I bought about 20 years ago. I might have to build up to that one. 
I’ve made a tentative start on a Tamiya Sherman just to get the feeling back in the fingers. I still have a couple of my better efforts from yesteryear in a case so I might dust them off a bit and stick a couple of pictures up when I get a moment.

Thanks for all the positive vibes!

[rob Lyttle]

Welcome indeed, Carthorse.

Shopping has probably changed the most. Hobbycraft is a bit low-grade really compared to a real model shop, but they are becoming fewer and further between. If you're lucky enough to have a local model shop, make use of it and support the business.

We've just lost an excellent one, through unexpected death of the owner, and it's a loss to the modelling community.

Awful lot has moved online of course.

You're obvs a Tamiya Boy and therefore spoiled rotten with perfect plastic 😃 but check out the new generation of Airfix kits coming through,1.48 aircraft, and even the little 1'72 starter kits are superb.

👍

[Chief Cohiba]

On 9/19/2023 at 1:12 PM, carthorse said:

how the hobby has moved on in the last years

Being in a similar situation about 10 years ago, when I started to nail plastic together again after some years off, I found exactly that; how much the hobby has changed. Some techniques I learned new way back then, like dry brushing or washing, are now considered "old school" (yes; I've read that recently) and of course 3D printing in combination with easily available CAD software has made a huge impact on our scene. Watch around here, some guys here are will leave you jawdropped. 

 

Things like Photo Etch which I considered new when I started again, (first attempt on Tamiyas Musashi - watch out what's available for your Enterprise) are common practice, and there are unbelievably detailed Resin after market parts everywhere. 

 

And, simply, new manufacturers have come (and some even gone again, let's shed a tear for Wing Nut Wings). Tamiya's level of quality can be found on other kits as well, new tool Airfikits have already mentioned, but there have been new kids in down that had became a mainstay in the meantime, like Eduard, ICM or Special hobby. Mini Art has raised the level of moulding techniques for all, and smaller companies like Clear Props, Gaspatch (and do check out their turnbuckles and after market guns) or Dora Wings, to name just a few, are definitely worth a try and create best-in-class kits on lesser seen topics.

 

Yes, a lot has changed, and it's a good time to come back again. What was a playing ground for kids in the seventies and eighties is now a hobby for grown ups, if one wants to name it positively. A "time killer and huge chance to waste a lot of money for elderly lunatics with a strange set on priorities" is also valid desciption. 😉

 

Welcome back and all the best from Vienna!     

[theskits62]

Welcome aboard, i was in a similar boat when i restarted about 3 years ago after a hiatus of 35 years. I couldn't believe how things had changed. Back in the day if you wanted to detail something up it was plasticard/stretched sprue and paint was always applied by brush (enamels). So seeing the plethora of aftermarket stuff available now was a bit bewildering to start but there is plenty of useful info on the site and everyone is seems happy to help those "returning to the fold" to get up and running again. PLus the quality of the work is quite inspirational and i find it really encourages me to try harder etc. Good luck....

[Fred piket]

Welcome!! It's amazing that yet another one has returned to the hobby. Curious after your builds..