Since late last summer I’ve been beating myself up with regard to my model railroading ‘structure building’ hobby. It all had to do with me finally getting motivated last yr around this time (Feb/2023), getting back to my hobby table building my “kits” (I hadn’t done anything project-wise during all of 2021 nor 2022). So, it was a big deal to getting back and start making things again. Then, … [Read more...]
Model Railroading – kit building – LaserKutModels
June 7, 2023 By
It’s pretty tough starting a mom & pop business out of your garage these days. Decades ago, you could put an ad into the various hobby related mags, announcing your new model railroad kit manufacturing company, and hopefully, via these magazine ads, as well as by word of mouth, your mom & pop business just might get enough customers to make your start-up a successful one, like Art’s Bar … [Read more...]
Model Railroading – recent thoughts – motivation
March 29, 2023 By
So…as some of you have noticed, I’ve been sharing my recent builds (after almost two yrs of being in a funk and not having any motivation to work at my project table). And, I’ve been getting the “likes” as well as some nice comments. But, the following comment this morning truly surprised me: “I am never going to be a great scale modeler but your work is inspiring.” This following (after the … [Read more...]
Being down – and how I (temporarily) fixed it.
March 13, 2022 By
Several weeks now, I’ve been kinda down. Lots of reasons. But, once I knew BFF Rick was going to come over (originally yesterday but we moved it today), I got my stupid, sorry, depressed ass off the couch, out of bed, out of the funk, out of the mope, whatever, and started cleaning and tidying; I’m the type who doesn’t make the bed each day; and I sometimes ‘laugh’ (or, roll my eyes) when I see … [Read more...]
Model Railroading – FSM – Swakhammer’s Welding Co.
December 10, 2020 By
Hmm. I’ve been pretty lax for the last three months, not posting progress reports on any structure builds, so I’m a bit behind. I started this kit in mid September, and have been making slow progress especially during the month of November as I was preparing to move back home to MN from NC. The particular kit (manufacturered in 1990) is from a company called Fine Scale Miniatures (“FSM”), in … [Read more...]
Originally posted on FB – some thoughts on my structure kit building
June 14, 2019 By
A shout-out to Doug at FOS Scale Models, and Art and company at Bar Mills: both of these gentlemen (and, Art’s crew) are master designers of structure kits. In the last two yrs, I’ve built ~three dozen kits from these two kit manufacturers (and, one, so far, from Kenny Crump’s KCWorkshop), and I just love the “character” of their designs. It just makes building the kits a lot more fun, and also … [Read more...]
Originally posted to FB – structure kit instructions
May 24, 2019 By
So, a few days ago, I wrote a short post praising a new kit manufacturer, for doing a really fine job with their instructions (yea, Mine Mount Models). Today, I’m going to share one quote from the instructions from a now out-of-business (OOB) kit manufacturer (not OOB due to their kits being bad, but most likely due to their retirement), and will then share something (vis paraphrasing) I read in … [Read more...]
Originally posted on FB – shoutout to Mine Mount Models
May 22, 2019 By
Received my first kit (Palzer’s Plumbing Supply) from “Mine Mount Models” this morning, and have to say I love the way this guy did the instructions. Might be “too long” for some people, but they are quite “readable” (“professionally” formatted), with numerous photos, all in color (I believe), showing lots of angles, and all sides of the final structure. Not to show disrespect toward my other … [Read more...]
Structure Model Building – Baker’s Produce – finished
January 1, 2019 By
Tonight, we finished Baker’s Produce. We built the clerestory, gluing the four walls, adding the six windows, and gluing a tarpaper roof onto it. The building of the clerestory was a pain since I wrongly assumed both of the longer walls were of equal height. But due to the slight slant of the roof, one wall is slightly shorter than the other (and, I had to do a do over while gluing the walls of … [Read more...]
Watching a really old movie
December 17, 2018 By
In the hotel room, working on a (new) modeling project, BUT, with the tv on, which is playing “Hunt for Red October”! That movie never ever gets old. Yes, I’m pretty sure I know almost every line almost everyone says. [jk] “Somebody must have a burr up his a$$ to do a stunt like this”. “Jack, next time, just write a <…> damn memo” Etc. Etc. Etc. … [Read more...]
Model Railroaders collecting stuff
December 17, 2018 By
From an eBay auction item description. ==== “...This item is from a family member’s train Empire that was never completed. I am not a business, Just selling items from a family member’s very, very large train Empire/Hoard. A collection from a 50 + year Passion/Addiction that I am unable to use on my own Empire.“ ==== Yup. Pretty much sums it up for those of us in this hobby. Although the … [Read more...]
Bread making – grocery store run
November 25, 2018 By
Went to the grocery store this morning, intending on getting the required ingredients for the new Bread Making machine: Bread Flour Dry Milk (didn’t realize there was such a thing) Sugar Salt (already had it) Butter (same) And this little important thing called Active Yeast. Thinking it would run me less than twenty bucks. Ended up spending ~$160. Obviously more than just the above. Just … [Read more...]
TV shows I’m watching
November 25, 2018 By
A friend of a friend (of another friend) during Thanksgiving dinner recommended watching Amazon Prime Video’s new show “Homecoming” (with Julia Roberts). I’d seen the preview trailers but couldn’t decide if I would be interested or not. I’m glad this younger gentleman suggested it. Been binge watching for last couple of days, and I’m about to watch the last episode of Season One. Not going to tell … [Read more...]
Thanksgiving day, Pies!
November 23, 2018 By
After the usual turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, Brussels sprouts, cranberry sauce, rolls, etc., our host had, not one, not two, not...[ok, we get the idea], but five, count them five different deserts from a (wonderful) desert place called Wouletts. They were: Pumpkin pie Cherry pie Apple pie Triple berry pie, and a Cranberry tart. The thing is, there were only nine of us there for … [Read more...]
Bread Maker arriving today
November 22, 2018 By
On my way home on the bus, I remembered my new Bread Maker was being delivered today. The Amazon product listing did not mention whether or not the maker included an initial bread making mix, so I thought I should go buy some after getting off the bus. Knowing Cub Foods would probably be overwhelmed with people doing last minute shopping for the holiday, and because I also needed to go to Michaels … [Read more...]
Listening to some good music while working on the hobby
November 17, 2018 By
Been working at the project table for last couple of hours, listening to Pandora, on my “Scott Bradlee and Post Modern Jukebox” station. As you already probably know (but in case you didn’t), a Pandora station like this isn’t “all” music by that particular artist - a “station” just plays music of a similar genre, etc. So far, they not yet played a tune I didn’t like - just love this kind of music … [Read more...]
Model railroading kit building and ‘stash’ backlog
October 13, 2018 By
Post number two this morning due to insomnia/tinnitus. ==== Here’s a crafter’s dilemma, as a crafter gets older, toward retirement age. I’m going to make this a bit easier to understand by reducing the actual quantities. Let’s say, you have enough crafting “projects” (yarn, quilting material/projects, wood in workshop, or whatever) to last you for the next three to four years (or longer), at … [Read more...]
Hobbies, Model Railroading – what happens to your stuff when its time to go?
October 13, 2018 By
Post number two this morning due to insomnia/tinnitus. ==== Here’s a crafter’s dilemma, as a crafter gets older, toward retirement age. I’m going to make this a bit easier to understand by reducing the actual quantities. Let’s say, you have enough crafting “projects” (yarn, quilting material/projects, wood in workshop, or whatever) to last you for the next three to four years (or longer), at … [Read more...]
Going to see Holst’s Planets – NOT!
September 29, 2018 By
Had a pretty tough decision to make this past week. Couldn’t decide, so no decision was made. The quandary was, which night should I go see MN Orchestra, playing Holst’s Planets, Fri evening or Saturday evening? Didn’t want to “stay” at the office for 2-3 hours waiting until the 8pm performance, so after I left the office for home yesterday afternoon, I chose to let the decision default to … [Read more...]
A post from a model railroader regarding creative hobbies
September 10, 2018 By
The following is a post from a Model Railroading group, BUT is generic enough for ALL hobbyists, whether the hobby is quilt-making, woodworking, crocheting, whatever. [for every model railroad jargon word below, insert a jargon word from your particular hobby.] ==== THE SUNDAY EVENING POST (Dave Pye) THE CASUAL MODELER Not every modeler has to be an all-out, “REAL” model railroader, if for no … [Read more...]
