quote:

ORIGINAL: GerKonig

quote:

ORIGINAL: sensei

I still do allot of building but I sure miss going to the hobby shop having all those kit choices right at my finger tips.

Bob

Well, sure, you went to the hobby shop and they had kits. But the way the kits get to the hands of the buyers have changed. Period. We have to adapt. The kits are still out there waiting to be purchased.

Last night (maybe it was something I ate) I felt the sudden urge to build a Pitenpol. So I did some research, and soon enough I found a kit cutter that had the size I wanted, and at a reasonable price.

There are some small companies that manufacture kits, that you will not find in the LHS. I think that the problem is not the lack of availability of kits. Nope, you just have to look harder. Now it is very possible that with time, the ''big names'' will stop manufacturing kits altogether. For a while, because someone small will start manufacturing them. After all we live in a market economy. If there is a need, there will be a supplier. Yes there are smaller number of builders, but the niche market will always be there. Maybe the timewill come where you will only be able to get balsa from 2 or 3 places, so be it. There always will be a demand for it.

I have a Balsa USA and a Sig clipped wing. Would I build another one? No, I most probably would get the new Horizon 1/4 scale PA-18 if I urgently NEED a PA-18 1/4 scale. On the other hand, yes, I would build any WWI Balsa USA 1/4 or 1/3 kits. Well, maybe I would build a 1/3 scale PA-!8:-)

This is not only a wonderful hobby, there is something for everyone. The secret is to have fun with whatever we do. But, like every other activity in life, you have jackarses that think that only what they do is of value, or what they do is better, etc. We see them in all walks of life. They cannot help themselves, I guess you have to treat them like trees (you walk around a tree, and keep going).

Gerry

quote:

ORIGINAL: impulse09


They do have me on covering schemes though.

quote:

ORIGINAL: sensei

quote:

ORIGINAL: GerKonig

quote:

ORIGINAL: sensei

I still do allot of building but I sure miss going to the hobby shop having all those kit choices right at my finger tips.

Bob

Well, sure, you went to the hobby shop and they had kits. But the way the kits get to the hands of the buyers have changed. Period. We have to adapt. The kits are still out there waiting to be purchased.

Last night (maybe it was something I ate) I felt the sudden urge to build a Pitenpol. So I did some research, and soon enough I found a kit cutter that had the size I wanted, and at a reasonable price.

There are some small companies that manufacture kits, that you will not find in the LHS. I think that the problem is not the lack of availability of kits. Nope, you just have to look harder. Now it is very possible that with time, the ''big names'' will stop manufacturing kits altogether. For a while, because someone small will start manufacturing them. After all we live in a market economy. If there is a need, there will be a supplier. Yes there are smaller number of builders, but the niche market will always be there. Maybe the timewill come where you will only be able to get balsa from 2 or 3 places, so be it. There always will be a demand for it.

I have a Balsa USA and a Sig clipped wing. Would I build another one? No, I most probably would get the new Horizon 1/4 scale PA-18 if I urgently NEED a PA-18 1/4 scale. On the other hand, yes, I would build any WWI Balsa USA 1/4 or 1/3 kits. Well, maybe I would build a 1/3 scale PA-!8:-)

This is not only a wonderful hobby, there is something for everyone. The secret is to have fun with whatever we do. But, like every other activity in life, you have jackarses that think that only what they do is of value, or what they do is better, etc. We see them in all walks of life. They cannot help themselves, I guess you have to treat them like trees (you walk around a tree, and keep going).

Gerry

Yes you are right, but I still miss it sometimes. I never really went to the hobby shop for the single purpose of buying a kit, but if I saw one I liked, it was on its way home with me that day. That is probably why I have not built a kit since 2006, now I have done several scratch built in that time frame though.

Bob

quote:

ORIGINAL: brockettman

Well, guess I might as well chime in. It seems that all of the posts will be speculation if we try to answer "Why don't many people build RC kits anymore" for someone other than our self.

So, if I were to not build from kits anymore (I'm too impatient to build from scratch), I suppose these would be some reasons:

1. I'm impatient
2. I have other interests to occupy my time
3. Building a kit version of a plane that is available in an ARF can be more expensive.
4. When I start a project I'm gung -ho, but after a while I loose that excitement and it can be a chore to get motivated again.
5. I don't like covering, I'm getting better at it but it's my least favorite part of the build.


I love ARFs. Opening up a box and seeing that beautiful new airplane ready for a little bit of glue and a few screws.... Pretty simple.

I love this hobby! Building and flying...

Build well!
Ben

quote:

ORIGINAL: hairy46

Just starting to get into the scatch building. Have very much injoyed the kit building but want to move on to plan building. Does anyone know where I can get the plans for the Spirit of St. Louis? Or even a kit on that plane!

quote:

ORIGINAL: frets24 Just out of curiosity; Where does a plane that comes in a box as a fiberglass fuselage and v.stab with a bunch of loose ribs and spars for a stick built wing and h.stab fall? (ie. some Ziroli offerings) Would that be an ARF kit? (arf fuse/kit wing?) How about if the wing and stab were foam core? Then does one get to say they ''built'' the wing any more so than some of the guys who re-sheet or just plain sheet an open or semi-open constrction arf wing?

quote:

ORIGINAL: combatpigg

quote:

ORIGINAL: brockettman

Well, guess I might as well chime in. It seems that all of the posts will be speculation if we try to answer ''Why don't many people build RC kits anymore'' for someone other than our self.

So, if I were to not build from kits anymore (I'm too impatient to build from scratch), I suppose these would be some reasons:

1. I'm impatient
2. I have other interests to occupy my time
3. Building a kit version of a plane that is available in an ARF can be more expensive.
4. When I start a project I'm gung -ho, but after a while I loose that excitement and it can be a chore to get motivated again.
5. I don't like covering, I'm getting better at it but it's my least favorite part of the build.


I love ARFs. Opening up a box and seeing that beautiful new airplane ready for a little bit of glue and a few screws.... Pretty simple.

I love this hobby! Building and flying...

Build well!
Ben

Ben, I'm with you when it comes to covering. I bought the ''Mr Monkote'' video to gain some pointers, but covering still remains a boring chore. I'd love to visit an ARF factory just to see how many planes they can get covered by lunch time. Imagine doing nothing but that day in and day out.

quote:

ORIGINAL: countilaw

quote:

ORIGINAL: brockettman

Well, guess I might as well chime in. It seems that all of the posts will be speculation if we try to answer ''Why don't many people build RC kits anymore'' for someone other than our self.

So, if I were to not build from kits anymore (I'm too impatient to build from scratch), I suppose these would be some reasons:

1. I'm impatient
2. I have other interests to occupy my time
3. Building a kit version of a plane that is available in an ARF can be more expensive.
4. When I start a project I'm gung -ho, but after a while I loose that excitement and it can be a chore to get motivated again.
5. I don't like covering, I'm getting better at it but it's my least favorite part of the build.


I love ARFs. Opening up a box and seeing that beautiful new airplane ready for a little bit of glue and a few screws.... Pretty simple.

I love this hobby! Building and flying...

Build well!
Ben

I must  disagree with  item No. 3.    I just ordered all the wood, hardward and misc parts for my next two planes  (60 size)  for less than  $100.00.  

I know my hardware will be better than I've seen in any ARF.     Also,  I will have a plane that no one else will have when I go to the field to fly.   I know the construction will be better than found with any ARF.   I won't have to spend time trying to get glue to all those hidden areas where the   Chinese manufacturer used   ''hot'' glue.  

I don't really like covering either,  but at least it won't be just like all the other planes at the field. 

ARFs are OK for the  beginner that doesn't have the skill to build.  But then again,  none of us did when we started.    When I started,  we didn't have the  internet.   Building was  trial and error.  Most times or not,  it was error.    But we  continued and we would have little contests to see whose could fly the highest, farthest, fastest and longest.    We all had fun and made a lot of friends.    At the end of the day we would go home and return to our litttle work space and dream up  another plane to build. (not to a video game)  

With todays ARFs a    nooby  can get into the air faster and learn faster.    Sooner or later he'll become a builder and enjoy his modelling hobby even more. 

Frank
I've been modelling for over  50 years

quote:

ORIGINAL: essyou35

Let me get this right. He starts the thread again and specifically says that arfs are evil. And you dont see that as the issue of causing the arguments? Thats exactly what the fuss is about, that attitude and I will always rebut it.

You can ban me whatever, your are simply taking sides and allowing one group to bash another, and supressing another group from responding.

quote:

ORIGINAL: RCKen

When I close a thread down I do so for very good reasons. I don't do it on a whim and I don't do it just because I was in a funky mood. There are a variety of reasons why I close down a thread, but you can rest assured that a lot of thought goes into to the decision to close a thread. In most cases a thread is closed because I feel that the members have no intentions of abiding by the rules of RCU and playing nicely. That was the case when I closed down the original thread on this subject. If one or two members of a thread are causing problems I will normally deal with those members and not punish the entire thread. But in this case there were so many people involved with the thread being dragged down the easiest course of action was to close the entire thread.

 

Normally when I do shut down a thread I don't allow members to restart the thread, for whatever reason. In most cases like this I would simply close down any additional threads started back up. However, in this case I'm going to give this subject one more chance as I think it's a subject to be discusses. But, I'm going to put out a warning here and now, and I would suggest that all those that this affects to heed my warning this time as I am not going to be playing any games.

 

For those that were causing all the problems that got the first thread shut down (and you know who you are), I would suggest that you refrain from participating in this thread.... period. You have already proven that you can't discuss the issue at hand without resorting attacking those that you don't agree with. On the other hand if you do choose to participate in this discussion I would suggest that you make sure you follow all of RCU's rules. Because if I see any more of the immature childish crap I saw in the last thread you will be placed on Moderated Status and will stay there for a very long time!! Plain and simple. If you can't abide by RCU's rules you will be put into a status where we can watch what you do and say on our forums. I'm tired of seeing the actions of a few that can't seem to work and play well with others spoil a thread for everybody else on RCU. It's your choice about how we proceed from here on out, but please do not think that I won't do what I say here. 

 

For everybody else that wants to discuss this issue, I apologize that I have to make statements like this in public. But unfortunately there are a few here that think they are above the rules and can do whatever they want. 

 

Ken

I used to build balsa kit when that was all you could buy even before plastic models. they were 10 cents and fit my budget; )  I usually built one a week until the plastic models came out.  My dad used to build from scratch because there were no kits in those days.

The ARFs and RTF models have ended the kits era.  So when the time comes when low cost kits are no longer manufactured and unavailable, we may see a little more scratch built than now.  The young kids are now more computer/game oriented and so is our society w/iphones and apps for everything.  Who knows what will become of models, maybe a low cost cad app to design your model and lazer cut out machines like the graphics cutters. wing covering will be manually applied as I can't image a low cost app for that yet.

I hope the balsa/covered models will remain, we shall see; )

quote:

ORIGINAL: sensei

You know, one of the very first ARFs I ever saw on the market came from Lanier, so it might be Budda Spivey's fault...

Bob

quote:

ORIGINAL: combatpigg

quote:

ORIGINAL: sensei

You know, one of the very first ARFs I ever saw on the market came from Lanier, so it might be Budda Spivey's fault...

Bob

I seem to recall African made ARFs way back then, too.
Before ARFs became popular, I used to see [and hear of] way more people buying RTF planes right from modelers at the flying field..with cash offers they [we] couldn't refuse. Same goes for getting rid of my surplus planes through local ads. Before ARFs the response to those ads was overwhelming, but nowadays those in the market for a RTF plane don't have to subject themselves to buying a used plane from a stranger to find what they want.