With the advent of affordable ARF's and small electrics such as park flyers and the like, the hobby has "morphed" into alot of different catagories. It seems that modeling,(isn't that what is used to be called?)has truly evolved into niche interest groups.

The gas guys over here, the glow guys over there. The rotorheads off to the right and the electric fellas over on the left.

Each camp has roots in the hobby, carves out their territory and defends it vigorously. It's no different with this topic, ARF's and kit building.

Notice I didn't say, ARF's VERSUS kit building, lol...

I build. I buy ARF's,(occassionally). Mostly though, I build. Interestingly enough, every ARF I've ever purchased I stripped, modified, changed or reinforced. Purist's in that camp, lament this "bashing" and want to keep their cherished niche as pure as possible. In the ARF forum, there's always a reaction to guys who post their bashing techiniques with comments like, "can't you just enjoy it the way it came outta the box?" :-)

Builders decry poor quality hardware, inadequate glue joints, flimsy this and that with ARF's, ad nausem.

Bottom line, it's about one's personal preference. To attempt to defend, promote or convince someone that their preference is the lesser of any other, invites argument.

Building is relaxing. I don't build to any timeline, except when I'm building for others. I always focus on a customer's project as I'm being compensated for my effort. I take pride in the airframes I create and have never had a complaint.

I've always built, starting with my very 1st Sterling ukie, a Waco SRE cabin bipe. I got away from silk and dope but have returned to Koverall and Stix-IT, lol...

Fortunately, the hobby is large enough to encompass us all.

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