Hobbies we had as kids

[Gliderman8]

As a kid I always was building things... car model kits, airplanes, rockets, small electronic projects, etc.
A couple of weeks ago I promised my 6 year twin old grandson and granddaughter that I would build them a "rocket ship". I went digging into a cardboard box of things I saved as a kid. I found two ~unopened~ rocket kits and one partially completed one. These kits are OLD!. Probably could have listed them on eBay but the smile on my grandkids faces are worth many times more.
Here's the first one I just completed.... one more to go.
So, what were your hobbies? Why not try it again?

 

[John Turney]

I built models as a kid. Now I do the real thing.

 

[Gliderman8]

I built models as a kid. Now I do the real thing.

What kind?

 

[John Turney]

I built model planes and cars. Now it has been a series of LBCs.

 

[mikephillips]

I still build models, primarily ships and aircraft. And for those who haven’t done it since they were kids it in itself can be an expensive hobby. I’ve seen specialty kits that are huge and can crack 4 figures. And you can buy all sorts of detail parts to replicate what isn’t provided as well as photo etch for more scale like appearance. For cold weather, can be either a relaxing, or aggravating, winter evening depending on how obsessive you might be. And I collect coins, specializing anymore in halves, going back to 1800. Been doing that since I was a young teen.

 

[Boink]

Model cars and rockets. Home-made rockets/explosives (we'd be arrested today). Amateur radio. :wink-new:

 

[DrEntropy]

Yeah, model cars and aircraft as a kid. Amateur radio a bit later. After I'd left the Air Force I put together models of as many of the aircraft as I found that I'd been on missions in. Also a couple Lotus Formula-1 models. Haven't done any of that in decades though. Plenty of "other" projects to deal with.

Would anyone like to help me replace a toilet? :smirk:

 

[charlie74]

HO trains, and radio controlled scale model ships. My father has gotten back into the modeling of ships and made some really good ones. I have found on YT sub-water films from Germany which has lots of videos of some fantastic models. Have a look! I don’t have time for it at this point due to work and “the list”.

 

[donbmw]

Same on all of the above. But never got in to amateur radios. Want to thou.

 

[Mickey Richaud]

Would anyone like to help me replace a toilet? :smirk:

With what?

 

[AngliaGT]

I built model car kits.Still have a closet full of unbuilt ones,
original issues.A few years ago,I put some on eBay.Got over $900,
with an original investment of $12.50.

 

[JPSmit]

1:1 scale here - trying simply to put in 1/2 an hour to an hour every day. Last week I missed three or four days due to cold - so, in the basement I have a model boat I bought and started when my daughter was born - she is 29.

I did make models as a child but am less inclined to get back into model world - there is a faint dream of a train set one day but, that might be a bridge to far for SWMBO.

OTOH, a friend is a serious modeler - he and his brother recently bought one of those pricey kits - https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Volga-GAZ-M...125805?hash=item2ad3bed6ad:g:2cwAAOSwlOldcJaW - what is interesting is that originally the parts would have come with a magazine - 110 issues, 110 parts.

 

[pdplot]

Model airplanes with small gasoline motors - Ohlsson 23, McCoy Redhead, Arden .099 and my brother had a huge Ohlsson 60 that almost took a finger off. We had to gat a Spinit Starter made by the Streed Electric Company from I think Minneapolis. You wound it up and pushed it over the propeller, pressed a button and the two little arms would spin the prop. When the engine started, the arms were hinged and would collapse. Anyone have on of those? A friend had a DynaJet engine. Loud as ****. A real jet engine. Dangerously fast in a plane. A Thimble Drome race car with an Arden .099 engine. Had one of those.

 

[Trevor Triumph]

Model cars, planes and ships. I also had an American Flyer train set. Still have it and have added locomotives and cars. Oh yeah, and n-scale trains and g-scale trains. Talking with friends the other day I said the advantage of the hobbies was learning to process the directions, learning about scale (ratios), using carpentry tools and wiring, too.

 

[DavidApp]

Most of the above. I did find with flying models the building was more fun than flying them. The conditions never seemed just right. With plastic models the painting never got done just right. I did have a Jet x engine powered model. Used fuel tablets and a fuse to start it. The only time the jet worked correctly was during testing. Put it on the model and it would misfire every time. With my Model railway I spent all my time making things for it and no time running trains.

I find Hobby Lobby a bit depressing as every hobby seems to come pre-packaged leaving little room for imagination. No digging through the junk box for bits to make things.

David

 

[glemon]

Built plastic models of all kinds, planes, ships, cars. Balsa wood airplanes, HO slot cars, N scale trains.

As a dad also did radio control cars and planes with my son.

I pick up the occasional diecast car now and still dabble in trains a little in the winter mostly.

Sometimes think if I had a lot of time would build balsa airplanes again, but I really can't imagine having that much time ever again as a adult.

As kids we were not programmed and scheduled 24/7 like kids are now, I would stay up all night reading a good book or building a balsa plane in the summer, great memories.

 

[70herald]

Model airplanes, cars trains, buildings for the trains. Had a few cox engine planes also.


In the last two years I have gotten one of my sons to start building balsa and tissue freeflight (or free to crash) airplanes and my youngest son building plastic car models.

 

[DrEntropy]

Trevor reminded me, we had American Flyer trains we'd set up for Christmas. Now all in boxes in my attic. We did an inventory at one time, ISTR four or five engines, more than a dozen cars, at least 100' of track... filled an 8'x12' platform with four concentric runs with switches interconnecting them. Sidings to accommodate rolling stock not in immediate use. One of the "rules" was once the thing became operational, no touching the trains and cars. Assembly of various sized trains was done via coupling and de-coupling, putting together different configurations, all from a 'cockpit' in the center of the platform. We would start the layout the day after Thanksgiving. Disassembly was done when mother ran out of patience due to it taking up a large portion of her living room... usually by the end of January. Great fun to construct and run that layout as a kid.

 

[Popeye]

So, I am still a kid! I think it was author Eric Kastner who said "you never grow old, only bigger." My hobbies have included:

RC rockets when I was in middle school, but not since; we lost about half of what we flew as kids!

RC boats; I built a Dumas Star sailboat about 20 years ago, and currently am building a Dumas Dauntless with the girls. I fried my motor speed controller last week - I need to figure out this electric motor stuff! (Lucas Smoke comes in many flavors...)

RC cars; built a pair of Tamiya Grasshoppers with the girls last summer; a ton of fun! I built a Tamiya Audi Quattro as well.

RC airplanes; I built a Midwest Aerostar c. 1990, then a Sig quarter-scale Cub c. 1995. The Cub never flew, but my girls have convinced me to drag it out this summer. We have updated our AMA memberships, joined a local club, and plan to learn to fly this summer. (Will likely get one of the foamie airplanes... much slower flying and durable vs. the balsa constructed airplanes.)

 

[Popeye]

A couple of weeks ago I promised my 6 year twin old grandson and granddaughter that I would build them a "rocket ship".

PS Let us know how the rocket flying with the kids goes!! Beautiful models!