An impossible question.

[Drawweight]

What to do next?

I’m recently retired and like to potter about in the spare room for a couple of hours of an evening.

So far I’ve done a Lego Bugatti and a few scale models eg motorbikes, tanks, cars and F1 cars.

Just now I’m busy with the Tamiya Bismark.

I quite fancy something different, not necessarily a plastic kit.

This is where the question comes in. What do I do?

No real criteria. Price preferably under £100.

[russy01]

Ive not built one yet, nor do we have many in stock (they took a hammering in the last few days before Christmas). But we recently took on a range of combustion engine kits from a brand called Franzis.

They are above your budget, but look very cool! Im going to crack open the 911 Flat 6 when everything calms down in Jan.

https://www.jadlamracingmodels.com/search.php?sear...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv0jppeTjS0

[dr_gn]

We built a couple of Ugears models:

https://www.ugears.de/en/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIl-WFn_...

Pretty good. Got a Marble parkour kit this year - kids and me will make a start today:

https://www.longacres.co.uk/homeware-gifts/craft-k...

Other non-plastic kits I like are paper:

https://www.h-m-v.de/en/

There are some pre-machined Model steam engines too, but they can get very expensive. Of course you could get yourself some small machine tools and do stuff in metal.

I’ve got a Revell V8 engine (similar thing to the ones Russy mentioned). That particular kit needs a lot of work to get it to work smoothly. There’s a thread on mine here (another unfinished project):

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[russy01]

Good shout on the Ugears - well, not just Ugears, there are several brands out there with similar quality kits.

Ugears, ROKR and Wooden City mainly.

We've currently got 89 different models in stock! https://www.jadlamracingmodels.com/models/wooden-m...

Best sellers are typically the vehicles as they look good on display, but arguably some of the best models to build are things like Clocks and Safes - as we already know how a car or bike works!

[r159]

dr_gn said:

I’ve got a Revell V8 engine (similar thing to the ones Russy mentioned). That particular kit needs a lot of work to get it to work smoothly. There’s a thread on mine here (another unfinished project):

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

My boy got the Haynes V8 kit this year, having built the 4cyl I’m quite looking forward to seeing him put it together. The 4cyl has help up well after 3 years and a few changes of batteries is still going strong.

[dr_gn]

russy01 said:

Good shout on the Ugears - well, not just Ugears, there are several brands out there with similar quality kits.

Ugears, ROKR and Wooden City mainly.

We've currently got 89 different models in stock! https://www.jadlamracingmodels.com/models/wooden-m...

Best sellers are typically the vehicles as they look good on display, but arguably some of the best models to build are things like Clocks and Safes - as we already know how a car or bike works!

I got the UGears safe from you last year for my daughter - It's a very nice model - needs some thinking about too. The Marble run is ROKR; the parts look very nicely cut. A good tip is to sand all sliding or rotating parts smooth and apply some candle wax.

[eccles]

How about an old school rubber powered balsa wood aircraft kit? Get something nice like a biplane or a Hurricane. Can be quite involving but doesn't take up too much space or money.

[dr_gn]

How about a radio controlled tank kit - or a rock crawler type thing?

The Tamiya 1:12 F1 cars - the 1970's ones - are also nice kits.

IMCTH kits look pretty good too if you're into that kind of thing:

https://www.bnamodelworld.com/model-planes-imcth-i...

[Ritchie335is]

russy01 said:

Ive not built one yet, nor do we have many in stock (they took a hammering in the last few days before Christmas). But we recently took on a range of combustion engine kits from a brand called Franzis.

They are above your budget, but look very cool! Im going to crack open the 911 Flat 6 when everything calms down in Jan.

https://www.jadlamracingmodels.com/search.php?sear...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv0jppeTjS0

Bugger, why did you have to post them.

[CubanPete]

DLG gliders are nice and compact compared to regular RC planes.

I am also building a 1:12scale Riva Aquarama from a 'short' kit, and an IOM RC sailing boat. The boats require a lot more sanding than planes...

I also have a 3D printer which is a lot of fun. You can buy electronic models to print and build / finish yourself...

[miniman]

russy01 said:

Ive not built one yet, nor do we have many in stock (they took a hammering in the last few days before Christmas). But we recently took on a range of combustion engine kits from a brand called Franzis.

They are above your budget, but look very cool! Im going to crack open the 911 Flat 6 when everything calms down in Jan.

https://www.jadlamracingmodels.com/search.php?sear...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv0jppeTjS0

These look great, will be interested to see what you think when you build it.

OP - how about a Tamiya R/C car - lots to choose from and good fun to build (and run!)

[russy01]

miniman said:

These look great, will be interested to see what you think when you build it.

OP - how about a Tamiya R/C car - lots to choose from and good fun to build (and run!)

To be fair its probably not going to happen for a while! Dozens of things in the warehouse I want to play with - but generally end up playing with bloody barbies as I ended up with 2 daughters!

I gave bro in Law the Mustang engine for Christmas (he has a 2015 GT), so will get some feedback sooner or later! Or maybe I should use this as an excuse to get the 911 out and go grab one from the warehouse

[CubanPete]

miniman said:

These look great, will be interested to see what you think when you build it.

OP - how about a Tamiya R/C car - lots to choose from and good fun to build (and run!)

Hi MM,

3D printer has been great for half scale hinges, number plates, badges and the like, especially whilst it is cold in the garage!






[url]

[miniman]

CubanPete said:

miniman said:

These look great, will be interested to see what you think when you build it.

OP - how about a Tamiya R/C car - lots to choose from and good fun to build (and run!)

Hi MM,

3D printer has been great for half scale hinges, number plates, badges and the like, especially whilst it is cold in the garage!






[url]

Looks great!

[shedweller]

CubanPete said:

DLG gliders are nice and compact compared to regular RC planes...

I can recommend this one to dip your toe in with https://www.hyperflight.co.uk/products.asp?code=AL...

It is a nice build and some cheap electronics will fill your evenings in the winter with the build - and your evenings in the summer with tossing it about.

I have just received one if these https://www.hoelleinshop.com/Planes-Helicopters-Qu...

And a carry case. https://www.cnc-hagershop.de/?product=transportkof... Both to build over the next few weeks (I started the case today)
It was the ALT that reminded me how much I enjoyed building...

[clockworks]

Building RC boats is a good way of filling your spare time during the winter, and gives you something to play with when it gets warmer.

Have a look at Aeronaut kits if you want to keep your initial outlay down.

[lufbramatt]

I really fancy a microaces biplane as my next “thing to do”. They look great as models, don’t need any painting and appear to fly quite nicely too.

[miniman]

lufbramatt said:

I really fancy a microaces biplane as my next “thing to do”. They look great as models, don’t need any painting and appear to fly quite nicely too.

They look great. Are they indoor only?

[lufbramatt]

miniman said:

lufbramatt said:

I really fancy a microaces biplane as my next “thing to do”. They look great as models, don’t need any painting and appear to fly quite nicely too.

They look great. Are they indoor only?

The guy that makes them has got videos of them being flown outside on his YouTube channel, but I'd imagine they're more suited to calm summer evenings than normal breezy days.

[Drawweight]

Thanks for all your suggestions folks.

The glider looks interesting as does the microaces planes.