The Little World

And the related question: how much should it cost?

Let’s explore the idea for scale modelling by taking it away to another hobby. Let’s choose, oh I don’t know…historical reenacting*. Dressing in period clothing, making and using period tools and weapons, camping and campaigning in a carefully researched old style.

A good thing to do and done by many good people all over the world. Let’s look at one – Jim – who wants to live the life of a soldier in the American Civil War. If he is in the United States there are many people who he can join in with – if he lives here in Australia, there are fewer…but he can still find a few occasions to participate in the very special theatre of the re-enacting.

Costs? $ 1500 for a rifled musket, $ 1500 for an authentic set of clothes and accoutrements to wear, $ 1500 for a tent and a camp to surround it, and $ 1500 every time he ventures out on campaign for a week. $ 6000 to be a Yankee or Rebel. And in the case of our Australian re-enactor at least six months of to-ing and fro-ing with police departments to get permission to play soldier. If this involves interstate travel add another two months dealing with interstate shipping or the airlines…plus $ 15.95 for a bottle of Mylanta to settle the stomach afterwards.

Jim’s mate Tom wants to be a medieval knight. He will be wearing funnier clothing and carrying less convenient packs, but the price out-of-pocket will be exactly the same. And with the increased surveillance of blunt swords and spear, the police and airlines dance will eventually be exactly the same. If they both go ahead with their respective ambitions, they can club together and get a case of Mylanta – and they’ll eventually use it up.

Joe wants to build scale airplanes. He needs to get the tools to do it and has decided that he’ll lash out and get an airbrush and compressor plus a complete workstation with hand and power tools. Guess what? He’ll be down $ 1500 as well. But here it gets a little cheaper for him…

Every kit he gets will cost him $ 15 to $ 150. If he decided to build little airplanes the price will hover around the $ 15 to $ 40 mark – the bigger ones will step it from $ 50 to $ 150. Each time he builds he’ll be adding $ 15 in paint and thinners.

But he needn’t wear fancy clothing – indeed he will be wise wear old workshop duds, because he’ll be dropping paint and glue on himself constantly. It’s only time to change your model building clothes when they adhere to you…

And he needn’t spend big money to travel with his circus. Most of the venues that build or exhibit are in his home city – and he can just drive to them. If he goes to an interstate model show there’s that $ 1500 to spend but he doesn’t need to grovel to the police or the airline. No need for Mylanta at all. There’s $ 15.95 extra you can spend on beer.

*  I write from long personal experience.