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The Styrene Forum...

Posted: September 25th, 2022, 12:09 am
by BobbysMonsterModels
I took a long break from this place, actually a break from model building for awhile, but honestly, I am shocked at how slow this forum is currently moving. What happened to everyone? Where did everyone go? I remember the threads moving constantly, and now, days go by and nobody posts. Did everyone leave here and go to another forum? What happened? Theories???

Re: The Styrene Forum...

Posted: September 25th, 2022, 12:26 am
by Todd P.
Many of us have moved entirely to Facebook. I mean many. Many more of us have moved in large part to Facebook but still regularly or occasionally visit the Clubhouse. There are a handful of Clubhouse members who reject Facebook and more power to them.

Speaking for myself, I stop by the forums at least once a day every day, and have done so almost every day for 21 years. But my involvement in this hobby as a hobby, instead of as my job, is considerably reduced and so I don't often bring up new topics. Others don't tend to bring up new topics either, for whatever the reason, and so I only occasionally have anything to post at all.

But I'm not going away.

I'd also say that the styrene forum was always one of the slower ones. The styrene crowd overall is big in figure modeling, but the Clubhouse has always been more of a garage-kit gathering. On Facebook, there are quite a few active styrene-oriented groups.

Finally, no way around it, our crowd is getting smaller. Lots of us moving away from the hobby for one reason or another, and sadly, a fair number of us passing away.

Re: The Styrene Forum...

Posted: September 25th, 2022, 12:42 am
by tay666
Todd P. wrote: Finally, no way around it, our crowd is getting smaller. Lots of us moving away from the hobby for one reason or another, and sadly, a fair number of us passing away.
That was the thing I was going to mention.

Another one that Todd didn't touch on. A lot less styrene building going on.
Lots of guys have moved on to resin and printed kits. They still do occasional styrene kits, but you can crank out a resin bust a lot quicker than a full styrene figure. Especially if you are concerned about seams.

Don't get me wrong, I still love styrene, but I don't have the luxury of having enough time to have a bunch of them in the rotation anymore.

Re: The Styrene Forum...

Posted: September 25th, 2022, 3:04 am
by scuzzfink85
The way the bad news of facebook of late .. there is alot..
I won't count them being around forever.. never put your all eggs in one basket..

Re: The Styrene Forum...

Posted: September 25th, 2022, 3:02 pm
by kevtk135
Todd P. wrote:Many of us have moved entirely to Facebook. I mean many. Many more of us have moved in large part to Facebook but still regularly or occasionally visit the Clubhouse. There are a handful of Clubhouse members who reject Facebook and more power to them.

Speaking for myself, I stop by the forums at least once a day every day, and have done so almost every day for 21 years. But my involvement in this hobby as a hobby, instead of as my job, is considerably reduced and so I don't often bring up new topics. Others don't tend to bring up new topics either, for whatever the reason, and so I only occasionally have anything to post at all.

But I'm not going away.

I'd also say that the styrene forum was always one of the slower ones. The styrene crowd overall is big in figure modeling, but the Clubhouse has always been more of a garage-kit gathering. On Facebook, there are quite a few active styrene-oriented groups.

Finally, no way around it, our crowd is getting smaller. Lots of us moving away from the hobby for one reason or another, and sadly, a fair number of us passing away.
:like
I must agree that ever since I "discovered" garage kits thru Modelers Resource mag, Gremlins and the Clubhouse I've always considered here a place for resin. But I do build and post re-popped styrene models for nostalgia. Got no comment on the Clubhouse vs. FB subject.

Re: The Styrene Forum...

Posted: September 25th, 2022, 3:42 pm
by Aurora 484
BobbysMonsterModels wrote:I took a long break from this place, actually a break from model building for awhile, but honestly, I am shocked at how slow this forum is currently moving. What happened to everyone? Where did everyone go? I remember the threads moving constantly, and now, days go by and nobody posts. Did everyone leave here and go to another forum? What happened? Theories???
Thoughts and questions that I've had myself.

I notice that companies such as Round 2 and others tend to focus on the reissue of vintage vehicular kits. Not too much new for those of us interested in vintage styrene. There are probably some valid reasons for that too but the point is that there's generally not much coming out.

Re: The Styrene Forum...

Posted: September 25th, 2022, 4:08 pm
by Buc Wheat
Visit here every day. Also most of the styrene coming out are repops of
previously released kits (that have been re-re-released at least 50 times
already!) (yes, Round 2).

But most of us are still around.

Re: The Styrene Forum...

Posted: September 27th, 2022, 11:29 pm
by Glusniffer
8) I've cranked out about a dozen styrenes this year, I just haven't posted them yet. I don't do ANY social media but yeah, still around. 8)

Re: The Styrene Forum...

Posted: September 28th, 2022, 11:12 pm
by Dale Stringer
Same, just more of an observer this year due to retirement and relocation. Hope to be set up and building again next year. But yes, still a visitor every couple of days….

Re: The Styrene Forum...

Posted: September 30th, 2022, 1:21 am
by BobbysMonsterModels
Well, I do recognize some of the names here. I guess I was just surprised to see the forum slow down so much. I use to go to the Hobby Talk forum back in the late 1990's - early 2000's. It was hoppin'. There were alot of threads and posts back then. It was a fun place to go. I have learned a ton from these forums, on building models, over the years. I still have alot of styrene kits to go, but I'm a slow, methodical builder/painter and because of that, I don't think I'll ever get to resin kits, LOL.

Re: The Styrene Forum...

Posted: September 30th, 2022, 10:50 pm
by tay666
BobbysMonsterModels wrote:I use to go to the Hobby Talk forum back in the late 1990's - early 2000's. It was hoppin'. There were alot of threads and posts back then.
Oh yeah. Those days are gone. People migrated from forums to FB, twitter, and other places like that.
The time period you are thinking about, forums were the only game in town, unless you were on an email list / news group. So, everyone was there.
The Polar Lights forum used to have 2 pages of threads with new posts every day.
Just like here, the Garage used to be over a page a day as well (which is why we split off the Workbench)
This Styrene Forum here, had ok traffic, but I don't think it was ever super busy. If we had a dozen threads with new posts it was rare.
The Clubhouse was always more a garage kit place. Most of the styrene guys stayed at HobbyTalk and avoided the drama that came with the garage kit guys. I was still going there regularly until the redid the place and made it impossible for me to navigate.

Re: The Styrene Forum...

Posted: October 1st, 2022, 4:03 am
by Scooke123
Yeah I know what you mean about HobbyTalk - once they re-did it It was so hard to navigate, etc I quit going. I can't remember last time I was one there.
Resin is definately a lot easier for me at this point too - stiill due styrene though. Even with resin I am tending to smaller figures and busts - less space and able to do more.

Re: The Styrene Forum...

Posted: October 1st, 2022, 3:28 pm
by tay666
I hear you on the space issues. I tend towards busts and SD resin kits.
And a huge part of my styrene waiting to be done is 1/12 or 1/13 with all my Monster Scenes and Prehistoric Scenes.
Then I have a couple of huge kits that will be hitting the bench this month once I wrap up a few things and actually open my workbench back up again.

Re: The Styrene Forum...

Posted: October 13th, 2022, 9:07 pm
by Ken Kwil
I still build a lot of styrene kits. Even buying more lately since of all the re-popping.
Working on a resin kit right now. A monster for the Halloween season.
The rest of the year and into next year all plans are for building styrene.
I still post my finished work in the gallery here.
Checking here regularly.

Re: The Styrene Forum...

Posted: November 11th, 2022, 9:33 pm
by Big Daddy Dave H
There just isn't as much styrene action as there used to be. Last Wonderfest, I didn't buy any styrene because there wasn't anything new that interested me or that I didn't have in the stash already. Mostly I picked up vintage vinyl and resin pieces and a few items that were 3D printed. Now that I have my own printer, I'm buying far less kits overall. There's just so much cool stuff available to print off at home it's taken over most of my interest.

Re: The Styrene Forum...

Posted: November 11th, 2022, 11:42 pm
by tay666
I almost didn't get any styrene this year either, but then I stumbled across a vintage kit at a great price so I got that.
But yeah, there wasn't much to pick from this year.
It doesn't help that no one has stepped in to fill the void left when Bill passed. Which basically leaves either Steve or Terry to buy new styrene from. And whatever goodies Hodge brings.