What do you do

[GrumpyBeau]

All you wonderful sprue fiddlers out there . What do you do with all of those completed kits that have taken up your shelf space for years, and now you need room for the next generation of builds. I have 19 kits built and taking up space that I now need to clear before I complete any more. Do I throw them? Sell them? any ideas welcome.

[KalebB]

Back when I had a bunch done before I quit modelling for a time, I ended up giving them away to friends who liked military history or tanks in general. That way they could be appreciated by fellow military buffs

[barryf1fan]

Since I'm kinda new at this, I only have a handful of models that actually built. I think I only have 7 or 8 that are "built" by me. So that number isn't a problem...

However, poking around on Craigslist one day I came across a guy selling a bunch of model cases, he listed he had various sizes and most had models in them. So I go to check out the "model cases" and this guy has almost 200 cars and bikes built up, with the majority being Tamiya, Hasagawa, and Revell Germany kits. He was selling the cases for $10/ea which most are in the $12-$15 range if you were to buy them new. So, after seeing that this guy had all these kits he was just gonna toss if I didn't want them (or whoever came to look at just the cases and didn't want the models) I made him an offer and bought 76 of them. I gave away various kits, in the case, to a buddy of mine, and kept the rest. There is a ton of work in these cars and most are just beautiful and really well done. The guy lied to me that he did them (but that's a whole 'nother story) but I could tell by what he was saying that he didn't do these. Found out later they were the husband's of his wife's friend and he said he would get what he could for them. At least these works of art didn't go in the trash.



I put them in my man-cave in front of my sim-rig. Here's a few pics of the cars he did.









He even had some of my favorites - MotoGP bikes!!!!





The guy who did these did a beautiful job and I'm just so happy I was able to save them... He had already had sold 10 of the cases when I was able to go look - he chucked those models in the trash as the guy who came before me didn't want them, so I have no idea what he threw in the garbage.

What's funny is that every single MotoGP bike that he has, I have in my stash closet, sans the Valencia edition Rossi Honda.
Anyway, my recommendation is to put them on Craigslist, or something, and find someone who wants them. The model shop I go to has one of my WRC Tamiya rally cars on display (that shop has probably 300 cars on display...). There will be someone out there that would be thrilled to have them and appreciate them, which is what I do with all these cars I got.

my 0.02.

[CygnusX1]

When I stopped model making (about 20yrs ago) I sold what I could, gave away the majority of what I couldn't sell, and the what was left went in the bin.

I have a small cabinet now where I'm going to keep the models I make, and when that gets full start a recycling system where I get rid of one previous completed kit and replace it with the most recent build. I would guess that it's got room for about 15 completed kits of various shapes and sizes.

[GrumpyBeau]

Barryf1fan that is some collection you have there, and those display cases are not cheep. I have tried putting them up for sale but no takers. I think I will go down the route suggested by CygnusX1 and recycle with the older kits going into the loft just in case one of my 4 Granddaughters take an interest, or someone else.

Thanks Guys

[Daniel]

I give them to my model club