Craig Spence Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Hi all,After reading an article in RCM&E from the recent scale event there was a quote in reference to a scale plane saying (not exact words) all professional scale modelers should attempt this model at least once in thier CAREER".It got me thinking "career" what a great job, but what does it entail besides the thing you love the most "scale building".Is it really a career or just a hobby?, do pro's really get benefits large enough to live from?.What happens when you become a pro?, do you get given wood, glue, plans, engines etc..I'd really like to know as it is very interesting.Any pro's out there that can enlighten me, or anyone in the know.Cheers, Craig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Hi Craig, I'm sure that there are modellers, who do this. I suspect that many of them mix scale modelling, with other activities, eg the late and great Boddo, who mixed scale modelling with a host of other activities. Also Arizona model aircrafters in the USA, who produce kits, and build scale models for the film industry, ie Flyboys. Maybe you could mix aircraft modelling with say architectural, or boat work Live the dream ernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 In a past life my hobby was restoring old cars, and I dabbled at trying that for a profession, and it took the fun out of the hobby. So not sure it is what it is cracked up to be. Phil Clark is the only "professional" scale model builder I know and his work is fantastic. But I don't think he has built for himself for a long while.When you total up the hours involved in a build, then i think you will soon see that it is difficult to be profitable. e.g. Could I build a Black Horse 1/5 Chipmunk from a plan for under £300 including materials? So who would pay, and how much would they pay? Its a lovely idea, but I think Ernie is right you need to be doing something lucrative like film work to make it pay. CheersDanny PS if anybody has big pockets of money and wants me to build them a model please get in touch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 I doubt if anyone has ever made a living purely out of building scale R/C aircraft. Because of the number of hours involved the cost of a professionally produced model would be absolutely enormous! Think about it, your talking 1,000 hours to produce a high quality flying scale model. If you work 7 hours a day then 1,000hours is basically 6 months. Even if you settle for say £25k per year income, the labour alone would be £12.5k. On top of that you'd have to make an allowance for premisses and workshop running costs - let's say you did it in the garage so you don't have to pay rent - still this would be around £5k per year for power, heating, tooling etc. So that's another £2.5k on the price of the model. So far we are saying this model would cost £15k. And remember we haven't made any time allocation for research, design or drawing up plans. We also haven't bought a single stick of Balsa yet, let alone any radio gear - servos, battery, receiver etc, Conservatively all that will come to say £1k So, the customer is going to have wait a minimum of 6 months for his model and its going to cost him at least £16,000 and remember you are not exactly earning a fortune! I can't see many takers! If you could invest in some high quality power tools, did your own CAD layouts and had the parts laser cut you might be able to get the build time down a bit. But it won't be that much and of course there are costs associated with doing that in terms of investing in some pretty flash kit. Mixed in with some other activity, such as model jounrnalism, model shop etc. then the proposition makes a bit more sense commercially. As a retirement job for a bit extra it might make sense, and you could be lucky and get some lucretive film/TV work. But sadly I think its always going to be very difficult to make any sort of a living out of this - otherwise many of us would be doing it! BEBEdited By Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator on 25/10/2011 11:48:23 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leccyflyer Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 There are, of course, full time, professional, scale modellers working in the film, television, advertising, architectural, engineering and special effects industries. They do not, however, work exclusively with flying radio control scale models and have to turn their hands to lots of different jobs. One of my clubmates went down this route quite a few years ago, and made scale models of all sorts of things - ships, cranes, oil production platforms, shopping centres etc etc etc. Doing it with flying scale models could be great, or it could completely kill off one;s enthusiasm for the hobby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Hi again, why not study, and become a journalist, The editor of a certain well known mag seems to get lots of lovely toys to build and to play with. Probably gets a salary cheque at the end of each month too ernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 9 Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 there are building services adverts in the back of the mag. I got a quote from one for an exra wot build. £750 plus the cost of the materials and kit. when you can buy a quaility artf like for less than £250 I dont think you would get many takers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 I think I have to agree with all that has been said. Economics is a major issue. I remember when all large chemical plants were modeled. The cost of the model was astronomical. Yet the modeller was also expected to produce drawings, the dimensions extracted from model. The situation has changed, the model exists, now it it is a computer, where all the drawings are automatically generated for the workmen, bills of material generated, automatic clashes detected against a set of constraints defined by the user from the software.. The model can be seen from any angle, you can also walk through it etc. I guess it is the same with many other fields. film work etc. On that basis the areas of potential work has and is reducing. Also as been said the reality is often less exciting than the dream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Spence Posted October 25, 2011 Author Share Posted October 25, 2011 The response to this has been interesting, I think many may dream.I think that asides from what's already been mentioned there are other possibilities to drive your hobby.For instance Mick reeves, he sells alot of accessories and kits but I'm sure him and his son make a good bit of cash out of it.Or what about scale designers who go kit cutting ways as mentioned before.Do you get sponsors from competions will people brand thier products useing your name?, possibilities are there for the experienced and the skilled surely.Live the dream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reg shaw Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 While I was at Uni and ever since I left in 1990, I have made a very modest living out of scale modelling. Me and my partner make, repair and restore marionettes, automatons, models of all sorts . This is for collectors, fellow modellers and agents for auction houses etc. I am mainly involved in the engineery bits of puppets and automatons, plus the making, designing, repairing, restoring, painting and detailing of both flying scale models and static exhibits. I would say for the 'normal' person to make a decent living from it would be very difficult, for the reasons previously mentioned, mainly the hours involved. This would especially be the case for anyone previously employed in a 'proper' job with a decent hourly rate to try and match. We live a fairly eccentric, abnormal perhaps lifestyle compared to most and as such, don't NEED to earn huge amounts. Doing something we like doing without major hassles (though it can get fairly harrassing, don't get me wrong) is more important than a fancy cars and snazzy holidays etc. Sometimes we do wonder whether we made the right choices, we sometimes think it would have been nice to use our degrees in advertising and graphic design as a basis for a career, but I suppose most people wonder what would have lay ahead if they took a different path. Generally, we are happy with our lot, most of the time. Ian Redshaw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mowerman Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Models of airliners and ships etc as used in travel agents windows are almost certainly made by professionals. I have a friend who used to do this for a living along with architectural models. Obviously these were static models not RC.Edited By Mowerman on 25/10/2011 19:29:25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Hooper Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Posted by Danny Fenton on 25/10/2011 11:38:59: In a past life my hobby was restoring old cars, and I dabbled at trying that for a profession, and it took the fun out of the hobby. CheersDanny I'll second that sentiment, Danny. I built several kit cars in the dim and distant past, purely for my own gratification. Foolishly I undertook a paid commision one day, and saddled myself with several months of drudgery and boredom. Never again. Having said that, like quite a few others in the RC realm, I've managed to make my passion into a 'paying hobby' which actually means that this ridiculous obsession with toy aeroplanes actually sustains itself financially. Mind you, I'm not factoring my hourly labour into that particular equation - just materials. tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 I have done several commisions, boats, helis and scale models, but its never really contributed to more than a contribution albeit very greatfully recieved. I dabbled in some larger industrial and architectural stuff years ago but the hours involved were pretty extreme. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy watson Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 A friend of mine took on a scale build as a commision for a member of Dawn Patrol. He worked for a flat fee, just building the airframe. I think he worked out later he had made about £1 per hour! Not the basis for an actual income, but as Tim said- it paid for other aspects of his modelling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Spence Posted October 26, 2011 Author Share Posted October 26, 2011 I suppose if you make enough money to push your hobby that's all well and good. When you think about how much we actually spend a year anything to help with the costs is a bonus.What could a scale guru expect to win at scale competitions, engines, accessories or just the pride of winning?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 They do say that the best way to make a small fortune out of RC modelling is to start with a large fortune....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 Hi Craig, won a prize once.....6 different kinds of glue Don't let the old foggies put you off, but don't hit the problem head on...slip in from the side ernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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