Disposing of modelling goods?

[SIMON CRAGG]

What procedure does you club use, if a club member passes away and the widow would like your club to organise the disposal of all the relevant modelling eqpt?. We generally take all the items to a club night and hold an auction. Smaller items usually put in our club "shop". Be interested to know what other clubs do.

[Don Fry]

As a personal choice, I have a pact with a friend, when I fall off the perch, the contents of the workshop, modelling stock, models, the lot is his Take it away and do what you like with it. And visa versa.

Our (then ex) better halves have better things to do than worry or bother with stuff which is REALISTICALLY not worth a lot, and is a load of hassle and time to sell.

[Paul Marsh]

We have a Modellers' Swap meet at Weston Park in June, a great chance to sell items and turn them into cash, as well as put them towards something else.

Also, Swapmeets are the way to go, though recently, they have been in decline, although some are still good places to do a deal.

[fly boy3]

I have found it is quite difficult to pass on models even if the are given away. We keep stuff for a while and if it's still thereafter some time I,m afraid it's the skip. Cheers. Ps I have tried to give away a fully built and 99% Solartex covered EAA bipe to no avail.

[Derek Stevenson]

We had a club member who died last year, prior to his death and while in the hospice he requested to see a couple os us. He asked us to take all his modelling and sell it at the swap meet. His wife had nothing to do, we cleared out his shed and raised £675 for the hospice ( his requested). Anything not sold was auctioned at the end of the swap meet. Some fliers even gave donations for the hospice.

[Stuart Quinn-Harvie 1]

I think an auction / sale must be the standard procedure ( unless specified in the member's will )

I have to say the idea of a built and covered airframe ( or any of the other things that we accumulate in a life of building and flying ) going into the skip horrifies me.

[Paul Marsh]

One time I saw several models in the skip with engines and radio gear all in, and looked ok, but I wasn't allowed to remove them, so all were destroyed. I was sick as well, as it could've been saved... I bet many models end up this way...

[Stephen Smith 14]

Flyboy if your near me ill have the bipe off you

[Bruce Collinson]

I returned 3 years ago with good auctioneering skills. In that time we have had two of these episodes, both for latter members and on both occasions the Club elders have agreed parameters with the beneficiaries, removed the gear and sold them by auction with an agreed split of the proceeds (and no auctioneers commission ...) between the beneficiaries, club, BMFA. cat’s home etc.

These events are highly successful on every level. The beneficiaries get a lot more than they would otherwise, as do the others involved. The bidders get to kick the tyres before bidding. Nothing gets left over, as items which are unattractive get reduced or combined until they find a buyer. Everybody has fun. There are potential buys of odd, obsolete and discrete planes, engines and even fuel. It’s a win-win.

in principle, if anyone is faced with this set of circumstances within an hour’s drive of NW Leeds, I will act as auctioneer.

BTC

[Don Fry]

Scythe and Black Hood, Bruce, you might get a full time job with that offer.

I am not being disparaging, or sarcastic, but our precious toys have a small and numerically shrinking base who need this stuff.

And I note, it appears, if you want to actually live, rather than exist, you need not far short of 10 quid an hour. Flogging the bits acquired over a life. Is not going to get that return.

And before you accuse me of being mercenary, I learned this day, a colleague is dead, 4 years older than me, fine rugby player.

I say, live. Sorting out the debris of a life is to waste yours. They won't thank you.

[fly boy3]

Hi Stephen, what part of the world are you.? You have no profile so I cannot PM you. Sorry

[Jon Laughton]

I have done this three times...mostly advertising on the BMFA Classifieds has done the trick along with circulation of details to fellow club members. The key is to determine a fair but realistic price that the bereaved partner agrees with. In my experience the bereaved partners are just grateful for help and understandably see the help they get from experienced Aeromodellers as a link with the deceased. It’s nice to be able to help people who genuinely have no idea and need reassurance.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

We've had many an auction, it's not all about the money, it's an helping hand and showing club cared. We've had some entertaining nights and always raised more than expected, been to too many though.

[David Davis]

A few years ago, a friend, who was the secretary of another club, informed me that one of its members had died and left his widow with over 400 model related items and that's grouping all of the plans, propellers, fuel tanks etc together. Apparently both the deceased and his widow had well-paid jobs and they had no children so he was able to indulge his passion for the hobby to the full. Among the items for disposal for example, were an in-line OS four cylinder fourstroke and a matching ARTF De Havilland Puss Moth. I was not in that league but after two of his friends had spent a long time compiling a list of everything which was for sale, I bought a complete Roy Scott 1/6 scale BE2e for £90.

That was probably five years ago and in an email recently from another friend, those same two blokes had visited the flying field with a list of items still for sale. They had obviously over-priced them. An auction is the best option.

Many of us are hoarders. As one old aeromodeller said to me, "It goes with the territory." As an example, I do not consider myself to be an engine collector but I own thirty-nine of them ranging from a Mills 75 to a Laser 155. Only six of them are currently fitted into serviceable models. I turned seventy-one last month and I have started to get rid of those engines which I think will never power one of my models again, mostly the two strokes. I recently disposed of a Merco 35, a 25cc Super Tigre and a K&B 65 for three botlles of Beaujolais Villages which is probably more than I would get for them on eBay!

As Don Fry has said, "... our precious toys have a small and numerically shrinking base who need this stuff." The Grim Reaper is starting to thin out the ranks of those amongst us whose first model was probably a Keil Kraft Achilles and we are not being replaced by younger generations in the same numbers, hence there are great bargains to be had owing to diminishing demand, but your estate will get Sweet Fanny Adams for your stuff when it's your turn to go to that Great Flying Field in the Sky.

[Nigel R]

Gents. Much the same could be said of many hobbies.

Anyone fancy a collection of somewhat outdated pedal bikes? Used house tack? A couple of half disassembled ford crossflows?

[Andy C]

I have to admit, I am one of those who cannot say no to the old stuff. I think I am a very rare breed though as I am still in my forties, have enough disposable income to buy new, but for me there is still nothing more satisfying than bringing something back from the dead. Add to that the thought of stopping a bit of our past getting lost at the dump, or in a dealer's loft speculating that one day he can make a profit on it, I am even more happy. Last year I bought cheaply an ex flyers loft full of old models (some 40 years old) and engines. None of it is yet to run or fly, but as recent as last night I was working out what I would start on when my current build is finished later this month. I am just as bad when it comes to old RC cars, especially Tamiyas from the 70s and 80s.

(and I am located in the South East by the way. )

[SIMON CRAGG]

Posted by john stones 1 on 05/04/2019 23:01:27:

We've had many an auction, it's not all about the money, it's an helping hand and showing club cared. We've had some entertaining nights and always raised more than expected, been to too many though.

Agreed. We are holding an auction very soon, the models sold by "silent bid" and the smaller items by "the table". In this case, the widow has asked for the proceeeds of the models to her, and the small stuff to the club. We also have a club "shop" where all the unsold items go, and are purchased on a donations basis. She has expressed a wish to see as many of his models fly again. We are arranging a "memorial day", to achieve this, plus refreshment in the club hut for relatives etc. All we want to do is the best we possibly can for the widow.

[Ray Wood 4]

Hi All,

The idea of residual value in our toys is a long shot, looking back on 50 years of earning power, having spent circa £75k on modelling equipment only based on a nominal £25 per week + the expensive bits, radios engines & kits. We almost owe it to the model trade to throw it in the skip, or they won't survive to support our hobby.

I like most of us have a loft & garage full of stuff for a rainy day 😀

Regards Ray

[Peter Miller]

Over the years our small club has lost a couple of members, one recently. For the son, another member, finding homes for the masses of modelling stuff is still presenting problems.

I have large amounts of stuff and models, and I know how much of a problem sorting that out would be for our secretary .

However as I am the last of my family (Not counting very distant relations who I have no desire to even think of) I solved my problem.

My entire estate goes to the BMFA. They will probably just dump the\ modeling stuff in a skip.

[Cuban8]

These 'disposal auctions' are becoming more common as time marches on, and very sadly, I know of five local modellers who have died within the last year. A couple of collections have been valuable, in particular, expensive engines that have never seen the light of day have gone for good money. Boxes of twenty years old two strokes, even in good nick will only sell for a fraction of their original price, unless they're something really special. Complete and ready to fly models usually bring a reasonable sum, but a chap's collection of crashed airframes that were waiting for repair are a lost cause. Ditto, old batteries, fuel tanks, wheels, scraps of covering and of course.....35meg radio gear.

Mostly, and I apologise for being blunt, what's offered is usually just the detritus that many of us have festering in cupboards and under benches, in the hope that it'll come in handy one day - it rarely does, but somehow gives us a connection with past good times and that makes us feel good. I have an ever increasing plastic bag full of balsa and ply off-cuts that I might dip into it now and again, but really, it's just full of rubbish. I hate seeing a mate's worthless stuff being raked over like old clothes at a jumble sale, so I'd urge those good people who have taken on the job of dealing with a modeller's gear, to think carefully about what's offered.

 

Edited By Cuban8 on 06/04/2019 09:55:24

[Paul Marsh]

At the last Deanwater Swapmeet, there were around 6 names who had passed away, and people were selling the "lots" and collecting the proceeds to their family. Most modelers are now in their Autumn years and less new blood entering the fold, look at most meets, and the average age is around 70, and at 45, i'm usually the youngest attendee there.

I don't think there will be swapmeets of modeling in 20 years, even 10...

[cymaz]

I’ve read the piece in this months BMFA rag. It is a sorry story.

We’ve had two members die in the last few years. Luckily there has been a market for it. I had four models, two have ended in write off ( both genuine flying accidents) ...Disappointing but as I paid peanuts for them there was no great investment of time and money, so it’s move on.

As for the future and my models when I’m sitting in a chair dribbling ....skip. Sounds bad but I can’t see a way out.

[cymaz]

That’s the models in the skip, not me

[Bob Cotsford]

Posted by cymaz on 06/04/2019 16:45:51:

That’s the models in the skip, not me

Sure? Skip ~ £250, funeral ~ £4000.

[cymaz]

Last time I looked, Mrs C didn’t class me as builders rubble or garden waste !

( I think that’s what she said ) 

Edited By cymaz on 06/04/2019 17:26:09