Are scratchbuilders a dying breed?

By David Fuller, Editor - RCScratchbuilders.com

About a month or so ago, a thread appeared in the Scratchbuilt Foamies section RCGroups.com entitled Are scratchbuilders a dying breed? That title alone struck me. The comment by the original poster involved a conversation that he had at his local hobby store. The owner made a crack that "[scratchbuilders are] dinosaurs... no one scratchbuilds anymore."

"Hmmm...,'No one?'" I thought to myself. "I don't think that's exactly the case, judging from the healthy activity in the scratchbuild forums."

Apparently a lot of other posters in that thread didn't think so either, as there were not only plenty of "old timers" (no offense, guys!) who have been scratchbuilding for years, but when statements were made about younger kids being "lazy" or "not interested in doing things" a couple youngsters spoke up (way to go, guys!) and set the record straight on that front, too.

So then I thought some more. And then - *light bulb* - I had an idea.

The vast majority of R/C retailers - rightly or wrongly - market towards the ARF or RTF folks. Look at the major online retailers, and count how many "kit" offerings they have. Some of the really big ones have "kits" that are more accurately termed as ARF's (at least in this editor's opinion)! I mean, I really enjoyed my Slow Stick, and it helped me learn the ropes of flying a plane, but that could hardly be called a "kit" in my estimation, as I have seen it so designated, or more specifically, an "ARF kit." (What exactly is an ARF kit, anyway?) I mean, having built this plane...

...completely from scratch - designing the plans, having it laser cut (does that count as scratchbuilding?), constructing my ready-made pieces, and finally finishing and covering it, the plane above is by no means on par with the building of a Slow Stick (which I think took me four hours, because I took my time with it). But I digress.

The genesis of this site came from that thread. I tossed out an idea, a fellow forum member joined me (aka Rusty Gunn there, he's writing for this site here under his real name, Donald Ferguson), and we set off an a quest to develop a site devoted to scratchbuilders of all stripes. And so far, all the feedback we've received has been positive. We both hope you find this site informative, helpful, and generally a useful place to visit for ideas, other sites helpful to you as a scratchbuilder, and articles about your fellow scratchbuilders.

So no, I don't believe scratchbuilding is dead by any means. There may be retailers that don't see the scratchbuilder as a customer they need bother with or cater to, but I think they do so at their peril. Don't get me wrong - retailers NEED the ARF and RTF business to survive, no doubt, and there are shops that carry supplies for scratchbuilders too. My sense is that in the long run, we as scratchbuilders benefit from many others being involved in this hobby, because it helps drive down the cost of the items we purchase. I'm fortunate, I think - my LHS stocks many items that are very useful to me as a scratchbuilder; most importantly for me, Depron foam in various sizes and thicknesses. I purchase this on a regular basis, as well as piano wire, Dubro micro-connector products, and other items that catch my eye. I know that Steve (my LHS owner) won't get rich off me, but I also value him being there, and make sure to spend some money at his shop in the hopes of helping keep him there.

So based on the conversation that prompted the RCGroups thread, I would posit the theory that it is important for us as scratchbuilders to make our voices heard - go talk to your local hobby store owner about the items you are seeking as a scratchbuilder. Tell them what you'd like to see them stock, or order for you. I think most open-minded ones are willing to carry at least some of the items that we as scratchbuilders purchase. And it's incumbent upon us to be sure and patronize their stores, and buy items from them. I know it's more convenient for me when I just need $20 worth of product to go to my LHS and get those items, rather than spend $8 more on shipping for the same products.

And you never know - you speaking up at your LHS just might encourage someone else to try their hand at scratchbuilding, and then the store owner might be the conduit through which you two meet up. I've found the scratchbuilding community to be an extraordinarily collaborative one - it truly is one of the most open-minded and friendly groups of people I have encountered both online and offline. So, by encouraging your LHS to stock those products (and you also conceding there is a slight premium in price for them), I think we'll all benefit each other, long term. And I hope that applies no matter where in the world you are located.

Think of the young boy who is inspired by his dad building an insulation foam plane on the kitchen table, and watching it fly, dreaming of the future possibilities. You never know what that boy might dream of one day... something he saw in a movie, like a flying witch...

...a just plain silly idea with a pun-like twist, such as "FastFood"...

...or perhaps more importantly, the aircraft - ahem... spacecraft that carries us beyond the limits of our imaginations.

Speak up, be heard, spend your hobby dollars wisely - and view them as an investment for the next generation of dreamers. You never know who you might inspire.

What do you think? Thoughts or comments? I'd love to hear them. Send me a note in the "Feedback" form on the Columns page. Thanks!