Are you a Collector ? Stunt News Article *HELP WANTED*

[PJ Rowland]

I would like to explore a new article for Stunt News and I will require some help from those whom frequent this Stunt land.
I intend to write an article which looks at those whom Collect things.. Or " Collectors " as they are known.
The purpose of this is not yet completely known to me however to start the ball rolling I shall explain where I am coming from.

Obviously I fly and compete in aerobatics but I also have other interests outside of this hobby. When I'm not building or flying or working how else does one spend their free time. I know of many examples of other activities people engage in such as Mike Keville's painting or Windy Train setup.

I'm not exactly interested in what is it that you do - Unless of course its gotten a little ... excessive.

I personally love to collect things.. but not hoarding - collecting certain things over and over.
When I was a child it was trading cards, when I was a little older it was regular AA Batteries as you might find in a remote for your television - I don't know why I just enjoyed seeing how many different examples were out there ( I ended up with over 600!!! threw them out in the end as they corroded! )

Now I'm entering a much more adult phase of my life - for the last 6 years I've taken an avid interest in Retro or Vintage electronics - specifically Sub-genre of Video game consoles. ( For those who remember the old Atari from late 70s )

I have close to 90 individual consoles - but my crowning achievement was to complete a very rare collection of the first popular mainstream video game must have item in Japan - WAY before the Iphone was the handheld device to own. Nintendo Game & Watch series.

Nintendo almost created the handheld entertainment device - that the Iphone can cast its linage back to. Changed the world in many ways. The games ran mostly in the 80's with 60 titles being created.

Yes this is a very sub - culture as many kids who grew up with these games who's parents could only afford 2 or 3 at the most - these kids are my age with disposable income. Examples of these games are becoming harder to find. Complete collections like mine - there are no more than 40 or so complete collections in owners hands.

Tracking the games down through forums like ours and Bulletin boards or EBay is easy but rare games fetch upward of $1500 - With my most valuable game ( which was never officially released by Nintendo created as a Demo only with 10,000 Units made but never sold ) Costing upward of $2500.
Its not about the money its about the enjoyment of the Hunt and moving closer to having a collection of something.


I also have a fairly hefty collection of MAD magazines with over 200 on my shelf but that's not with the goal in mind of completing the collection - just enjoyment at reading the old magazines..




I DO know of other people out there who have mentioned they collect things ( If you own over 20 examples of something I think it constitutes a collection.

You can either email me with the information : Email and contact details are here or in Pampa.

- at this stage I just want to get a feel for how popular this might or might not be. DO we have an epidemic of private collectors of weird things ? Or am I the only one? I'm happy to engage in conversation via a thread and what information is useful may or may not be included in my article ( with owners permission )



Rumor has it Brett Buck has a serious camera collection, can anyone confirm or deny?

There is also a veteran local Australian Flier : Ivor F - who has one of the largest model aircraft engine collections you will ever see - Hundreds....

[Dan McEntee]

  Along the lines of model airplanes, I collect kits, books and magazines. I have , from what I have been told, one of the largest and most complete collections of model magazines in the country. Many many books on the library book shelves, and stacks of kits all over the basement. My engine collection is mostly modern runners with a few sparkers. Pretty good collection of Cox stuff also. Out in the garage and shed is my vintage dirt bike collection. I used to race enduros back in my youth and had aspirations of trying out for the US ISDT (International Six Day Trials) team, but money and time didn't allow it. I got into the vintage dirt bike thing by re-obtaining my old original 1975 Husqvarna 250WR that I bought new  and put it back together. That reminded me how much fun they were to work on and to ride and 30 some odd bikes later it's one of the reasons why I have trouble finding the time to build a new Stunter! Nothing like taking a box of parts and a rusty old frame and bringing it back to life!! There is also a pretty good collection of plastic models, both airplanes and cars, down in the basement also. Anything that I don't get to build now, I hope to have the advatgae of having a choice to build when ever I get my job situation squared away to have more free time and on into hopeful retirement.
  Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[PJ Rowland]

Thats what I'm after, it doesnt matter if your not a Top level expert - I want to know about the serious collections out there.

I think there is a case to be questioned about certain personality types that are drawn to flying planes that doesnt appeal to the average common man - perhaps its more than just co-incidence that these people not only fly but also collect things..... to the point of Obsessive.

Dan : It would be nice to perhaps Chronical your magazine collection ? Or snap a photo

[Bob Reeves]

I'm not a collector of anything but do like model airplanes.. Don't think you are going to be able to come to any conclusions..

Some model airplane people also like and play with photography, motorcycles, guns, music etc but not everyone that is into model airplanes is into photography, motorcycles, guns, music whatever...

[Bootlegger]

  Good answer Thibadeaux  (Tibedou) for people not from South Louisiana..
                Gil Causey AKA Boudreaux

[Avaiojet]

For years and year I have been trying to collect pictures of dead presidents, but I keep trading them off for food, rent, gas, car payments etc. But I still have a few of them.

Ty,

That's so true.

 I have an art collection, goes back 50 years. One by one I've been selling them. I have one on ebay right now.

Selling to pay living expenses, and I'm not kidding, and CL stuff.

Also Italian glass that both the wife and I like. She would kill me if I sold one of them.

I should post the art photos, I'm sure there are those on this Forum interested in art. Maybe I could sell a few?

Charles

[Brett Buck]

Now I'm entering a much more adult phase of my life - for the last 6 years I've taken an avid interest in Retro or Vintage electronics - specifically Sub-genre of Video game consoles. ( For those who remember the old Atari from late 70s )

    This makes me very sad.

    Brett

[SteveMoon]

1/32 Slot Cars for me. Jake and I have about 120 in our collection right now. Some
of them are quite rare and valuable; up to $250. It's the closest I'm ever going to
get to owning an Audi R10, Peugeot 908, Chaparral 2D, Ford GT 40, or any other
number of great racing cars from past history.

Later, Steve

[afml]

"Are you a Collector ?"

Fraid so.....







And those don't include the Pre-War layout featuring "O" gauge & Standard Gauge.

"Tight Lines!"

Wes

[Dan McEntee]

Dan : It would be nice to perhaps Chronical your magazine collection ? Or snap a photo
[/quote

   A photo would be hard to do as they are all in about 12 or 13 filing cabinets, by title and in chronological order. But as far as titles, I have the following: American Aircraft Modeler (complete), Junior American Modeler (complete) ,Model Builder (complete), Flying Aces and Flying Models ( Flying models complete from it's first issue under that title in June, 1947 through to today, Flying Aces from the early 30's until it changed in 1946, and the issues of Air World that were in between ), Air Trails (near complete from early 30's to it's last issue in the mid 50's when it split to become American Modeler), Model Airplane News (near complete from late 1920 until the quit coverage of F/F and C/L in 1984), All 7 issues of Sig Areo Modeler, Model Aviation (complete from first issue in 1975 to today), some of the original Model Aviation, Stunt News from when I first joined in 1990 or so through to today, R/C Modeler (near complete from first issue to late 1990's), Lots of Aero Modeler going back into the late 50's, Model Aviation International, Flying Scale Modeler, and some others that I just can't remember right now. All are in file cabinets, and most are individually filed in a manila file folder to help preserve them and keep them from getting damaged when taking them in and out of the file..
  Collecting magazines is kind of addictive, especially if you have a lot of varied interests and like the history that goes along with model aviation. There wer two very cool things I discovered collecting magazines. #1 is that I have one of only two known copies of May 1954 of Flying Models that exists, and that got me a write up in the editorial of an issue of Flying Models.  # 2 is that I had an Uncle Bob that was a pilot, instructor and mechanic back in the day, and before and after the war he was service manager at an FBO at Lambert Field here in St. Louis, Brayton Flying Services,  that was also am aeronautical school that was on par with Parks, Embry-Riddle, and Spartan at the time. When I got ahold of a collection of 50's Air Trails, I ran across an article about Brayton that mentioned my Uncle Bob prominently in the article!! Now that's an example of cool!
   Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[PJ Rowland]

I think there are a few conclusions I intend to draw but for that to occur I need to know examples of solid collections. How they may have started or come about, those whom express interest in the article are invited to either email me or thread in here and I can contact you further.

Steve : Great !
Dan : Great also

Brett : What makes you sad ?? Can you confirm or deny the existence of a camera collection in your possession?

[Wynn Robins]

I Collect plans - I have around 30,000 of them - mostly stunt - but also others.

[Matt Colan]

I Collect plans - I have around 30,000 of them - mostly stunt - but also others.

 

Imagine trying to do an inventory on those plans!!!!

For me, other hobbies I have is sports like baseball, football and basketball.  I also started a collection of model cars, but haven't added to it in a few years.  So far, all I have is a 57 Buick Roadmaster, and a 55 Crown Victoria.  I also built a 1932 Ford Deuce, a plastic model that was offered by Revell I believe.  I've entered it in multiple model car contests at car shows, and have won both of them!

[Wynn Robins]

Imagine trying to do an inventory on those plans!!!!

I havent as yet!!!!  takes too damn long!!!

[Mike Griffin]

This would be an interesting topic to talk to Sigmund Freud about to see what kind of personality collects things.  I collect nothing so I wonder what that would be analyzed as?  Hmmmmm.

Maybe this article would shed some light on why people collect things..  http://www.horizonlines.org/volume4/about/why/index.html
Mike

[PJ Rowland]

Mike : You would be amazed how many modellers collect..

I'm not talking props either.. There is another local flier in my club who collects Hammers..

I'd like to get a feel for the guys who come onto the forum as to whom has collections.

There could be a prize given out.

[FLOYD CARTER]

I try not to become a collector of anything.  Rumor that Brett collects cameras prompted me to make public my modest collection of Kodak Retina cameras.  These are lovely pocket folding 35mm jewels.  I now have 4 which are in perfect working condition.  That isn't much of a collection, but with roll film getting very expensive, they are rapidly becoming "orphans", and useful only as display objects.

Floyd

[Derek Barry]

I collect guitars and movies. I have 10 guitars and well ever 300 movies. I have two copies of all three matrix movies. 

Oh yea, I collect trophies too....

Derek

[Mike Griffin]

I think collecting articles is a hobby within itself and a good one.  I just never did have the desire to collect anything. 

Mike

[Brett Buck]

I try not to become a collector of anything.  Rumor that Brett collects cameras prompted me to make public my modest collection of Kodak Retina cameras.  These are lovely pocket folding 35mm jewels.  I now have 4 which are in perfect working condition.  That isn't much of a collection, but with roll film getting very expensive, they are rapidly becoming "orphans", and useful only as display objects.

  No kidding?  I actually don't "collect" cameras, I  use my old crock cameras to good purpose (Yashica-Mats are still extremely useful!).  35mm is more likely to go away than 120, but I wouldn't worry about not being able to get film as long as you have Amazon.com. Kodak is more-or-less getting out of it but they are like as not to be out of business completely before too long. Fuji isn't going anywhere.

     Early Retinas are excellent cameras and get them CLAed by someone who knows what they are doing and they will work very nicely. I have a IIIc (little C) somewhere around here.

     I arguably "collect" old radios, in the sense that they are collecting around my house at a remarkable rate. But I just like working on them, I wouldn't exactly say they are a collection in the normal sense. Interestingly, I have hardly ever paid anything much for them, usually, people have them and I have gotten many of them for free, or nearly so, because people were going to throw them away. I have so many Zenith Royal 1000/3000/7000 that I have become something of an expert on repairing them. I have actually spent more time on the Antique Radio Forum than SSW/Stunthangar in the last few years. It's good for my schedule since you can just fire up the soldering station and replace parts any time of day or night without disturbing anyone.
    
    Brett

[Avaiojet]

Brett,

Gee Brett, I have a neighbor that has a box of old radio tubes, he may even have an old radio?

Interested in the tubes? You'll have to buy them, I know he won't give them away.

Charles

[Will Hinton]

Hey Ty - I need a Hamilton for my own dead presidents collection, I'll swap you TWO Washington's for one!

[Bill Morell]

I have a engine collection that happened unintentionally-  I don't want to post pictures of it on here as the last time I did that it got real ugly.

[PJ Rowland]

Derek :I must disagree with you!

To start "collecting" Trophies you need to WIN a competition..

Ask Paul about his US Nats collection - now THATS a trophy collection

[Randy Ryan]

I have a engine collection that happened unitentionally. I don't want to post pictures of it on here as the last time I did that it got real ugly.

HMMMMM Guess I missed that one Bill. I collect engines too, not an organised collection by real collector's standards, just engines I like and can afford, I have over 300. I also build engines purely for enjoyment. Indian Motorcycles are also one of my passions, I own '48 & '50 Indian Chiefs but that's probably all I'll even have since overseas sales, Ebay and Barret-Jackson have driven the prices out of site.

[Brad Smith]

If 20 makes a collection then im a collector i collected and drank 24 differnt pint  Beers at a bar one night now thats a collection yea lol. I do collect Beer mugs and Stins i have one form Star wars and i have the Budman mug form brazil and lots of German musicasl Srtins my mom got me strated when i was 18  i might have ove 100 last count.

[Scott Hartford]

 I collect guns, cartridges, old toys, cobalt glass,tin signs, antique pharmacy and medical equipment, old keys, and old bottles....

[jim welch]

I guess it's props for me since I got several thousand...but my real passion is hand grenade pins..if ya got any pull them and send them to me..I'll be waiting to hear from you..real soon!   Jimmy

[Clint Ormosen]

I think just about everyone has some sort of collection, maybe even unintentionally. The only things I deliberately collect (besides C/L airplane stuff) is sheet music and 1/18 scale diecast model cars. However, I seem to have a few too many oil lamps and firearms to not be considered collections too.

[Brett Buck]

Brett,

Gee Brett, I have a neighbor that has a box of old radio tubes, he may even have an old radio?

Interested in the tubes? You'll have to buy them, I know he won't give them away.

    Thanks for thinking of me, but I will respectfully decline. I have a pretty impressive tube collection as a side-effect of decades of hi-fi work and years of radio repair. The nice thing about tubes in old radios is that they rarely fail before something else does, meaning they are usually good even after 50-60-70 years. Hi-fi amplifier Power and rectifier tubes are a different story, those fail or just get worn out with some regularity, but fortunately there are plenty of places still making those.

     I just got past stage one (working but not fully restored) on a 1935 Philco that had all original tubes, all good except for all the grid caps breaking off the glass (which I glued back with JB Weld). Just about everything else was bad, however, including most of the capacitors and half the resistors. The one I am working on actively now (1941 Zenith that I got from some lady about a mile from the flying field in Napa) even the wires have failed, the insulation is just crumbled to dust.

    Brett

[Dan McEntee]

  The old radios is something I could really get into also. I'm a radio kind of guy. The only one I have is a 1940 Crosley push button console with a record player. I don't think they called them "turntables" at that time! They are all over the local Craig's List and like you say, are pretty cheap. They look cool and once you get them working they have a useful purpose! The last time I plugged the Crosley in in would bring in a local 50,000 watt station, KMOX, but I think I could get KMOX on a tin can with a coat hanger antennae!
  I do have an old crystal radio set that is just like the one I sent box panels off of Little Debby's Snack Cakes when I was a kid, so maybe I do collect old radios also!???
  Type at you later,
    Dan McEntee

[Brad Smith]

Antique Radio Forum Brett could you send me the link hey Dan i do love the old crystal radios they were cool.

[FLOYD CARTER]

Crystal sets are a real blast!  Here's one I built recently.  It covers everything from broadcast to short wave. The cabinet is some sort of exotic wood that I don't remember.

Floyd

[Brad Smith]

Floyd thats looks cool is it a kit?

[Dennis Moritz]

Lint.

[Brett Buck]

Antique Radio Forum Brett could you send me the link

http://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/index.php

Ironically, Antique Radio Forum = ARF for short.

    Brett

[Joe Just]

Several yea rs ago I had a collection of over 200 McCoy engines including almost every one that Duromatic and Testors ever made.  I sold them off and took my wife to Ireland for 2 weeks.  Other than that, my wife and I have been collecting Creches (Nativity Scenes), and have well over 300 of them.  Collecting anything is a disease that most of us never wish to be healed.
Joe

[Bill Barber]

    Jetex rocket motors are my thing , have a collection of Jetex 35 ,50 ,150 and Scorpion 600 . One of the Scorpion 600's is still
in it's original bubble wrap . Unused Jetex  fuel and even a NIB Augmenter Tube that is supposed to add thrust . Jetex were
 challenging to get to work without getting blow by , that is when the fuse blocks the nozzle and the gasses escape out the sides .
When they worked right  , they were great to watch especially in a scale jet model .
   Now you can't get fuel for Jetex and have been replace by the new Rapier rocket motors .
   Bill

[Avaiojet]

Bill,

I might have some of that stuff hanging around. If I can find anything would you want it?

Give me a reason to look through a box or two.

Charles

[FLOYD CARTER]

My Xtal set is of my own design and 100% home-built.  (you should see some of my retro-tube-radios that I designed and built)

Floyd

[Bill Morell]

My Xtal set is of my own design and 100% home-built.  (you should see some of my retro-tube-radios that I designed and built)

Floyd

Very cool radio! Love the accuracy of vernier dials. I've always enjoyed Regen Radios.

[FLOYD CARTER]

Not quite a collection, but this is my other hobby.  The ham radio projects are all of my own design and construction.

Clockwise from top:

3 tube short wave receiver

2 tube regenerative receiver using antique parts

3 tube ham band transmitter, about 1 Watt output.

Portable ham radio station

1 kilowatt ham band amplifier

[Avaiojet]

Bill,

Well, I found that stuff.

Not what I remembered, I thought I had more, but. I have one unopened package of "Model rocket engines" made by "ESTES." It's old.

Was worth the look because I found other stuff looking.

It's yours if you want it.

Charles

[Bill Barber]

 Charles , thanks but Estes rocket motors are for rockets , Jetex were steel reloadable motors for free flight models .
They had a low thrust long burn time , mostly for scale jet models but also for contest duration models like the PAA loader event .
   Thanks anyway
       Bill

[Avaiojet]

Charles , thanks but Estes rocket motors are for rockets , Jetex were steel reloadable motors for free flight models .They had a low thrust long burn time , mostly for scale jet models but also for contest duration models like the PAA loader event .Thanks anyway Bill

Bill,

Looking gave me the opportunity to go through a few boxes. Found two unused aresol cans of light yellow. I'll use them on my Flite Streak.

Charles

[Trostle]

    Jetex rocket motors are my thing , have a collection of Jetex 35 ,50 ,150 and Scorpion 600 . One of the Scorpion 600's is still
in it's original bubble wrap . Unused Jetex  fuel and even a NIB Augmenter Tube that is supposed to add thrust . Jetex were
 challenging to get to work without getting blow by , that is when the fuse blocks the nozzle and the gasses escape out the sides .
When they worked right  , they were great to watch especially in a scale jet model .
   Now you can't get fuel for Jetex and have been replace by the new Rapier rocket motors .
   Bill

Bill,

Google Jetex fuel and you will get some sites.  I do not know how up to date these are.  Maybe some more than others.  There is active material about Jetex motors and fuel on eBay.  I got a package with a fuel formula there.  Good luck on what you find.

Keith

[Bill Barber]

  Keith , the bigger problem is flying sites in  So. Cal. , with such dry conditions I need to fly Jetex
in a desert area . I have flown at Taft and Lost Hills but at the minimum 2 1/2  hour each way
from Thousand Oaks .
   But it's a 25 minute drive to the Sepulveda Basin to fly CL and no blow-by from
my CL motors !
    Bill

[PJ Rowland]

I'm getting some fantasitc results..

Keep them coming, once I see some different collections pop up I will contact you through here for some more information.

Great stuff - its amazing what people collect and why.