SCALE MODEL ADDICT - The rock n' rock scale modeling show!

This week we meet Ken, better known as ScaleModelMadman on the forum. Everyone say, "Hi Ken!"

JACKSONSMILE

What is your name?
Ken Abrams

Where you live?
In a small town in Massachusetts, in the north east of the US. Close enough to the big city and the ocean to enjoy the occasional lobstah, quahogs and chowdah' (said in thick New England accent) but far away enough to enjoy the woods, the deer and the peace and quiet.

What do you do for a living?
I'm a licensed construction supervisor but I still wear my pouch and hammer everyday... well almost every day.

What is your age?
Forty years old.

Married? Single? Children?
Yes, no and one eight year old son.

When did you start building models? Any sentimental memories of your first builds?
In the mid seventies I think, hard to really remember my start date, didn't I post a picture of the newspaper? There was no sentimental value at all back then, most of them were blown up with fireworks at that age, much to my fathers dismay.

If you have recently 'got back' to the hobby, what brought you back?
Honestly, I never left. I may have taken breaks to pursue other hobbies, like playing the guitar and chasing girls but I've always had a stash of kits along the way.

What types of models do you build?
Mainly 1/35 Allied armor from world war two with an occasional German vehicle to break up the olive drab monotony, small vignettes with one to three figures and groundwork is always something I'll toy with steadily throughout the year, 1/72 aircraft comes in third with maybe three or four of those a year and then anything else from Star Wars, NASCAR, scratchbuilds, and whatever happens to catch my interest at that time.

What is your favorite part of the build?
That's a tough one, I suppose I should say building since I have many more built kits than finished kits but I do truly enjoy the painting/weathering part. Of course if it's a topic I am really passionate about, it might be the research, I have five US half track transfer sets from Archer Fine Transfers and more in the works as I type this. You can often find me bidding far too much money for WWII half track pictures on ebay or nose deep in technical manuals.

What part do you struggle with the most?
Ugh... completion. I am a master of procrastination and get so distracted before the build is usually finished with new ideas about what I want to do next or... oh look, something shiny!

What is your dream project?
Being published. Not an article in a magazine mind you but my own book. You did say dream correct?

What other hobbies do you have?
Well, I've been playing the drums since grade school, guitar since my teen years and mom always had a piano in the house so I can hold my own and impress a few peeps in the store on the demo keyboards on the shelf. I used to ride freestyle BMX for years but lately, crashing takes a toll on the body I just cant seem to bounce back from too quickly. Grandpa was a gunsmith and an avid hunter so I have been excercising my second amendment since a young age as well as fishing and camping.

Do yo have any pets?
Yes, although the family dog died a couple years back we still have the cats and the fish and the rabbit. Of course if you count the wildlife that eats my wifes flowers and my vegetables, (Im paying to feed them right? ) then we also have a handful of deer, the muskrat family, and one ginormous woodchuck.

Please describe your mancave.
It's just an unfinished room in the addition with my model bench, my guitars and drum set, a reclining chair, a television, my PS3 and a window to the back yard.

What is your favorite tool?
*squints to read question, my optivisors.

What motivates you to build models?
My love for history I guess, coupled by my desire to stay at home with the family and keep out of trouble... nah just kidding, sort of.

What music (if any) do you listen to when you model?
Oddly enough I don't but I do usually have the TV on for background noise, which I realize doesn't make much sense.

Are you ever tempted to sniff the glue?
Just that one time, back in college. Actually I made that up, I never went to college.

Have you ever used your airbrush as an asmathic puffer?
No, although it might help if 'asthmatic' was spelled properly in the question. *chuckles

Have you ever spray painted a cat?
Never! That my friend is a deplorable waste of good paint

Do you fly your models around the room?
No sir! Tanks don't fly.

Who's your favorite Montreal Canadian defenseman?
Who's on the bench?

How long have you been a Habs fan?
*blank stare...and with that my good sir, this interview is over! *tears off mic and storms out.

Be sure to check out Ken's YOU TUBE CHANNEL