How do you display your models?

[VegasAWACER13]

I've got six completed kits since returning to the hobby last March and I'm looking for ideas on how to display them. Right now I've got them lined up on a dresser but I need something more permanent.

How do you display your kits? Thanks!

 

[Edbert]

I bought a "curio cabinet" on FB marketplace, I see them listed frequently, sort of like estate sales. This one cost me $75 and I love it except it is not deep enough for Bombers, even 1/48 versions of JU-88 and B-25 will not fit, but 1/32 prop planes and modern 1/48 jets (about the same size those two) will.

(excuse the mess, I am remodeling the man cave)

 

[Jantk14]

I could use a cabinet like that. Right now I have three in my liquor cabinet, one on my kitchen table which is my work bench, and two on an end table in the living room. And the New Jersey is in my bedroom on a table. So I display them anywhere I can. Yes not a lot of booze in the booze cabinet.

 

[BarleyBop]

booze in the booze cabinet.

I wonder if there is a correlation: amount of available booze to number of kits that make it to display?

 

[Jantk14]

Lol definitely more booze than kits. But could use more of both.

 

[Steve Ski]

Good question, especially if you've got a ton of kits to build. I had to build my own, because there wasn't anything I could find to hold some of my builds. If you've got the tools and the know-how, ya might consider customizing your own. It's a heck of a lot of fun too, btw.

 

[VegasAWACER13]

I bought a "curio cabinet" on FB marketplace, I see them listed frequently, sort of like estate sales. This one cost me $75 and I love it except it is not deep enough for Bombers, even 1/48 versions of JU-88 and B-25 will not fit, but 1/32 prop planes and modern 1/48 jets (about the same size those two) will.

That looks fantastic. Thanks for the response!

Good question, especially if you've got a ton of kits to build. I had to build my own, because there wasn't anything I could find to hold some of my builds. If you've got the tools and the know-how, ya might consider customizing your own. It's a heck of a lot of fun too, btw.

Looks great and that does sound fun. Though it would eat into the time I should be spending whittling down the stash…

 

[GCB]

Good question, especially if you've got a ton of kits to build. I had to build my own, because there wasn't anything I could find to hold some of my builds. If you've got the tools and the know-how, ya might consider customizing your own. It's a heck of a lot of fun too, btw.

Great and nice idea to have the opening on the side!

 

[trekriffic]

Here's my big display cabinet bought several years ago. The door on the front slides left and right. Not as many shelves to work with as some so I made custom bases for the models so they sit at different heights. That way you can overlap them with each other to achieve maximum use of the vertical space.
Still, I'll probably need another one pretty soon.


Display Cabinet - Models by Steve J, on Flickr


Display Cabinet - Top Shelves by Steve J, on Flickr

 

[BarleyBop]

you can overlap them with each othe

Nice! Talk about 'hyperspace'!

 

[TimM63]

Aircraft are hung on the wall

Vehicles are on a bookcase

Helicopters are hung from ceiling

 

[BarleyBop]

hung on the wall

The wall mount is an interesting idea... I'm just starting plane builds, and was wondering how to display...

 

[Demolition]

I'm pretty simple, I have one shelving unit, it'll hold 10-12 if I stackem, I only keep ones I'm most proud of, when I build one that's better than something on the shelf, one goes to the recycle bin. I take pictures of all of them and keep them in the cloud but I'm the only one that looks at these so I'm not concerned with extravagant displays.

 

[BarleyBop]

I'm the only one that looks at these

Ah, a realist!
Pretty much my situation as well, display is near my bench, and I'm the only one that goes there.
I like your idea of keeping the selection down to recent and best.
I don't participate in competitive shows, or build for clients.

I'm happy that folks who actually care and appreciate our work come to see it on forums like this one.

If I'm honest about it, I enjoy the build process (of everyone's and mine) much more than the final products. Having one on the shelf just reminds me that I actually built and completed something!

 

[Edbert]

Not as many shelves to work with as some

I took one of my glass shelves to a local glass & mirror "store" and asked them to make a few more just like it, tempered/tinted with polished (rounded) edges. Paid a bit more for the custom glass than the cabinet but installed them for pennies myself.

 

[Demolition]

Ah, a realist!
Pretty much my situation as well, display is near my bench, and I'm the only one that goes there.
I like your idea of keeping the selection down to recent and best.
I don't participate in competitive shows, or build for clients.

I'm happy that folks who actually care and appreciate our work come to see it on forums like this one.

If I'm honest about it, I enjoy the build process (of everyone's and mine) much more than the final products. Having one on the shelf just reminds me that I actually built and completed something!

I've never been much of a collector of anything, even as a kid getting any awards or trophy, they got shoved someplace or tossed. I keep a few things that I find useful and the rest......we must part ways. I think it stems from my dad. He collected so much stuff, like just below horder level and it always drove me nuts. He'd puff out his chest with pride and say " yup this will all be yours someday" I finally replied with " ok but can we start getting rid of it all now then?" I had an old friend that kept all his beer bottle caps too, dude had thousands of them.

 

[BarleyBop]

we must part ways

...it can be a sensitive topic at a certain age, but I think you and the Swedes got it right with 'Döstädning'...
Literally: 'death cleaning'.

 

[TimM63]

when I build one that's better than something on the shelf, one goes to the recycle bin.

After I read this I decided to toss some older, not so good builds and create some space for new ones. I thinned out the bookcase and will soon thin out the wall of planes.
Thanks Demo for the inspiration.

 

[Demolition]

...it can be a sensitive topic at a certain age, but I think you and the Swedes got it right with 'Döstädning'...
Literally: 'death cleaning'.

Love me some death cleaning.

 

[Demolition]

After I read this I decided to toss some older, not so good builds and create some space for new ones. I thinned out the bookcase and will soon thin out the wall of planes.
Thanks Demo for the inspiration.

Sometimes when you love something……you need to let it go…..

 

[Robot_2500]

I've got six completed kits since returning to the hobby last March and I'm looking for ideas on how to display them. Right now I've got them lined up on a dresser but I need something more permanent.

How do you display your kits? Thanks!

I like the lightweight, very dustproof plastic display cases from Amazon. I don't have as many models as most people here. If I had a lot, I'd get a big curio cabinet.