What do you think about the idea of making a TV program to spread modeling to a wider audience... The masters who are here and have free time can give lessons and practices about modeling... It can also be a source of income for this forum that we are members of... What are your thoughts?
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if you are referring to You Tube there are a lot of videos on model ship building
I think public access TV died out in the 80s, at least in the US
Public Access TV
PublicAccessTV.us — is a national directory of Public, Government and Educational Access Television Stations and Programming
still going on somehow... though thats an "official" website for info on it, it still has covid shutdown banners on it. SO its dated.
Its pretty much the denizen of "idiots who cant, but think they can, so they inflict it on a small audience of idiots who want to make themselves feel special?
Remember, the show Home Improvement. A "comedy shot" about the "star" of a public access tv show on bad home improvement
I follow several people on YouTube that build ship models.
the videos can help, but not to a complete level i can explain.
I think the commentary would be worse than golf. like a really reall bad 1950s science movie made for science class, say like
the kind of thing that makes seppuku with a rusty paperclip, seem enjoyable and relaxing fun.
I think the commentary would be worse than golf. like a really reall bad 1950s science movie made for science class, say like
Of Science And Scientists ★ Educational Films from Harvard, in the 1950's : WGBH : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
Of Science And Scientists ★ Educational Films from Harvard, in the 1950's ••• Of Science And Scientists consists of 23 episodes produced in...
archive.org
the kind of thing that makes seppuku with a rusty paperclip, seem enjoyable and relaxing fun.
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Are you volunteering to organize, or are you implying that They ought to do it?
The thought of there being a TV show on ship modeling is intriguing so I did a little digging.
Things to consider
Is the idea to use Public Access TV which has minimal cost, if any?
Is PATV available internationally?
What language will be used?
Will this be based on kit building. scratch building, kit bashing, or all three?
Projects take months and years. How will long term projects be handled?
Who will choose the topics?
Who will produce, write, direct, etc. if required. Or, will this be more like a televised You Tube film?
What is the cost per unit of time to air a show, if any?
Are scheduled episodes necessary or can it be as information becomes available? If it is hit or miss, the audience would likely quickly disappear.
Will filming and sound equipment be needed to record an episode or will this rely strictly on something like smart phones?
How will the show be promoted to reach new/potential modelers?
Have you considered streaming services or YouTube, which offer budget-friendly options for reaching a hobbyist audience in addition to PATV.
I am anxious to hear more about how this can be done as I see the average age of members of ship modeling sites is way up there and we need an infusion of new blood.
Allan
Things to consider
Is the idea to use Public Access TV which has minimal cost, if any?
Is PATV available internationally?
What language will be used?
Will this be based on kit building. scratch building, kit bashing, or all three?
Projects take months and years. How will long term projects be handled?
Who will choose the topics?
Who will produce, write, direct, etc. if required. Or, will this be more like a televised You Tube film?
What is the cost per unit of time to air a show, if any?
Are scheduled episodes necessary or can it be as information becomes available? If it is hit or miss, the audience would likely quickly disappear.
Will filming and sound equipment be needed to record an episode or will this rely strictly on something like smart phones?
How will the show be promoted to reach new/potential modelers?
Have you considered streaming services or YouTube, which offer budget-friendly options for reaching a hobbyist audience in addition to PATV.
I am anxious to hear more about how this can be done as I see the average age of members of ship modeling sites is way up there and we need an infusion of new blood.
Allan
The first question that has to be answered is: "What's the point of reaching more audiences?" I hear this sentiment now and again and I always wonder what purpose there is to popularizing ship modeling. It only makes sense if you are trying to make money off of it and, God knows, there's a whole lot of easier ways to make money. Everything anyone could possibly want to learn about ship modeling has been published repeatedly in books and as noted, now on the internet, which has put huge amounts of primary research material at our fingertips. Every tool and material a modeler could imaginably desire is available to order online. It's in the nature of the thing that ship models will always have a very limited audience. An oil painting tells a story in a language everybody understands. A ship model tells a story only a very few know how to read. And it has always been thus.
As a general rule, the rarity of any item or skill tends to increase its value. Flooding what little market for ship models that exists in any event with mediocre "paint-by-numbers" kit models which are usually not as historically accurate nor as well executed as one might hope, only serves to reduce the general public's appreciation for the entire artform itself. Most see little value in ship models which take up a lot of space and are only understood for their true academic historical value by a very few. Adding a never-ending parade of poor examples to the "fleet" doesn't make them any more endearing.
I submit that well done ship models will only come to realize the wide respect they truly deserve as works of fine art and historical research when the general public sees them not as something off of a hobby shop shelf (or website,) but rather as the product of highly skilled craftsmanship requiring years of research, experience, artistic skill and dedication of the highest order. The experienced ship modeler's response to the often-heard statement, "Oh, I would never have the patience to build a ship model." should never be an encouraging, "Oh, sure you can!", but rather, "Probably not. Very few people possess the knowledge and skills to be able to create such a thing, which is what has made them so valuable and treasured for hundreds of years." It's just for very special people like us!
Now, I know there are those who maintain they assemble kits for their own enjoyment, that it's "just a hobby," and they don't care all that much about historical accuracy or perfection in execution because "the perfect is the enemy of good enough." I'm not claiming that I'm any better at it than they are, but rather only that I think they've missed the best part of it when they stop short of trying to be as good at it as they could be. I think ship modelers should be recognized as an elite fraternity of exceptionally skilled scholar/artists who accurately portray maritime history in precisely executed miniatures. I think those worthy of belonging to such a group will find their way to it on their own, which in itself is part of the price of admission. Ship modeling isn't for everybody, and it shouldn't be.
As a general rule, the rarity of any item or skill tends to increase its value. Flooding what little market for ship models that exists in any event with mediocre "paint-by-numbers" kit models which are usually not as historically accurate nor as well executed as one might hope, only serves to reduce the general public's appreciation for the entire artform itself. Most see little value in ship models which take up a lot of space and are only understood for their true academic historical value by a very few. Adding a never-ending parade of poor examples to the "fleet" doesn't make them any more endearing.
I submit that well done ship models will only come to realize the wide respect they truly deserve as works of fine art and historical research when the general public sees them not as something off of a hobby shop shelf (or website,) but rather as the product of highly skilled craftsmanship requiring years of research, experience, artistic skill and dedication of the highest order. The experienced ship modeler's response to the often-heard statement, "Oh, I would never have the patience to build a ship model." should never be an encouraging, "Oh, sure you can!", but rather, "Probably not. Very few people possess the knowledge and skills to be able to create such a thing, which is what has made them so valuable and treasured for hundreds of years." It's just for very special people like us!
Now, I know there are those who maintain they assemble kits for their own enjoyment, that it's "just a hobby," and they don't care all that much about historical accuracy or perfection in execution because "the perfect is the enemy of good enough." I'm not claiming that I'm any better at it than they are, but rather only that I think they've missed the best part of it when they stop short of trying to be as good at it as they could be. I think ship modelers should be recognized as an elite fraternity of exceptionally skilled scholar/artists who accurately portray maritime history in precisely executed miniatures. I think those worthy of belonging to such a group will find their way to it on their own, which in itself is part of the price of admission. Ship modeling isn't for everybody, and it shouldn't be.
Here in the UK we can watch programs showing people cooking (dozens of those), sewing, knitting, doing woodwork, making pottery, repairing clapped out heirlooms and more. In my opinion these cures for insomnia are all designed to encourage people to take up model shipbuilding instead.
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Public TV has an audience in the USA. You Tube has a global audience, and can be monetised. I think that about sums it up.
They will only remain so for as long as there is a sufficient demand. Keeping up the demand means keeping enough people in the hobby. On another modeling site I've often seen lamented, the death of the local hobby shop. True, due in large part to the rise of online shopping, but also attributable to the declining numbers of interested customers.
For the purists, one might also see an attraction to passing on the knowledge and skills so that the art of ship building doesn’t die out.
Any other human endeavor with a community of enthusiasts naturally wants to share their interest and attract new “members”. Why should ship modeling be any different, unless we all really are the stereotypically grumpy, socially-inept old nerds we are sometimes portrayed to be?
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I can't think of a worthwhile tool for ship modeling that doesn't have a much wider customer base in other applications and is priced outside of "hobby" or "ship modeling" sites at a lower price and/or of a higher quality. The availability of ship modeling tools is not dependent upon ship modeling alone.
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I have been thinking the exact same things as Bob. He says it much better than I ever could. The tools that I use are used by many other disciplines. My drill press, table saw,
bandsaw, and jigsaw are all full sized tools used by woodworkers and metal workers. My Byrnes saw is not often used. My Sherline lathe and milling column are also used by many others.
There is nothing sold in a hobby shop that I want or need. I also have a lifetime stash of quality model making woods, most harvested by me years ago. Brass is easily bought on Amazon. Many hobby tools are either junk (the loom a line!) or better quality ones are available from jeweler and watchmaker suppliers.
I am fortunate to have a dedicated workshop. In each of the three houses that I have owned this was a prime consideration as well as a dedicated library for my books. I understand that many forum members are limited by space and therefore feel that they must build kits. My plan B if and when I am forced into Assisted Living is to try miniatures ala Bob Wilson. Meanwhile I keep plugging away. Mu current project: a pair of brass steam deck winches-1:96 scale.
Roger
bandsaw, and jigsaw are all full sized tools used by woodworkers and metal workers. My Byrnes saw is not often used. My Sherline lathe and milling column are also used by many others.
There is nothing sold in a hobby shop that I want or need. I also have a lifetime stash of quality model making woods, most harvested by me years ago. Brass is easily bought on Amazon. Many hobby tools are either junk (the loom a line!) or better quality ones are available from jeweler and watchmaker suppliers.
I am fortunate to have a dedicated workshop. In each of the three houses that I have owned this was a prime consideration as well as a dedicated library for my books. I understand that many forum members are limited by space and therefore feel that they must build kits. My plan B if and when I am forced into Assisted Living is to try miniatures ala Bob Wilson. Meanwhile I keep plugging away. Mu current project: a pair of brass steam deck winches-1:96 scale.
Roger
It’s true that rarity can add a certain kind of value, but when it comes to ship modeling, the real treasure lies in participation, not preservation behind velvet ropes. Rather than seeing beginner-friendly kits or modest efforts as a threat to the art form, we should recognize them as the lifeblood of its future. Everyone starts somewhere, and for many, those first simple builds are where the spark is lit. Far from devaluing the craft, a growing and diverse community of builders helps keep maritime history alive and visible. The more models there are, of all shapes, styles, and skill levels, the more chances people have to connect with this fascinating world. It’s not about flooding the fleet; it’s about letting more voices be heard, more ships set sail, and more people find joy and meaning in the making. That’s not the end of appreciation - it’s the beginning of it.The first question that has to be answered is: "What's the point of reaching more audiences?" I hear this sentiment now and again and I always wonder what purpose there is to popularizing ship modeling. It only makes sense if you are trying to make money off of it and, God knows, there's a whole lot of easier ways to make money. Everything anyone could possibly want to learn about ship modeling has been published repeatedly in books and as noted, now on the internet, which has put huge amounts of primary research material at our fingertips. Every tool and material a modeler could imaginably desire is available to order online. It's in the nature of the thing that ship models will always have a very limited audience. An oil painting tells a story in a language everybody understands. A ship model tells a story only a very few know how to read. And it has always been thus.
As a general rule, the rarity of any item or skill tends to increase its value. Flooding what little market for ship models that exists in any event with mediocre "paint-by-numbers" kit models which are usually not as historically accurate nor as well executed as one might hope, only serves to reduce the general public's appreciation for the entire artform itself. Most see little value in ship models which take up a lot of space and are only understood for their true academic historical value by a very few. Adding a never-ending parade of poor examples to the "fleet" doesn't make them any more endearing.
I submit that well done ship models will only come to realize the wide respect they truly deserve as works of fine art and historical research when the general public sees them not as something off of a hobby shop shelf (or website,) but rather as the product of highly skilled craftsmanship requiring years of research, experience, artistic skill and dedication of the highest order. The experienced ship modeler's response to the often-heard statement, "Oh, I would never have the patience to build a ship model." should never be an encouraging, "Oh, sure you can!", but rather, "Probably not. Very few people possess the knowledge and skills to be able to create such a thing, which is what has made them so valuable and treasured for hundreds of years." It's just for very special people like us!
Now, I know there are those who maintain they assemble kits for their own enjoyment, that it's "just a hobby," and they don't care all that much about historical accuracy or perfection in execution because "the perfect is the enemy of good enough." I'm not claiming that I'm any better at it than they are, but rather only that I think they've missed the best part of it when they stop short of trying to be as good at it as they could be. I think ship modelers should be recognized as an elite fraternity of exceptionally skilled scholar/artists who accurately portray maritime history in precisely executed miniatures. I think those worthy of belonging to such a group will find their way to it on their own, which in itself is part of the price of admission. Ship modeling isn't for everybody, and it shouldn't be.
I believe ship models will earn the respect they deserve, not just when they're seen as rarefied works of elite craftsmanship, but when people recognize the heart and humanity behind them. Sure, skill and knowledge matter, but so do enthusiasm, effort, and the simple love of making something by hand. These models aren't just for seasoned experts; they're for anyone who feels that tug of fascination with ships and stories from the sea. When someone says, "Oh, I could never build a ship model," the best response isn't to gatekeep—it's to open the door: "You might be surprised. Everyone starts somewhere, and if you’ve got the interest, you’ve already got what matters most." The magic of ship modeling isn’t that only a few can do it—it’s that anyone can try, and in trying, discover something meaningful.
Now, I know there are those who believe that ship modeling is a pursuit reserved for the elite few, a high art demanding scholarly depth and near-perfection. But to me, that misses the heart of what makes this hobby truly special. Whether you're building a museum-worthy replica or a slightly wobbly schooner from a weekend kit, ship modeling is for anyone who finds joy in the process. It's not about proving your worth or earning your place in some exclusive club, it's about curiosity, creativity, and the satisfaction of shaping something with your own hands. Every model tells a story, not just of the vessel it represents, but of the builder behind it. And frankly, there’s no "price of admission" beyond a willingness to give it a go. The value isn’t in perfection, it’s in the passion.
The NEW best post of 2025.
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Said with wonderful words filled with deep meaning. I have enjoyed doing my first wooden ship. Hope to finished it within the next month. It will not be my last one for sure.