[DADoser]

Which of the following BEST describes your pursuit of diecast aircraft?

(If you answer "Other", please explain.)

The INTENTION of this poll is to "see" who we are as a group and have some fun/discussion. NO overt or covert attempt to make judgements of who is a "better" or "less of a" collector/hobbyist. There are MANY factors that could be used together to measure one's dedication to this hobby - # of models bought per month, may or may not measure that for specific individuals.

Hopefully this poll's choices don't offend other members of this forum. That was and is not the intention.

[Raven]

I usually want half of everything that's released but limit myself to 1 model a month. Too many other expenses in life to spend it all on "toys" (as my wife calls them).

[FormerViperDriver]

I voted "Enthusiast" but I'm definitely at the upper range there (3 models per month), maybe even approaching the 4-per-month level (on average) which would put me in the next category up. I'd have to do the math to be exact, since I don't strictly put a limit on purchases by month (some month I might buy 7 or 8, then go dry for a couple of month. Really depends on what's coming out at the time that I really want).

FVD

[bsmith13]

Well, I can only afford one model a month, but I personally consider that more than "passing interest". What with four kids (one about to enter college), I don't have a lot of surplus disposable income.

But 12 new airplanes a year has to be more than "passing interest", or I wouldn't visit these boards so often...

[FormerViperDriver]

I just thought of something: is someone who buys 3 x 1/48 or 1/32 models per month (say total of $200 to $250 at going rates) really less of a collector, on the poll's scale, compared to someone who buys 4 or 5 x 1/72 models for a total of $100 or $120?

Perhaps money output per month is a better criterion, although it sounds bad when I say it...

FVD

[DADoser]

Originally Posted by bsmith13

Well, I can only afford one model a month, but I personally consider that more than "passing interest". What with four kids (one about to enter college), I don't have a lot of surplus disposable income.

But 12 new airplanes a year has to be more than "passing interest", or I wouldn't visit these boards so often...

I agree with your criticism. Trying to come up with "labels" to represent the range of choices was a little difficult. The choices actually reflect purchases - not really an individual's passion for this hobby. I'd be the first to admit that the pasion level for this hobby can be the same level regardless of your choice in this poll. The intention of the poll was only to look at number of models purchased - NOT place a negative judgement (or label) on someone who makes less purchases per month than someone else. I wasn't trying to equate $$ spent per month to an individual's love of diecast. (Also - with the labels - I was attempting some humor with the "fanatic" and "addict" choices - THEN I felt I had to come up with labels for the other choices for consistency.)

Hopefully that clarifies. I'm not trying to target/judge ANYONE with these polls. I'm just curious about "who" we are as a group.

[DADoser]

Originally Posted by FormerViperDriver

I just thought of something: is someone who buys 3 x 1/48 or 1/32 models per month (say total of $200 to $250 at going rates) really less of a collector, on the poll's scale, compared to someone who buys 4 or 5 x 1/72 models for a total of $100 or $120?

Perhaps money output per month is a better criterion, although it sounds bad when I say it...

FVD

Should we put up a poll - i.e Me, Myself, & I: Profiles in Diecast - Poll 9.1 - with the $ amount each of us spends per month?

I'm not sure that that may be getting more personal than some may think is appropriate. Also, we would run into the same issue - It still wouldn't measure an individual's "passion" for this hobby. Maybe a poll regarding percentage of an individual's net income spent per month on diecast aircraft However......I know I don't want to think that hard to even figure out what choice I would vote for on THAT one. I really don't want to know.

[FormerViperDriver]

DADoser,

You said it. The two polls on the forum now (yours and the one on money spent that just started) do give us some info that's valuable in some way. But bhsmith13's post made me think again, and he is right. I guess the most accurate would be percentage of "disposable income," in the sense of that portion of your income you can spend freely on your hobbies or desires (versus necessities). Someone who spet ALL of it on diecast surely would qualify as a very serious collector (I won't say addict), in a sense, even if it was only $30-40/month, let's say. But even that would have limitations in accuracy...

FVD

[HotTrap429]

Based on what I can afford and do buy, I'm an active participant. I average one model a month. I'd love to be able to get 2 or more models a month but a lack of self-control has never been one of my problems.

[chiefs70]

I think the criteria based on disposable income/discretionary budget is a great bellwether. I am quite certain we would all buy everything if money were no object but that is obviously not the case. Myself, I used to spend my "fun money" on my motorcycle, guitars and beer. Now, I spend almost all of it on diecast. I love my bike and guitars but I am now obsessed with diecast. Since I tend to be ADD I'll change someday but the last year and a half shows it won't be anytime soon.