Midlands Model Engineering Exhibition 2024

[Lloyd-ss]

Late to the party here, LOL.
Yes, this is an old guy's hobby, but times change and that is inevitable. You have to change the bait or you won't catch any fish.

When I was a teenager it was all about cars. How many cubic inches? But I didn't have the money to do that.
Then came computers. How big is the hard drive?
Then car audio systems. How many watts of bass?
Then the Honda bumblebee cars with cheap nitros kits that added plenty of power.
Then the internet and facebook. What is your internet speed? How many followers?

How does model engine building along with the need for advanced skills and a mentor and expensive machinery fit into that???

A retired engineer friend of mine was the sponsor for a robotics club at a city high school. He loved it especially when kids would come back for a 2nd or 3rd year and there were a few helpful parent volunteers. Modern technology, competitions, battles, build kits, a wealth of online information and facebook groups. Plus learning some useable modern skills. That is tough competition for us old farts, LOL.

And as an aside, I recently went to a clock makers guild meeting that I accidentally found out was having a meeting a half hour from where I live. Similar, a bunch of older guys with a wealth of knowledge and stories. They were lamenting the fact of the clock makers clubs aging-out and not attracting new members. (actually, there was me and 2 other new-member prospects at that meeting.) I had one old clock and was interested and talked to several of the members there. A topic came up later in the business part of the meeting (by a dynamo get-work-done member) about the guilds up-coming loss of free server space and how this was a perfect opportunity to also upgrade the website to more attractive and modern look without old fuzzy 10 year old photos and too much text on the home page. The president was somewhat negative, wanting an estimate of how many new members their "investment" might attract. (The club treasurer said there were plenty of funds available.) The idea was put on the back burner. During that meeting with a total of maybe 35 people, the president never came over and introduced himself to me, or to the other 2 new attendees. And I never got a follow-up email or call even though I registered and paid my fee for the meeting.
I think many older clubs might complain a little, but they are actually ok with the status quo, and their lack of new blood is mostly self-inflicted. Reminds me of the old saying: "To have a friend, you have to be a friend."

Just my observation.
Lloyd

edit- P.S. Taking the time to develop new friendships is hard to do when you already have so much fun stuff going on in your own shop. And with the internet, we have all found each other. Isn't that a bit of a good thing? Not too many of you fine folks within driving distance of my place.

 

[stanstocker]

Lloyd has mentioned something so very true. I know the organization "guild" he attended once, was a member for years while still in business. The northern Virginia group was very active for a while, with classes through parks and rec and several of us putting on presentations at every meeting. Then it just got to be too much, only a few doing much and mainly geezers more interesting in the pizza and living in the past. In comparison, I've been lucky to find two clubs in the area (model rail and model boat) that are really active. Folks welcomed new people, got emails thanking me for coming and asking if I had questions, quite a difference from many outfits. Both groups encourage people to show what they are doing, beginners are welcome. So now I'm in both groups and occasionally do a presentation.

 

[GreenTwin]

I joined a miniature steam locomotive group that was about a hour away, drove over there to meet them with great excitement, got out of the car and introduced myself to the president.
He said a few highly political words, and was in general pretty much a jerk.
I walked around the members, and introduced myself.
With the exception of one individual, it was the most unfriendly group I have ever met.
Most would not give me the time of day, much less talk about locomotives.
That was my first and last visit to that group.

So that makes me appreciate a lot more folks who do like to interact and be friendly, because it is not always that way.
.

 

[Lloyd-ss]

Lloyd has mentioned something so very true. I know the organization "guild" he attended once, was a member for years while still in business. The northern Virginia group was very active for a while, with classes through parks and rec and several of us putting on presentations at every meeting. Then it just got to be too much, only a few doing much and mainly geezers more interesting in the pizza and living in the past. In comparison, I've been lucky to find two clubs in the area (model rail and model boat) that are really active. Folks welcomed new people, got emails thanking me for coming and asking if I had questions, quite a difference from many outfits. Both groups encourage people to show what they are doing, beginners are welcome. So now I'm in both groups and occasionally do a presentation.

@stanstocker , Its great that you found those 2 other clubs to hang out with. I know they didn't fall into your lap. How did you actually find them in the first place? My wife said that facebook groups is one reliable way to find special interest groups like that, but I have resisted the "need" for facebook. Maybe my loss, or maybe not, LOL. But that is nice that the groups were so welcoming.

@GreenTwin Very sorry about the unfriendly visit to the loco club. I think that the president of the club more often than not sets the tone of the group. I remember my dad, who was a born organizer and leader (and loved it) started a new racing pigeon club in Hampton Roads area of Virginia. They had monthly meetings in our garage and would do the pre-race bandings, and the clock openings after the races there at the same place. They had a fridge in there with an honor system for sodas and everybody got along and welcomed new folks who might be interested. EDIT: They also had a designated spot out behind the garage to take a leak because my mother didn't want any of those "pigeon bums" in the house, LOL. end of edit. I think my dad got as much from the club as he gave to the club. But I also saw that he was the primary force keeping it alive and he made sure that everybody had a job and nobody just came to meetings and then ran away. Like a good project manager who makes sure that every action item on the list has a name who is responsible for it. If there is no name assigned to it, it won't get done. And if you don't have something assigned to you, you likely won't do anything. Good lessons and memories!

 

[Steamchick]

I have heard similar tales of an elite running the club and no-one else gets a word in... least of all new members. Took me 15 years to become a proper member of my club. I was always in the shadow group of proper folk who are really interested in sharing engineering, rather than being petty bosses of a club.
It's just a normal club thing!
Enjoy your hobby, your hobby is yours - even when theirs is managing a club.
K2

 

[Richard Hed]

I have heard similar tales of an elite running the club and no-one else gets a word in... least of all new members. Took me 15 years to become a proper member of my club. I was always in the shadow group of proper folk who are really interested in sharing engineering, rather than being petty bosses of a club.
It's just a normal club thing!
Enjoy your hobby, your hobby is yours - even when theirs is managing a club.
K2

This is well known phenomena. In "cults" or "communes" or other organizations, it is known that an organized, charishmatic leader is quite successful. If they try to make a "sister" club, that they often fail, it is also often that the original fails. ONe of the reasons is that the leader spreads him/herself too thin and things start falling apart. This happened to a famous commune, "the Farm", I thimpfks, in Tennessee. Also, when Kruschev was trying to convert from "socialism" to "communism", there was a famous record company, "April Records", that was known for excellent records. When Kruschev liberalized the laws, April Records was able to buy another record company that put out krap. However, they could not get the boughten company to improve and inevitably, they BOTH failed. It happens all the time.

I've seen it happen a few times. I believe with proper training this can be overcome. But who is there to train? The military, of course, has lots of leadership training--they study people who in civilian life may be "losers", but when in war situations they take over and are truly some of the greatest of leaders. So they try to transfer what is learned from those natural leaders to those who are not but are "loyal". Too often countries choose loyal over gifted. I've seen that in corporations too.

 

[stanstocker]

@stanstocker , Its great that you found those 2 other clubs to hang out with. I know they didn't fall into your lap. How did you actually find them in the first place? My wife said that facebook groups is one reliable way to find special interest groups like that, but I have resisted the "need" for facebook. Maybe my loss, or maybe not, LOL. But that is nice that the groups were so welcoming.

<snipped>!

Terri (wife) and I were taking a Coast Guard class at the building that also houses the model railroad club. At the time my back was in terrible shape, but I tucked away the fact a railroad club was up those painful looking stairs. Once I had some control of the pain I was able to get to some meetings if it was a good day. Once the back was repaired the Tuesday evening work and play sessions were a workable thing rather than just the once a month Saturday meeting. Three of the members who are Tuesday evening regulars are also involved with the maritime museum and model boat club so it all just sort of fell into place once I mentioned I was starting to build some model boats.

Facebook is a mixed bag, the trick is to keep from getting sucked into all the drama and hype. The local master gardeners group posts on the facebook group specific to things going on in Mathews County, so I got involved with them as well. I think most areas have a "Whats Up <local_area>" group. Some are positive places, some are not. You can always check it out and see if it fits your desires. It took a few years of looking around and talking with folks before making that first connection, lots of dead ends and shrugged shoulders. The boat modelers group is at a maritime museum that does a LOT of boat building and restoration. We are at the east end of the middle peninsula of Virginia which has a huge and very old boat building and working on the water history. Being in such an area doesn't do too much for model engineering, but boat and rail modeling are big things around here.

Serendipity I thing the fancy folks call it

 

[Lloyd-ss]

Terri (wife) and I were taking a Coast Guard class at the building that also houses the model railroad club. At the time my back was in terrible shape, but I tucked away the fact a railroad club was up those painful looking stairs. Once I had some control of the pain I was able to get to some meetings if it was a good day. Once the back was repaired the Tuesday evening work and play sessions were a workable thing rather than just the once a month Saturday meeting. Three of the members who are Tuesday evening regulars are also involved with the maritime museum and model boat club so it all just sort of fell into place once I mentioned I was starting to build some model boats.

Facebook is a mixed bag, the trick is to keep from getting sucked into all the drama and hype. The local master gardeners group posts on the facebook group specific to things going on in Mathews County, so I got involved with them as well. I think most areas have a "Whats Up <local_area>" group. Some are positive places, some are not. You can always check it out and see if it fits your desires. It took a few years of looking around and talking with folks before making that first connection, lots of dead ends and shrugged shoulders. The boat modelers group is at a maritime museum that does a LOT of boat building and restoration. We are at the east end of the middle peninsula of Virginia which has a huge and very old boat building and working on the water history. Being in such an area doesn't do too much for model engineering, but boat and rail modeling are big things around here.

Serendipity I thing the fancy folks call it

Stan,
Thank you for this nice response. And it does indeed look like the opportunities to join those 2 clubs did not just fall into you lap, and instead it took some serious effort on your part to make it happen. I guess clubs can be "hidden" anywhere. Your area really is rich in the water culture of the Chesapeake Bay. We have been thru that area, and farther north, a few times to enjoy some of the activities.
I understand about back pain issues and wish you the best on that. Back pain can put a damper on so many activities and finding some actual relief can be a real "whack a mole" game, only the stakes are much higher.
Lloyd

 

[Steamchick]

Of the thousands of shells, and hermit crabs, each crab finds a shell that fits just right. We (Humans) do the same thing socially, of live like hermits! (Not crabs). This site is a part of a good community for the regulars.
Thankyou all.
K2