Dunno if a similar topic has been posted, but here goes...

Anyone here has worked on his/her model in the office (of course, exempted here are people who ACTUALLY build models as a job :-) ).

Well, I'm guilty of building them in the office. The following are:

SA-9 Gaskin
Strv103B
and currently a Leopard 3.

Hey GI,

While I am OOW for a wrongfull termination (yes, that's going to the court), I would say that for most American businesses, this sort of thing would not be acceptable.

My meaning on this is the US federal regulations on bringing in un-previewed chemicals (e.g., paint, glue, solvent, etc) without the EHS approval for employee protection. OK, thi is the federal OSHA speak, but a major item that is in effect here in the US.

This of course does not deter the modeler to bring in a set of road wheels and a sanding stick, but this brings something else up - geek-dom. Somethign that I think many will try what they can to make sure some do not find out about our hobby.

Only a few know about our wierd addiction ("...Hi, my name is Dave and I have AMS.....") [pun only].

Dave
AMPS LA

OK, I do not build them there, but I do have 3 on my bookcase and plan to take some of my better figures in this weekend. My coworkers like them and they are good conversation pieces as well. As I work for a native american organization I will probably avoid taking in my US Cavalry figures, but my viking, knights, etc. would be welcome, I am sure.

Hi GI

When I was younger I had a job as a night shift security guard for a local company. The boss did not care what we did as long as the rounds were made and we stayed awake. I got more modeling done at work then I did at home, and got paid for doing it.

HarryD

I had guard duty once in Germany,and was at the front gate of our Kaserne.I bought the Italeri Leopard 1,and built it in the little guard shack,with only a bright red light for illumination.
Uh,what's the statute of limitations on that crime? I was looking out from time to time....
(++) (++) 49 (++) (++)

Being I set Tile and marble for a living my boss ( ME) probably would not approve. #:-)

Heck, I do it all the time. I use the lathes and mills here to make fixtures, etc. I will put some Fruils together on break, make some counterweights for my T2K build... I am on salary and work a lot of unpaid overtime (Saturdays) so nobody really says much. They get their money's worth. Besides, I can't help it. I supervise a pattern shop and you want to talk about diorama heaven. Machine tools, 100 pound bags of plaster, mahogany, brass sheet stock, every kind of casting resin and plastic you can imagine.
Yeah, my job sucks...
The only problem I have with being exposed as having AMS is every time anyone has anything tiny they need fixed, they bring it to me, watches, glasses, knotted necklaces, etc.

Shaun

I cleaned and assembled a set of Fruil tracks at work on my lunch over the course of a week. And during a real lull in work to do, I also cleaned a set of injection molded tracks on company time. :-)

The wise poster will plead the 5th ammendment here.

I once sprayed the body work of a Tamiya Mark II Jaguar (ok , so it's not military, forgive me) during a slack Friday afternoon and there was the time I did preliminary construction on a 1/16 Dragon Panzerjager, but that's about it really. Although my latest creation does tend to sit on top of my monitor for a couple of weeks till I take it home

well,
I spend most of my time at work on this site oh and also go model shopping as well
being a field based engineer I come and go as I please just bought 2 kits today on
company time I can route my travels by a model shop quite easy #:-) .I've also
bunked off before and done some kit work
P.s I' ll not say who I work for :-)

I ship my purchases to the office, so before transporting them home I spend some lunchtimes fondling plastic, and dreaming of builds and paintjobs.

I've never gone so far as to bring tools to work and build stuff there.

Mika

I wish like hell that I could take a model to school, or at least some pieces that need to be quickly assembled. But that wouldn't be a good idea, they probably would get broken int he hustle and bustle.

~Chip :-)

LIke MadMeex I've ordered kits online to be delivered at work. My immediate co-workers, about 15 people, know I model but the other 250 or so people here probably wouldn't understand. So I take the kits out to my car to open, fondle, and dream. I spend 40 hours a week surfing the net for my job, I spend a LOT of time on this site while doing that. Other than that no modeling here at work.

There seems to be a bit of an under current flowing through this thread, ie, that some of you guys think your co-workers would think you were geeks or won't understand you building models? Hell, I don't understand golfing but I don't hold that against anybody. There are an awful lot of people out there doing an awful lot of things far worse than sticking plastic together in their spare time. Anyone who doesn't understand why I enjoy researching and building models can frankly, well this is a family site...
I had a new employee come into my office about a month ago and look at the t-34/85 model I have sitting on my filing cabinet. He looked at me and said "Hey, When your done playing with yours toys I have a question for you." I replied, simply, "Hey, I have about 200 hours and 100 dollars in that toy. What do you need?" Dork...

Sorry about the mini-rant.

Shaun

Shaun,




I stand by this as many people can not figure why i ride a Harley!
Or the fact that I have two in the garage (02 FB and 98 DWG)

Dave
AMPS LA

Dave, I can't understand why you ride a Harley. Or have 2 in your garage. I have friends that have three or four, like you, some of them have to keep them in the kitchen over the winter. However, that is your thing. Am am fairly certain if I had one I would have died riding it by now. But, that is what you like to do and who am I to tell you you have a "geek" hobby? Ride on brother. If you are ever in Central Indiana I can hook you up with some serious Harley fans...

Shaun

Now that you bring it up, is building models a "geek activity"? I eman some people think that it is time wasting and boring. I like it, but I don't know what to say to some of my friends who think that it is stupid.

~Chip

Help me out here! :-)

Chip, I will give you a friendly piece of unsolicited advice: You need to take care of you. Don't worry about what other people think about you and whether or not what you are doing is cool. If you like building modelings, does it make a difference that other people think it isn't "cool?" Trust me, I have been where you are. Most of the people that called me a "geek" when I was in high school are currently handing me my food at Taco Bell and pumping my gas. I hate to sound like an butthead but a lot of people called me a geek for building modelings and playing RPGs when I was in high school and I could have done a lot worse.

FIDO, Chip, FIDO

Shaun

This is a hilarious thread :-)

I'd have a Harley, if I could afford one. Maybe when I chase the kids out of the house. Man, I was looking at a 02 Sportster the other day .... yow, had to buy a "economy' car for one of my kids.

Back to topic: I have a couple 120mm figures in my office, plus dozens of WWII photos on the walls. If I had room, I'd put up more. I need to get a few things rearranged, then I'll bring in some tank models -- running out of room at home.

I have a nice Sherman poster I bought at Aberdeen -- I've thought about framing and hanging it behind a display of Sherman variants. Sort of a miniature museum display.

I'd never even think about building a model at work, though my coworkers know I occasionally print out model reference pages off the Internet -- surfing on break!

You make an interesting point. I could be spending 20 bucks on a bag of Pot, instead of a kit.

I would rather get the kit because it will make me use my head. And because with modeling anyway and the chemicals, who needs the pot! #:-) #:-) #:-)

~Chip

Thanks for the edit, moderators. Sometimes, albeit rarely lately, I forget. Thanks, and sorry.

Shaun

I cant figure out why you ride a Harley sell it and buy a Lambretta instead!

OK, I was not going to come back and add to this, but.....

Realy! Is there ANYTHING else but a HAWG! If you have no idea of what it is to have one, then you can not understand. Period!

That said, and this was in jest, I realy like this one. Yes Mike, even though you are in Scotland, you will hear my Fat Boy four to five kilometers (yes, i can convert) away. If not, I need to tune the carb!

Keenan, I might take you up on that one day. But being that I have no SO in the house, the garage is totaly mine. That and being in Cal-ee-forn-e-a, the cars can be outside and I can get a bit wet if the weather turns a bit. No need for the kitchen thing, but there is enough room through the back if I need to!

Dave
AMPS LA

I have LOTS of my finished work at my office (lots of room to show it off and hopefully sell a few pieces!), and co-workers drag people over to my area to chat quite frequently about my hobby. No one ever accused me of being a "geek" though... Of course, some of that may have to do with the fact my Honorable Discharge as a Navy SEAL is on the wall, and my football trophies and momentos are all over the office as well. Hard to call someone a geek who could maim you for life either a mile away or 10 inches away I guess.