Monkey Notes #4 – August 1, 2025

I Try To Be Nice, But…

By nature I think I am a fairly relaxed, friendly guy. Yes, I fail at it on occasion, as we all do. But I’d much rather be kind than not, and try to always extend grace to others, because I know I need it too.

Yet every now and again, I am pushed a bit.

Several years ago, I did a video talking about the use of Future in scale modeling. Later, I did a follow-up regarding airbrushing Future. Both of those have had a reasonable amount of traffic over the years, and I’ve been happy to see that tens of people have been helped by them. (I think…)😉

When Johnson (the company, not Howard) decided to stop making Future, a search for a replacement began. Quite a few folks recommended Holloway House Quick Shine, so I spammed released a video about that.

Now, any time I say anything about using Future/Pledge/Klear/Quick Shine, a few in the modeling world will moan and groan about the fact that I use a product not specifically designed for models as a utility gloss coat. I get that. Par for the course.

What I did not expect was that when I released the Quick Shine video I would get a steady flow of quite angry comments and emails that either take me to task about not addressing how it works on floors, or asking why I never mentioned if it works on floors as well as Pledge did. (Short answer: I’ve never, ever, ever, never used it on a floor…)

It happened so often that I put a notice at the top of the page that said something to the effect of “This article discusses using the product on scale models, not floors.” Originally it was in normal type and italics. But as more and more messages have come in, I tried to make it more prominent. I made the type larger. And larger again. Then I gave it a red background.

Yet it was not enough.

I have since upgraded to “Full Mockery Mode” with a slightly obscure Easter Egg.

Now I wait for the comments. 🤣

No More Vlogs

At least in the title. 😊

When I was doing Patreon, I think the “vlog#” titling helped make things a little more searchable, at least for me. But I’ve realized now that I’m only putting stuff up on YouTube for everyone, the “vlog” titling may be a little silly.

And it’s definitely harder for me to keep up with. That’s why what should be “vlog #13” is labeled “vlog #4”, because I’d filmed that so far back that I’d titled it for the website months ago – and forgot to update it when the publication order changed.

So I’ll just start aligning the YouTube and website titles and dispense with the “vlog” stuff. It seems kinda silly now anyway… in fact I think it was a bit pretentious of me!

Does The Order Matter To You?

Right now I tend to post videos in order – Airacobra 1, Airacobra 2, Airacobra 3, etc. However, I don’t always actually work in order.

As I tend to publish things weeks or even months after I actually do them, I often have half a dozen videos “loaded up” at any given time for release.

I’ve noted two things with regards to this.

One, it never fails that the first video in a series always does the best. Each succeeding release seems to drop down from the last in terms of views. And I’ve talked with other creators, even a few very large channels, and they observe much the same.

Secondly, I’ve seen a few channels that appear to be tossing sequential ordering out the window in favor of a more “workflow oriented” approach. So they may release Video Series A #1 one week, Video Series B #3 the next, and then back to Series A #2 the next.

I am considering experimenting with this approach. Overall I’m less concerned about the views than I am the workflow.

What do you think? Let me know what your thoughts in the comments below!

Kits In Progress

Eduard 1/48 P-39

For some reason this one is turning into quite the slog. There’s nothing wrong with the kit at all, it’s just my enthusiasm for getting it done is waning. Maybe it’s the heat, or my eyes drifting to other projects. I think part of it is just a lack of enthusiasm right now for filming. I may try just shooting raw footage, and then narrate over it. But I am doing the final episode, which covers the weathering.

Wave 1/20 Ma. K Seapig

I took a break from the P-39 for a week to work on the Seapig. I really like how the colors turned out too! It’s kind of crazy looking. My thinking is that the weathering will be very greeny/browny from jungle operations. Definitely some rust, because in the jungle things are always damp. Muddy too in some areas.

It was definitely fun doing this very unusual pattern. I thought about the challenge of adding chipping over a darker scheme, but I think I can make it work. We’ll see. 😊

New Stuff

Arma Hobby 1/72 Curtiss P-36A

I’d been mulling over the idea of a somewhat sappy “model reminiscing” video for a while now. I’ve been slowly chipping away on an actual script, as my plan is that the on-screen “action” will not necessarily be part of the narration. That approach always seems to draw the most ire-filled and entertaining comments. 😉

In thinking about what I wanted to build, my initial plan was to build an old Monogram 1/72 P-36. It was a fun kit, and quite the classic for many modelers in the 1960’s and 70’s. But then I saw that Arma Hobby had a new tool 1/72 P-36 up for preorder. And as much as I love the Monogram kit, I decided to go with Arma Hobby.

My primary reason for that decision was a desire to try one of the Arma Hobby kits. I’ve heard a lot about them, mostly good. But I’m always a bit skeptical because quite a few of the really good reviews have been couched with “thanks to Arma Hobby for this free sample”, or similar language.

While most folks will be honest and objective in their reviews, I’ve always appreciated knowing that something was purchased with the creators own funds. It removes any temptation, however slight, to “round off the edges” of an evaluation.

From my own experience, I’ve had offers for free kits and other stuff, and I always tell them “I won’t pull any punches if I don’t like it”. Only one company ultimately said “no problem”. (That was for a very nice desk light.) Most others never write back, though I did have one fairly negative reaction that basically amounted to “we’re giving you free product, you could at least just say the nice stuff.” 🤨

So this will be a chance for me to see it with my own eyes.

I’m not sure when it will come up in the rotation, as I have so many projects in process and on my growing list of things I’d like to do. But I can say I want to do it this year, if not early next year. The kit looks nice, and given the smaller size should (hopefully) not be a terribly involved build.

Closing Arguments

Looking back at my pre-teen/teen modeling years (1978-1983), I think my favorite times were rainy summer days.

During that period we lived in Tallahassee, FL. Our house had a carport that was open on three sides. The side attached to the house had a long storage room that opened into the carport, with two doors on either end. One half was my dad’s stuff, but he gave me the other half for my model work.

I had a folding table attached to the wall, and a bar stool with a swivel seat. A few shelves were along the wall behind me and to one side. At the time, the idea of having a “stash” of kits was something I’d not considered. Apart from birthdays or Christmas when I might get two or three kits, it was always just one. Finishing it meant it was time to break open the piggy bank, mow some yards, gather up some glass bottles, or somehow convince my dad to let me visit Grandma. She always gave me a $5 bill before I left. Even when I was an adult attending Airborne School and came over one Friday evening for a visit. 😊

My favorite times I think in the Tallahassee carport days were the rainy summer days. The fact that it was summer meant no school, of course. Rain meant no yard word. There was no guilt if a friend came over wanting to go to McClay Gardens to swim in the lake and I didn’t really want to but I did not want to make them feel bad. My brother and sisters would be inside, so the noise level would be low in that regard.

But what seemed to make it so special to me was the sound of the rain. I didn’t mind if it was light rain, or fat rain. I preferred it not to be wind driven rain, as I needed to keep the door open because it was summer in Florida. But if the thunder rolled and the lightning strikes another model would get built, even on a sleepless night. 😉

There were times I would sit out there for most of the day, working away. No radio or walkman. Just me, the rain, and my ever faithful chocolate Lab named Mitch. He would sit at my feet, napping away. If I made the slightest movement, I could hear the steady thump thump thump of his tail against the drywall of the carport storage room. After a minute or two, he’d be asleep again. I actually tried to stay very quiet so as not to wake him. And on occasion, I’d lay down on the (very dirty) floor, propping my head on his belly, and we’d both nap.

Many times I’d work until my dad got home from work. There was a broken section of our very long driveway, and when he’d drive up, I’d here the bump bump as his tires passed over it. Daddy worked hard in his job as an insurance man, most nights not getting home until 7PM.

He’d pop his head in the model room and ask about what I was working on, and he’d always give me some words of encouragement. We’d walk in together, and sit down to dinner. Once I was finished, it was back outside.

To this day I like to work in silence, with just the sound of the rain. If there’s none of the real stuff falling, I play one of a gazillion YouTube videos of quiet rain with gentle thunder. No music. No podcasts. No videos. No TV. Just… everyone please sit quietly.

For me, that’s the best of modeling. The peaceful silence, my mind just focused on what I’m doing. Or sometimes not focused on anything in particular at all. No thought of contests, or social media. Sometimes I just do work that won’t be on video, or the blog. Sometimes I just build purely to build. In other words, I have fun.

The only thing missing is Mitch.