Change #472

Otherwise known as “JHABI”… Jon Has Another Brilliant Idea.

You may have noticed that the last three videos I’ve released on YouTube have been Maschinen Krieger kits.

I’ve decided to make a change in how I do YouTube, mostly for my own reasons that work out in my head, but sound sort of “meh” when I try to articulate them. Mainly because I have far more ego than I’d like to admit.

But as long as I’m typing words… 🤣

I’m not chasing a numbers game. I gave up on that a few years ago. It’s just not me. But, I do want to be helpful.

I noticed that if I did a series from one genre, people would subscribe more. Then, as soon as I did a switch to another genre for the next series, that initial video meant a sharp drop in subs – and it was almost always the same as the gain from the last series. Plus, I received enough feedback to come to a definite conclusion.

In small numbers, people like what I do and find it helpful. But MOST only tolerate things in their own genre. I’ve been amazed at how someone who loves MaK (for example) will send me nice words about a video showing weathering a MaK kit… but then a few weeks later send a rather sarcastic message detailing why they have unsubscribed… because I did a Warhammer 40K video.

About weathering. 🤦‍♂️🤷‍♂️

And that’s not hypothetical. That’s a real story. And it’s happened more than once.

<paratrooper mode=ON>

Now, I don’t give a flip about a snowflake who wets their pants because I’m not doing their favorite genre. I mean… we’re just people playing with stupid toys at the end of the day. And show me on the stuffed pony where the genre you don’t like hurt you.

<paratrooper mode=OFF>

What I did realize from this was that I was missing the mark of being helpful.

I’d tried this once before, when I focused exclusively on Warhammer 40K for a year. It received generally good responses – from Warhammer fans. But the rest moved on. And worse, I got bored doing ONLY Warhammer.

A few weeks ago, I had an epiphany of sorts. If I really don’t care about growth and subs… why worry about YouTube’s algorithm?

What if I see it as simply free hosting for some videos?

A Focus On Maschinen Krieger

My YOUTUBE focus is going to be 100% Maschinen Krieger going forward. That’s not so much to try and grow, but to focus on being helpful. And in examining that issue, I had to decide which audience I wanted to try and be helpful to… and which of the genres I worked in gave me the most satisfaction.

And after a lot of thought, it landed on Maschinen Krieger.

Why?

It’s hard to nail down. I love building Warhammer 40K. It has way more kits available, a rich depth of lore, and a huge fan base. But… over the years, something about MaK has really grabbed me.

And part of the decision had to do with viewers. I get generally good feedback on most things I do, and it lets me know people find it helpful. But the feedback from MaK builders exceeds all others combined generally.

Thus the entirety of what will be posted going forward on my YouTube channel will be shorter Maschinen Krieger focused videos.

So What About The Other Stuff?

That’s where the “epiphany” comes in. No matter what I do, I get about $60-$75 per month from YouTube. It funds the hobby. Mission accomplished. And that holds true no matter what I post. As long as I stick to a regular schedule, it all keeps flowing.

But nothing says I have to set every video to “Public” and “Monetized”.

I can just view YouTube as free hosting. And that changed my thinking.

So in the next few months (September-October time frame most likely) you will see videos appearing on the blog that won’t be listed on YouTube. They’ll be set to Unlisted and NOT Monetized.

(Although YouTube may still show ads… I have no control over that.)

And those videos will be… whatever I want. Warhammer 40K. Bandai Star Wars. Whatever I decide is a good project. No regular release schedule, no timelines.

I’ve realized that while people are helped by YouTube stuff, the real core of the people “in the carport” are here on the website. And most specifically – YOU. I have a little over 80 people who subscribe to this newsletter. About half actually open it. And roughly 2/3 of that number click it and come to the website.

So about 26 people.

This change is for y’all. The core of people. Ironically… or maybe not… that was how many patrons I had as a stable number on Patreon. 🤔

So I’ll Be Seeing… What?

• First, all the MaK content I’ll be doing will appear here as normal, every two weeks, and as a public release on YouTube. As of right now I already have videos completed and set for release through October 24th, 2026 – all MaK.
• Starting on September 28th, 2026, I will release the 7th video in the Falke series, demonstrating chipping… AND… I will release a bonus supplement here on the site only – 45 minutes of ramble about the theory of chipping. I realized that to make my videos shorter for YouTube, I either cut out A LOT of ramble, or simply said very little to begin with. But more than a few folks said they liked the ramble. Thus, from time to time, I will have “bonus” material that is long-winded and boring theory… but here on the blog only. Again – the focus is to try and be helpful in the quick dopamine hit method YouTube audiences like, AND to address folks who say “I like the ramble.”
• Other genres will be shown here on the website only. The first one (not yet filmed) will be a Warhammer 40K project. Or there may be product reviews. Or deep thoughts. All the stuff that scrambles the algorithm will be here.
• I will be writing occasionally… just blogs. Some will be short stories (more on that), some will be about products or techniques or just rambles and recollections. With the idea that not everything needs a video… it is incredibly freeing. In fact, from 2006 to 2019 ALL I did was blog. No videos at all. And writing is a process I enjoy.

My hope is that over time folks will realize that each channel (YouTube and website) addresses needs differently. And for me, it takes out the temptation to sweat the YouTube numbers. I’ll be focused on ONE thing – MaK… on YouTube. That will stand and fall all it’s own.

But my fun will be focused here on the website.

And Speaking of MaK

Leaning into that whole “ego” notion mentioned previously… and tying into the YouTube focus on MaK, I am working on “A Very UnOfficial MaK Guide” (AVUMG) section for the site.

My motivation is twofold.

First, I want to do it. Simple enough.

Second though, is I want to produce a resource that I would have liked to have had when I started out in MaK. Lincoln Wright’s stuff is incredibly helpful and encouraging. Bryan Krueger of Maschinen Krueger has some great and helpful content. They are encouraging, helpful, and do excellent work to share their enthusiasm for MaK. Yet…

Through no fault of their own, other than hard earned experience, they are “inside the circle”. They’ve been doing it so long that their wealth of knowledge can be almost overwhelming to a newcomer. (Though admittedly Linc does a wonderful job of explaining things clearly for anyone – new or old.)

And I get that. In my day job, I’ve been a web developer for 30 years. I’ve built over 2000 websites. ( 🎉🎆🧨🥱😴) When I talk to clients, I have to remember that things that I think of as normal everyday things (Hey, we just need to adjust that SPF record in your zone file) often sounds like dolphin chirps to customers. It’s not that I mean to “show off”, but sometimes when we do anything long enough we “forget what we know” so to speak.

At the same time, I’ve run into a lot of channels where a relatively new modeler will get really enthusiastic about MaK, and dive right in (which is great), but so often what you see may not be helpful. I’m not criticizing that… everyone starts somewhere. I know I did. But… it can leave questions unanswered.

So my goal is come at this as an experienced modeler both in and out of MaK, yet one that still feels very much as someone “on the outside looking in.”

I know this is a thing because of the number of times people contact me admitting they’re afraid to ask “the big MaK guys” (their words, not mine) about something as simple as “am I supposed to texture – or not?” While their fear of asking is unfounded – I just last night heard Linc on an older video say “you don’t have to texture” – it’s still a real thing.

So this “AVUMG” section of the site will try to address that – bridging the gap between the icons and the newbies.

Hopefully with a sense of humor.

Look for it to fully launch late September or early October, though some of the narrative stories will come before then.

Thanks to ALL of you who read this, and especially if you signed up to receive it. I hope these changes will address both my desire to help a large group in a genre I truly love, and help the ones who choose to sit with me in the carport and build alongside me.

Happy day to you friends,

Jon