When browsing through the old archived issues of the magazine, do you occasionally spot an ad that looks interesting and either say to yourself, “Wow, that’s a great price” or think about ordering something before you remember you are looking at a magazine that is 30 or more years old. I actually caught myself zooming in on an ad in a 1968 issue to find out what the company’s website was. It’s not the first time I was tempted to order something from one of these archived isses. Usually after a few seconds I go “DUH” but this time I actually got frustrated because I couldn’t find the name of their website in their ad.
The hazards of old inormation, i guess.
No, but I have heard of some dedicated (I am too kind to use the word “rabid”) collectors who have written to names and addresses of VERY old classified advertisements to see if a particular item is still available - years if not decades after the ad was placed.
And I could easily imagine someone determined to follow a certain old article’s project only to find that key stuff on the list of materials isn’t around any more. I know that some of the old old color charts and paint shop articles supply mixing formulas for paints that are not around any longer.
Not exactly on point or on topic but I once had a young-ish woman knock on our door to ask if we ever got mail addressed to her at that address from a certain name in Massachusetts. I gleaned that a boy she had met one long-distant summer only had her address from when she had lived in what was now our house.
Dave Nelson
Yes actually, every time I see the ad for flextrack at $3 a piece. They even have a web address to go to.
Pretty much goes with the “the hobby is too expensive these days” threads.
Plug those numbers into an inflation calculator (there are many online) and you will soon find the truth.
–Randy
When I read the VERY old issues I am always in wonder about some of the materials used in construction. My favorite is the ground up asbestos that is used in a recipe for making scenery. Wow.
No, but I have often wondered what ever happened to some of the layouts and models featured in articles. I have also lamented some of the hobby shops listed in the back that no longer exist.
Some of the 110 volt electrical wiring in the old issues and their home built power supplies can be hair raising. Going way back it seemed like everyone must have had carbon tetrachloride in their garage too.
Dave Nelson
Haven’t had quite that experience- but the back issues have sent me to EBay on more than one occasion in search of something I saw, remembered, and wanted! That’s particularly the case for the craftsman kits of the 1970s. A lot of the product lines of that era were picked up and sustained by someone else, but not all of them- the Detail Associates or Timberline kits, for example.