So outside of bikes and fixing the house with the newest battery tool from Milwaukee, what would you consider to kill time. Celestial telescope, camera drone, or ??? What's the budget to make it worthwhile?
Alternate toys to fight boredom
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honestly....I’m having a blast (literally) with this..
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Trials
Well-known member
Forget that one, too much light pollution where you live.
I get a lot of enjoyment out of a meter long RC sailboat I built, I take it with me when I travel, it's about the most sedate hobby I ever tried and when you are sailing it, a lot of people will strike up a conversation with you because it is pretty cool.
Oh budget: about a grand and a lot of time if you build from a scratch kit. That's a better way to do it then just buying one pre built because building it made it more rewarding every time you sail it. Might build an RC speedboat next for when the lake is perfect calm and flat.
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Very cool. Got pics of this thing?
As for me...I like my LEGOs in all honesty. I find it lets me focus for the time I'm putting it together and I've always enjoyed it. I have the Batmobile from the Michael Keaton movies to put together, as well as the ISS, and the Tugboat Willie from Disney.
Wanted the new Lambo...but $550...
I still have Legos largest Technic kit to build...some bucket mining rig. My wife would probably turf me out as she’s trying to get me to dismantle the other models scattered around the downstairs room.
Selling it to me is cheaper than a new wife
All kidding aside, lego is fun, but the price is pretty unreasonable for some plastic if you go big and not mindstorm. Lots of kits in the $500 to 1000 range with little replay value.
As for the original question, not telescope (light pollution, bugs, don't feel like hanging outside in the wee hours to get the best look at something), not drone (way too many restrictions that basically makes it useless if you follow them).
Learning skills (wood working/welding/painting/blacksmithing/carpentry/etc) is always a good time and comes in handy. The price and space required vary based on the skill you are trying to pick up. On the upside, start with carpentry and that makes space for the other hobbies. Or start with blacksmith and you can do it outside, build muscle and cool objects.
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I'm assuming you have this @4100 pieces.
Or this at 3900 pieces
The biggest afaik was 7500 pieces.
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The one thing I have learned is at least for me, I need to try to aim for non-conflicting hobbies. If I have a street bike and a dirt bike and a summer car, the time they are good to use is the same and I normally only use one of them. It is better for me to come up with other hobbies for nighttime/rain/winter.
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I will pay you whatever @GreyGhost + $1. LoLSelling it to me is cheaper than a new wife
LEGO sets are stupidly expensive. If I had the space I would have a LEGO room...maybe when I get the garage all cleaned up and nicely organized I can make some shelf space in there.
Drones are expensive. If you go FPV drone its more time consuming and you learn some skills but its a lot of research, learning, and soldering but its a deep rabbit hole... If you live outside of the no fly area you can have some fun after you get the basic license.
If you're okay with sports and dont live too far from the water theres stand up paddleboarding or kayaking
I started cycling a few years ago so it helps kill time and keeps the extra pounds somewhat in check
Classsic reading can be something to take back up
Archery can be another one thats not too costly (doing blank bale if youve got space...)
If you're okay with sports and dont live too far from the water theres stand up paddleboarding or kayaking
I started cycling a few years ago so it helps kill time and keeps the extra pounds somewhat in check
Classsic reading can be something to take back up
Archery can be another one thats not too costly (doing blank bale if youve got space...)
Trials
Well-known member
I thought you were selling the excavator years ago?
Is that an accurate scale model of Australia II or is the sail plan a bit larger to make it work better at RC size?
I know some people that did the RC sail boat thing. I don't know if it's for me. I would rather be on the water than sitting looking at it. If I did it, it would probably be a scale of a foiling boat so I could get it working well before building one for me to sit in.
I need a mini excavator soon enough...need to tear apart the entire ground surrounding the house as I'll need to eventually do the waterproofing...but that's not a point of this thread!
Cool boat though!
I need to ask...why do you have an excavator....??
Same reason you need one. Cheaper and easier than renting if you have enough projects.
Radio control as a whole can be a blast. I got into RC cars and trucks when I was about 13 and took me for a wild ride for the next 2 decades. I eventually got into model aircraft, became an instructor with our local MAAC chapter, drifted into RC helicopters at one point, and now have a drone. I still have my very first plane in my basement although it hasn't flown for probably in the range of 30 years now. I got out of the plane and heli thing some time ago however - it's one of those hobbies where you get up and go to the field after your morning coffee and don't come home until dinnertime, so unless your spouse and children also share the bug (mine did not), it's a hard one to enjoy in some situations.
RC planes are an absolute blast but depending on where you live a sanctioned field may not be super convenient, but you may also be surprised - look around. Buy a simple high winged trainer, a good controller that will serve you into the future (a little extra $$ upfront will save you spending it after the fact on a second/replacement controller down the line) and join a club - find an instructor and learn to fly. It's hella fun.
Gone (for the most part) are the days of nitro glow powered aircraft, as AFAIK 75% or more of the hobby is all electric now. If I were to get back into it I'd go that way as glow engines are a learned art, and an imperfect one still at that. Electric stuff in comparison now that the technology is so advanced with energy storage is a breeze in comparison. And no messy castor oil slicks to clean off the side of your planes after every flight, jugs of fuel to carry, etc etc.
Helicopters, well, sell your first born - it's hellishly expensive if you're actually buying proper hobby grade helis, not toy grade. Anything that costs less than $500-$1000 to buy and setup for flight out of the gate is going to be toy grade, so don't waste your money. And the learning curve is steep - each crash can easily cost you $25 minimum to upwards of $100 or more if you have carbon fibre blades, strip servos, bend your tail boom or mainshaft, etc etc. I sometimes felt like I spent as much time working on my helis as I did flying them...but it IS super rewarding if learning and perfecting things turns your crank.
I got into drones about 5 years ago, bought a used DJI Phantom 4. Brought it with me all over the places on the motorcycle and even did some amateur production work using it for a local animal rescue, but I got tired of lugging a massive suitcase around. Sold it and bought a DJI Spark - it's not as capable as the Phantom, and certainly doesn't compare to the high end DJI stuff, but it IS super compact and easy to have in the air inside 30 seconds. Fits in my saddlebag easily...and reality is, for what I'm using a drone for 95% of the time anymore (taking cool shots of us on our motorcycles) it works great.
RC planes are an absolute blast but depending on where you live a sanctioned field may not be super convenient, but you may also be surprised - look around. Buy a simple high winged trainer, a good controller that will serve you into the future (a little extra $$ upfront will save you spending it after the fact on a second/replacement controller down the line) and join a club - find an instructor and learn to fly. It's hella fun.
Gone (for the most part) are the days of nitro glow powered aircraft, as AFAIK 75% or more of the hobby is all electric now. If I were to get back into it I'd go that way as glow engines are a learned art, and an imperfect one still at that. Electric stuff in comparison now that the technology is so advanced with energy storage is a breeze in comparison. And no messy castor oil slicks to clean off the side of your planes after every flight, jugs of fuel to carry, etc etc.
Helicopters, well, sell your first born - it's hellishly expensive if you're actually buying proper hobby grade helis, not toy grade. Anything that costs less than $500-$1000 to buy and setup for flight out of the gate is going to be toy grade, so don't waste your money. And the learning curve is steep - each crash can easily cost you $25 minimum to upwards of $100 or more if you have carbon fibre blades, strip servos, bend your tail boom or mainshaft, etc etc. I sometimes felt like I spent as much time working on my helis as I did flying them...but it IS super rewarding if learning and perfecting things turns your crank.
I got into drones about 5 years ago, bought a used DJI Phantom 4. Brought it with me all over the places on the motorcycle and even did some amateur production work using it for a local animal rescue, but I got tired of lugging a massive suitcase around. Sold it and bought a DJI Spark - it's not as capable as the Phantom, and certainly doesn't compare to the high end DJI stuff, but it IS super compact and easy to have in the air inside 30 seconds. Fits in my saddlebag easily...and reality is, for what I'm using a drone for 95% of the time anymore (taking cool shots of us on our motorcycles) it works great.
Selling it to me is cheaper than a new wife
All kidding aside, lego is fun, but the price is pretty unreasonable for some plastic if you go big and not mindstorm. Lots of kits in the $500 to 1000 range with little replay value.
As for the original question, not telescope (light pollution, bugs, don't feel like hanging outside in the wee hours to get the best look at something), not drone (way too many restrictions that basically makes it useless if you follow them).
Learning skills (wood working/welding/painting/blacksmithing/carpentry/etc) is always a good time and comes in handy. The price and space required vary based on the skill you are trying to pick up. On the upside, start with carpentry and that makes space for the other hobbies. Or start with blacksmith and you can do it outside, build muscle and cool objects.
EDIT:
I'm assuming you have this @4100 pieces.
Or this at 3900 pieces
The biggest afaik was 7500 pieces.
EDIT:
The one thing I have learned is at least for me, I need to try to aim for non-conflicting hobbies. If I have a street bike and a dirt bike and a summer car, the time they are good to use is the same and I normally only use one of them. It is better for me to come up with other hobbies for nighttime/rain/winter.
mines the 3900 piece kit...that other one that’s larger is $500+ I think. I buy all my LEGO on sale but you have to be quick, it sells out fast. Costco has some of the best prices around but they have limited selection. I have a large cargo plane and a Volvo farm truck to build too. I only usually get the Technic stuff, I bought the BMW bike one and that was fun. Got the Saturn V rocket too which is a great kit and looks amazing (to me....that’s another one the wife wants to dismantle as it’s huge).
the dji mini was on sale recently, doesn’t need an operator licence but it’s lacking a few features...I was thinking about getting one.
FPV drone racing (low level around pilons like Nevada air races but at 0.1% of the budget) or stunt drones look like tons of fun for a while. I just think the drone trend is towards more regulation, not less and it would suck to have many thousands tied up in something that can't easily be used (or sold at a reasonable discount).
The drone liscencing thing isn't a big deal. I did shake my head at a few of the questions as they are far too much on the side of something that a pilot would know but a non pilot (which face it is 99% of drone owners) wouldn't have a clue about, but I suspect they've fixed that.
It was only $10 for the test and $10 for the registration or something like that as well. That instantly defused the "money grab!" arguments many had when it was first introduced. It really is all about safety.
It was only $10 for the test and $10 for the registration or something like that as well. That instantly defused the "money grab!" arguments many had when it was first introduced. It really is all about safety.
I quite like the small drones for sheer portability though. The best piece of equipment is the one you have with you and all that....I could see myself packing a mini drone on the bike with my micro 4/3 camera.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
I'm thinking about a drone. My buddy has a Phantom, it's stupidly easy to operate and almost impossible to crash (although he did put it in the drink trying to film a dog on a dock).
I used to play with model airplanes -- not RC, the COX control line planes you flew in circles. I remember my first was an .049 PT 19, then a Corsair. I also remember wearing your fuel soaked fingers raw from spinning props.
