People love a hobby, something they can do in their spare time that gives them pleasure. However, one thing that hobbies can also be is expensive; especially if you are a real enthusiast and want to enter competitions and shows.
Here are a few examples of the most expensive hobbies for model makers and competitors. If you are really committed, there can be a lot of money involved.
Airplanes
One hobby that can get very expensive is model airplanes. There are many levels of enthusiasm from those who just want to build them to fly for themselves, to those who fly them competitively.
You can travel all over the world to show your models and mix with other enthusiasts. Price wise, they can be very expensive, it isn’t unusual to know someone who has spent up to $20,000 for a model plane.
Petrol using small motors usually power the airplanes, and they come in various sizes and classes that you can use in competitions.
RC Racing Cars
Much like model airplanes, racing cars are very popular, and a number of events are held each year. You don’t have to be competitive, however, and there are many people who build them just for their own collection.
You have a few different versions when it comes to RC Racing cars. There are petrol driven versions with miniature motors and battery versions with electric motors.
You can also take part in tracked races where the power comes from detector rails in the track. The more elaborate and involved you are, the more expensive it becomes, especially if you compete.
Railways
Model railways have been a favourite hobby for many years. Though you might think of it as the hobby of older people in their lofts, this is not always the case.
Collectors can choose which gauge they want to use, with ’00’ being the most popular. These are smaller and lend better to making the scenes if you have limited space.
One of the most intricate parts of model railways is the track design. There is a whole range of trees, shrubs, buildings and stations that you can buy to add to your railway layout. Some people build random layouts, while others try to recreate well-known scenic areas of the railway.
Drones
Flying consumer drones is a relatively new hobby that is starting to overtake model airplanes as a popular flying pastime. This is because these aircraft are more stable and require less room to take off and land, and perhaps more importantly because they are typically fitted with HD cameras.
While most consumer drones are slow flying machines with gimbal-stabilized cameras, first person view (“FPV”) drones are also becoming popular. These are the type of aircraft used in drone racing competition. However, these drones require a considerable degree of skill and mechanical aptitude as they are difficult to fly and frequently require repair due to crashes.
Despite the cost, millions of model enthusiasts enjoy these activities. Hobbies involving models Are enjoyable in their own right and also create opportunities to connect with likeminded individuals through the many online and offline communities built around each of these types of hobbies.
