ART: Ascent

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ART: Rose / Pioneer Woman

@ Epilogue

iHobby expo

I think vehicle-based hobbying may finally be growing up.  I went to iHobby Expo in Chicago which focuses on model trains, cars, aircraft etc. While the fan base clearly skews male the vendors are more of an even mix and a lot of people are bring their girls along.  Some of the vendors still completely ignored me and I think gender might have had something to do with it as they initiated conversations with males customers beside and even behind me--especially the 3D printer stall, which is ironic as I am extremely interested in buying one of these things.

My preference is to go later on an expo because vendors will give you a discount to avoid shipping stuff back, and may sell display models.  Of course by them people are tired and a lot fo stuff is sold out, so it is a trade off.  It paid off for me this time. But I must say the $12 entry fee strike me as steep.  I guess they need to to pay for the $100,000 of television adverting for the two day expo.

My top rip off was a Syma helicopter (see on Amazon)  on a fake discount.  At $40 I paid a full $10 over what I could have got it got is for in a normal store.  Oops.

My new discovery was Composimold with is a reusable rubber material you can make mold with.  I had been using a composite rubber where you could only make one mold.  this stuff can be reheated in the microwave and reused. I got a tub as at good expo discount that pretty much made back my entry fee.

My best deal was a precision rotary from Proxxon.  I got the FBS 115/e for$60 cash which is lower than what it goes for even when it is on sale.

Battle Kitty 1