At Robert Leishmans home, the man cave is actually considered a model cave.<\/p>\n
I started building models as a kid, got out of it for a bit, but then when my youngest son started showing an interest, I got back into it, Leishman said. He was about 10 or 11 years old at the time and we got hooked up with a local club here and weve been doing it ever since.<\/p>\n
Now president of the Southwest Area Modelers of Plastic, Leishman keeps a room in his home dedicated to his beloved creations.<\/p>\n
Its a small room, but I have about 50 models in there, Leishman said.<\/p>\n
Leishman said a replica of a modern-day L-CAT the amphibious landing craft the military uses for shore-to-shore operations has been his most complex build so far, taking nearly 40-50 hours to complete.<\/p>\n
He likes to spend his time these days working on sci-fi replicas from the Star Wars and Star Trek series.<\/p>\n
Lester Robertson, the clubs secretary, said model building was a popular pastime for young men in the 1950s and 60s.<\/p>\n
We didnt have computer games and things like that so it was something a lot of my friends enjoyed, Robertson said. It also coincided with my fascination with history and the two have grown together.<\/p>\n
Robertson said model building can be a lot of trial and error initially.<\/p>\n
Ive learned a lot from my mistakes, but Ive learned a lot from the good results, as well.<\/p>\n
Robertson said he would encourage those just starting out to pick a fairly simple kit, follow the directions, have fun and dont be afraid to ask for help.<\/p>\n
And dont forget YouTube, he said. They have a lot of videos to show you how to do it.<\/p>\n
Leishman said the club is hosting its 35th Plastic Model Show and Contest this weekend with about 400-500 models on display.<\/p>\n
We like to refer to our show as history in miniature, Robertson said.<\/p>\n
The free event will be 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, May 21, at the West-Cal Arena and Events Center, 401 Arena Road in Sulphur.<\/p>\n
If youve got a model youre looking for, this is a good place to come and find it, Leishman said.<\/p>\n
This years theme is based on the song Paint It Black by The Rolling Stones.<\/p>\n
Were asking each model displayed to be predominately painted black, Robertson said. It could be a black Corvette or a knight in black armor or a World War II night fighter, anything black.<\/p>\n
Robertson said more about the club will be available at the show, too.<\/p>\n
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More here: <\/p>\n
History in Miniature: 35th plastic model show and contest this weekend - American Press | American Press - American Press<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" At Robert Leishmans home, the man cave is actually considered a model cave. I started building models as a kid, got out of it for a bit, but then when my youngest son started showing an interest, I got back into it, Leishman said Continue reading