[NA] Another expensive hobby

Flyboy

Flyboy

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Feb 23, 2005
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Charlotte NC
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Ron Kinney
Took my son and 5 friends to a woods paintball field today for 4 hours of battle. I had only seen the speedball stuff on tv and it didn't interest me at all, bt this looked fun. Still, being dressed in shorts and a t shirt I don't think I better try it so I just watched and talked with the people there.

I'll probably take the plunge and get some equiment to play with my son next time. Problem is I want the expensive stuff! :D

I wish the paint balls were accurate enought to do some sniping, but the physics of a round gelatinous ball being shot out a tube at high velocity just doesn't make for good accuracy.

I offer to fly arial survelance for the players next time to spot the other teams and some of the grown ups actually thought it would be a good idea. :yes:
 
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It's awesome fun! I play most often with my nephews but sometimes with the high school kids I know. It's fun for this old fart to try to whip some teenager ass. Good exercise and you do need to be thinking about your next 5 moves. We don't play much flat land 'speed ball'.

We've carved out bunkers, trap door trenches, and machine gun nests. Booby traps are verboten. We have felled trees and sniper positions all around the three acres of rolling terrane behind my brother's house. The more players, the better.

And, yes, you can have the accuracy a sniper demands. I've perfectly happy with the equipment I have for less than $300. However, the sky is the limit on how much you want to spend; paint ball grenades, 'twin 50s' machine guns, body armour, high compression fittings, oh man, it can be quite expensive.

DO NOT wear T-shirt and shorts unless you don't mind showing up in public having to explain the 7mm bruises all over you body. I wear full padded camo with knee and elbow pads, full face mask, and boots; that's adequate for me.

The military surplus stores are your bargain sources for everything, the magazines and specialty catalogs are too expensive.
 
Richard said:
DO NOT wear T-shirt and shorts unless you don't mind showing up in public having to explain the 7mm bruises all over you body.
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And if you're female, don't forget the, um, chest protection either. ;):blowingkisses:

I had a previous boss who thought going out to play paintball might be a way to develop some company comraderie. It actually was kinda fun. Once.

Never thought of it as an expensive hobby though, not on the scale of aviation!
 
:rofl:
Everskyward said:
And if you're female, don't forget the, um, chest protection either. ;):blowingkisses:

I had a previous boss who thought going out to play paintball might be a way to develop some company comraderie. It actually was kinda fun. Once.

Never thought of it as an expensive hobby though, not on the scale of aviation!
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There were a few women there yesterday. One had on a catchers chest protector, the others I saw had some kind of body armor.

Yes it's not as expensive as aviation, and probably not as expensive as golf if you stay in the mid price point markers. We have woods behind our house and my son and his freinds have used them but the aren't ours so we can't make improvements. The place we went yesterday has 10 acres fully wooded with lots of extra cover, 2 forts, a "town" and lots of bunkers etc. Around $14.00 for 4 hours of play plus paint. They are a field paint only outfit but their paint prices were reasonble and good quality. I think I paid 50.00 for 3000 rounds.

So, maybe I can use fying to go to some nice feilds around the southeast!!
 
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Don't talk to me about expensive hobbies:

- Flyfishing: of course, I've got to have the good stuff and all the fixin's to make my own flies. Many rods and 'stuff' to go along with it. Since most of my fishing involves backwoods hiking, I had to get decent hiking stuff, too. Boots are darned expensive nowadays.
- Photography: made the jump from "inexpensive" equipment (at <$500) to the "semi-pro" stuff (well over $1000) and WOW what a difference. My bank account is going to hurt while I get all the stuff I want. :D
- Woodworking: I started out with the attitude that a box full of hand tools would be enough for what I want to do. Five years later, I've got $10,000+ worth of tools sitting in a $15,000 shop...and I'm not done. ;)
- Dog: "Gee, honey, my friend at the yarn shop has new puppies. Let's go look" Ugh. Mom and Dad are seriously titled GSDs and the price tag was indicative of the line. Don't get me wrong, the dog is worth it but I never thought I'd pay more for a dog than I did for my first car!! Never mind the training equipment and stuff I picked up afterward to work on Schutzhund...which I've pretty much given up due to time constraints.
- And, of course, flying. You know that one already and I don't even own yet.

I don't need any more hobbies right now.
 
Expensive hobbies?

Garden railroading. Large scale (1-22.5) model trains outside. $4 per foot per track. The trains cost almost as much as my first car. And the control systems aren't cheap either. But I love it when everything works and I can hear a steam locomotive chuffing through the flower beds, while I am grilling out back.

My father in law has it even worse, miniature live steam. The locomotives are the same scale as above, but they are actual steam locomotives. All metal, butane powered, steam driven. Dang expensive.

Jim G
 
grattonja said:
Expensive hobbies?

Garden railroading. Large scale (1-22.5) model trains outside. $4 per foot per track. The trains cost almost as much as my first car. And the control systems aren't cheap either. But I love it when everything works and I can hear a steam locomotive chuffing through the flower beds, while I am grilling out back.

My father in law has it even worse, miniature live steam. The locomotives are the same scale as above, but they are actual steam locomotives. All metal, butane powered, steam driven. Dang expensive.

Jim G
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A guy I know deals in those miniature live steam locomotives. Imports from Japan. Has the whole setup in his backyard. You are right there. Quite expensive.
 
grattonja said:
Expensive hobbies?

Garden railroading. Large scale (1-22.5) model trains outside. $4 per foot per track. The trains cost almost as much as my first car. And the control systems aren't cheap either. But I love it when everything works and I can hear a steam locomotive chuffing through the flower beds, while I am grilling out back.

My father in law has it even worse, miniature live steam. The locomotives are the same scale as above, but they are actual steam locomotives. All metal, butane powered, steam driven. Dang expensive.

Jim G
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I used to be a machinist in a past life. When looking at new hobbies to get me away from the computer, I seriously considered getting a mill, lathe, welder, etc., to start working on stuff like this.

My wife convinced me to get into woodworking instead. I think it would have been a wash on costs overall. :)
 
Ken Ibold said:
Properly done, boating can make flying look cheap.
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Everything on a boat has to be "sea-worthy" according to my friends who sail. Special coatings, special "marine" finishes, etc. Boating and flying often sound analogous, in terms of the extra $ required.

Jim G
 
Carol said:
A guy I know deals in those miniature live steam locomotives. Imports from Japan. Has the whole setup in his backyard. You are right there. Quite expensive.
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That sounds like Aster. Little miniature versions of the real thing, exquisite in every detail, perfect little working versions. Aster locomotives that are live steam start at somewhere around 3-4K for a locomotive, and go way up from there.

I am mostly into LGB. German imported electric trains. Not nearly that bad, but still a decently wallet draining hobby when I am not careful :yes:

Jim G
 
Ken Ibold said:
Properly done, boating can make flying look cheap.
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Lightweight. ;)

My father-in-law's boat is for sale. I couldn't find the bigger pic of it. Just imagine if it was 100' long with luxury amenities and systems that can take it around the world. :D
 
grattonja said:
That sounds like Aster. Little miniature versions of the real thing, exquisite in every detail, perfect little working versions. Aster locomotives that are live steam start at somewhere around 3-4K for a locomotive, and go way up from there.

I am mostly into LGB. German imported electric trains. Not nearly that bad, but still a decently wallet draining hobby when I am not careful :yes:

Jim G
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Yes, Aster is what my friend deals in.
http://www.asterhobbyusa.com/
 
Luckily I get to fly with a buddy for basically nothing - leaves more to pour into my other hobby :

(I think Jaguar is latin for Bump The Price)
 
Ken Ibold said:
It's a Cruisers 3650, now called the 375.
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Nice boat. I always liked that layout for a cruiser. Looked similar to the older Carvers, and looks nicer than their new ones. I grew up on boats (since I was 3) and use the experience to explain to my wife why flying airplanes isn't all that expensive...

Jeff
 
Jeff Oslick said:
Nice boat. I always liked that layout for a cruiser. Looked similar to the older Carvers, and looks nicer than their new ones. I grew up on boats (since I was 3) and use the experience to explain to my wife why flying airplanes isn't all that expensive...

Jeff
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Isn't that the truth. But boating, like flying, is a lifestyle choice that defies economic rationalization. The problem in my family is that I prefer one and my wife prefers the other.
 
We used to houseboat on Lake Cumberland and watched this guy land on his boat several times.
 
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