Ned Barnett
Executive
Summary: This head-to-head
comparison has grown in the telling (so to speak) – in it, I give you
everything you’ll ever need to know to decide which of the two main online
stash-management services is right for you.
After going through the entire process and actually using both systems,
here are my choices.
For pure stash management, which is what I was
looking for, hands-down for My Hobby Info. However, if you’re looking for a
comprehensive modeling social networking site – Facebook for Modelers – which
also includes a stash manager, Scalemates has and is that social
network. My Hobby Info has a forum, but that’s not its purpose. Scalemates has a stash manager system,
but that’s not its primary purpose.
My solution, for me, is simple. I’m using My Hobby Info as my stash manager – I find it more user-friendly,
and it has more of the features I want.
However, when I’m doing research or want to view endless galleries of
great models, I’ll log into Scalemates
and find more than I ever dreamed possible.
Why A
Product Comparison? I am a life-long
modeler, a life member of IPMS/USA, and
a guy with a stash that has more kits than I care to count. Currently, I’ve got my two-car garage set up
with warehouse shelves, and at least two-thirds of those shelves are stacked
floor-to-ceiling with un-built model kits.
As they say, “you do the math.”
But this may help explain why I wanted to do a head-to-head product
review of stash managers – I’ve got a stash in desperate need of management.
I usually buy kits with the best intentions for
building them, but occasionally I buy them to collect. For instance, I have – I think – all of the
available kits of several of my favorite subjects, from Cleveland-class light
cruisers to PT-Boats, from P-39s to Fokker D.XXIs, from M3 Gun Motor Carriages
to NX-01 Starship Enterprise kits. There
are just some subjects I can’t get enough of.
I buy most of my kits from a variety of locations:
local hobby shops including RarePlane Detective (it’s local – otherwise I’d buy
from them online), friends in online model groups, clicks-and-mortar online
hobby dealers like Squadron, eBay and from vendors at hobby shows. I also sometimes sell some of my excess kits
in one of several locations – hobby shows, eBay, modeler’s lists and – perhaps
sometime – RarePlane Detective. That
“excess kits” brings up the reason why I sometimes sell kits.
My big challenge is keeping up with what I have,
especially when I’m away from my garage. That’s why I sometimes have excess
(duplicate) kits to sell. For instance,
right now I have three copies of the Williams Brothers 1/72nd Scale
B-10 bomber – I discovered this when they reissued the kit with 15 new decal
options (which I obviously want so I can build a colorful B-10). But even without the new issue, I have two
more B-10s than I’ll ever realistically build.
For that kit – from Williams Brothers, one is enough.
Criteria For
a Product Comparison: I want a
system that will allow me to keep track of my stash, and preferably one that
is:
·
Free – since there are ad-supported free systems
out there, I see no reason to divert kit-buying money into a database.
·
Easy to use – I’m not a “gear-head” when it
comes to digital technology – I can sort-of-manage on Excel, but have never
tried Access, and I have no idea about how to take Excel online (though I’ve
heard it can be done).
·
User-friendly from a time perspective, as well
as from a technology perspective. Every
minute I spend working on my inventory is a minute I can’t spend building or
researching or lusting after models, writing on my WW-II never-ending-novel
about the air war in the Pacific, 1941-42, playing Solitaire or watching war
and aviation films on YouTube or Netflix.
·
Responsive.
No online kit database can have all models or after-market items. I want
to be able to add in odd things I pick up, and I want the owner to add in kits
I have that are not listed.
·
Available on the cloud – I want to be able to
check it form my laptop, my phone, my pad or my desktop – but mostly from my
portable devices when I’m away from home.
·
Geared to the needs of model kit builders – I
don’t want to have to adapt one of the online inventory management systems that
proliferate to my own particular needs.
Those are the basic criteria I’ve used in
evaluating the model-specific stash-manager systems I’ve been able to find.
The
Process: In preparing for this
review, I’ve posted to close on to 50 model group sites on Facebook, asking tens
of thousands of group members for suggestions on stash management systems I
could use. I was inundated with replies – far more than 100 modelers made
specific or general recommendations, and some single-group online discussions
involved 25 or more modelers on a single thread.
This was very helpful in several ways:
·
It told me that my search conclusions might
interest other modelers
·
It gave me an idea of what’s currently out there
·
It told me what I could do if I was a tech-head
who didn’t mind doing what I call “programming” but which is probably something
else
So I asked if the members were interested and if
the groups would welcome this review, and got lots of encouragement from them
to write this head-to-head product review.
Specifically, I was referred to three systems that
are designed for model kits, plus lots of tech-head customization tools that
would require more time than I want to invest.
From a new user perspective – and as someone with
limited technical skills, and limited patience in learning more tech-skills – I
decided to test out those three modeling-oriented versions of database
inventory managers – in short, model stash organizers. These were My Hobby Info, Scalemates,
and KitBase.
However, I quickly learned that KitBase:
·
Resides in my computer (instead of in the
cloud), so it’s not easily accessible from hobby shops or the vendor rooms at
model shows
·
Free version is just a trial version, and
·
The functional version requires a $44.99 USD/
24.99 GBP license
I decided, “N’yet interested” in spending nearly
$50 bucks when there seemed to be two perfectly good free solutions out there,
so I chose to discontinue my evaluation of KitBase and focus on the two free
online versions.
First
Conclusions: Both My Hobby Info and Scalemates function as useful online stash managers – you won’t go
very far wrong using either system. However, one is optimized for stash
management, and one is optimized to becoming a comprehensive online social
network for modelers, and includes a stash manager among many other
features.
Also, Scalemates
is created and operated in Belgium, and it has a particular EU cast to it in
terms of vendors, magazines, prices and other features. My Hobby Info comes from – as politicians say – the Great State of
Texas, and it has an American focus with American prices and vendors. However both sites appeal to a broad
international market, and the “American” version has users in 61 countries at
last count, while the EU-focused service has nearly 400 American users.
Having done the evaluation, I know which one is
for me, but to help you decide, I’m going to objectively lay out the
comparative features and let you decide which one works best for you.
In making the evaluation, I created a head-to-head
comparison table of features, which I’ve posted below. I also created some lists of features, a few
tables demonstrating how information is offered, and some other tools I hope
you find useful in selecting the right system for you. I think this will help interested modelers
decide which of the two (if either of the two) makes more sense to them.
Right at the start, I noticed that there seems to
be a strong philosophical difference between the two systems.
My Hobby
Info: This is a system whose primary
purpose is to help their users manage kit stashes. It was created by a modeler,
based on the Excel system he’d set up to manage his own kit stash. The features that tend away from kit-stash
management and toward social networking – such as the forum – exist on another
website – Modeler’s Social
Club. In this way, My Hobby Info
users who want to connect with one another can do so, but that connection
doesn’t interfere with the prime focus, managing your stash.
The system’s owner, Bill Plunk, has an easy system
to add kit listings, which he does at no charge for any registered user.
Finally, while international, this is a US-based system, which (as you’ll see
below) has decided advantages for US-based modelers.
At this writing, My Hobby Info has 1,328 registered users, but it has grown by adding
more than 40 users in the last month. It
has 26,458 models from 313 manufacturers in the areas of Aircraft, Armored
Vehicles, Autos, Figures, Ships and Dioramas, with a matching catalog of 24,621
prices from online retailers.
While setting up an account is fast and free, you
can use My Hobby Info without registering
an account. You also are offered the
option of subscribing to the weekly update newsletter, which focuses on the new
kits listed in the previous week, a helpful feature for keeping your stash
up-to-date. However, neither the registration nor the subscription are
conditions of use. I found that impressive.
My Hobby
Info’s kit listing page has five categories that provide a clean
presentation of the kit along with relevant information:
Kit Illustration
|
Date Added
|
Kit Details
|
Kit Title
|
Add To Wish List
|
|
Eduard 1/48
#8066 |
P-39L/N Profipack
|
P-39L/N Profipack
|
Add To Wish List
(button)
|
My Hobby Info has a separate page grid for prices,
with seven columns:
Kit Illustration
|
Date added
|
Kit Details
|
Kit Title
|
Retailer
|
Price
|
Price Check
|
|
Feb. 14, 2014
|
Dragon 1/35 #3548
|
M103A1 Heavy Tank
|
Sprue Brothers (hot
link)
|
$65.49 USD
|
Price Check
(button)
|
Scalemates: Scalemates’ mission, on the other hand,
is to be the Facebook of modeling – stash management is clearly an add-on. If you want to be a part of a virtual
modeling community – complete with many of the features that make Facebook so
popular, this might be what you’re looking for.
The site claims a database of 121,000 kits, but this includes kits, aftermarket, decals, paint colors, books and other listed items. A search can go into the following broad categories:
Main
Sections
· Products
· Gallery
|
Market
Place
|
Reference
· Books
· Walkarounds
· Projects
|
All
Profiles
· Users
· Sites
· Shops
|
All
Sections
|
A challenge with the Scalemates search came up when
I did a search for “F-15 Eagle” – I got 917 responses. These obviously are not all model kits. I limited the search to “product” and got 599
hits. I thought I could narrow the
search by choosing to hit the “edit” key, but there’s no way I could find to
refine the search by product, scale or manufacturer. In other words, this product search is not
optimized for kit-stash management, but for an overall global search of
available products.
I had to figure out on my own that I needed to add
1/72 to the search parameters, which limited the search to 199 hits. Still a lot, but a much more manageable
number. For something like the P-51, the
initial search yields 1,147 hits, and by narrowing it to 1/72nd
scale, I still got 372 hits. This helped
me to understand why one user suggested to me that Scalemates is liking to take
a drink from a fire hose – the water’s there, but in such an abundance that
it’s really impractical.
Scalemates’ kit listing page has three categories,
but in two of them, they cram a lot of information into a small space. Actions can be taken from links in the Action
Box.
Kit Illustration
|
Kit Listing
|
Actions
|
|
ENGLISH ELECTRIC
LIGHTNING F.2A
Airfix 1:72 A04054
2013 | New tool
|
View related
content:
Topic Page | Search topic Edit: Edit product details Report: Double | Bad naming | Errors |
Unfortunately, Scalemates also has an abundance of ads on its pages – including ads
(I’m looking at one right now) of a woman in a swimsuit with symbols that make
it clear the product is a sudden-weight-loss item for women – hardly an asset
to a model site.
This was soon replaced by an ad with a demonic
smiley face and the message: “Congratulations
– THIS IS NOT A JOKE – YOU ARE THE 100,000th VISITOR! Click Here”
(I can only imagine what that is for, but I doubt that it’s modeling). It’s a small annoyance, but one not found at,
which only offers ads that are relevant to modeling. My Hobby Info
Features: –
The table located at the end of this blog lists the listed Features to be found
on each site, in the order presented by the site itself. Scalemates
has many more features, because it is primarily a social networking site, with
forums and discussions, galleries and walkarounds, as well as a stash
manager. My Hobby Info focuses at least 85 percent of its site to managing
stashes.
The feature comparison is illustrated in an
extensive table and has been moved to the end of the blog. If you are interested in a direct comparison
of features, do check it out.
Feature
Conclusion: As I noted, Scalemates has far more features than
does My Hobby Info, but most of
those features have nothing to do with stash management. If you’re looking for a comprehensive
modeling site – whether you want to manage your stash or not, Scalemates is for you.
However, if you really just want to manage your stash, My Hobby Info is, in my opinion, the better of the two sites, and for a lot of reasons. Easier use. More functionality. A responsive owner. But mainly, I prefer it for my stash management because My Hobby Info is all about managing your stash, and that’s what I was looking for in the first place.
Head-To-Head:
The following is my head-to-head description of the various features I
found relevant to me as a modeler and as a stash-manager. These all represent my personal opinions
based on in-depth reviews of the sites in question, including playing around
with their functionality. I could write
a book (but I’ll restrain myself) about this, but if you’re still not sure, I
hope you’ll find the following table helpful to you.
My Hobby Info (MHI)
|
Scalemates (SM)
|
Comments
(my personal opinions)
|
Design and core
mission
|
||
Site
laid out intuitively – designed by a non-technical modeler who based it on
his own stash management needs
|
Site
is not laid out intuitively – designed by someone who’s very technical, who
has ability to create social media site.
|
MHI
wins hands down over SM in this feature.
|
Core
mission – create the best Stash Manager available. If you want an integrated
modeling social networking experience, this one is not for you. If you want a stash-manager ability, that’s
what this is all about.
|
Core
mission – create a modeling version of Facebook. If you want an integrated modeling social
networking, this is the one for you. If you want a stash-manager ability, not
so much.
|
This is
where the modeler must choose – what is he most interested in – if you want
to manage your stash, MHI is the way to go – if you want social networking,
SM is for you
|
Features
|
||
Stash
Management features ARE the basic design
|
Stash
Management features seem shoehorned into basic social networking design –
searches especially are cluttered by the “noise” of social networking
|
This
again is a choice box – if you want pure stash management, MHI is far
superior to SM, because SM searches are cluttered with unrelated material
|
You can
create multiple stash lists
|
You can
create only one stash list
|
This
gives primacy to MHI for modelers who sort their stashes by model types
(armor, aircraft, etc.). I like this
feature, since I model it all.
|
Easy
learning curve
|
Long
learning curve – unless you’re a tech-head
|
As a
non-tech-head, a short learning curve is welcome – I was using MHI within
five minutes, and that’s impressive to me
|
Navigation
is intuitive
|
Navigation
is complex, not intuitive
|
This
has to do with SM’s super-abundance of features. It especially hinders
focused searches.
|
Navigation
stays in same place on page
|
Navigation
moves around on page
|
This
just makes it easier to navigate – the same nav-guides are in the same place
on all MHI pages – for SM, not so much.
Not a biggie, but a feature.
|
If you
search for something, adding what you find to your stash requires one click
|
If you
search for something, it’s hard to add into the stash
|
This is
a major benefit to MHI for me, since I want an easy-to-use stash
manager. However, if you have
different goals than managing a stash, SM might prove more helpful.
|
Can
customize stash list
|
Can’t
customize stash list
|
This
MHI feature was hugely important to me – but would be irrelevant to someone
who wants a single generic stash list.
|
Hot
kits are featured prominently
|
Hot
lists are available in a wide variety of topics, including kits
|
This is
a toss-up from a stash management point of view – if you want the whole
social networking, you’ll love all the hot lists and other lists – but there
goes your modeling time.
|
Stash
manager laid out in simple, logical placement, with features optimized for
stash management
|
Stash
manager not optimized for stash management, but it has a huge database (which
is good and bad)
|
Again,
it depends on what you want. I like
the elegant simplicity of MHI, but the abundance of SM features is
impressive, if a bit confusing
|
Price Spy
gives useful pricing info
|
If SM
has a price list, I couldn’t find it. They do, however, provide price
information via the marketplace and in search results.
|
This is
a key MHI advantage for kit collectors and those wanting to know the value of
their stashes. MHI’s inventory is
useful for insurance purposes.
|
Off-site
forum for modelers
|
On-site
forum for modelers, with links to other forums
|
If you
want a zillion forums, you’ll find them on SM – but their results clutter the
site and skew the metrics (important for advertisers). That last item about
skewed metrics is only relevant to advertisers, but since I have an
advertising background, I thought it might prove helpful to them.
|
A
simple and site-focused “community” with blog and “friends,” but not much
more
|
An
over-abundance of “community” – that’s what SM is really all about
|
For me,
I’ll go to SM if/when I want to search out galleries, but the off-site MHI forum
is clean and useful, as are its blogs and insights – all focused on kit stash
management.
|
Tech Features
|
||
Optimized
for export into Excel – CSV feature is designed to open in Excel
|
Exporting
is difficult if you’ve added details (new features) – that added info doesn’t
export out. You can export in multiple
formats – PDF, CSV, Excel, Tab-Separated (for Access Database)
|
This
isn’t something I need or want, but it’s important to Excel power users. Make the most of what you see here.
|
No bulk
uploads at this time
|
No bulk
upload from an Excel file
|
Because
bulk uploads are a tech-head feature, I don’t miss the absence of a
bulk-upload feature. However, I
mention this for those who currently use Excel, as many DIY stash-manager
modelers do
|
No
ability to go to eBay at this time.
|
Ability
to go to eBay (using eBay search term) – but it’s just a shortcut, not a live
link to an eBay auction
|
Because
it doesn’t link to an actual auction, its value is limited – if you use eBay,
you already know how to search it.
|
Currently
primarily but not exclusively featuring US-based vendors – but the site is
currently reaching out to credible hobby vendors across the globe
|
Only
one US vendor – Sprue Brothers (all others European) – not particularly heavy
in Japanese/Asian vendors
|
This
reflects the national origins of the two services, as well as their purposes.
Obviously a social networking site will be more international.
|
Will
add new kits on request, in short time
|
Add
kits using a Wiki Approach – People can propose a change
|
I
prefer to ask a human person to do this for me, rather than to master some
online service, so this is a MHI win.
For those not intimidated or who like learning new tech-head
techniques, this is an SM advantage.
|
Searches
|
||
Search
engine is flexible
|
Search
Engine is picky about what it searches – for instance, doesn’t easily search
by kit numbers as listed on kit box
|
This is
huge. I was overwhelmed with the
content of the search engine searches.
TMI to the max – like trying to find one on-sale kit at a new Squadron
5,000-kit sale.
|
Searches
intuitive and clearly spelled out
|
Search
capabilities are explained at start, but they’re designed for technical
approaches, not intuitive approaches
|
|
Search
focuses on kits in stash manager
|
Searches
produce prodigious content – not just including stash management (F-15 example
– 917 “hits”)
|
|
If you
search for something, adding what you find to your stash requires one click
|
If you
search for something, it’s hard to add into the stash
|
This is
a major benefit to MHI for me, since I want an easy-to-use stash
manager. If you want more or different
than a stash manager, SM might be more appropriate for you
|
Wide
variety of search filter parameters
|
Only
use their very specific, limited filters – scale, kit/AM, military/Civilian -
|
I don’t
want to keep harping, but this is a critical MHI benefit. The SM searches are cluttered with social
networking feature hits, and it’s hard (or impossible) to customize the
searches beyond a given point,
|
Not a
social network – Forum is on another modeling forum site
|
To turn
off social networking, you have to know to do it and do it manually – and
it’s not easy (he wants you to use social media)
|
|
Aftermarket, Accessories and
|
Reference Materials
|
|
You can
keep track of books on MHI – a new “My Book” feature was added this week – you
can also treat books, reference materials or paints like unassigned aftermarket
items
|
You can
keep track of books and paint
|
This is
a plus for SM, but if you’re listing unassigned aftermarket items in MHI,
doing the same for books or paints is no problem.
|
Does
not catalog aftermarket product – you can add, but not cataloged
|
Catalogs
aftermarket products – information includes kit builds, reviews, lots of
discussion
|
Bottom Line: there are several major differentiators
between My Hobby Info and Scalemates that I, as a modeler looking
for a stash manager, found compelling.
Technical Design
My Hobby Info was
created with the stash management user in mind, by an active modeler who’s a
stash-management user himself. He
created solutions designed first to be user friendly, then tested with actual
modelers. New stash-management features
and refinements have been added at a rate of several times per month – a new
one was incorporated this week – and almost all of them so far have been
recommended by actual users. MHI is nothing if not responsive to requests for
useful technical enhancements.
Scalemates was apparently
created by someone with excellent technical skills. He seems to have provided technical solutions
that are functional, but – at least to me – not always user-friendly.
Design Philosophy
MHI
is a comprehensive stash management system, with a few social networking
features added on to give end-users a way of interacting with the owner and
other modelers, and “improving the breed.”
SM
is a comprehensive social networking system that works very well indeed in that
role. IT has incorporated a
technically-sound but not always intuitive or user-friendly stash management
system that in some areas (searches) gets bogged down by the wealth of
integrated social networking information in the system.
Searches
MHI
searches are easy to refine – the refinement is literally built into the
search. Each search is provided with a number of fields – scale, type of model,
kit manufacturer, etc. – that allows directs users to focus their searches.
To
me, this is SM’s weakest feature and, for me, a literal “deal-killer” when it
comes to using the stash manager. Each search I’ve done has been like that
online user’s comment about “trying to take a drink from a fire hose.”
I’m
not great when it comes to searches on Google or YouTube – I have to keep
refining the search terms until I get it right. MHI makes this both possible
and easy for non-techies like me. SM
doesn’t offer any good solution I could find.
Upgrades
SM
notes that some features on the site are still “beta,” and the site invites
user input. However, when it comes to
adding new kits, it’s strictly DYI.
MHI
is operational, and adding new features based on user recommendations. New kits are added by the owner, within a day
or two of user requests for those new kits.
Each user can check in the system to see how many of his recommendations
and requests have been used.
Since I’m not a DIY tech-head, I like the MHI hands-on approach. Others, more technically oriented, may prefer the DIY approach.
Bottom line:
I
like both sites for different reasons.
If I want to see model galleries, and I often do, or if I want to seek
out what other modelers are saying about a kit, I’ll go to Scalemates. However, for my
stash manager needs, I’ve already selected My
Hobby Info as my sole source for keeping track of my stash. Now all I’ve got to do is carry my laptop
down to my two-car garage/slash/model kit warehouse and start entering all
those kits.
End-Note
The “Features” section, originally found in the middle of this blog, is so extensive that I decided to move it to the end, so only those who really care about Features will be forced to wade through the comprehensive list.
Features: –
The following table lists the listed Features to be found on each site, in the
order presented by the site itself. Scalemates has many more features,
because it is primarily a social networking site, with forums and discussions,
galleries and walkarounds, as well as a stash manager. My
Hobby Info focuses at least 85 percent of its site to managing stashes.
My Hobby Info
|
Scalemates
|
· Home Page
o
Hot 20 Latest Kits
o
New Prices
o
About
o
Tools: Info & Search
o
Tools: Stash Manager
o
Tools: Price Spy
o
FAQ & Trouble-shooter
o
Terms of Use
o
Contact My Hobby
Info
o
Advertise
· Main Desk
o
My Latest Info
o
Wish List
§ My Wish List
§ Quick Kit Finder
§ Search & Filter
o
Kit Search
o
Catalog Browser (search by kit mfg)
· Stash Manager
o
My Stash List
o
Add Stash Kits
o
Search Stash Kits
o
My A-to-Z Kit List
o
My Completed Kits
§ Add Completed Kit
§ Completed List
o
Aftermarket Items
§ Add Aftermarket
§ Assigned
Aftermarket
§ Unassigned
Aftermarket (adding
in otherwise not listed AM items to your stash)
§ A-to-Z Full List
o
My Books
§ Book List
§ Add Book
· Price Spy
o
Price Search
· Community
o
MHI Insights
o
MHI Blog
o
Advertise
o
Brand Directory
o
Forum (hosted at Modeler’s Social Club)
o
My Friends
§ Current Friends
§ Add Friends
§ Pending Requests
o
My Accepted Kits
o
Suggest Kits
|
· Home Page
o
Reference Search Engine
o
Stash Management
o
Events Calendar
o
Hobby Shop Locator
o
Social Networking
o
Recent Posts – Knowledge Engine
o
New on the Web – Latest Articles Added to Our Search Engine
o
Hot Products – New or future releases seen on many
wishlists
o
Login
§ Notifications
§ My Profile
§ My Albums
§ My Projects
§ My Topics
§ My Stash
§ My Books
§ My Wishlist
§ My Tradelist
§ My Colors
§ Contribute
· Add Product
· Add Book
§ Members Currently
Online
§ Mobile Setting
o
Links
§ Scale Modeling
Clubs
· Newest Clubs
· All Scale Modeling
Clubs
§ Online Magazines
§ Forums
§ Press
§ Other
§ Shops
o
Facts
§ Products
· Most Wanted Kits
· Most Bought Kits
· Most Built Kits
· Most Tradeable Kits
§ Topics
· Most Favorite
Topics
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|
Feature
Conclusion: As I noted, Scalemates has far more features than
does My Hobby Info, but most of
those features have nothing to do with stash management. If you’re looking for a comprehensive
modeling site – whether you want to manage your stash or not, Scalemates is for you.
However, if you really just want to manage your stash, My Hobby Info is, in my opinion, the better of the two sites, and for a lot of reasons. Easier use. More functionality. A responsive owner. But mainly, I prefer it for my stash management because My Hobby Info is all about managing your stash, and that’s what I was looking for in the first place.