Following the cancellation of yesterday’s monthly meeting due to weather, we have secured the Legion and rescheduled for Wednesday, April 16th from 7 to 9 PM.  A reminder notice will be issued a week before the meeting. Doors open around 6:45 PM, we recommend you arrive early to facilitate starting on time.  We have retained Tom Karnas, owner and operator of Carefree Hobbies in Oakville, Ontario, who has been confirmed as our guest at the rescheduled meeting. If you don’t know Tom and Carefree, please take a look at this short video which will give you a brief introduction to his in-store classes. Tom will be sharing his experience both as a long time modeller as well as a hobby shop owner for another “behind the scenes” look at the hobby. 

• 6:45 – 7:00 Arrive / setup
• 7:00 – 7:10 Announcements / welcome to new club members
• 7:10 – 8:00 Q&A with Tom Karnas of Carefree Hobbies (in-person session)
• 8:00 – 8:45 On the Tables – show us your projects!
• 8:45 – 9:00 Wrap up and meeting close  

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

• The “Model Clinic” is an idea we are developing to provide constructive feedback to anyone who wishes to have one of their models evaluated by an experienced panel (aircraft and armor only for now).  We don’t often get in-depth feedback on our models from shows, contests, or friends, making it challenging to more quickly improve our skills.  The process is still being worked on, but it will likely consist of an email reminder to submit a couple of pictures of a model you’d like to be evaluated.  This will be followed by a “live” session in one of our meetings, where the panel will first privately review, and then publicly share, their observation and feedback on each of the models.  Due to time constraints, we will be limited to 3 or 4 subjects per session on a first come, first serve basis, more details to come in future updates.      
• 2025 memberships: are you paid up yet?  If not, please visit https://ipmstoronto.com/membership/  please and thank you. Without your membership fees we could not host these meetings, so please go to the site at your earliest convenience.  

We are always looking for members to present any relevant material like museum visits, personal projects, tools, techniques, tips, etc. Please write to IPMSToronto@gmail.com or malaudisa@gmail.com if you would like to present at an upcoming meeting.  Our monthly meetings take place the FIRST Wednesday of each month from 7:00pm to 9:00pm.  

MEETING LOCATION

Royal Canadian Legion Hall, 948 Sheppard Ave W, North York, M3H 2T6 

Here’s your friendly reminder about our upcoming meeting on Wednesday, April 2nd from 7 to 9 PM.  Doors open around 6:45 PM, we recommend you arrive early to facilitate starting on time.  In the April meeting, we are welcoming Tom Karnas, owner and operator of Carefree Hobbies in Oakville, Ontario. If you don’t know Tom and Carefree, please take a look at this short video which will give you a brief introduction to his in-store classes. Tom will be sharing his experience both as a long time modeller as well as a hobby shop owner for another “behind the scenes” look at the hobby. 

• 6:45 – 7:00 Arrive / setup
• 7:00 – 7:10 Announcements / welcome to new club members
• 7:10 – 8:00 Q&A with Tom Karnas of Carefree Hobbies (in-person session)
• 8:00 – 8:45 On the Tables – show us your projects!
• 8:45 – 9:00 Wrap up and meeting close  

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

• The “Model Clinic” is an idea we are developing to provide constructive feedback to anyone who wishes to have one of their models evaluated by an experienced panel (aircraft and armor only for now).  We don’t often get in-depth feedback on our models from shows, contests, or friends, making it challenging to more quickly improve our skills.  The process is still being worked on, but it will likely consist of an email reminder to submit a couple of pictures of a model you’d like to be evaluated.  This will be followed by a “live” session in one of our meetings, where the panel will first privately review, and then publicly share, their observation and feedback on each of the models.  Due to time constraints, we will be limited to 3 or 4 subjects per session on a first come, first serve basis, more details to come in future updates.      
• 2025 memberships: are you paid up yet?  If not, please visit https://ipmstoronto.com/membership/  please and thank you. Without your membership fees we could not host these meetings, so please go to the site at your earliest convenience.  

We are always looking for members to present any relevant material like museum visits, personal projects, tools, techniques, tips, etc. Please write to IPMSToronto@gmail.com or malaudisa@gmail.com if you would like to present at an upcoming meeting.  Our monthly meetings take place the FIRST Wednesday of each month from 7:00pm to 9:00pm.  

MEETING LOCATION

Royal Canadian Legion Hall, 948 Sheppard Ave W, North York, M3H 2T6 

Meetings take place every first Wednesday of the month.  We look forward to seeing you all there!

Here’s your friendly reminder about our upcoming meeting on Wednesday, March 5th from 7 to 9 PM.  Doors open around 6:45 PM, we recommend you arrive early to facilitate starting on time.  

In the March meeting, we are welcoming Don McCowan, owner and operator of renowned Toronto hobby shop Wheels & Wings, and Tom Wright, Vice President of Borgfeldt Canada Ltd., distributor for brands including Tamiya, Airfix, Italeri, Revell, Zvzda, and more.  Don and Tom will be sharing their experiences and answering your questions from the perspective of owners and distributors for a look at the hobby from “behind the scenes”. 

• 6:45 – 7:00 Arrive / setup
• 7:00 – 7:10 Announcements / welcome to new club members
• 7:10 – 8:00 Q&A with Don McCowan and Tom Wright (in-person session)
• 8:00 – 8:45 On the Tables – show us your projects!
• 8:45 – 9:00 Wrap up and meeting close  

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

• 2025 memberships: are you paid up yet?  If not, please visit https://ipmstoronto.com/membership/  please and thank you. Without your membership fees we could not host these meetings, so please go to the site at your earliest convenience.  

We are always looking for members to present any relevant material like museum visits, personal projects, tools, techniques, tips, etc. Please write to IPMSToronto@gmail.com or malaudisa@gmail.com if you would like to present at an upcoming meeting.  Our monthly meetings take place the FIRST Wednesday of each month from 7:00pm to 9:00pm.  

MEETING LOCATION

Royal Canadian Legion Hall, 948 Sheppard Ave W, North York, M3H 2T6 

Meetings take place every first Wednesday of the month.  We look forward to seeing you all there! of the month.  We look forward to seeing you all there!!

Here’s your friendly reminder about our upcoming meeting on Wednesday, February 5th from 7 to 9 PM.  Doors open around 6:45 PM, we recommend you arrive early to facilitate starting on time.

In the February meeting, fellow modeller Vlad Shalamov will present “The Devil’s Machine: Mephisto and the Dawn of Tank Warfare.”  Inspired by a recent museum visit, Vlad will cover the history and photos of Mephisto, a World War I German tank and the only surviving example of an A7V tank. In April 1918, during a German attack at Villers-Bretonneux on the Western Front, it became stuck in a shell-hole and was abandoned by its crew. It was recovered by Allied troops about three months later and, after the war, taken to Australia as a trophy. Mephisto is housed at the Queensland Museum, in Brisbane, in the Anzac Legacy Gallery. 

MEETING AGENDA

• 6:45 – 7:00 Arrive / setup
• 7:00 – 7:10 Announcements / welcome to new club members
• 7:10 – 8:00 Vlad Shalamov Duncan Young,  “The Devil’s Machine: Mephisto and the Dawn of Tank Warfare.”   (in-person session)
• 8:00 – 8:45 On the Tables – show us your projects!
• 8:45 – 9:00 Wrap up and meeting close  

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

• 2025 memberships: are you paid up yet?  If not, please visit https://ipmstoronto.com/membership/  please and thank you. Without your membership fees we could not host these meetings, so please go to the site at your earliest convenience. 
• At the January meeting, we discussed the idea of a session to assess and critique your models to provide constructive feedback and improve your skills.  We will be developing a format for this and proposing it for a future meeting.     
• At the Peele Scale Modelers club’s January meeting, Maurizio was invited to give a presentation on “Techniques to produce distressed paint effects”.  I plan to present this material at a future IPMS Toronto meeting as well, in keeping with the members’ desire to have more content about modelling techniques.  

We are always looking for members to present any relevant material like museum visits, personal projects, tools, techniques, tips, etc. Please write to IPMSToronto@gmail.com or malaudisa@gmail.com if you would like to present at an upcoming meeting.  Our monthly meetings take place the FIRST Wednesday of each month from 7:00pm to 9:00pm.  

MEETING LOCATION

Royal Canadian Legion Hall, 948 Sheppard Ave W, North York, M3H 2T6 

Meetings take place every first Wednesday of the month.  We look forward to seeing you all there!!

Here’s your friendly reminder about our upcoming meeting on Wednesday, January 8th from 7 to 9 PM.  Doors open around 6:45 PM, we recommend you arrive early to facilitate starting on time.  In the January meeting, fellow modeller Duncan Young will speak about the specifics of AMPS judging, which are quite different from IPMS’ approach to judging contests.  Duncan is based out of Guelph, Ontario and will appear virtually via Zoom or similar.  

SURVEY RESULTS

Thank you to everyone who has filled out our survey (32 responses in total), your input is very valuable and will shape the upcoming meeting agendas to the extent possible.  Here are the key findings:

1. Membership Duration:

• Majority of respondents (38.7%) have been members for over 10 years, indicating a stable, long-term membership base.
• Newer members (less than a year) make up 6.5%, suggesting room for growth in attracting new participants.

2. Meeting Attendance:

• Most respondents (71%) attended 7–11 in-person meetings, demonstrating strong engagement.
• A minimal number (3.2%) did not attend any meetings in 2024.

3. Enjoyment of Meetings:

• A total of 93.5% of respondents rated meetings as “enjoyable” (45.2%) or “very enjoyable” (48.4%).

4. Satisfaction Ratings (“Satisfied” or “Very Satisfied”):

• Reminder Emails: 90.3% of respondents were satisfied, with 73.6% “very satisfied.”
• Meeting Location: 67.7% expressed satisfaction, though some suggested improvements (e.g., better lighting and cooling during summer).
• Presentations/Lectures: 90.3% satisfaction, including 43.9% “very satisfied.”
• “On the Tables” Segment: 96.8% were satisfied, with 53.3% “very satisfied.”
• Flea Markets: 83.9% expressed satisfaction, including 22.6% “very satisfied.”
• Socializing Time: 90.3% were satisfied, with 38.7% “very satisfied.”

5. Highlighted Presentations:

• Popular topics included “Scratch building the Vulcan,” “Interview with Fantastic Plastic,” and “Red Baron’s Last Flight.”
• Members appreciated technical and historical topics but suggested shorter durations for presentations.

6. Future Meeting Preferences:

• Interest in workshops (average rating: 4.42/5) and aircraft modeling (4.42/5) stood out.
• Other high-rated areas include dioramas/vignettes (4.03/5) and free time for socializing (3.77/5).
• Lower interest in Gunpla (2.48/5) and car/truck modeling (3.03/5).

7. Comments and Suggestions:

• Positive feedback on the flexibility and organization of meetings.
• Requests for more technical presentations, advanced technique seminars, and guest appearances.
• Suggestions for a more central meeting location and better presentation facilities (larger screens and improved audio).
• A desire for specialized sessions, such as decal exchange nights and workshops on modeling techniques.

This survey reflects high satisfaction among members, with over 90% expressing satisfaction in key areas, while offering valuable insights to further enhance member engagement and the quality of meetings in the future.  You can view the survey in its entirety here. 

MEETING AGENDA

• 6:45 – 7:00 Arrive / setup
• 7:00 – 7:10 Announcements / welcome to new club members
• 7:10 – 8:00 Duncan Young, “AMPS Judging” (virtual session)
• 8:00 – 8:45 On the Tables – show us your projects!
• 8:45 – 9:00 Wrap up and meeting close  

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

• 2025 memberships are now due at https://ipmstoronto.com/membership/  please and thank you. Without your membership fees we could not host these meetings, so please go to the site at your earliest convenience. 

We are always looking for members to present any relevant material like museum visits, personal projects, tools, techniques, tips, etc. Please write to IPMSToronto@gmail.com or malaudisa@gmail.com if you would like to present at an upcoming meeting.  Our monthly meetings take place the FIRST Wednesday of each month from 7:00pm to 9:00pm.  

MEETING LOCATION

Royal Canadian Legion Hall, 948 Sheppard Ave W, North York, M3H 2T6 

Meetings take place every first Wednesday of the month.  We look forward to seeing you all there!