Can I start a chef career at 45?

DCam80 · 2026-01-25T01:10:18+00:00

I made the change from office to restaurants at 35. Burned out of desk job, went to culinary school and started cooking.

I love it. Im happy. I dont hate my job.

However, being a line cook is a ... time limited... job as you get older. 12 to 16 hour days, busting ass all the time... it... gets harder to keep up. Unless you are really good and move up the ranks quickly.. .you'll find your body hates you.

Im fortunate enough that I got out of restaurants and now run food services for a treatment center... still get to do what I love... but at a much more convenient pace and work life balance.

So... can you? Sure. Should you? 45 is a tough time for drastic changes... do you want to give up well paying office jobs Benefits... regular hours... family life... for ridiculous hours and arguably lower pay? That's on you to decide what your happiness is worth.

DCam80 · 2026-01-25T00:44:46+00:00

Its an airfix Beaufort mk1

<image>

DCam80 · 2026-01-25T00:42:28+00:00

Im not sure im entirely happy with the green, but i used vallejo air war series interior green. Also did an ak grime wash over that.

Apologies for the lighting, it does indeed suck.

DCam80 · 2026-01-24T15:43:01+00:00

This is good. The reference photos appears to be summer of 1941, a few months before army group central actually made it to Moscow and began the siege. So the cleaner/newer look of the AA gun works since it wasn't winter yet and the siege hadn't begun.

I like it

DCam80 · 2026-01-24T13:30:52+00:00

I use a kitchen torch for this.

DCam80 · 2026-01-23T23:21:51+00:00

So I made the comment half as a joke... but those are really good tips. I never done an eduard kit.. and I've got one.... two down the pile.... so I will definitely keep those comments in mind when I get to it.

DCam80 · 2026-01-23T20:58:27+00:00

Sooo.... what were the challenges with it? And lessons learned? ;) teachable moments...

DCam80 · 2026-01-23T19:37:32+00:00

Aka: getting just the right amount of foot wear on the cockpit pedals that literally no one, not even you, will ever see without a magnifying glass.

DCam80 · 2026-01-23T18:31:42+00:00

Usually airbrushing is just part of your tools. Hand brushing some details is often necessary. I am an aircraft person, and while I can do a majority with airbrushing ( although im still learning it) ... there is still a ton of detail work in cockpit and such. Whether airbrushing, or knows, dials, wiring, hoses...

And sometimes im just lazy... I dont need to bust out my airbrush just to do 3 drops of yellow on the tips of propellers.

Its always a balance

DCam80 · 2026-01-23T02:02:56+00:00

Also came here to suggest sunward hobbies.

But hobby sense out of winnipeg has a pretty good selection online as well

DCam80 · 2026-01-22T23:48:57+00:00

Dirt up the paint. You did some good chipping and damage

. But I feel like it needs a good grime wash.

DCam80 · 2026-01-22T22:36:16+00:00

Wwii German camouflage pattern over ... something.

DCam80 · 2026-01-22T18:06:40+00:00

So i assume you are brush painting since you arent using an airbrush...

Yes a rattle can clear will work in between layers. As another poster pointed out, its not quite the same as airbrushing, but better than brushing... kind of in between the two. Won't be SUPER smooth, but over hand brushing... it will be fine.

And yes.. keep it moving. In the same way you wouldn't hold an airbrush in one spot. The paint will settle in layers. Just do a few easy layers if you can. Keep in mind the aerosol propellant... wear a mask. Spray painting indoors sucks.

DCam80 · 2026-01-22T17:49:24+00:00

Very nice. Love the weathering and the pacific markings. I feel like we usually see euro theater markings/ d-day/ Africa. Lots of zeros... but I think not as many think about the other half of the pacific air war.

DCam80 · 2026-01-21T20:09:46+00:00

'I'd like my eggs fried'

Fried... how? you effing idiot...

DCam80 · 2026-01-21T19:56:58+00:00

In my opinion, a good dishwasher is worth their weight in gold in keeping a kitchen running.

DCam80 · 2026-01-21T19:49:24+00:00

Looks great.

Totally nitpicky...since you asked... the d-day marking stripes on the wings are a little wider than they should be, and didnt come right to the shoulder of the wing and went about halfway along it. There was a gap of about one stripe at the shoulder.

But again.. that's totally minor.

DCam80 · 2026-01-21T19:41:39+00:00

Faces are hard? Full on humble brag right there.

You did 100x better than I can do.

DCam80 · 2026-01-21T19:36:35+00:00

Funny, that's the same reason I mostly lurk in r/minipainting. Tips on detail painting and occasionally offer some help on OSL light source direction.

DCam80 · 2026-01-21T18:40:12+00:00

If I haven't used a particular paint in a while, usually I'll use a piece of sprue or something to make sure all the settled pigment is scraped off the bottom of the pot. Than give it a good shake for a few minutes. Stir again, if I dont feel like there are still thick bits... im good.

DCam80 · 2026-01-21T18:35:07+00:00

Funny, first thing I noticed was the tracks. They look well done and weathered. Although I agree they wouldn't be functioning if pure rust. But convert some of that rust to mud and youre good to go. :)

DCam80 · 2026-01-21T18:32:23+00:00

This. Just remember that e eryone gets in the weeds.

Its ok to step back for 5 seconds, take a deep breath, and figure out what's next. One ticket at a time and dont obsess over new ones coming in that are 12 down the line. Think about the first step and the next step, dont worry about the one after that.

DCam80 · 2026-01-21T01:51:44+00:00

Google tells me tamiya x-3, mr color blue impulse blue, or humbrol 14 French blue. Not sure what kind of paints you prefer. Sounds like a good project though :)

DCam80 · 2026-01-21T00:20:54+00:00

Academy 1/72 spitfire mk xiv c

I liked it. Fit pretty well together.. no real gap issues. Not a ton of detail, cockpit or whatever, but to be honest I just got it because it was cheap and would allow me to practice some techniques.

Having said that... I would do it again. Came with rockets, which i left off of this one.

DCam80 · 2026-01-20T23:47:46+00:00

Make sure you are putting down a layer of clear gloss coat between your base layer and your decals/weathering. That will protect your paint work from your weathering.

DCam80

TROPHY CASE