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- Per-Episode Audience
Est. listeners per new episode within ~30 days
1,001 - 10,000 - Monthly Reach
Unique listeners across all episodes (30 days)
5,001 - 25,000 - Active Followers
Loyal subscribers who consistently listen
501 - 5,000
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On the show
Recent episodes
Episode 67: Scenery and Groundwork
Apr 2, 2026
1h 41m 41s
Episode 66: Storytime with Mike Pierce
Feb 19, 2026
1h 50m 34s
Episode 65: Talking with Chris Meddings about the Upturner Prize and "Ask Barry"
Jan 15, 2026
2h 05m 27s
Episode 64: Raphael Shelton, doing the hobby "just for fun," and what we're playing with on our work benches now
Dec 18, 2025
1h 57m 35s
Episode 63: Dave Browne
Nov 20, 2025
1h 15m 04s
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| Date | Episode | Description | Length | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4/2/26 |  Episode 67: Scenery and Groundwork | In this episode, your hosts hit the dirt running, so to speak, tackling the importance of the scenery in a diorama or vignette, starting with the question of whether we begin by building the setting (an approach Jim has taken of late) or if that comes last (Barry’s tendency). | 1h 41m 41s | ||||||
| 2/19/26 | Episode 66: Storytime with Mike Pierce | Central Virginia-based modeler (and retired entomologist!) Mike Pierce has been an inspiration to your hosts since we first met him at one of the MMSI’s post-show critique sessions. He’s a modeler who’s always trying new things, and he tells great stories—both in his work, and in conversation. In this episode, we have a fine visit and hear more than a few of his tales. | 1h 50m 34s | ||||||
| 1/15/26 | Episode 65: Talking with Chris Meddings about the Upturner Prize and "Ask Barry" | Barry and Jim chat once again with U.K. modeler Chris Meddings about a new international online “juried exhibition” he’s launched called the Upturner Prize, which, as he puts it atop the web site, is intended for “celebrating modellers who push the limits of miniatures, models, and what they can say, with an annual prize for artistic creation in miniature.” Your hosts round out this episode with a new segment Jim has now formally named: “Ask Barry.” | 2h 05m 27s | ||||||
| 12/18/25 | Episode 64: Raphael Shelton, doing the hobby "just for fun," and what we're playing with on our work benches now | Jim talks with Norris, Tennessee-based modeler Raphael Shelton, who Barry thought had an interesting perspective on “doing the hobby just for fun,” something those of us who are obsessed about this thing of ours (and who talk about it on a podcast) can sometimes forget. Jim and Barry also discuss what they’re working on (or playing with, if you prefer) at the moment. | 1h 57m 35s | ||||||
| 11/20/25 | Episode 63: Dave Browne | Toronto-area modeler Dave Browne has been a big inspiration to your hosts for quite some time, and not only because he shares their passion for box dioramas and is a master of the form. Dave is also a very talented armor modeler, and for 16 years, until it closed in January 2019, he ran Hornet Hobbies, the best kind of hobby shop. which, as he says, was about “building friendships, an active modelling community, and a few models.” | 1h 15m 04s | ||||||
| 10/30/25 | Episode 62: Robert Blokker | Your hosts talk with Robert Blokker, a loyal listener who lives in Alkmaar, a city located in the North Holland province of the Netherlands, known for its traditional cheese market. In addition to being a wonderfully gregarious fellow—Barry really enjoyed spending some time with him during World Model Expo in Versailles last summer—Robert, who works as a graphic artist, is a wonderfully imaginative modeler with a wide variety of interests: World War I to fantasy, busts to flats, 1/72nd figure... | 1h 10m 36s | ||||||
| 8/21/25 | Episode 61: Barry & Jim on their latest box dioramas and trying something new with every project | After epic conversations about big topics with multiple guests on the last two episodes—Perspectives on digital sculpting with Alan Ball and Nello Rivieccio in Episode 59, and a recap of World Model Expo in Versailles with Joan Biediger, Joe Berton, and Pat Vess in Episode 60—your hosts talk amongst themselves in this one, with Barry giving an unusual (for him) but very welcome (by Jim) step-by-step on the creation of his latest box diorama “XOR,” his eleventh (see his gallery here). Watch wh... | 1h 53m 35s | ||||||
| 7/24/25 | Episode 60: World Expo 2025 in Versailles | Incredible art, great camaraderie, a beautiful and historic locale—and some sketchy organization, long lines with overflow crowds, and none of the artist’s names on any of those incredible pieces! In this episode, Jim (who could not attend) and Barry (who could and did) discuss the good and the bad about the twelfth World Model Expo, which took place from July 4 to 6 in Versailles, batting it all around with special guests Joe Berton, Pat Vess, Joan Biediger, and U.K. correspondent Chris Medd... | 1h 48m 24s | ||||||
| 6/12/25 | Episode 59: Perspectives on Digital Sculpting vs. Toothpick & Putty | With our last episode recapping MFCA 2025, your hosts—with help from Lou Masses and Dennis Levy—kicked up a bit of a hornet’s nest by addressing a major recurring topic of discussion at the show and in our small section of the miniatures world in general: Should digital sculpting and 3D printing be judged differently than the “handmade/toothpick and putty” sculpts that have predominated in this odd art form of ours for the last five and a half decades? Okay, it was mainly Jim doing the kickin... | 2h 24m 03s | ||||||
| 5/22/25 | Episode 58: Talking about MFCA 2025 with Dennis Levy and Lou Masses | The Miniature Figure Collectors of America’s 82nd show took place on May 9 and 10 in Trevose, PA, just outside Philadelphia. On Saturday night, Lou Masses and Dennis Levy—both in a rather, um, well-lubricated mood—told Barry they’d love to bum-rush our podcast. They didn’t have to twist our arms—your hosts are always game for a good chat with friends who are equally devoted to this little hobby/art form of ours—and this episode is devoted to that talk. Once again, this episode is marked as ex... | 1h 42m 41s | ||||||
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| 5/1/25 | Episode 57: Why do we abandon some projects? And: Considering the effects of tariffs on the hobby | In this episode, your hosts mull over why some modelers (like Jim) rarely abandon a project, seeing even the dogs through to completion, while others (like Barry) regularly start one and then set it aside. And, at the risk of abandoning our policy of avoiding politics, which is generally a very good one these days, the boys felt compelled to consider how the current moment is impacting the hobby. Please note that this episode is marked as explicit as there are a couple of f-bombs.... | 1h 10m 28s | ||||||
| 3/27/25 | Episode 56: What do we do with all of this STUFF? with Joe Berton | Death comes to us all, as the saying goes, and while your hosts aren’t feeling particularly morbid at the moment, we certainly look around from time to time at all of the tools and paints and supplies on our workbenches; the closets and shelves full of un-built kits; the stacks (and stacks and stacks) of books; our displays of the figures, vignettes, and dioramas we’ve built and collected from friends and artists we admire, and the odd piece of militaria we’ve acquired and think, “Who’s going... | 1h 29m 23s | ||||||
| 2/20/25 | Episode 55: Artificial Intelligence and Modeling: A Talk with Jake McKee | We tackle the topic of Artificial Intelligence and some of its possible impacts on our hobby in this discussion with Jake McKee. Jake is a consultant in the digital realm, a photographer, a devoted modeler, and a blogger (with both a tech blog and a modeling blog). In the past, he’s done digital marketing for Lego, and he’s also worked at Apple. He’s been thinking about A.I. a lot, and he certainly helped us formulate our thoughts, and consider the possibilities. For photos of what we d... | 1h 42m 56s | ||||||
| 1/23/25 | Episode 54: Barry & Jim's Adventures (and Frustrations) with the 1/16th Universal Carrier Kit | In Episode 52, when Jim expressed interest in the new 1/16th-scale Gecko Models Universal Carrier kit, Barry suggested a “buddy build,” with each of them tackling the beast—something he now regrets. This episode is devoted to their ongoing frustrations with the build (and, for Jim, some fun, too). Although Barry initially suggested the idea, he later worried that no one would be interested in talk about a kit few if any of the listeners might build. But Jim thought it wound up being about mor... | 1h 44m 21s | ||||||
| 12/19/24 | Episode 53: Francois Verlinden | In this episode, we chat with one of the legends of the hobby: Francois Verlinden, who is alive and well at age 78. He retired to Palm Beach, Florida, after the company that bore his name closed in 2016, but he is occasionally painting again “just for fun”—including some of those Warhammer minis the kids love! We also talk about our buddy build of the Gecko 1/16 Universal Carrier. For photos of what we discuss in each episode, visit the Small Subjects blog on boxdioramas.com: http://www.box... | 1h 55m 11s | ||||||
| 11/21/24 | Episode 52: Our Beginnings | Your hosts expand on their own answers to one of their favorite questions for guests—How did you get your start in this small-sized pursuit of ours? They dive into some of their earliest modeling experiences, talk about people who helped get them started, and tell us about some of the kits and figures they loved tackling as kids. For photos of what we discuss in each episode, visit the Small Subjects blog on boxdioramas.com: http://www.boxdioramas.com/smallsubjects Join one of our Facebook ... | 1h 33m 38s | ||||||
| 10/31/24 | Episode 51: The 2025 MMSI Chicago Show | This time we talk about the recent 2024 MMSI Chicago show with Pat Vess and Joe Berton. We also talk about some things the guys have planned for next year's 50th anniversary show. For photos of what we discuss in each episode, visit the Small Subjects blog on boxdioramas.com: http://www.boxdioramas.com/smallsubjects Join one of our group builds: Historex: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallsubjectshistorex Flats: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallsubjectsflats Fantasy Busts: https:/... | 1h 26m 48s | ||||||
| 10/3/24 | Episode 50: Doug Cohen | For their 50th episode, your hosts talk with versatile Texas-based modeler, sculptor, and painter Doug Cohen, whose work stands out at any show he enters, as readily identifiable as his sense of humor. For photos of what we discuss in each episode, visit the Small Subjects blog on boxdioramas.com: http://www.boxdioramas.com/smallsubjects Join one of our group builds: Historex: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallsubjectshistorex Flats: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallsubjectsflats ... | 1h 19m 31s | ||||||
| 8/22/24 | Episode 49: Scott Primeau | In this episode, your hosts chat with Minnesota-based painter and sculptor Scott Primeau, a consistent gold-medal winner, Chicago medalist, and self-effacing talent whose attitude and ambition inspires both of us. We also talk about getting over some of our modeling fears. For photos of what we discuss in each episode, visit the Small Subjects blog on boxdioramas.com: http://www.boxdioramas.com/smallsubjects Join one of our group builds: Historex: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smal... | 1h 25m 19s | ||||||
| 7/11/24 | Episode 48: Natalia Oracz | Jim and Barry chat with another of their favorite painters from the fantasy realm, and one who’s been on their wish list of guests for quite some time: Natalia Oracz. They also talk about the inaugural Rocky Mountain Hobby Expo in Salt Lake City, an open show which was held on June 22. For photos of what we discuss in each episode, visit the Small Subjects blog on boxdioramas.com: http://www.boxdioramas.com/smallsubjects Join one of our group builds: Historex: https://www.facebook.com/gro... | 1h 17m 35s | ||||||
| 6/2/24 | Episode 47: Joan Biediger Talks About "Algorithm As Art" | Jim and Barry talk with Joan about her extraordinary box diorama “Algorithm As Art,” a gold-medal winner at MFCA 2024. Jim calls it one of the most important boxes in the history of the form—for its imagination, its execution, the ideas it raises, and the discussions it prompts. (Be sure to read his piece about it here.) For photos of what we discuss in each episode, visit the Small Subjects blog on boxdioramas.com: http://www.boxdioramas.com/smallsubjects Join one of our group builds: His... | 57m 59s | ||||||
| 4/25/24 | Episode 46: Verko's Vault | Your hosts have been hustling to get the scoop on Verko’s Vault for some time. In this episode, they finally got the full run-down on the exciting plans for what will be one of the largest museums of miniatures yet opened to the public. We also have another of Jim’s ongoing Questions for Barry, this one involving how to effectively fade colors with an airbrush. For photos of what we discuss in each episode, visit the Small Subjects blog on boxdioramas.com: http://www.boxdioramas.com/smallsu... | 1h 13m 14s | ||||||
| 3/21/24 | Episode 45: Erik Swinson | In this episode, your hosts talk with Virginia Beach-based professional miniatures painter Erik Swinson, one of the most stunning talents on the scene today. Erik streams on Twitch most Wednesday evenings: https://www.twitch.tv/erik_swinson If you can't make those live streams, you can watch them later on his Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@erik_swinson Follow Erik on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erik_swinson/ and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erikswinson We also talk... | 1h 30m 07s | ||||||
| 2/22/24 | Episode 44: Abstraction in Miniatures and Digital vs Traditional Scratchbuilding | On this episode, your hosts tackle two big ideas they’ve been thinking and talking about a lot lately. First up: The notion of throwing away all the “rules” and thinking more abstractly. They also talk about digital modeling and 3D printing in terms of it's advantages and disadvantages versus traditional scratch building. For photos of what we discuss in each episode, visit the Small Subjects blog on boxdioramas.com: http://www.boxdioramas.com/smallsubjects Join one of our group builds... | 1h 32m 16s | ||||||
| 1/18/24 | Episode 43: Jon Harbuck | We chat with Alabama-based modeler Jon Harbuck, an attorney, a true Southern gentleman, and a favorite for the powerful storytelling in his work. We also talk about Barry and Joan's recent trip to Las Vegas for a painting workshop taught by Matteo di Diomede held at Verko's Vault, the exciting new miniatures museum. For photos of what we discuss in each episode, visit the Small Subjects blog on boxdioramas.com: http://www.boxdioramas.com/smallsubjects Join one of our group builds: Historex:... | 1h 39m 36s | ||||||
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Chart Positions
5 placements across 4 markets.
Chart Positions
5 placements across 4 markets.