Model Engine Builder
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersVallejo, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
Model Engine Builder firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Model Engine Builder
- Legal name
- Elmwood Publishing, Inc.
- Website
- https://modelenginebuilder.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Model Engine Builder industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hobbyist Digital Magazine
- NAICS
- Drafting Services (541340)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- RC Model Kits & Parts (Cars, Drones, Boats, Planes) (CRALAKAI)
Keywords
Where Model Engine Builder is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vallejo
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Model Engine Builder business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Digital Magazine Subscriptions: Digital subscription model providing 4 future issues of Model Engine Builder magazine starting with the most recent issue. Delivered as PDF downloads.
- Back Issue Sales: Individual back issues sold at $6.00 per issue, delivered as digital PDF downloads.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Digital Subscription - 4 Issues |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Individual Back Issues |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Model Engine Builder product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Model Engine Builder publishes a digital PDF magazine (under Elmwood Publishing) devoted to hobbyists who build internal combustion, steam, and Stirling model engines. Each issue contains build articles with CAD drawings, interactive 3D PDF models, how-to machining/assembly instructions, tech topics, and centerfold showcases, sold through annual subscriptions or individual back-issue purchases via the company website.
Product overview
Model Engine Builder is a digital magazine in PDF form published by Elmwood Publishing, founded in 2005 by Mike and Toni Rehmus. The publication focuses exclusively on model engine building, covering Internal Combustion (IC), Steam, and Stirling (hot air) engines. Issues contain build articles with CAD drawings and 3D PDF models at Beginner, Intermediate and Expert levels, how-to articles for machining and assembling, tech topics, shop tips, and centerfold articles showcasing exceptional models. Issues are available as digital subscriptions (4 issues for $24.00) or individual back issues ($6.00 each). The magazine has published 38 issues as of the available data.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Model Engine Builder Digital Magazine Subscription A recurring digital subscription providing four upcoming PDF issues of Model Engine Builder magazine, starting with the most recent issue. Each issue contains CAD drawings, 3D PDF models, build articles, how-to machining guides, and shop tips for hobbyists building IC, steam, and Stirling model engines. Priced at $24.00 per 4-issue bundle with annual billing cadence.
- Model Engine Builder Back Issues Individual past issues of Model Engine Builder magazine available as one-time digital PDF downloads. Issues #1 through #38 cover detailed build articles for various IC, steam, and Stirling model engines. Sold at $6.00 per issue on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Companies that use Model Engine Builder
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Model Engine Builder technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Model Engine Builder partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Model Engine Builder competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Strictly IC Magazine: A hobbyist publication focused on small-scale internal combustion model engines. It targets the same narrow audience of model engine builders with detailed build articles, making it the closest direct competitor to Model Engine Builder in the IC engine niche.
- Model Aviation: The official magazine of the Academy of Model Aeronautics, covering model aircraft construction and engine systems. Its readership of model aircraft enthusiasts overlaps with Model Engine Builder's audience, particularly readers interested in IC and small engine technology.
- Home Shop Machinist: A long-running hobbyist publication covering small-scale machining projects for home workshop enthusiasts. It overlaps with Model Engine Builder's reader base because many model engine builders are also hobby machinists, and the content (techniques, tooling, project builds) is highly comparable.
- Machinist's Workshop: A hobbyist magazine covering precision machining techniques and small-shop projects. Its audience of hobby machinists overlaps meaningfully with Model Engine Builder's readership, and the editorial format (project-driven, technique-focused) is closely aligned.
- Live Steam & Outdoor Railroading: A magazine dedicated to live steam model locomotives and outdoor railroading. It covers steam model engineering in depth, overlapping directly with Model Engine Builder's coverage of steam engine builds and serving a closely related hobbyist community.
Broad incumbents
- Model Railroader: The flagship hobbyist publication for model railroading, published by Kalmbach Media. It is a much larger, established title in the broader model-building hobby space, with an audience that frequently intersects model engine builders but whose core focus is scale railroading rather than engine construction.
- Make: Magazine: A mainstream DIY/maker publication with broad reach across hobbyist electronics, woodworking, and mechanical projects. While much wider in scope than Model Engine Builder, it covers model engine building projects and competes for the attention of the same hobbyist readers.
- FineScale Modeler: A long-running hobbyist publication covering scale modeling across vehicles, figures, and dioramas. While primarily focused on static scale models rather than working engines, it shares the same hobbyist model-building audience and competes for similar discretionary hobby spending.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat1 record
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Model Engine Builder social profiles
Digital presenceModel Engine Builder financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Model Engine Builder leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Model Engine Builder funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Model Engine Builder M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Model Engine Builder
What does Model Engine Builder do?
Model Engine Builder publishes a digital PDF magazine (under Elmwood Publishing) devoted to hobbyists who build internal combustion, steam, and Stirling model engines. Each issue contains build articles with CAD drawings, interactive 3D PDF models, how-to machining/assembly instructions, tech topics, and centerfold showcases, sold through annual subscriptions or individual back-issue purchases via the company website.
Is Model Engine Builder a public or private company?
Model Engine Builder is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Model Engine Builder founded?
Model Engine Builder was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Model Engine Builder based?
Model Engine Builder is headquartered in Vallejo, United States, in the North America region.
How does Model Engine Builder make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Digital Magazine Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are back Issue Sales.
Who are Model Engine Builder's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Strictly IC Magazine, Model Aviation, Home Shop Machinist, Machinist's Workshop and Live Steam & Outdoor Railroading. Broad incumbents are Model Railroader, Make: Magazine and FineScale Modeler.
Does Model Engine Builder have an API?
No public API is recorded for Model Engine Builder.
What industry is Model Engine Builder in?
Model Engine Builder's product category is Hobbyist Digital Magazine. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALAKAI, RC Model Kits & Parts (Cars, Drones, Boats, Planes). Its NAICS code is 541340 and its SIC code is 2731.