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Question for contest judges regarding non-scratchbuilt modifications


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The 3d printing thread took an interesting turn when it was opined that contest judges should take into account if a certain build has 3d printed parts and make deductions from said model if another build is of equal quality and impact but scrtach built. My question is, is it standard judging practice to favor scratchbuilding over purchased aftermarket parts? If three models are of equal quality and one has scratch built parts, one has aftermarket resin parts, and one is 3d printed does the scratchbuilt car win simply because it was scratchbuilt? What if the 3d printed model was designed by the builder who is showing it, is their creativity worth less than the builder who did the work by hand?

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I'm not worried about winning, trying to build for shows ruins the fun for me, I just wanted to know what the general rule is. I can inderstand not valuing a purchased resin kit as much as a scratch build but designing the kit in 3d still takes a good deal of skill and it's a shame that it may not be valued appropriately.

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I think it's too soon to ask that question as contest judges probably haven't run up against that problem yet. My gut feeling is that the physically scratch built part would take precedence unless the builder could prove he actually designed the parts that were 3d printed....... I dunno really..... :unsure:

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To myself and my club, when we're judging our show it depends more on how the final product than what went into it. Contestant A built a stock kit and made it beautiful while Contestant B used resin parts, photo-etch, 3D printed parts, etc etc but the final product looks crappy. It doesn't matter that Contestant B spent all the extra time and money to utilize all those extra bits if the end results is poor.

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Regardless of the originality of the part , it's all going to come down to the execution on the build . My guess would be that the 3D part would carry more weight at an IPMS show as long as it was properly documented .

As Harry stated , it's going to vary , contest to contest .

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Regardless of the originality of the part , it's all going to come down to the execution on the build .

As Harry stated , it's going to vary , contest to contest .

First part ~ Amen! B)

Second part ~ true. B)

IPMS? Who cares? Unless you have the correct number of 3D printed rivets. ;):P

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If three models are of equal quality and one has scratch built parts, one has aftermarket resin parts, and one is 3d printed does the scratchbuilt car win simply because it was scratchbuilt? What if the 3d printed model was designed by the builder who is showing it, is their creativity worth less than the builder who did the work by hand?

Any judged event is subjective, whether it's dogs, cars, models, quilts or ??? Make all the rules you want, but a human element influences a judge's ruling regardless of how impartial he tries to be and all things being equal, I think a judge is more likely to respect the most human effort if it's identical to a mechanical effort.

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Just build to have fun. Dont worry about winning.

this is true if you build something and put it on your shelf. There are tons of people who build for shows and are out to win and that is the fun of it for them. i felt the same way about photo etched parts and resin stuff for a while. i felt that there should be a class for plastic only. anything goes, just has to be styrene. scratch building and modifications to these pieces allowed. just no "aftermarket" pieces. kind of a modified box stock, if you know what i mean.

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Then we can add purchased, aftermarket 3-D printed parts at some point. Just because something has been produced on a 3-D printer doesn't mean it will be of good quality or fidelity. Parts is parts and they can be garbage or good. There are variables; it boils down to the overall quality and execution of the build and incorporation of parts, no matter what the origin of any parts might be. I am a contest judge; I have seen too many builds with PE items added like sprinkles on a cupcake.

Edited by johnbuzzed
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My opinion, for the little that it is worth is this. The balance should be tipped for the person who made their own parts reguardless of the methods used. My point here is that the type of construction is not relevant. Case in point is turned aluminum parts. They have been around for years and the person who buyes his parts verse the person who owns a lathe and turns his own is significant. Same applies to 3D printed parts. If you make them youself there is a differant skill level involved than the person who buys them off the shelf.

By the way, we already have 3D printed parts on the shelf for models. Well, kind of. Icon Models http://www.iconautomotiveminiatures.com/ started making rain tires for Formula 1 cars. Although the product that you get is cast resin he did the art work on CAD and sent it to an contract protype maker for the 3D printing for the masters. This is becoming much more common so you really have the final product coming from a 3D printer.

So, at a contest, two identical models both built to the same standard(hypothecial possiblity, real life unlikely) the modeler who does all his own work(scratch builder), gets an advantage over the builder who buys his stuff from a third party.

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So, at a contest, two identical models both built to the same standard(hypothecial possiblity, real life unlikely) the modeler who does all his own work(scratch builder), gets an advantage over the builder who buys his stuff from a third party.

Why?

Why should builder A have an edge over builder B from the judges because builder A did more scratchbuilding? Shouldn't the finished product (the model) be the thing that's being judged... not the relative talent levels of builder A vs. builder B?

To make an analogy... if you were judging an apple pie contest at the county fair, wouldn't you judge the winner based solely on the taste, texture, appearance, etc. of the finished pie? The fact that baker A churned her own butter or grew her own apples and baker B bought her butter and apples at the store shouldn't be a factor. The only thing that should be judged is the end result.

Or am I off base?

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To elaborate...

Let's say you're the judge. In your opinion, baker A's pie tastes no better or worse than baker B's pie.

Are you saying that you'd judge baker A's pie differently? You'd give some sort of edge or "extra credit" to baker A because she went to more trouble in the process than baker B did... even though baker B's pie turned out just as well?

Isn't that unfair to baker B?

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But (using Harry's analogy) what if Baker A made her pie from apples she grew and harvested and Baker B used processed apples? Hmmm? Both taste exactly the same.

Just because one person had to put more effort in to be equal does not mean they automatically should have the scales tipped in their favor does it?

Another perspective is the one who was able to get the same quality results with less work might be a better craftsman therefore shouldn't they get the benefit?

That is where blind anonymous judging to award the best piece is the fairest, assuming it is a contest for that. Once you start factoring in who did what under what circumstances (handicaps or special skill sets) it ceases to be a contest of the best built model and becomes something more convoluted.

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Now there's a man who I agree with. B)

Me too man.

Gotta make yourself happy first and foremost.

I post my builds on a bunch of forums for example. I don't do it because I'm looking to gain approval from anybody. I do it because of a number of reasons. I love seeing other people's work, and like to contribute mine as well. And I've gotten tons of great ideas and feedback on my builds by doing so. The way I see it is, the judges cant see it on my shelf. I'm the one who has to be ultimately happy with it, and look at it everyday. Build for yoursef, and you will be alot happier in the end. If somebody else likes it. Well then that's just a really cool bonus.

Corey

Edited by dimebolt
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But (using Harry's analogy) what if Baker A made her pie from apples she grew and harvested and Baker B used processed apples? Hmmm? Both taste exactly the same.

Just because one person had to put more effort in to be equal does not mean they automatically should have the scales tipped in their favor does it?

Another perspective is the one who was able to get the same quality results with less work might be a better craftsman therefore shouldn't they get the benefit?

That is where blind anonymous judging to award the best piece is the fairest, assuming it is a contest for that. Once you start factoring in who did what under what circumstances (handicaps or special skill sets) it ceases to be a contest of the best built model and becomes something more convoluted.

In general theory, I agree with you - if the end result is the same, what does it matter? But it seems to me that the idea of 3D printing or scratchbuilding or aftermarket is to produce something that is either better or different than what's in the kit, or not included. (So the apples-to-apples comparison is more like apples to oranges :P .) It's not putting in more effort to be equal, it's putting in the effort to be better.

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