Pete J.

Since it is a Revell contest, I am suprised that they are not a bit more specific. As a point of referance, here is a quote from the IPMS hand book. Take it for what it is worth to you. I did edit it for parts that do not pertain to this discussion. They had to do with number of applicable groups. 1. OUT-OF-THE-BOX entries will be governed by the following rules: A. KITS. Any commercially available kit may be used. B. FINISH. All finishing techniques are allowed. Decals other than those included with the kit may be used. Insignia, markings, and instrument panels may be hand-painted instead of decaled. Weathering is permitted. C. CONSTRUCTION. The modeler may fill seams and gaps; sand off rivets; drill out gun ports, exhaust pipes, or other appropriate openings; thin to scale such parts as trailing edges, flaps, and doors; add rigging and antennas; and add simple tape or decal seat belts in the cockpit of an aircraft or the interior of a vehicle (NO commercial or modeler-manufactured hardware - e.g., buckles, etc.). D. IT IS NOT PERMITTED TO: vacuform, manufacture, or replace any part, or substitute parts from another kit; cut or separate canopies, surfaces, hatches, doors, etc. (no major surgery); combine a standard kit with a conversion kit; add anything other than specified on the instruction sheet except as shown in Section C above.

Thanks for the complement. The Surfite was build after I finished the super detailed 935 and I had a bunch of decals left over. I was really burnt out on detailing when I built it and needed some relief for my imagination.

I seem to build at two extremes - First I like to ultra detail stuff and get it as accurate as possible. I love the challenge of "getting it right" My other extreme is just pure fantasy. Something really extreme, but believible. Make it clean but something that nobody ever would have thought of.

If you want an Enzo in 1:24 scale, get the Tamiya one. Much nicer build than the revell. Also a lot more detailed. If you can find it the SMS detail set adds a lot to it. They are $38 from Hobby link, so you should be able to find one for less than $40 on some vendors table. By the way, GBR!!

Nope, pretty much stuck just building the same thing over and over and over.

Yep, ok now I understand your feelings about it. The way you worded your first statment is came across as "only beginers build box stock. Experienced modelers don't waste their time on it." Not what you ment. Ok.

Harry - I am definately in disagreement with you about this catagory and more aligned with LoneWolf15. I have always seen box stock at the top of the heap in contests and I am sure that will cause some disagreement but here is my logic. Box stock is nothing but pure modeler skill in the very basics of our hobby. It is about the cleanest of the clean builds or as near to perfection as you can get without the usual "cheats" of hidding stuff under detail or custom body work or all the other little tricks we all have to conceal our mistakes. It takes a lot to take what came in the box an make it into a really first class model. Minuet attention to detail is the name of the game. I don't compete in this catagory often, because it takes a lot of work to put a top notch model on the table. As to it being a beginers catagory, I can see that point of view, but I believe it really appeals to a select group of top flight modelers who really want to compete one on one without the clutter of aftermarket/scratch build stuff. Just cleanup, fit, assembly and paint quality. Best time I ever had was many years ago two of my best modeling buddys and I all built the same kit box stock and painted it with the same exterior paint and put them on the table at one of the bigger model contests and then stood back and watched the fun. This was a test of all our skills enhansed by a friendly competition. For those intersted here is a photo of my entry. I have always felt that box stock can be one of the toughest catagories.

Ditto - Been there and heard that. All the employees at Tamiya say it the same way. -Tahmeah very flat with no inflection. Very hard for an american to get it just right.

Mark - you left one(or is the won) out. It is to,too, and two. Tomb - toom comb - coom? and wear or where.....? A big thanks to all who remind us of our regional differances! We are indeed a people united but separated by a common language. By the way Nate - Fahd is the stuff that gets into jet engines and screws them up. (inside joke for aviators!) Oh, and by the way I never heard it pronounce Willis. I learned to drive in a CJ-2A and Dad always called it a Willees. I guess that is a Nebraska thing.

Never mind. I found it. $42,000! Yea, that is about right for that level of craftsmanship.

OMG! That is impressive! Who is the builder? I would very much like to see more of his stuff.

Part of it is also hiding any thing that doesn't look like a model. This is a pretty good photo if I do say so myself, but I can pick out 4 major bits that give it away as a model. Can you?

Almost any hobby store with carry it. It is by the same company that makes Microsol and Microset. In fact if your hobby shop has a rack of Microscale products, one of them will be Kristal Klear. It's good stuff!

You really need the kick stand. This may look like a sport bike but frankly, it is a great Japanese poser! Had the look of big American Iron with a 50cc engine. Only in Japan! Kind of a weird piece. Sport it out if you would like, but remember what it is. I actually have one in my collection. It was a gift from my first visit to Tamiya HQ in Japan. I have never built it, but now that I see one, I am getting the bug to tackle it. Pete PS - I never saw the real thing but googled it and came up with this Japanese web site. http://info.motor.hc360.com/2007/05/30144921145.shtml This is really a small bike, almost the size of a minibike. Either that or the rider is just huge! Kind of puts the whole thing in perspective. Wierd is the only word I can come up with.

MicroScale Kristal Klear - Best stuff on the market. A white glue that will tack up farily fast and dries completely clear. Shrinks as it dries so any excess around the edge pulls back under the photo etched and it remains flexible after dry. One other great feature is that it cleans up with water even after it has dried completely.

I've never had a problem with this process. As with anything, timing is critical. Normally, my wait time is over night as I mostly work in the evening after work. If you wait that long then you will never have any issues. I developed this idea because Mark Jones mentioned on time that using the other methods you leave a fair bit of paint in the can. Being frugel, I didn't want to leave any paint as it cost quite a bit per ounce.

I follow a completely differant approach. First thing I do is turn the can upside down and release all the propellent, just like I was going to clean the nozzle before storing it, except I get rid of all the gas. I then set it aside for several hours. This does two things, first is that it prevents the paint from getting any moisture in it from condensation because it is cooled from the drop in pressure. Second it allows the paint to off gas in the can and I have no fear of boil over as it warms up. Once the can is back to room tempurature, I repeat the process because the gas coming out of the paint will have built up a little pressure. I then heat the can in hot water to warm it and shake to bijebbers out of it. (bijebbers are those nasty little gremlins that ruin a perfect paint job. ) Once I am convinced the paint is well mixed, I lay the can on it's side on the bench and take an ice pick or an awl and punch two holes in the can. One as close to the bottom seam as I can and one near the top. I tip the can with the bottom hole over the jar I want to fill and use a finger over the top hole to control the flow. This method allows me to get all the paint that is in the can out. Once I have extracted all the paint that way. I use a hypodermic to squirt a little thinner in the can and shake it again, to get any residual paint out. This is a safe and easy way to get all the paint that you paid for.

I was a bit shocked when with this one. After voting I found out this one is a Symbolic Motors here in La Jolla. Had to go by and see it. Very nice restoration!

The assembled version of this was over $800 so $600 doesn't seem to bad espesially if they upgraded a lot of the parts.

You might be right, but then I spent more than that on the 935 with the SMS kit so it doesn't look like a bad buy, especially if you can get a discount like most large scale models.

Holy (instert your own explative)!!! Nobody that I know of saw this comming. http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/item.php?product-id=12047 I have been waiting for 10 years for this thing to show up as an assembly kit. Down side - $610 but that is not any worse than some of the small resin shops and I would bet that this puppy is a much better build. I'm first in line! Who's behind me. Pete

Good heavens Harry, a Fiat Multipla! Who in their right mind would buy/own/model one of those. It has got the be real, either that or it is a really sick Itallian modeler.

Technonlogy without a purpose is a toy. Having said that, the definition of purpose can get very blurred. Yes, entertainment is a purpose, but entertainment to the exclusion of useful work is a problem. Playing Angry Birds while waiting for the doctor is entirely differant than sneaking in a couple of games on the office computer. I use a lot of technonology bits and pieces in my hobbies. For instance, I needed to cut a cove on a piece of metal I was turning for a project for my daughter. Rather than guess and approximate the cut, which a competant machinest would have been able to do(I am very much an amature machinest and far from competant), I created a spread sheet in Excel to calculate the depth of plunge cuts to accurately give me the edge of the curve. I then used Sketchup to draw and lable the dimentions of the piece I was making. Could I have done the calculations the old fashion way and drawn the plans this a pencil and paper? Yes, but I learned a lot doing it on a computer that I would not have learned otherwise. Was I playing with technology? Yes, but now I have a tool that can do this repeatedly should I have the need in the future. Yes, it will get used, so technology is making me more productive at something I enjoy and is not "work". I doubt that most would question this use of technology. As to those who are glued to their smart phone while walking down the street, "Pay attention to the world around you!!!" Smart phones have a use. Over use is abuse! You don't need to be glued to it and expect others to get out of your way, and quit playing with the darned thing while you are driving. That is just plain dangerous!

A couple of thought come to mind about building. If you get all your joy from finishing something, then you are not enjoying the build. Which one last the longest? The build or the finish. Second is my favorite statement from the book, "If life is a game, these are the rules". There are no mistakes in life, only lessons and the lessons will continue until they are learned. Modeling like life is all about the build/journey, not the destination.

Which just goes to prove that "beauty is only skin deep, ugly goes clear to the bone!"