Why Do You Build The Scale(s) You Build?

[chunkypeanutbutter]

Why do you build the scale(s) you build?

I, for one, build 1/24 and 1/25 scales. They're also easily available, easy to find everyday items sized well for scratchbuilding, and is able to be seen well, by that I mean I can build things without a magnifier or small instruments.

[cobraman]

Cost, availability, space. Mostly 1/25 and 1/24.

[StevenGuthmiller]

1/24th & 1/25th. Mostly because that's where the majority of the subject matter is.

Plus the fact that larger scales are too large for display. At least for me.

I have enough problems with finding room for my 1/25th kits.

Steve

[bbowser]

1/24th & 1/25th. Mostly because that's where the majority of the subject matter is.

Plus the fact that larger scales are too large for display. At least for me.

I have enough problems with finding room for my 1/25th kits.

Steve

X2. I would love to build more in 1/16 or larger but have no where to put them.

[Fat Brian]

All of my automotive stuff is 1/24-1/25, I really don't have room to display them much less something bigger. My aircraft are all 1/72, again for space considerations mostly. My armor is evenly split between 1/72 and 1/35 with a couple 1/48 kits thrown in too.

[Snake45]

Cars, 1/24-25 for the same reasons cited by everyone else.

Airplanes, my preferred scale is 1/48 but I also do a fair amount of 1/72 and even odd "box scale" antique kits. Availability of subject matter and/or nostalgia are the relevant factors.

[BubbaBrown]

When I started building 1/25 was the way to go because of parts interchange. You could swap engines from all AMT 40 fords,32's,36's etc.

[Deathgoblin]

Price tends to be the main seller for me. The 1/24-1/25 scale kits tend to be cheaper. i do have one 1/12 scale kit, but it's gonna need some work.

[Tom Geiger]

It's always been 1/24 and 1/25 for me. If there are two models, in the competing scales, I'll usually choose the 1/25 version since it will fit better in my collection.

I don't build the larger scales because my eye and sense of scale is firmly rooted in 1/25. I recently had out a MiniCraft Model A pickup and an AMT '57 T-Bird with the idea of building a Model A rat rod pickup, but I just couldn't get myself to visualize it in that scale!

[Mr mopar]

I like all scales. .......the spice of life!

[Tom Geiger]

I like all scales. .......the spice of life!

all scales but the bathroom scale!

[Dirty Dave]

Though I have a couple of 1/16 and 1/12 scale projects on the back burner, I've been building 1/20, 1/24, 1/25, 1/32 and 1/35 lately. Nowhere to put the large scale stuff when it's completed.

[Rob Hall]

I build (well, buy) in the scales I build/buy because they are the scales that have the subjects I like. I started w/ 1/32nd snap kits as a kid, migrated to 1/25th then 1/24th, later got into 1/20th (primarily w/ F1 race car kits, though I have a few MPC and Lindbergs of that scale). I've also dabbled in 1/43rd scale kits--a great scale as I also have a lot of diecast in that scale. I have a few 1/16th, 1/12th, and 1/8th scale kits, but never really went deep into the larger scales.

Edited May 13, 2015 by Rob Hall

[thatz4u]

I started with 1/25th in the late 50's and stayed with it.

[wayne swayze]

I started with 1/25, stayed with that for a long time. Then I tried 1/24 and really liked it. I've built 1/32 stuff but not much to swap, especially wheels/tires and engines. I don't know what they are in scale size, but the "trophy series" little cars on the trophy were just fun to mess with. I'll post them sometime. 1/16 scale would be a good challenge (mostly for the detail you could add), but take up too much space.

[Harry Joy]

Cars, well, my first one in 40 years is still underway and it's 1/25th. The ones in my stash are all 25th or 24th. In airplanes, most of my collection is 48th, but I lean towards 72nd for multi-engine airplanes. I have one 32nd kit in the stash unbuilt. Armor, I've only done 48th.

I also build the occasional boat, and have done 350th and box-scale. I frequently do science fiction, and they are all over the place in scale from 1000th to 144th to 1/12th.

So, yes, I build scale models.

Edited May 13, 2015 by Harry Joy

[DrGlueblob]

All scales, from 1/144 to 1/8th. Smaller stuff gets used in dioramas.

[Miatatom]

Anything 1/25 and larger. Especially since I like open wheel race cars so much. Lots of little delicate parts.

But I do have a model of the ship I served on in the Navy to build. It's 1/700. I'm still scared to death to touch it because of the cost and scarcity of the model. Plus, it's my ship, I don't want to screw it up.

[Aaronw]

First consideration is availability of subject matter.

For automotive subjects there is no comparison between 1/24-1/25 and the other larger / smaller scales. I have some attraction to 1/32 finding it an appealing size, but the selection is quite small. Large scales are interesting for the detail opportunities but again, very limited selection.

1/72 has a major advantage in other genres since there is a good cross over of subjects aircraft, armor and boats / ships. It is also the dominate scale for aircraft, although 1/48 comes close for subject selection until you get into the larger aircraft. Luckily for me it is a great size to work in and display.

For armor 1/35 is my preference, being a nice size to work in, yet not too difficult to display. I might have gone with 1/48, but that scale didn't take off until I was quite committed to 1/35. I do dabble with 1/72 armor but I find it less appealing to work in for the subject.

Ships vary so much in size that they are one area I will easily diversify in scales. A 1/700 PT boat is pointless (about 1/8" long), a 1/72 battleship beyond my means (in excess of 10 feet long).

Edited May 13, 2015 by Aaronw

[Mr mopar]

all scales but the bathroom scale!

Thats a good one. ...... But there is no fear here!

Edited May 13, 2015 by Mr mopar

[dptydawg]

I only build 1/24 or 1/25 and all my scratch building is done at 1 mm to the inch (1/25.4) Since I do a lot of dioramas its much easier to swap out items when everything is the same scale. Lack of subject mater does induce some extra creativity especially for figures and construction subjects.

carl

[DaveM]

all scales but the bathroom scale!

It's not the bathroom scale that scares me. It's the one in the Doctor's office!

[disabled modeler]

!/25th for the most part but do build 1/24rths too....love to build some very large scale ones. Mainly its 1/25th because they all fit together size wise and look good together when done plus extra parts can be used in the future.

[Tom Geiger]

I do have the Lindberg 1/32s of 1970s cars you won't find in any other scale, Granada -- Monarch -- Cordoba etc. I think I may have the whole set at this point.

Although there is some fantastic subject matter in 1/43 I don't have a single piece! I've been able to ignore it since I'm focusing on 1/25 and 1/24. Yea, 1/43 could be real dangerous!

I never bought a single Lindberg 1/20 scale kit. Back in the day they were pushing them hard, sending cases to shows as door prizes. At one point I realized I had half a dozen and donated them back to a show. It was just a bad decision on their part to pick a scale other than 1/25 for new subjects. Everything they did would have been successful in 1/25, and everything they eventually did in 1/25 was!

[Deano]

It's not the bathroom scale that scares me. It's the one in the Doctor's office!

Funny how they never seem to agree, huh?