Unseen detail. But I know it's there

[Greg Myers]

Certainly the bane of aircraft and armor builders. encluding cockpit detail that can never be seen.

Do you ever put detail into a build that knowone will ever see, much less can't see ?

What comes to mind is the great detail included in so many kit engines, crankshaft connecting rod assemblies.

I think Revell started this in their early Tri-Five Chevy kits. Jo-Han had some great engine interior detail as well.

You can't beat the AMT '66 Nova engine in 1/25th.

Now the Aurora Racing Scenes in 1/16th is entirely another matter. 

 

Edited November 28, 2017 by Greg Myers
spelling

[BigTallDad]

Out of sight, out of mind.

[stitchdup]

I had a bit of a brain fart and added pistons to the engine in one of my builds, then glued the heads on. 

[Jantrix]

33 minutes ago, Greg Myers said:

What comes to mind is the great detail included in so many kit engines, crankshaft connecting rod assemblies.

Parts like that are saved for dioramas.

In a model car, no. If it can't be seen easily, I don't detail it. My builds take too long as it is.

[Greg Myers]

[dragstk]

I try to put the same level of detail into every part of a model, whether it can be seen or not. I find it keeps me "on track" to build as well as I can

[Snake45]

1 hour ago, BigTallDad said:

Out of sight, out of mind.

In my case, Out of sight? Back in the box. 

[iamsuperdan]

Nope. If it can't be seen, I'm not going to put a ton of effort into it.

Prime example would be the top of a transmission. I don't spend any time sanding the top join lines between the two halves because I know that once built, no one will ever see them. i'll take care of the bottom, but the top gets no love at all.

 

[tbill]

I try to detail as much as I can, to me it’s a natural part of the build process. And let’s face it, other than some build pics on here, and taking a model to 3 local shows, once it’s on the shelf, no one but me ever looks at it anyway ......but I still do it.

Edited November 28, 2017 by tbill
Added content

[unclescott58]

AMT's '32 Phantom Vicky has a battery that is never seen again if you build it according to the instructions. Which I did. 

Edited November 28, 2017 by unclescott58

[High octane]

5 hours ago, BigTallDad said:

Out of sight, out of mind.

Ditto!

[Greg Myers]

I've begun to wonder about chassis detail as well. If you're not building for a contest that actually looks under there what's the point? Spend more time on top.

Edited November 28, 2017 by Greg Myers
spelling

[gtx6970]

5 hours ago, Jantrix said:

In a model car, no. If it can't be seen easily, I don't detail it. My builds take too long as it is.

Same here.

I rarely go beyond just paint the chassis a simple satin black  anymore.  Been a couple lately that I  went all out,,,,, and actually detail painted the molded in exhaust .

[jaymcminn]

One thing to remember is that sometimes that unseen detail can cause real headaches when it comes to assembly... one example is the old Accurate Miniatures McLaren M8 kits, where they actually tell you to eliminate a lot of the plumbing detail if you want to display the model with the panels closed. I test-fit and modify the kit parts as necessary to get everything to play nice, but I have no problem leaving some bits off if the result is a better-looking finished model. 

[StevenGuthmiller]

1 hour ago, Greg Myers said:

I've begun to wonder about chassis detail as well. If you're not building for a contest that actually looks under there what's the point? Spend more time on top.

I agree.

Nearly all of my efforts go into body & paint, interior, & some engine & engine bay details.

I've all but given up on worrying much about chassis details.

If it can't be done with paint underneath, it won't get done.

 

 

Steve

[Force]

I often do it for my own satisfaction...I know it's there.

[Belugawrx]

I detail models so if I pick it up, turn it over, it looks as real as I can make it,...

What's the race anyway...I tell myself...

Although, the only once I finish have a deadline attached Hehehe

[martinfan5]

It really depends on the kit, the time of day, the weather, what  is on TV, what mood I am in ,  my overall interest in the kit, and so many other factors that its hard to give a diffident answer,  but most of the time I am feeling lazy so if it wont be seen that I am more then likely to not worry about it.

But that does not apply to the chassis .

 

Edited November 29, 2017 by martinfan5

[Modelbuilder Mark]

I have taken to signing and dating the inside of my model body etc, so if anyone ever opens them years from now, there is a little help there for them. Once built, this is never seen. I will do some other hidden detail for my own satisfaction, but nothing overboard. 

[#1 model citizen]

8 hours ago, unclescott58 said:

AMT's '32 Phantom Vicky has a battery that is never seen again if you build it according to the instructions. Which I did. 

Thats true of  the JoHan  '35 Mrecedes, too. And the tire tool(s) under the seat of the Revell '41 Chevy PU if I recall correctly.  I just laugh and throw those bits in a parts bin. 

[PARTSMARTY]

18 hours ago, dragstk said:

I try to put the same level of detail into every part of a model, whether it can be seen or not. I find it keeps me "on track" to build as well as I can

100% agreed !!!

[El Roberto]

Edited November 29, 2017 by El Roberto
double post

[El Roberto]

Speaking of detail which no one can see when it's buttoned up.......

[tim boyd]

Yes.....good example....I built two blower intake manifold pop-off valves for this engine in my 1972 MPC National Customizing Championship entry.  They're there, behind 

the upper blower drive pulley. 

I know they're there, but the MPC judges at the national finals that year (1972) probably missed them, as they totally ignored the far more important instructions with the model that instructed them to remove the header extensions to place the model on its matching trailer/pickup companions, and thereby disqualified the latter two pieces from my entry. 

There were certainly some well qualified judges at some of the MPC contests, but sadly that was not always the case.  As many complaints as I still hear today about model contest judging, it is in totality still much better today than back then, when model contests were sometimes judged by those who knew little or nothing about model cars or kits....TIM   

[Greg Myers]

10 hours ago, tim boyd said:

when model contests were sometimes judged by those who knew little or nothing about model cars or kits...

Much less real cars