Dragline Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 With the advent of new chroming techniques it begs the question. For advanced modelers, could we possibly be offered kits with no, or limited chrome parts? I know it's not tough to strip them but it would suggest that there are sophisticated builders who like options. And no PARTING LINES. Thoughts, if any? Bob
slantasaurus Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 For race car kits and modern cars that have little to no chrome I have no problem. A 50's or 60's car is a different story, I would want chrome there.
jbwelda Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 i think thats totally the opposite direction i would want to take. i think they (manufacturers) should clean up their chrome act by placing sprue connections in less sensitive areas, focusing on removing ejection pins or mold lines on chromed parts, making sure the finish is consistent and complete and basically delivered a usable chrome sprue. i do have to say i havent had specific problems with any manufacturers chrome work, but i typically use very little actual chrome, usually strip it off, but excusing manufacturers in favor of using exotic finishes...naw. that would really impact the beginners market too.
iBorg Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 Agreed.... No chrome in kits that require chrome would be a hindrance to most model buyers to only benefit a small percentage. When you think about it, such a change would only be to inconvenience model builders for the less than correct placement of the mold attachment points. Mike
Chuck Most Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 And no PARTING LINES. You had me right there, sir! Fix the parting lines and sprue attachment points... THEN worry about the shiny stuff! Not sure how it would work from a sales/production standpoint, but I think I could get behind it. As long as they don't charge MORE for the 'sans-plating' versions of the kits!
ChrisPflug Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 As far as parting lines- since they are part of the manufacturing process and would need to be removed (rather than a part being ablr to be produced with none) I would rather clean them up myself than paying many times the current price to have someone do it for me Don't think a handmade model kit is too feasable, even with Chinese labor costs
LoneWolf15 Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 Funny that this topic came up , I was thinking about this today while I was staging a couple of builds . I don't know if it's my imagination or not , but it seems that alot of the newer Revell releases have addressed this issue to some degree . There seems to be more thought as to how the bumpers and other parts are attached to the trees . When they are trimmed off the sprues , the cut marks are not in such glaring places as the ends or top of the bumpers. Most are at the bottom where they can be touched up and hidden , so to speak . Me , I would'nt mind seeing a chrome less kit . However , two points hold me back from voting yes on the issue . # 1 , I don't think it would be in the best interests of the hobby at all . Most guys and gals do not want to be messing with Alclad or any other of the chrome paints , trying to produce the perfect chrome finish . I believe we'd lose quite a few car modelers if this were to happen. We cannot afford that ! # 2 If I'm going to pay as much as I do for a kit these days , it is up to the manufacturer to get it right in the first place . I have seen improvement over the last couple of years but there is still a whole lot of room for even more ! Donn Yost
ra7c7er Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 What many people forget about when ideas like this pop into our heads is that we are not the majority of the hobby. All of us posting on forums and submitting to contests are not the majority of model builders. While I think you idea is interesting I don't think it is very practical. I agree that they need to work on chrome trees though but again they are for the most part dealing with 30-40 year old toolings they are not going to redo them just to remove some mold lines. The newly tooled stuff is much better.
Guest Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 Most of what I build is factory stock muscle and classics, which begs for chrome. No chrome would not be a good option. I dont have the funds for Alclad, and if I did, still would NOT want to have to paint all my chrome.
Jantrix Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 But we are model builders, I thought the object was to make it perfect on our own????? I think only a small percentage of the most proficient modelers among us would appreciate the challenge of this. I for one, would NOT buy a kit without chrome trees if the kit called for chrome parts.
Modelmartin Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 Even if they offered a chrome-delete version of a kit, the extra handling would raise the price and I am fine with stripping chrome off a kit. When I do need chrome, I either Alclad or send out for re-plating 90% of the time anyway.
Guest Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 If they knocked off 8-10 bucks a kit,I would be all for it. Then I could clean,re-attach them to the sprues and send them out to be chromed. That would be a win win to me.
mikemodeler Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 As has been stated a no chrome kit appeals to a small bunch of modelers in the hobby. Start producing kits without chrome, especially those that should have chrome pieces, and you lose me as a customer. I have neither the time nor the desire to master the art of spraying Alcad because someone wants to offer a new kit with "chrome delete". A better question would be "How many of the new Mobieus Lonestar kits will you buy if you have to do your own chroming?" Me? NONE! Besides, I have 300 kits yet to build so if it were to come to be, I would be busy for quite some time before I buy another kit.
Guest Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 Actually Revell did that very thing with the Jeep J-10. I was really bummed when I saw that there wasn't a single part in that kit with chrome. I felt the grille,bumpers and mirrors at the very least should have had chrome. I guess that's why I haven't had any interest in building it.
Art Anderson Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 As for "no chrome" kits, that was tried 30-some years ago by Revell--during their last gasp as a freestanding company, before their fateful buyout by CEJI, the now failed French toy company. It did not work then, would be no more successful today. As for "parting lines" and attachment points--those are engineering issues. With simple bumpers as say, on a '40 Ford, it's pretty easy to have the mold parting lines along the edges of the bumpers, but once car bumpers became a matter of multiple die strikes, to create those complicated, fully rounded shapes of the 50's, then there is NO WAY whatsoever to avoid having mold parting lines in very visible places. As for attachment points, again these are as much an engineering issue as anything--given that attachment points are also "flow channels" though which the molten plastic must move in the molding process--they have to be where they have to be for that to occur. It's one of those compromises that have to happen when complex stamped or pressed sheet steel parts are translated into injection-molded plastic--all to often, you can't have one without the other. Art
samdiego Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 I agree with LoneWolf15. Revell seems to be the most improved in their approach to the chrome tree. A lot of the reason that things are as they are just relates to the physical properties of the styrene. Most intrusions have a reason, like ejector pin marks and little areas that enable plastic to fill a cavity by flowing past it. Mold seams are going to worsen with the age of the tool. Even hot, squishy plastic wears the engraving down. I was disappointed that the chrome in a few of Revell's '32s rubbed off on my fingers so easily. I haven't seen that before. Overall, I would rather remove plating myself when needed.
Harry P. Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 There might be a few hard-core builders out there who would prefer to do their own chrome, but I would guess that the vast majority of people who buy and build model car kits would NOT want the hassle of having to do their own chrome. And many kids probably buy a lot of kits because of all the chrome parts! The kit manufacturers are never going to risk alienating the majority of their customers in order to please a handful, it makes no business sense whatsoever. And as previously stated, it's waaaaaay easier to remove chrome (if that's what you want to do) than to replace or recreate it.
Greg Myers Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 How about a kit that was "all" chrome? Just think about it. All you'd have to do would be mask off the chrome and paint, no more BMF.
Chuck Most Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 How about a kit that was "all" chrome? Just think about it. All you'd have to do would be mask off the chrome and paint, no more BMF. I'll pass on that, Greg, but call me when somebody pops a kit entirely in clear plastic. Now THAT would be cool!
Greg Myers Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 I'll pass on that, Greg, but call me when somebody pops a kit entirely in clear plastic. Now THAT would be cool!
Greg Myers Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 I'll pass on that, Greg, but call me when somebody pops a kit entirely in clear plastic. Now THAT would be cool! How about just a clear body? There are many of those out there.I started a thread on this awhile back. Let's not highjac this thread, I'll start another.CLEAR BODIES
Green Duster Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 I think they end up charging more for kits that way. they are getting pricey enough. They just have to clean everything up better. Just my 2 cents worth.
Chuck Most Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 How about just a clear body? There are many of those out there.I started a thread on this awhile back. Let's not highjac this thread, I'll start another.CLEAR BODIES Nah... all clear or nuthin'!!!!
Harry P. Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 Nah... all clear or nuthin'!!!! There have been lots of all-clear kits.You probably just didn't see them!!!
Greg Myers Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 There have been lots of all-clear kits.You probably just didn't see them!!! You'd probably like "Clearview2000" also.
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