Marking Models

[gray07]

When i buy or trade for a built model, when iam taking it apart ive always wandered who built it and when it was built, so when i build a model now i mark it where you cant see it until you take it apart, i put the year, month and day it was finished and my first name. Does anybody else do this or am i just crazy......darrin

[SuperStockAndy]

Great idea.... Now I'm gonna start doing this!

[publicsafety]

That's a great idea. I'm not a psychiatrist but my proffessional opinion is "No, your not crazy".

[Jordan White]

In all seriousness though, I've never done that, nor will I ever. I don't plan on selling my builts anytime soon, nor do I really care the exact date I finished them. Good for you though that you actually do that.

[crazyjim]

I've never done that, but it sounds like not too bad an idea - especially for whoever may end up with the build.

[Greg Pugh]

I don't do that but I do make a list of every single modification I make, who the supplier was on the aftermarket parts, what colors I used and date of completion. It really helps if 5 years down the road, I really want to duplicate something from a previous build, I've got everything listed. And I like putting down the completion dates just cuz I think it's neat.

[Bainford]

Been doing that for about the last 35 years, since I was about 10 years old. I do it to every model I build since. Although buying and selling built kits is something that never occurred to me then, I knew I wouldn't live forever and thought it would be cool if my name lived on in the models that I built. Kind of a legacy thing I guess. With the advent of the internet and online model communities, its an even better idea because it's quite likely that someone who knows of you will someday end up with some of your builts, so now when I build a kit my screen name goes on there too.

[ra7c7er]

I think it is a neat idea. I buy built-ups all the time at flea markets and garage sales. It would be neat to see when some of that old stuff was built. I don't really want to attach my name to anything I am building right now but when I get better I might start marking them.

[route66modeler]

HI Darrin, I got a old builtup one time that has the builders info written on a piece of brown wrapping paper glued under the hood(2x3 square piece). good idea. Steve

[Greg Myers]

Interesting enough, this has been done in the aircraft industry and the automotive industry for years. Many aircraft restorers find notes hidden in various places when rebuilding old planes. This same thing happens when restoring old cars too.

[59-Desoto]

When i buy or trade for a built model, when iam taking it apart ive always wandered who built it and when it was built, so when i build a model now i mark it where you cant see it until you take it apart, i put the year, month and day it was finished and my first name. Does anybody else do this or am i just crazy......darrin

I've always like the idea and have done a few , think its a cool idea to know a little something about the model later down the road

[Jon Cole]

Why not just make a licence plate with your name on it? Great for street cars. Just go to a web site like ACME Platemaker, or Google "make your own licence plate"; pick a state, add your name to it. You could print it out on regular paper, but for best results, buy semi gloss photo paper. Of course, it helps to have a printer... they are common enough.

Here is one plate blank:

I didn't make the following... I think I found them on the web. Personalized plates make a great 'signature' for a model!

Edited February 26, 2011 by Jon Cole

[Jon Cole]

Here is some plates I just churned out @: http://www.acme.com/licensemaker/

Most states @ ACME have several designs per state. I am not sure if the Canadian Provinces are available, but worth a look anyhow.

[highway]

I don't phyically mark them with my name or anything, but I picked up an idea once that I do include when I did attend and in case I ever do attend any shows to safeguard someone else claiming my hard work. I had heard this idea at a show when someone else was talking about someone trying to steal one of their models from a show, and have done it ever since. I will add a detail or modify something in a way that is not noticable but is still able to be seen easily without taking the model apart. That way if one of my works tried to sprout legs and walk off, I can say that is mine and if it comes to needing proof, I can point out my "signature"!

[CorvairJim]

I've never "Signed my work", but I have used a Sharpie to identify parts like interior tubs or chassis plates unique to a specific year of a built-up I've dismantled for restoration.(I do a bunch of Corvair model restorations and generally strip the models into their component parts and 'file' them by part, not which model they came from.) I'll write what year and model the part is for on the underside of the interior bucket or on top of the chassis plate along with when I stripped down the model, and even just the year on the bottom of the seats, so that if I decide to paint them ahead of time, the marking will still be legible.

As far as license plates go, I've found a vendor on eBay who makes terrific, computer-generated plates in scale. He has pre-made generic sets for 5-year spans from many states and will make plates to order as well. I bought several of the generic sets and ordered 5 sets of Vanity plates and a couple of specialized PA plates too - the black D.A.R.E. plates and the beautiful Pennsylvania Zoos plate featuring a tiger on a forest green background. You can contact Michael at bdhanson@socal.rr.com. Tell him Corvair Jim sent you!

[Junkman]

I mark all of my models. But only with my name and the year I built/restored it. I write it on the inside of the bootlid.

[Jon Cole]

So... um, the fact that I just made several plates... for FREE, with name and state matched to some of the earlier ppl posting in this thread... has been lost on everyone? I mean, I did that to show just how flippin' EASY it is to make plates!!!

Sorry, I don't do gift wrapping.

[gray07]

Thank you Jon for the cool liscence plates, ive never thought about that, sorry i took awile to say thank you but i been out of town getting stuff ready for my wedding. Also a few years ago i built a real van, black with flames and when i was doing the inside , on the wall i put the info when it was built and who done it then i put walls up, so any ever redoes it then they have a surprise coming.

[spkgibson]

I put my initials under the trunk area on the body, And also the paint code and what brand that I used on it there.

[curt raitz]

dang, I've been building and selling model cars for "umpteen years" and never thought about "tagging" them

gonna have to look into this on future builds, initials, month/year in some obscure location sounds like a good idea

thanx

[SuperStockAndy]

Here is some plates I just churned out @: http://www.acme.com/licensemaker/

Most states @ ACME have several designs per state. I am not sure if the Canadian Provinces are available, but worth a look anyhow.

Thanks for the second one!

[Alyn]

This sounds like a great idea and something I'll start doing as well.

As an FYI, the obvious choice for signing and dating is the good old Sharpie. However, we've used these for years in the telecom world to mark designations on the plastic tabs of wire punch-down blocks. Returning to older telephone system installations after a few years, I've noticed that the Sharpie ink evaporates. When you flirst write on the plastic, it seems plenty durable, but a few years later, you can hardly see the writing.

For model cars, I'll be using something different, like Testors little enamel jars, or artists oils to do the name/date.

[VW Dave]

I've never done the marking thing on any of my own models, but I do sign & date the underside of display case bases on commissioned & gift builds.

[robertw]

Been doing that for many years. I sign it, date when it was finished, indicate the company who made the kit, the stock number and what the model is. Don't know whether anyone will ever read the info but it is interesting to think that years from now someone might take it apart and wonder who I was.

robw

[walt francis]

My Hemi Dart I just marked it on the bottom of the interior tub with the date when I closed it up and will be doing all of them now.