Model Building ethics question...

[Darin Bastedo]

If you enter a contest, with a model that has a resin conversion body that you did the master for, should you be able to list the work done on the master, on the spec sheet for the model? The thing is I can see it both ways.

For instance, I did a master for a Ford GTX-1 roadster. If I build one model of it, technically I did the mods to the original Ford GT body, so in a round about way I did the mods on my model. But lets say for the sake of argument, I built ten of these kits with that resin body. I didn't do those mods ten times I simply used copies of that one body on all ten.

I know this is an issue that will come up with at least one of my contest entries this year and I want to be as honest and above board as possible.

[aarondupont]

I would state on the contest entry form that this is a copy of the master I made from the original with the following modifications. That way your truthful, but not stating that you made the mods again. Hows that sound Aaron Dupont

[Dr. Cranky]

If you built it, Darin and it's your work, I don't see why not. Remember that without the original work to get the master you would not have any copies.

[Harry P.]

All you have to say is "the body is a resin-cast copy of a master that I created by modifying the body from (source)."

[Darin Bastedo]

All you have to say is "the body is a resin-cast copy of a master that I created by modifying the body from (source)."

That sounds like a reasonable balance. I think that answers my moral dilemma. Thanks.

[Guest Dr. Odyssey]

If you did the master, and you did the casting, I would think that still falls under the umbrella of it is all your work and you could take credit for without shame. If you did only the master and someone else casted it, you can still take credit for work on the master. But if I were judging and found errors (not sayng there are any) in the master, I would ding you for them.

[Steven Zimmerman]

If there were any errors in the master- knowing Darin's work- i believe he would have fixed them, by the time it hit the contest/display tables. Sometimes' errors are in the eye of the beholder, so to speak. I once mastered a 79 'phantom sedan delivery for Ed Fluck, and the first time he displayed it, someone ripped it to pieces....wheelbase too long, wheelwells too high in the body, roof too low, doors too long....Ed's answer ?....it's a PHANTOM, on WHAT are you basing your comments ?.....Guy shut up.... (Actually, Ed's language...was a LITTLE more 'colorfull )....'Z'

[Guest Dr. Odyssey]

Phantom's are one thing. But in this case it is an existing car. And please understand I was not suggesting there is any errors on Darin's model.

[Terry Sumner]

If there were any errors in the master- knowing Darin's work- i believe he would have fixed them, by the time it hit the contest/display tables. Sometimes' errors are in the eye of the beholder, so to speak. I once mastered a 79 'phantom sedan delivery for Ed Fluck, and the first time he displayed it, someone ripped it to pieces....wheelbase too long, wheelwells too high in the body, roof too low, doors too long....Ed's answer ?....it's a PHANTOM, on WHAT are you basing your comments ?.....Guy shut up.... (Actually, Ed's language...was a LITTLE more 'colorfull )....'Z'

[Modelmartin]

So if a machinist cut the tooling of a certain kit, could he enter that kit in the scratchbuilt category? Inquiring minds need to know!

[Harry P.]

So if a machinist cut the tooling of a certain kit, could he enter that kit in the scratchbuilt category? Inquiring minds need to know!

No, because he didn't cut the tooling. A computer did.

[MicroNitro]

No, because he didn't cut the tooling. A computer did.

"a computer did"? Edited February 11, 2012 by MicroNitro

[Joe Handley]

Depending on the age of the tooling, a CNC mill could have cut the tool if it's a modern kit.......now say it's a vintage AMT kit and the guy that cut the tooling is still alive and active in the hobby................................

[Guest Dr. Odyssey]

As ridiculous as this is getting, the guy who drafted the files for the CNC would also have to run the milling machine and run the injection molding then build the kit to qualify it as his scratch built entry.

[aarondupont]

Not all tooling is cut by a computer. At State Tool we still use a craftsman to cut the tooling for our HO Steel Mill rail cars. You are correct that most is now done by CNC. Theres also another method called Rapid Duplicating something or other. I can't pull it from my old mind right now. Tooling is very expensive. Injection molding itself is not expensive. Our machine set up takes 3 or 4 hours. That is installing the tool, hooking up hydraulic lines, material feed, heating, testing and tweeking. Once that is done, you push the button and walk away. The machine will stop when it runs out of material. The styrene is in pellet form. It's heated then "injected" into the mold. The mold opens and ejects the piece/pieces, closes and cycles again. We'll run a machine from 6:00 PM until 7:00 AM. There are multiple bins of material. Also conveyers the owner designed to fill numerous bins with product. It's fun to watch. But gets boring very quickly. Like a boiler tender. A person is only needed when something goes wrong. Aaron Dupont

[Guest Dr. Odyssey]

I think the original question stops once it leave the "cottage industry" arena. If you actually do all the work from making the master to producing the the parts and assembling and finishing them you can make the scratch built claim. Outside that it gets too convoluted.

[Draggon]

sounds like ipms stuff........

[Dr. Cranky]

This discussion might lead to the day when we all have printers that publish our models already done, from computer to machine. Our only choice will be what paint color to choose.

[Guest Dr. Odyssey]

I was thinking about that too. The person who rendered it in 3D would be able to take claim for the master, but where is the line drawn with output? Assuming the finished part(s) are generated from a 3D printer.