OOTB?

Almost every contest rules I have seen so far, require you to have the instructions with the model on display, and I think they go by what the directions say if there is a question as to the build. I don't think that they count using the sprue in the box as an OOTB build, unless it is specified in the manual. And ajafleche is correct about the decals.

QUOTE: Originally posted by styrene Hi, Gary You might want to check out the IPMS contest rules at www.ipmsusa.org.

The IPMS link above gives very clear rules for OOB at the national and possiblly in the near future the regional levels. Local events are free to set their own criteria, stricter or looser than those of IPMS/USA. My group, Wings & Wheels/IPMS, does a fall OOB only contest in conjunction withthe New England Air Museum. For a list of rules go to http://www.wwmodelclub.org and follow the links to the fall contest and the rules for that.

Generally speaking, adding any parts that are not in the box removes a kit from OOB. Decals are exempt, I think, because they are considered finishing technique and it's not uncommon to have decals fail.

So does making a bunch of extra detail parts from the sprues in the kit count as OOB?
I reckon it would!

I have entered contests that had the exception, If it is depicted in the box art you can add it. Has anyone else run across that one?

This is a great topic! I'm particularly interested for two reasons:

1. Until my kids get older I won't have time to do much additional detail work on my kits.
2. I've never been a fan of "super-detailing" because I can't afford the scanning electron microscope needed to work on the smaller parts (just kidding).

I would much rather have fun building a kit out of the box and put the extra effort into a killer paint job. Just my opinion...

-Mark

nwilliams,
Go to this link, and it will explain OOB according to IPMS rules:

http://2002nats.tripod.com/contest/2002contest_rules.htm

Hope this helps you.
Gip Winecoff

Great question. I usually consider most of my models OOB, but I add aftermarket decals often. I consider any scratchbuilding or use of not kit "parts" not to be OOB, but changing the decals is like using a varied paint scheme. The model is still built with only the manufacturers parts.

If a model was truly OOB then we couldn't add paint at all unless it came with the kit, there must be some leeway in the definition of OOB.

Thanks for all the input guys. I got a little 1/72 T-26 on sale and it came with PE, I was wondering how that would work at the contest level. Although I am an IPMS member you can immagine that there isn't much going on up in the Idaho panhandle, from what I read in their journal they (we?) have some in-fighting going on. AMPS? They'd love the emhar mkIV I'm doing, came with some incomplete mold pours (likely caused by the mold not being preheated before running the plastic). Actually I'm having fun "scratch building" around it. WW1 tanks are all angle iron and rivets so it's pretty easy.
thanks again for the info. ...............
G.L.

Hi, Gary
You might want to check out the IPMS contest rules at www.ipmsusa.org. While there are a lot of folks who don't really like the organization, they are the ones that have--so to speak--set the standard for contest judging. At the IPMS Nationals in 2002, part of kit registration and entry involved supplying the instructions and including them with your entry form if you designated the kit as OOB. To answer your question, if the instructions show applying the PE set that came with the kit, then it's considered OOB.

There are organizations that have no ties with IPMS. The one that immediately comes to mind for me is the Armor Modeling and Preservation Society (AMPS). Their judging criteria is quite varied from the IPMS standards, but as I understand their criteria, OOB doesn't carry a lot of weight with them. Judging is peer-based, and depends more on the work you did than the small seam or glue smear that may mar an otherwise "perfect" entry. The more work you do (scratchbuilding, PE sets, resin converstions, etc.) the higher the potential award (gold, silver, bronze) and advancement from "novice" through "master". Funny, though, just like IPMS, they have their rules problems, as well.

Hope this helps,
Gip Winecoff

In Europe, it is often allowed to change the decals... I wonder why. It's not out of the box if one uses aftermarket or spare decals....

In my opinion, it should be building a kit with and only with the parts provided in the box (including P/E parts that may come from the box, figures, etc.). Moreover, I don't think adding some add-ons like crates, jerry cans, extra figures for the purpose of spicing up the model would really be considered a violation of the OOTB rule as long as no component or part of the main subject (tank, aircraft,ship, car, trucks, etc.) is being replaced by aftermarket parts.

But this is my own opinion.

i've always believed ootb, to be just that, only what comes with the kit, no add ons of any kind,just painted details. thats my take on ootb. ?

Some contests have a slightly different "take" on what OOB is.

Basically, if it is in the box, including PE if the kit comes with it, then it is truly an OOB build. Some will allow things like camo nets and tarps to be added but no AM parts allowed.

Each contest you go to should define what they mean by OOB.