Ah, well you see young Jedi, the Dark Side is ALL about cleaning up every single seam!  Once you travel down the path of the Dark Side, forever will it dominate your destiny...

Real G

 

The kit is chock full of heavy mold seam lines, providing lots of fun scraping and sanding that's for sure!  I hate-hate-hate-hate-hate smoothing out the seam lines on the wheels!  Bleah!  I got so sick of doing them after only two sets of wheels that I switched over to cleaning and installing the detail bits.  Much more fun!

 

Leave the seams on the wheels. How much can you see anyway. 

JOIN US

Armornut,

Over here we don't care how it's spelled.  This isn't the Star Trek forum.    If it were, they would HAVE TO KILL US NOW.  

I never owned a pair of Spock ears.  Or a light saber.  I guess I'm not a true "Trekkie" or whatever it is that rabid Star Wars fans are called.  I'm just here for the models.  

  LOL, think of the error as my Northern accent LOL

ka'plah! - YouTube

  Stay strong brother, you will succeed Q-pla.

I am taking Armornut's challenge to heart and will be doing my best to stay within his original intent.  I will abstain from using the aftermarket tracks, and anything I do add will be simple home made stuff (nothing elaborate).

When I first built the kit back around 1979, I added a tissue paper mantlet cover.  This time around, I am considering adding a poly-capped friction brake inside the turret, so the gun can remain moveable yet not require "model viagra" later on down the line.  My one concession to maintain "playability".    I will probably drill out and replace the headlight lenses since I stink at neatly painting small stuff like that.

The kit is chock full of heavy mold seam lines, providing lots of fun scraping and sanding that's for sure!  I hate-hate-hate-hate-hate smoothing out the seam lines on the wheels!  Bleah!  I got so sick of doing them after only two sets of wheels that I switched over to cleaning and installing the detail bits.  Much more fun!

Rob Gronovius

 

 

Tcoat

To be very clear I was not at any point condemning the judges on their choices nor disappointed that I did not win with everything I entered. The winners were all miles ahead of what I entered when you consider the judging criteria. My observation was more in line with the topic of the "turd" thread and how some were not even glanced at because on the surface they seem turd like so the rest was not looked at even though the "faults" found were very deliberate and in some cases hard to do. If I hadn't overheard (it was coincidental I happened to be nearby I wasn't following them around to listen) the judges comments on why mine were automatically rejected I wouldn't have given the situation a second thought.

 

 

 

I understand, it's just that with hundreds of entries to look, it's easy to make the first cut with some "noticeable" (to a judge) errors, so they can concentrate on a handful of entries to judge for 1st, 2nd and 3rd and then move on to the next category.

AMPS judging is even more difficult because they judge each entry for Gold, Silver and Bronze. They judge each kit based on a standard and if deserving, it gets a gold, silver or bronze medal. With this method of judging, there can be any number of G/S/B medals awarded or no medals awarded per category.

If you're interested, ask if you can watch or assist in the judging and learn to be a judge. It is a thankless job, especially if you're put in a category that you don't have a lot of experience with.

Yeah, as I said, my very first 1st place medal came from a car kit I put very little time into. I don't normally build cars and it was a very basic build.

 

Sure it doesn't help when they expected a few hundred entries and had two or three times that many! No doubt there was plenty of scrambling at the last minute.

I heard some of the organizers saying that they should probably do preregistration next time so they at least have an idea. When the doors opened in the morning there were lines ups both front and back that were over a block long each. You could see the panic in the registrars faces!

I am not a club sort of guy since my work can have weird hours and I doubt they would be interested in some random guy off the street helping out. Now maybe if there was an online forum show! 

Tcoat

To be very clear I was not at any point condemning the judges on their choices nor disappointed that I did not win with everything I entered. The winners were all miles ahead of what I entered when you consider the judging criteria. My observation was more in line with the topic of the "turd" thread and how some were not even glanced at because on the surface they seem turd like so the rest was not looked at even though the "faults" found were very deliberate and in some cases hard to do. If I hadn't overheard (it was coincidental I happened to be nearby I wasn't following them around to listen) the judges comments on why mine were automatically rejected I wouldn't have given the situation a second thought.

I understand, it's just that with hundreds of entries to look, it's easy to make the first cut with some "noticeable" (to a judge) errors, so they can concentrate on a handful of entries to judge for 1st, 2nd and 3rd and then move on to the next category.

AMPS judging is even more difficult because they judge each entry for Gold, Silver and Bronze. They judge each kit based on a standard and if deserving, it gets a gold, silver or bronze medal. With this method of judging, there can be any number of G/S/B medals awarded or no medals awarded per category.

If you're interested, ask if you can watch or assist in the judging and learn to be a judge. It is a thankless job, especially if you're put in a category that you don't have a lot of experience with.

Yeah, as I said, my very first 1st place medal came from a car kit I put very little time into. I don't normally build cars and it was a very basic build.

Rob Gronovius

 

 

 

Yeah, now, in each and every category, a few guys have to choose 1st, 2nd and 3rd place out of all those model kits. It's not easy, and no one is always happy with the choices.

When I was a kid, virtually every young boy and some dads built model kits from the 5 and dime. Today, only guys who remember what 5 and dimes were probably build.

 

To be very clear I was not at any point condemning the judges on their choices nor disappointed that I did not win with everything I entered. The winners were all miles ahead of what I entered when you consider the judging criteria. My observation was more in line with the topic of the "turd" thread and how some were not even glanced at because on the surface they seem turd like so the rest was not looked at even though the "faults" found were very deliberate and in some cases hard to do. If I hadn't overheard (it was coincidental I happened to be nearby I wasn't following them around to listen) the judges comments on why mine were automatically rejected I wouldn't have given the situation a second thought.

I didn't mention that my silver winner was a very basic OOB build literally thrown together one day and painted with what I had on hand. The bronze winner was the exact same kit with the addition of the full photoetch set (rails, guns, periscope details, etc) and was very well painted 100% per instructions. I guess my point is that the addition of detail does not always make a model "better" in everybody's eyes. 

The show really opened my eyes as to the ages of the builders. I expected to see a majority of the "5 and dime crowd" but I doubt they (well... we) even made up 20% of the attendees. I bet the average age was early 40s and there were probably more late teens early twenties than those of us that paid $1.50 for models at the 5 and Dime store. I even mentioned to my son (early forties) that I was very surprised at the age range since you always hear how this is a "dying" hobby. From what I saw not only is it not dying it is thriving with a whole new generation. Even most of the venders were late 30s or early 40s at best. It made me very happy to see. 

Tcoat

I didn't see a badly built kit in the place. Most were spectacular actually. Part of what took me by surprise was the shear scale of this show. I figured a couple of hundred of local models, a half dozen venders and maybe a few spectators. There were dozens of venders, around 1,500 models and I heard the people at the doors say there was something around 2,500 people throughout the day. There were people from Europe, the US and all across Canada. Probably was not my best bet for a first show! I will be attending my local show in September and hopefully it is closer to what I thought I was headed to on Sunday. FineScale was there taking pictures so I am sure the show will appear in an issue at some point. 

Yeah, now, in each and every category, a few guys have to choose 1st, 2nd and 3rd place out of all those model kits. It's not easy, and no one is always happy with the choices.

https://doogsmodels.com/2017/09/23/its-my-model/

I wonder if this is our Doog, Karl Logan? I know he ran afoul of the law and went offline for a while.

I built a lot of our (US) armor. A lot of kits I built, I gave to fellow soldiers. Sometimes I even built them in a particular bumper number and paint scheme to represent the track they served on.

When I left Germany, I gave my former platoon sergeant's boys my built and unbuilt kits. I gave a neighbor boy my built kits when I left Texas.

I've given kits to my nephews. Yes, even though they are too fragile for sandbox play, the kit on their dresser or shelf might inspire them to begin building models themselves. And really, that's an important part of our hobby, passing on the hobby to the next generation.

When I was a kid, virtually every young boy and some dads built model kits from the 5 and dime. Today, only guys who remember what 5 and dimes were probably build.

keavdog

 

 

By the looks of that collection you must have cornered the market on grey paint for a while!

Tcoat

JoeSMG

That gif has to be the work of an ex-wife or spurned girlfriend! The model was way too nice to suffer that fate otherwise! I find the lack of firecracker usage particularly egregious!

Nope!

https://doogsmodels.com/2017/09/23/its-my-model/

 

That's pretty damned funny.  I got rid of a bunch of models, mostly because they were displayed in the garage and the dust ended up sticking to/in the paint over time - ended up taking about a 4 year break from modeling.  I do miss a couple of them but it is a bit liberating.  I find myself buying the same models to redo...

Almost all of these are gone:

Note the flakvierling in the upper right from my previous comment lol

JoeSMG

 

 

Tcoat

Too late

 

 

 

 

That gif has to be the work of an ex-wife or spurned girlfriend! The model was way too nice to suffer that fate otherwise! I find the lack of firecracker usage particularly egregious!

 

Nope!

https://doogsmodels.com/2017/09/23/its-my-model/

Tcoat

Too late

 

That gif has to be the work of an ex-wife or spurned girlfriend! The model was way too nice to suffer that fate otherwise! I find the lack of firecracker usage particularly egregious!

   I agree Rob, thanks for seeing the tongue in cheek aspect. I have also seen what you have discribed, I won a special award at a regional contest with a King Tiger painted in ambush, it was a commission buikd for a friend and admittedly one of the best kits I have ever produced. It beat a Tiger I with zimmeret, the zimmeret looked like cake frosting and was washed in black, making it look like it just rolked out of a charcoal factory. The builder was so upset he didn't speak to me for months. When he finally did engage it was how inaccurate my model was, how unfair the judges were not seeing the effort put into his zimmeret, then he accused me of stealing one of his other kits. He hounded me until I threatened violence and I still think he thinks I stole his model. For the record I DID NOT TAKE HIS MODEL.

Rob Gronovius

 

 

armornut

   I also am truly apaulled that you would bring such obvious " TURDS" to such a time honored and prestegious event. How dare you! You obviously gave no forethought nor bribes to the keen eyes of those judges, the oddasity to think that free thinking and creativity could bring you into their good graces....wow I'm not sure I should accociate with you lest your " inadiqueicies" rub off on me and diminish my chances of glory.

 

 

 

I know this is tongue in cheek, but I've seen some very horrible builds.

 

When I was in Massachusetts, there was this terribly built truck that kept getting entered with a new paint job applied over the former paint job in each of the local shows on the "circuit". You coud barely make out any detail.

I think they finally gave it a 3rd place medal so it would have to be retired from competition.

I've seen children build some awesome kits, better than I could do at double that age. And I've seen grown men proudly display kits with glue marks on clear parts and finger prints on the finished product.

Everyone builds to a different standard which is why they say, build for yourself. But it is nice to get accolades from fellow modelers.

 

I built the 1/35 Tamiya Flakveirlilng Quad 20mm in a field applied winter wash over grey which commonly wore/washed off in great streaks and splotches as my build depicted. The comment from the IPMS judge was - "paint the whole model".....lol

armornut

   I also am truly apaulled that you would bring such obvious " TURDS" to such a time honored and prestegious event. How dare you! You obviously gave no forethought nor bribes to the keen eyes of those judges, the oddasity to think that free thinking and creativity could bring you into their good graces....wow I'm not sure I should accociate with you lest your " inadiqueicies" rub off on me and diminish my chances of glory.

When I was in Massachusetts, there was this terribly built truck that kept getting entered with a new paint job applied over the former paint job in each of the local shows on the "circuit". You coud barely make out any detail.

I think they finally gave it a 3rd place medal so it would have to be retired from competition.

I've seen children build some awesome kits, better than I could do at double that age. And I've seen grown men proudly display kits with glue marks on clear parts and finger prints on the finished product.

Everyone builds to a different standard which is why they say, build for yourself. But it is nice to get accolades from fellow modelers.

JoeSMG

 

 

Tcoat

 

...

And this took silver. I threw it in at the last minute just to round out some categories.

 

 

 

 

I'm sure it's easier to get consensus when judging technical aspects then on more subjective artistic merits - Your I-400 is a beauty in both realms, I can see why it placed. You must be disgusted with your other entries - I'll be happy to take them off your hands if you can't stand the sight of them anymore! 

 

I can see judging on tecnical aspects but it is narrow focus on them that I found interesting. They never even looked at the technical aspects since the imeadiate reaction to the "artistic" parts was a big no.

Too late

   I also am truly apaulled that you would bring such obvious " TURDS" to such a time honored and prestegious event. How dare you! You obviously gave no forethought nor bribes to the keen eyes of those judges, the oddasity to think that free thinking and creativity could bring you into their good graces....wow I'm not sure I should accociate with you lest your " inadiqueicies" rub off on me and diminish my chances of glory.

    Had it crossed your mind that perhaps that sci-fi judge ACTUALLY built that exact HK and was sent back naked thru time by none other than John Conner just to slap your AWESOME attempt to depict a COMPLETELY FICTICIOUS event.

    SARCASM, PURE SARCASM!! I like to show my stuff off however attitudes like what was displayed really take the fun out of it.

Tcoat

 

...

And this took silver. I threw it in at the last minute just to round out some categories.

I'm sure it's easier to get consensus when judging technical aspects then on more subjective artistic merits - Your I-400 is a beauty in both realms, I can see why it placed. You must be disgusted with your other entries - I'll be happy to take them off your hands if you can't stand the sight of them anymore! 

JoeSMG

 

 

Tcoat

LOLOLOOLOLOLOL

I just got home from a huge show where I had 7 models entered. Six of them were big prjects that I poured 100+ hours into and one I threw together one Saturday evening and was maybe 3 hours from start to finish. Anybody want to get which one took a silver

 

 

 

Congratulations on the win! May not be the one you wanted to place but you must of known it was a looker or you wouldn't have brought it!

Any chance we get to see them?

 

I had no idea what to expect but there were over 1,500 models there and I was totally outclassed in some of my builds. It doesn't help that the IPMS judges seem to have a totally different outlook on modeling than I do! I like to make things look as real as possible but they seemed to be looking more for precision in the subject and pristine paint jobs with no dirt or weathering even if appropriate to the subject. 

All of what I entered have threads on here someplace but here is a rundown.

Watched them look at this one. They took one look at the cracked paint on the roof and moved on without even a second glance. They didn't even peak at the form that said it was actually deliberate and very difficult to do. 

Was entered for OOB. Knew it didn't stand a chance but the highlighting of the promo chassis was fun so threw it in there anyway. 

Now... this may sound like I am complaining or something but I assure you that is not the case. I had a blast and the general public enjoyed my work. The Terminator one received  several People's Choice stickers which made me happy! What I did come away from it all with is that these contests are obviously judged by a different standard. Many of the categories (there were so so many) were won by the same person taking all three awards. One guy cleaned up in cars, another in armour and there was a guy for aircraft that just stood on the stage while they handed him award after award.  These guys seemed to invariably be IPMS members that obviously have done this a long time and know exactly what the judges are looking for. 

I am not in the hobby for awards and will continue to enter these shows for the fun of it but I will attempt to build a couple of models to their standards just to see what happens!

Tcoat

LOLOLOOLOLOLOL

I just got home from a huge show where I had 7 models entered. Six of them were big prjects that I poured 100+ hours into and one I threw together one Saturday evening and was maybe 3 hours from start to finish. Anybody want to get which one took a silver

Tcoat

LOLOLOOLOLOLOL

I just got home from a huge show where I had 7 models entered. Six of them were big prjects that I poured 100+ hours into and one I threw together one Saturday evening and was maybe 3 hours from start to finish. Anybody want to get which one took a silver

Congratulations on the win! May not be the one you wanted to place but you must of known it was a looker or you wouldn't have brought it!

Any chance we get to see them?

LOLOLOOLOLOLOL

I just got home from a huge show where I had 7 models entered. Six of them were big prjects that I poured 100+ hours into and one I threw together one Saturday evening and was maybe 3 hours from start to finish. Anybody want to get which one took a silver

I Have to add This:

              A Turd-needless to say, there's a big one lurking in some aisle or online ad. What is it? you may ask. Do any of you remember Lindberg's biggest competitor? That would be Pyro! they put out two kits that except for the name panels was the same kit-The Natchez and the Robt.E.Lee Mississippi River Steamboats. yes,I remember them well.

        I still carry the scar from the Blade on my first X-Acto knife breaking when trying to separate the deck from the sprue. Four stitches, Neat teeny ones, on the pad of my left thumb. Mom and dad had gone on vacation after the Christmas rush and Celebration with gifts and made me promise to be careful with my new tools and building models. I was careful and still bear a reminder. Oh, I have another Natchez, because I liked the kit anyway. Anything But the Robt. E. Lee, Which it seemed everybody was suddenly making! 

           The windows were only shadows of what windows would be and the Deck planks molded in, would work out to 12x24x26 foot pieces of coarse wood in real life. Not a scale for sure. But it looked neat painted in the colors on the Box Top art. Speaking of that.

             In the early mid Seventies I built two Pre-Production models and painted them for a company in Mt.Clemons, Mich. They were going to put out the sport version of the Valiant then in production and the Pontiac Turbo trans Am, The Turbo trans Am had to match photos from it's intro in the Detroit Auto Show. I did it and never saw anything from the company.       

            My model, or at least a photo wound up showing up on a model Company's Model Box in Japan! Funny that! I got got paid very well for those two but never did know what American co. was supposed to produce the things.

She looks nice to me Tcoat! Kudos for getting her done. 

I remember now that I do have some vintage Soviet/Warsaw Pact kits from the '70s and '80s stashed somewhere. I think Eastern Express and Kopro. Those would make an interesting 'turd' build... 

All done.

Total working time 22 hours 19 minutes.

Tools consisted of a dull exacto knife, a worn out medium brush, and two toothpicks (I broke one).

Although it does look pretty good all things considered it would certainly be considered a "turd" by my normal standards.

The gun could have used some thinning on several parts, hydraulic lines and filler on some seams.

The truck's paint is horrid, several parts are slightly warped and there is shiny super glue left uncoated on many small parts. Worst of all is that the front wheels have the stance of an 18 year old's Honda Civic!

I really enjoyed this basic build!

More pics over in my build thread.