So this may sound like a weird question, but when do you y’all just say the heck with it this model isn’t worth it. I am working on the Academy F-15, and nothing seems to fit right, nothing seems to glue together correctly. So when is enough to y’all
Nothing weird about it, there are times when a particular build gets frustrating or even the whole pursuit. For me it’s either fun or not - when it’s not it’s time to do something else.
Mike
I’ve trashed a handful of models over the years.At times the frustration level peaks and their gone…after salvaging stuff for the spare parts box,or using it for experimenting
Same Here !
Same here as well but on rare occasions. I’m always researching reviews on a particular subject. I’ve had times I just pick up a kit and have a go at it no matter the issues.
When it’s not “Fun” anymore, I salvage any part’s I feel would be used on other stuff …
And the FIRECRACKER’S come out of storage again !
1: Place on ground …
2: Light fuse …
3: Step back a few feet and enjoy the show !
Same here, if it is no fun anymore i will put it on the side and maybe make a diorama with the model in a crash scene. That way it doesn’t matter what the model looks like
Definitely know the feeling! But some models beg to be finished no matter the time spent on the Shelf of Doom. Not so much those terrible kits that fight you every inch of the way, but it’s those projects that you just love too much to abandon completely.
In fact, I have a 25+ YEAR old shelf queen that I hope to finish soon. It’s ultra super top secret right now, but hopefully I can share my long lost labor of love with the forum when it is done.
So never say never to your shelf queens, if they are special to you. Yeah, but go ahead and dump the cr*p-*ss junkie kits. Life is too short for that stuff.
Call me a hard headed, stubborn old Irishman, but I hate to just trash one even though I have, not too many years ago. It was just so badly warped, there was no chance to correct that and the canopy was short shot, so I binned it.
If I buy one and it basically disappoints, then I’ll still finish it without any effort spent on details, paint and decal it, then give it to neighbor hood kids. They’re delighted with the gift, it brings them some fun and it’s not wasted then. They won’t know it’s cr@ppy @ss unless I tell them. I don’t.
Patrick
I do occasionally trash a model, rather than placing it in the shelves of doom. Last one was a Maquette Boeing Stratoliner. Most of it was okay, but the fuselage looked like it was paper mache, and the height of each side along the seam differed by between a sixteent and three/thirty-seconds. Really junk. I would have needed to scratch the fuselage, and decided to just get a B-17 kit and scratch a fuselage for that (I know I will have to modify engine nacelles to rid them of 'charger.
Yep, I had that model too. I did buy a “Colin Kelly” B-17C to use, which I still have
Mine came off eBay from a cigar smoker, couldn’t even bring it in the house. I threw it away two moves ago.
If you ever have any further thoughts, I’d be interested to share.
EDIT: You don’t smoke cigars, do you?
Bill
Several times. The first was probably the Tauro A7V Sturmpanzer in 1:35 scale. The single link vinyl tracks went together with a series of metal pins. The thick sides were toublesome to line up.
Next would be a Zvezda T-60 kit, bought after the Berlin Wall came down when it was only available to Warsaw Pact purchasers. The one piece vinyl tracks were short shot and nearly useless. The kit was Zvezda’s first and not worth trying to make better.
Third kit was a Trumpeter M60A1/A3. When Trumpeter first started out, they produced cheap copies of Tamiya and Academy kits. This one even had a bad doctored copy of Academy instructions showing placement of parts that were molded onto the upper hull. The upper hull looked like it had been placed under a heat lamp with soft and lumpy detail. The tracks didn’t fit the tank either.
I don’t remember what company made the kit(not Monogram), but it was an F-82 twin Mustang in 1/72. It was terrible…and rather than add any further disgrace to my trash can…I got a shovel and buried it in the back yard.
Years later, I tackled ModelCrafts 1/48 F-82, which was worse yet…but my abilities were far greater than when I tried the little one…even made it into the mags “reader gallery”!
Anyone want a Mach 2 Valiant?
I call them…Hanger Queens and they’re starting to pile up.
Totally 86’d the ESCI demag 250. Like you said, nothng fit well, but I was bit of a novice. No excuse by today’s standards.
That was probably the Hobbycraft copy of the Monogram F-82. Bought one, opened it up and donated it to a club raffle.
I’ve given up on the AFV Club M38. It’s a nice kit, but I just can’t make it work. After a few glue run disasters, I will leave it for those better than I.
The only kit I ever trashed was an old Lindberg F-104. Terrible kit, but it did have a removable engine on a stand that I did end up keeping. But usually when I gave up on a kit I would try out experiments on it, or use it for parts for another project.
I know your pain! Especially with the Academy F15! That kit is absolute crap. The fitment and build are beyond suspect. I first tried their F15k SLAM Eagle. I couldn’t get anything to line up right. It meet it’s demise under the heel of my shoe. I tried again, thinking maybe it was just my lack of skill, this time their F15E. AGAIN, the same problems and again a gruesome demise. That kit is no good. It’ nice that it has all the weapons you could want and outstanding decals by cartograph, but the kit itself is doodoo. Third time worked for me with the Revell F15E and weapons from the Academy kit. The Revell F15 is regarded as the best F15 kit you can buy. I have trashed many another model, and when I stop and look at it, about 85% of them were Academy! Most of their kits are junk with exception to their newer releases where they seem to be getting better.
So no it is not weird and no you are not the only one to say F this. Sucks that we basically just threw money away, but hey, in this hobby, nothing is impossible or unheard of.