Ya, I’ve seen that kinda chicken-scat as well… Mostly at the Regionals where there was a “good ol’ boy” clique…
I feel to keep the playing field level tricked out models chocked full of AM extras are out of the affordability of most modelers, thus they should hold no higher favor to really well done scratch built details.
Take a 1/35 scale tank. say about 35$
Add metal individual working track links 45$
Resin interior & motor compartment 45$
PE detail set(s) 25$
AM decals or dry transfers 15$
(all prices estimates for discussion) ___________
Your 35$ kit is now well over 100$ 165$
Basically deeper pockets should not mean contest gold above skill, determination & ingenuity.
The judging seminars conducted at our IPMS meetings clearly put across the fact that fit and finish are first. Load on the resin and p/e- it dont mean a thing- if the basics are not done properly.
I was watching closely to see if there was a ‘ol’ boy’ thing going on but not a chance just good old fashioned competition . Good to see everyone has the chance to compete in a level field.
They don’t with me… That’s where “Scope of Effort” comes into play… The scratch-built details, if well done, will garner more “points” with me than a model with comparable A/M parts…
The devil of it is that, given the same basic details, the AM parts will look sharper so, in most cases I suspect, will garner higher points than the scratch-built stuff. Don’t get me wrong - I’ve become a huge fan of scratching stuff. But I know that, in most cases, if there is an AM set available, the level of detail in that set will be higher than I can produce with stretched sprue, sheet styrene, and wire. I don’t know, maybe that is more a comment on my scratch-building skills than anything else, but…[:P]
See, I dont like that, because that rewards builders for having a bigger budget, instead of more creativity
Its gonna become moot anyway ,with the number of kits supplied with p/e and resin details. These will still have to be modelled properly .Perhaps we are seeing an evolution of model building contests ,if not the hobby, as these detail extras become de riguer.
The kit drive chain on my Bobber was really crappy. The p/e aftermarket chain looks great and is a focal point on the model. I made a lot of parts for the model. I would not be able to fabricate a chain to match or look better than the amarket offering. The choice for me was easy ,I like the detail kits and I can work with them. I am scratchbuilding a turbo charger for the next piece ,the mutant honda and supplementing with amarket again as well. Good subject goin on here.
That’s the rub though—scope of effort or “overall look” doesn’t matter in IPMS rules…Like Hammer, I’ve seen it a million times where a much more diffuclt and pleasing build (by most observers) will lose out to a basic OOB build because of literally a micro-millimeter alignment issue or a shiny spot…And the die-hard IPMS’rs always fall back on the “basics” argument…Yeah, I get it if a build is clearly sloppy or has some real fit issues but that is NOT what I’m talking about…
I watched two guys judge a 109 I entered at a Regional IPMS a few years ago and it came down to my 109 or a Japanese Tojo for 1st…I was standing right next to them and they had no idea it was my 109…the Tojo belonged to a buddy of the judges—they were hosting the contest…they kept wringing their hands over a way to justify giving me second…finally after many looks underneath and numerous handlings…one guy exclaimed “Aha—the drop tank is not square!..” the other guy said: “There you go—second place!” They never picked up the Tojo… Numerous people came up to me after the awards and complimented me on the scheme and expressed their surprise at the second place finisihing…
My “sloppy” build:
I see plenty of models that looked better when bare, with shiny metal bits than when painted.
Judging is 80% point deduction 20% subjective. Rewarding effort is subjective, unless there are so much effort involved it is plainly obvious.
Having too much after market parts can be a burden as well. A model needs to look consistent throughout. If certain sections have exquisite detail, the other parts must also match up.
Well, Manny! What do you expect when you enter a POS like that? [;)]
Next time, try bribery and skullduggery. That’s what I do, never works, but it’s better than praying.
Beautiful 109, I think you know I was not at all serious about the POS thing. What did the Tojo have going for it?
It was built by a member of the club that was hosting the contest…
In May 2009 I entered a Marder II w/ Soviet 76.2 mm R 36 anti tank gun mounted. It was the sum of a entire winters model building. Extensive scratch building that modified or added detail to everything above the fenders. The gun barrel was a aluminum tube built up with filler putty and tuned to sand the taper on. The kit was difficult to say the least, individual track links that required clean up of 5 injection mold points each. That alone must have took 20 hours! I persevered and stuck with OOB.
The category was ‘Support vehicles ie SPG’s’ as the next was ‘Tanks’ or ‘soft skinned’ Logically it was entered in ‘Support vehicles’ Luck of the contest a 'ringer’ had entered two in the category, both his were featured (10 pages) in a popular European modeling magazine (current issue at the time of the contest) The third or bronze winner was a club member.
Needless to say with my one entry I left the contest with nothing but a few door prizes. Many modelers were discussing the category and wondered why the Marder II never placed. I felt a injustice was dealt that day wondering if there was something obviously wrong or inaccurate with my entry.
Its all water under the bridge now. Lesson learned regarding ‘expected winners’ and club members pre contest winning choices. All good I live 3000 miles away from it all now.
The Marder II:
Interesting photo shoot as well! It was -30 and the camera’s lens froze on zoom mode. The plastic ‘snow base’ lifted from the marble one, the white glue still had moisture trapped which expanded in the cold. All good as it was planned to remove at one point to add the SPG to a bigger scene.
Put your AM parts money into buying tools, Smeagol… That’s where you can beat out the guys that buy the parts, eventually… Get the Micro-Mark catalog… Once you have the tools (AND learn how to use them), you can make just about any part that can be bought, and you won’t constantly have to buy parts… Also take advantage of kits that have really good parts included, and learn how to cast copies of them… I bet I have at least 10 P&W R-2800 radials from the Monogram Black Widow done now, along with a couple dozen or so .50 cals from the Monogram ProModeler B-17, not to mention a few dozen figures…
And if ever can buy only ONE tool, track down a Mattel Vac-U-Form… You won’t know how you ever lived without one…
Can’t say there was or wasn’t an injustice not having the other kits to compare, but on its own, the Marder’s second road wheel is floating above the track and it doesn’t appear to be from sprung suspension. I dropped the picture in a photo editor to confirm this. You can see track horns under the wheel. Look at the hubs in the picture. You can see they are not in a straight line. This then causes tracks to float from the first roaod wheel to the second. It may also be floating above the other third and fourth as well.
If I can see that from the two pictures you’ve provided, the judges would have seen that and possibly more in person.
It’s comendable that you did a lot of work on this and presumably did the research to back it up, but what you’ve presented shows at least one basic construction error. And those basic errors are what knock maybe 95% of models out of the running for an award.
Manny, I dont believe your story… the Manny we know, and im sure everyone would agree with me, would have, after that, bit their heads off and laid his eggs in their corpses for that.
Hans, I have been putting my money in tools, every chance I get. Im always getting stuff for my dremel and whatnot. I am also looking for that matell vacuform machine, been for a little bit.
Because this is a “family” Forum I left those details out of my story…
Vacuforms are available on ebay I got two or three off there for average of $60 .I kept the brand new one and sold the others. As far as the Marder goes take consolation in the fact that it can still be re-entered ,like my Scammel.
See the first rear wheel ,there is glue evidence connecting it to the base, that and a coupla other small errors knocked it out. No gripe here- I learned a lot this year and kept a good (mature) attitude.
…what a couple of morons, drop tanks are never square, they’re kinda tear-drop shaped…
Great job on that 109 btw. [Y]
It wasn’t the glue drop that kept it from winning any contests. It’s because the truck is FILTHY! Look at all that rust and dirt. A new shiny coat of paint, some pin stripes, maybe a bchn flame job and you’re as good as gold.
Eric
Eberg _Yeah! Some flames lickin ’ off the hood woulda bin nice as well,