17.11.15

SPRUE CUTTERS UNION #39 - RESTRAINED PLANNING, IT'S ALL ABOUT BALANCE

Tamiya Ducati 916 - An Exercise in Restrained Planning



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- Restrained planning, it’s all about balance -

By balance, I mean being realistic about how much time and money can be put into a build as the ultimate goal is getting something finished and on the shelf. I usually plan out how many ‘must have’ details I want to include into the build and then when it comes to sub-assemblies I’ll make a call whether a certain area deserves any added attention. For example for some car kit builds, I’ll add PE bolt heads on the chassis, on other builds I’ll leave em out as the subject matter doesn’t captivate me as much as others. As for the must haves, if available, the disc brakes will get the PE treatment, include seat belts, and the wheels will be treated to machined air valves. Some of these details are minute but I feel the addition of them can really elevate the finished build. At time even to the same level as if I had added every nut and bolt. 

Also, because every build is a learning experience, it doesn’t mean that I can’t build the same kit twice and add that much more detail on the next one. An example of this would be the PL Refit. On the first build (which is currently on the bench) my goal is to focus on getting everything aligned, getting that translucent paint finish right and making a suitable stand for it. Having those main things down, I would consider adding lighting to a second build, which is a whole different monster. I find that this way, there’s less chance that I’ll reach that tipping point where I put the project on hold because it just became too big of an undertaking.

There’s also considering the budget. I’m not one to get every PE or resin set for a particular kit but if I have one of Tamiya’s Corsair kits in 1/32 on the bench then yeah, I’ll invest in some placard decals by Barracuda Studios or some aftermarket seat belts. But getting Eduard’s multi-sheet PE set would not be my go to as the detail supplied in the kit is pretty good as is, with any added detail required could be done via scratch-building. But I won’t spend the same amount as the kit on aftermarket accessories.

- If there is something I’m unsure of i’ll tackle it later on in the build -

Sometimes, I’ll be a little unsure of how to pursue or take on a certain aspect of a build. I’ve been on/off a Ducati 916 build for the last 9 years. One of the holds-ups was getting the mufflers to resemble a pair of Termignoni carbon units. When I first began building the kit I had zero skills with CF decals nor the know-how of re-chroming parts or where to get the Termignoni decals. Now, the skills and the supplies are within reach and I am hoping this will be my next completed build. 

- There are some things I like to tackle first -

When it comes to planning, there are some things that I like to tackle first. If the subject is automotive then the body pieces will get worked on first as the finish needs a good amount of time to cure properly. On other builds, I’ll concentrate of the larger sub-assemblies first, such as the wings of an aircraft or the saucer of a starship. Seeing either of these steps through helps me keep the momentum of the build strong. 

- Try something new -

It is also important for me to try something new with every build. For the Mercedes 300SL build, now that I have pretty good experience with laying down colour and getting the finish i want, my goal is to try metallic pigments on the engine block. I think this method will complement the era of the vehicle nicely and add a suitable level of patina to the engine bay. 

Happy building (and planning) folks :)

_pL




1.11.15

SPRUE CUTTERS UNION #38 – WHAT INFLUENCES YOUR STASH

SPRUE CUTTERS UNION 38 - WHAT INFLUENCES YOUR STASH
ONE OF THE JEWELS OF MY COLELCTION: FINEMOLDS INCREDIBLE 1/72 MILLENNIUM FALCON




A considerable part of my stash is the result of supply vs demand. I’ve cut out emotional spending… you know, work life getting you bummed or you didn’t make it to the butchers on time, so you open the wallet for some new plastic to fill that empty black hole. And I’m not one to buy the cheapest kit, usually meaning very old, as they’re not usually the extra effort to bring them up to modern standards. Though the last couple of years, it’s been the former. Case in point would be the Star Wars kits by FineMolds. I knew the license was going to be transferred to another company and whatever stock was left was it. Any time wasted would mean purchasing them at a premium. So, I picked up as many as I could tuck away (more like hide from the missus). And when the 1/72 MF was re-leased a 3rd time, I clicked ‘add to cart’ without any hesitation. 

So, I picked up as many as I could tuck away,
more like hide from the missus.

While I respect Bandai’s offerings (of which I also purchased whatever I could), I will always yearn for more FM kits and relish/savour the ones I have. Fine Molds were the first mainstream manufacturer that treated the sci-fi community of builders with kits that were of a high level of detail and refinement, and fit and finish on par with the likes of Tamiya. Major castings weren’t amalgamated as a single blob of detail but rather treated as a blank, where each detail, whether a pipe or transmission casing, was its own part. Just like how the original ST studio models were built. Though FM kits weren’t perfect, they raised the bar for all future sci-fi kits to come. 

I’ll have to admit that the rate of growth of my stash also comes down to my foam-at-the-mouth addiction for new releases by the big T. LaFerrari, pre-ordered that one, thank you very much. New Panigale? Put me down for two please. It’s the ‘I want it, I want it now!’ syndrome. 

I want it, I want it now!

Will I build them all? Who knows and who cares! I’m content in knowing that I am set for retirement.

_pL



Check out the SPRUE CUTTERS UNION facebook page to learn more about the union and other write-ups by fellow modellers. 

SPRUE CUTTERS UNION #37 – ESSENTIAL ASPECTS YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO CUT CORNERS ON DURING A BUILD

SPRUE CUTTERS UNION #37 – ESSENTIAL ASPECTS YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO CUT CORNERS ON DURING A BUILD
TAMIYA'S BRILLIANT 1:12 DUCATI PANIGALE GETTING THE SPA TREATMENT


Initial thoughts upon reading the topic post was to break it down into build categories: for automotive, having a glass-like finish for the body is priority or when building sci-fi subjects, adding that extra bit of scratch-built detail to bring that vehicle, that doesn’t even exist, to life/reality.

"What step do everyone of these plastic treasures receive?"

I then took a step back and asked myself "What step do everyone of these plastic treasures receive?" and then it struck me like a piece of flying styrene shrapnel. They all get the spa treatment. It doesn’t matter the subject I’m working on or the scale, but no cutters will touch a single sprue, nor a file to any plastic until everything has received a proper bath. That’s right, everything gets washed first. 


It’s actually pretty therapeutic, as I get to examine every part on every sprue. They usually get a nice soak in a warm detergent bath and then everything gets a thorough toothbrush scrub down, followed by a good rinse and then air dried. 

Seeing all the sprues laid out only increases the anticipation but it’s well worth the wait. Having a clean surface means every piece will have a stronger bond when glued and paint will adhere properly. Sometimes I’ll only wash a few sprues
at a time, so will mark those with a ‘W’. Bonus: you’ll really get to know the kit’s content and perhaps even foresee
any problems.


"You’ll really get to know the kit’s content and perhaps even foresee any problems." 

All this combined means you’ll have a smoother, and thus more enjoyable build. And isn’t that one of the reasons we partake in this hobby, for the sheer pleasure of building. Though, if the missus notices your scrubbing skills, you might
be stuck with dish duty more often. 


_pL

Check out the SPRUE CUTTERS UNION facebook page to learn more about the union and other write-ups by fellow modellers. 

SPRUE CUTTERS UNION #36 – LET'S TALK SCALE

SPRUE CUTTERS UNION 36 – LET'S TALK SCALE
POLAR LIGHTS 1/350 REFIT AND A LITTLE MAN FOR SCALE




My thoughts on scale is an easy one and to quote Jeremy Clarkson: "...the bigger, the better". It's not a very logical decision considering I live in a small apartment with barely any space on the shelves, less alone the storage space to store the kit boxes. In all honesty, I can't say I have the time needed to build even a small fraction of the ever looming pile of kits I've accrued over the years. None the less, I'm sticking to my guns... the bigger the scale, the better. And that's probably why I have five 1/350 scale USS Enterprises kits by Polar Lights, which are over three feet long when completed. A glance over my stash will reveal a handful of gorgeous Tamiya 1/32 airplane kits too and a REVELL 1/12 Shelby GT500.

‘the bigger, the better

But like most of us, at times it's more the budget restricting me from buying all those premium low-run large scale kits that make me drool such as those studio-scale sci-fi resin kits by Sovereign Replicas & NICE-N Model Designs or the gorgeous 1/12 multi-media race car offerings by Hiroboy. Though the budget can stretch to those large-scale offerings mentioned earlier by Polar Lights, Tamiya and Revell.

‘at times it's more the budget restricting me

I'll admit that it's the ‘inner kid’ that gets the better of me and I get giddy just thinking of having a completed large-scale replica of the Refit Enterprise or that 1/12 GT500 mustang in my collection. The shear size of them and the extra level of detail that each could receive never fails to put a smile on my face! As for the Refit E, having a fairly respectable model kit out of the box where it's possible to achieve levels of detail that make it near studio scale worthy, well it puts a childish grin on my stupid face. 

‘it puts a childish grin on my stupid face

I think the larger scale resonates with me too because when growing up, getting a kit by the 'big T', let alone one of the larger scales kits was completely out of reach. Now, if Tamiya 
release
s a new 1/32 plane kit, I can stretch the wallet and add one of these kits to the to build club. Not to mention, walking out of the store with that big-ass box makes me feel like a kid again. 

Sometimes being an adult can have it's advantages :)

_pL




Check out the SPRUE CUTTERS UNION facebook page to learn more about the union and other write-ups by fellow modellers.