Cannibalising/Robbing kits.

[AeroplaneDriver]

I'm a packrat by nature, so I love having a complete, unmolested kit in the stash, and it does give me pangs of guilt, or loss, or something, when  Ireb a complete kit to complete a project, but once I see the finished article I usually get over it.  The nice thing is once I take a single part form a kit, I mentally turn that kit into kitbash or parts fodder, so I dont have a problem with it next time around.  If i happen to build a complete model form something that has already been robbed then that's just all the better.

[sequoiaranger]

I have bought several THOUSAND kits, and I bought most of them first with the intention of building them "stock", but as my interest in whiffing grew, I bought them for the shape of something I saw, or some other attribute that I might use for whiffing. I didn't and don't feel the least bit guilty about it. The kits were MADE to be sold, not built. That is, the manufacturers did not care one lick if someone built it or lit it on fire as long as they bought it. And once it passes to another hand, the manufacturers get nothing of the additional "value" that accrues. So I don't feel anything is sacrosanct--it's a PRODUCT to be used as one sees fit.

Like someone else said, I am glad that SOMEONE is keeping a nice, pristine kit as a collector's piece, but it ain't gonna be me, either. I actually ENJOY cutting up a rare old kit, because I know it will be built and DISPLAYED somewhere, rather than parts still being attached to sprues in a box, and some old modeling codger will RECOGNIZE the origin of the displayed model and appreciate the inclusion.

>The nice thing is once I take a single part form a kit, I mentally turn that kit into kitbash or parts fodder, so I dont have a problem with it next time around.<

Amen to that.

Whiffery usually means sacrifice, but for a good cause.

[Sauragnmon]

SR, that line makes me think of a battlecry of a guy who was in a Games Workshop store, on the staff, who was one of the first guys who got me into the thoughts of kitbashing, when I was still collecting 40K stuff:

"BITS FOR THE BITS BOX!!!"

I share some of the aforementioned problem - not the loss of the kit, but the "what-do-I-do-with-these-leftovers"ism that comes from hacksawing liberally and taking the sledgehammer to kits.

[ChrisF]

... ive bought a 1/48 Tornado Gr4 with the idea of stealing all the load-out and bits for my Airfix 1/48 TSR2.... but im ALREADY feeling guilty about the half-kit left over....   

Meh, donate it to some kid to throw together, gluey fingerprints and all. They won't care about drop tanks missing, they'll just bung it together and then run around the yard with it making jet noises.

I'm certain we can all remember doing that. 

I thought of doing that.... and kinda like the idea in fact (Might get someone else into the hobby) but then i realised all the kids i know are girls......

[sequoiaranger]

>"BITS FOR THE BITS BOX!!!" I share some of the aforementioned problem - not the loss of the kit, but the "what-do-I-do-with-these-leftovers"ism that comes from hacksawing liberally and taking the sledgehammer to kits.<

I have the CONFIDENCE that SOMETIME in the future that the leftover parts will either inspire some concoction or be a part of one. I so enjoy testing out something and seeing if the current crop of casts-off will fill the bill. My only trouble is that I have built and cut up so many models that I have trouble remembering what kits were used for what. F'rinstance, I wanted a P-40 underfairing for the Jinpu-Kai whif and I had to search a lot of old boxes to find a P-40 that I had previously used some thirty years ago--I often combine boxes of parts. The BONUS of that is, that in searching for something, serendipity will come into play and I will find something NOT being searched for that I can use, and I will re-remember where some stuff was.

It's all good!

[Sauragnmon]

ChrisF - your point being?  My youngest cousin's a girl, what did she pick up at a yard sale?  a Model Truck.  This hobby is not gender-specific, and in this day and age, the mold is being broken more so.  See if there's interest, and donate away!

SR - Your tale of mixed spares reminds me of my old Lego tub when I was young - I just threw all the unused parts into a massive rubbermaid tub, and in the process of building my latest mad-science creation, I would simply rake through it looking for something that would fit in place, and apply randomly.

[ChrisF]

Sorry i guess i should be more specific.... while it is true that more girls/women are into the hobby these days very few seem to want a spitfire hanging from their celing.....

....And yes i did try to convince them.... lol   

[Howard of Effingham]

if i rob a kit, i like to tape a post it note to the end of the kit just to remind me that
the kit has been raided. anyone else do that?

trevor

[The Rat]

if i rob a kit, i like to tape a post it note to the end of the kit just to remind me that
the kit has been raided. anyone else do that?

trevor

Excuuuuuse me? A modeler who's organised?! Careful or we'll make you hand over your stash to someone more suited. 

[Bungle]

if i rob a kit, i like to tape a post it note to the end of the kit just to remind me that
the kit has been raided. anyone else do that?

Oh dear I'm much sadder than that.... over the years I have bought incomplete, part built or just plain cheap kits off of EvilBay. I trawl the local car boot sales and pick up 'literally' boxes of made-up kits, sometimes even unmade kits (including a 1/72 B-52 for £1.50). Sadly the made up kits get broken up for stores, undercarriage, cockpit and canopies - all of which get stored in the relevant labelled boxes. All part builds and unmade kits get entered into a database where I stick a number label on the kitbox etc. In the database I record where I have stored the kit and what I have 'borrowed' from the kit so when I come to take a kit from the pile - I have a history.

Certain kits that have been cannabalised to such an extent are literally removed from database and the parts distributed to the various spares boxes. I tend to use the fuselage parts as test beds for colour combinations so I have a rainbow collection of parts as well !

Even sadder the kits I make are displayed for about three months, extensively photographed (and the best pics added to the database) before being boxed and stored in the loft (if they are lucky) others just go to the grandkids (and I hate to think what they do with them). I can only display about 30 finished 1/72 kits (and not multi-engined thingies with large wingspan either) and only a few bypass my rigorous three months then stored regime. If I tried hanging any from the ceiling the wife would probably plan the same fate for me !

I use modelling as my de-stresser. Previously I played sport competitively (over-competitively) but the body has worn out so much so that I part plastic kit myself (well titanium anyway). Modelling stops the mind following the body to the scrapheap!

I'm not sure if anyone else is the same but I take delight in creating something from almost nothing even though no-one else will possibly ever see the result let alone understand it (I get plenty of blank looks from the wife). When I get it right, I get it right and when I don't, well there's a lot more for me to start. And then there's What-if .... here I can get it wrong and its right. Since joining last year I have become more creative and that has certainly got the brainbox working again.

[ChrisF]

if i rob a kit, i like to tape a post it note to the end of the kit just to remind me that
the kit has been raided. anyone else do that?

(including a 1/72 B-52 for £1.50)

Mine cost me £50 !!!!  EEEEK !!

[Howard of Effingham]

if i rob a kit, i like to tape a post it note to the end of the kit just to remind me that
the kit has been raided. anyone else do that?

Excuuuuuse me? A modeler who's organised?! Careful or we'll make you hand over your stash to someone more suited. 

just you try to..... 

there's a very good reason for doing this.... save's hassle if you are going to make that kit in future.

[Joe C-P]

if i rob a kit, i like to tape a post it note to the end of the kit just to remind me that
the kit has been raided. anyone else do that?

trevor

Excuuuuuse me? A modeler who's organised?! Careful or we'll make you hand over your stash to someone more suited. 

I'm really organized, too. I make lists, sort through and organize kits, parts, and decals, write histories, and figure out what parts I need to finish a project.

And having not built them after a couple months I get new ideas and start reorganizing and relisting and resorting and planning to buy a whole new set of parts!     

[anthonyp]

I'm really organized, too. I make lists, sort through and organize kits, parts, and decals, write histories, and figure out what parts I need to finish a project.

And having not built them after a couple months I get new ideas and start reorganizing and relisting and resorting and planning to buy a whole new set of parts!     

Same here.  About once a year, I go through the stash, make a list of everything in there, and decide how I'm going to build every one of them.  I used to put pieces of paper in the boxes to remind me what I had intended for the kit.

I invariably forget where I put the list, and grab a kit and go to town.  I then later find the list, and realize there were good ideas on it, necessitating me going on a buying spree to be able to build.

I have three large parts boxes that get the remains of raided kits and models.  I have a further five boxes for stores, sorted by Western bombs, droptanks, and missiles, and Warpack bombs/droptanks and missiles...

... and I have currently misplaced said parts boxes.  If anyone should find them, please let me know 

[Taiidantomcat]

Make that a third. I try to keep organized with a giant list of whats going where and any other notes and whenever I rob a kit i try to write it down. I even create cute little names for my lists,"From Russia With Love" if i take parts from a Russian model. "Kamikaze" list for Japan Etc...

The most bizarre thing about these list though...I started them with the idea that i only had so many whatevers "so i better keep track" and now years later i realize i have never had a problem buying a new kit, so its kind of redundant in a way... especially on kits that are $10m
readily available, and i tend to just buy anyway!! Lastly if this site has taught me anything its that there is no limit to what can be built from "junk parts" and I like being painted into a corner with old parts to figure how to build something interesting

checking ebay and buying pre built kits is something i do too. You can get whole lots and strip the paint. Tons of Whif Fodder on Ebay.

The expensive hard to find kit is something i understand. It can be a bit of a "war of wills"  I have no problem whiffing them for reasons that have already been mentioned... But i do try to save them for special Whifs if that makes sense, If i am going to build a Sci Fi F-14 i dont worry about re scribing raised panel lines, i shave them off because its a Starfighter and will be weathered immensely anyway. But I will save the Nice F-14 kit with panel lines and even some AM stuff for a RAF version. Just because its a whif doesn't mean it can't look as good (or better  ) than a "real model"

SeaDude you ask good questions