Scratch Build GB - I love the smell of evergreen & putty in the morning...

[GTX]

Hi folks,

Idea here is for a scratch build GB.  In other words, you're not building a kit per sae but rather something that isn't kitted (or at least not in the scale you're doping).  You would be able to make use of parts from kits though.

Regards,

Greg

[sotoolslinger]

Well, needless to say, I am in

[puddingwrestler]

I'm interested. This is my sort of GB - Free Form. As long as you use the building techniques specified, you are not restrained at all in your choice of subject.

[Ed S]

It would be a good one.  But definitely not a 1-week GB.

Ed

[GTX]

Needless to say really, but you can count me in 

It would be a good one.  But definitely not a 1-week GB.

Ed

I agree on that point, scratchbuilds are not quick shake n' bake deals, they take time (unless your Thorvic, he has some strange space/time continuum field around his work area...  ). If I may make a suggestion, this would be an ideal candidate for a long term GB, perhaps a full year? Perhaps starting from 1 Jan 2011 and ending 31 Dec 2011. That should give folks plenty of time.

This would be a great GB, an ideal opportunity for the non scratchbuilders to dip their toes in the waters so to speak, afterall, we really do need to rid scratchbuilding of the mystique that surrounds it and show people that anyone can do it (If I can, then definitely anyone can). I would be happy to moderate/co-moderate this one, if it gets off the ground. I will sound out Geoff for his thoughts on this one, perhaps those of us who are habitual scratchbodgers could put our heads together (a dangerous thought, I know) and come up with a "Dummies Guide to Scratchbashbodgery"  to assist the neophytes amongst us.



Duncan

Great ideas all there - especially the concept of 1 year long period for it.

Regards,

GReg

[Weaver]

Begs the inevitable question: what qualifies as scratchbuilding? Significant proportion from "raw" materials? If so, how much?

[GTX]

If I may, a further suggestion:

Lets not put this one to a vote as per the norm (Duckworth Lewis method of vote counting aside  ), lets just make this a firm committment for next years calendar, make it 1 year in length and as free form as possible to encourage maximum participation.



Duncan

I agree.

Regards,

Greg

[Weaver]

Begs the inevitable question: what qualifies as scratchbuilding? Significant proportion from "raw" materials? If so, how much?

For purposes of maximising participation I would prefer to keep the definition as broad as possible, otherwise why don't we just get a forum lawyer... 

As far as I see it, if all you do is take the wings from one kit and put them on another, thats Scratchbuilding, if you want to build a whole vehicle from knicker elastic and plasticard, thats Scratchbuilding.



Duncan

You don't need a forum lawyer, you've got me......

The point is that people know where they stand. For example, I'd have said that some of my "wing swap" projects wern't scratchbuilding but kitbashing (by my personal definition), but now I know that they're eligible for this GB, I'll put them in - result!

I was actually planning to stop doing GBs and concentrate on unfinished projects or personal projects from now on, but if this GB runs for the whole of next year, quite a lot of that work will qualify for it by default.

[puddingwrestler]

I agree on that point, scratchbuilds are not quick shake n' bake deals
[/quote]

Oh I dunno, my Melbourne Cup Day single day build was a scratch build. It all depends on what you are making.

[Thorvic]

Well i love the idea and will help out where i can.

Couple of things however:-

As scratch building is more a methodogly and one of narses seven levels of whiffing, should we not look at setting this as a challenge rather than a Group Build as were basically encouraging others to step up to the next level of whiffing.

Scratch builds should be included for those submitted for other Group Builds during the period, but maybe incude details of the build within the Scratch build thread to illustrate the theme, discuss ideas, methods, source kits and materials plus suitable references.

Don't be affraid to ask for opinions and advice, there are those on the forum with the knack for spotting possible donor parts or can suggest a better way to approach a particular building method as they may welj have learned the hard way as to what works and what doesn't. That said those offering opinions must ensure they providing positive advice and not being overly critical as the idea is to nurture the concept.

Scratch builds basically follow two patterns in whiffing; 'the lets see what we can make with this' where the imagination sets in to create something different from a standard kit or materials and the 'i want to build this' where a kit does not exist for a particular project that takes your fancy and you use what you can find to create your own model of the project.

Would we want to group all as one in the challenge or spilt the winners into the two categories as the same methods are used to achieve two completely different goals ?

Cheers

Geoff

[sotoolslinger]

I am so very IN  on this one. I like the idea of startin in Oct. of this year. This would also be the perfect opportunity for those of us who do bashery and scratchin to do their builds as detailed tutorials. Instead of just posting in progress pics. Those who wish to could detail what part goes where, how you get it there, and why you made the decision to put it there.
With a year for the builds that would be easy . I think we would all learn a lot.

[Weaver]

Understood, however if we start defining exactly what constitutes a scratchbuild, how do we do so, raw material by content, and if so how? By weight, by volume, by cost? How do we prove no-one hasn't cheated? I would like to think we are all adults here (A dangerous assumption I admit and Radish excepted of course...  ) and that we can all agree that as long as the build involves some element of modification it can count as eligible for the GB. I started kitbodging by taking some cut down Vigilante wings and adding them to a Tonka F.3 to make a fixed wing Tonka, so we all have to start somewhere 

You can come up with rules for all these things and the "proof" is usually to post photos of the materials before starting. Some people like the challenge of meeting a specific set of requirements, while others find it too "lawyery" and prefer very open GBs which are too vague to inspire the first group. Both approaches are valid, so basically, your concept, your call. 

[puddingwrestler]

Probably a good idea going with the 12 month challenge rather than GB - a twelve month long GB would probably get really unfocused along the way.

Despite not being in the UK, I salute the idea of running to the Telford calendar - it means we start sooner

The wonderful thing about scratch building, is that you can cover subjects which model companies never would. I really love going to model shows and seeing something really unusual. And I don't mean just a rare plane, I mean something REALLY unusual, like a whole genre of subjects which are never covered. I've seen some absolutely mind blowing models of Caravans; one was in Scale Auto, the roof was removable, and there was a super detailed interior, complete with disgaurded magazines, TV, and mess.

And then there are buildings. I scratch build a lot of buildings for wargames terrain. It's actually one of the easiest places to start since they are all generally simple geometric shapes and pretty quick to build. You can get a lot of basic construction experience pretty quickly by knocking up a village. (See TFH for details really)

Thanks for the offer of a biscuit Overkiller, but I'm trying to avoid wheat as it makes my sinuses block up even worse.

[The Wooksta!]

Hoo - that's my saying!  I could be demanding royalties with menaces!

I'd be up for this, providing my methods of Balsa and P38 filler would be allowed.  There's a fair few projects I have lined up too. 

Providing the urge to start modelling actually comes back...

[The Wooksta!]

6 months in and still no urge.

Although I did cut a few bits of the sprues to do some dry fitting of the Aston Martin DBS..

Anyhoo, possibles:
Atlantic no. 2
Blohm und Voss P.211A (the swept one)
Blohm und Voss P.207.03
Bristol 133 (bits acquired)
Bristol 153 (Skyrocket lookalike - started!)
Bristol "Buccaneer" (Beaufighter/Brigand halfway house - started)
Gloster "Reaper"
Hawker P.1030 (started)
Heinkel 277 (there are several versions of this I like the look of)
Vickers V1000/VC7 (started)