What do you skip when building model kits?

[jcf]

I'm beginning to think I don't belong here - I do it all! Except for shading and weathering. I've even started using thinners and decal solution...

Ditto, including shading and weathering when appropriate, it's all subject dependent, and I enjoy painting and detailing the cockpits. 
Guess I'll be joining you in the tumbrel. 

[KiwiZac]

It's nice to have company over there! I should mention I've never washed a kit, so I guess that's something.

BURN THE HERETIC!!   

Agreed.  But steal his models first, they're too good to burn.

I would say "not if I build them all first!", but we all know that's not gonna happen. At least let me show you what you get for your trouble (considerably less effort for Rick to swipe them all!). Make sure you bring a van:

[zenrat]

Actually, I was referring to the built ones.   

[The Wooksta!]

Stencils.  A 72nd aircraft is a full sioze one 72ft away.  My eyesight is so cack I could barely make out serial codes so stencils? Ha!  Fat chance!  And especially after spending 5 hours decalling the RAAF Shackleton MR2...  Never again.

Oh, an underwing serials for post war RAF.  My whiffed RAF never goes back to them.

[JayBee]

Oh yes, I don't skip the dreaded 'pre-shading', I AVOID IT LIKE THE PLAGUE! 

Nothing makes a model look more like a model and less like a small version of the real thing than 'pre-shading', YEUK!

I do not think that "Pre-shading" is something that you can skip. It is totally unnatural and unrealistic, and is only something that you can add (if you are that way retarded inclined).
Having been a qualified pilot/ driver(airframes), if I walked out to an aircraft that looked anything like these pre-shaded models do, I would turn and walk away.
I can think of more pleasant ways to end my life than trying to fly an un-airworthy heap of junk like that.

[steelpillow]

No:
Cockpit detail beyond the basic layout actually visible through the (firmly closed) canopy,
Massive arrays of things under wings,
U/C bay or engine intake/nozzle detail beyond walling-off if you can see right through the engine or something,
Whip aerials, longer radio aerials, bracing wires, inscribed lines or other surface detail beyond whiffing the flight control surfaces,
Spitfire underbelly landing light transparencies, especially as in 1:72 no transparencies are ever provided for the other lights,
Weathering, pre-shading, minuscule decals inevitably printed a bit too thick, and other "authentic" finishing gimmicks that make a model look unreal and pretentious, though I confess to greying-up some matt colours because the varnish can massively darken them,

Also confess to buying add-ons where they happen to suit the whiff, such as Spitfire slipper drop tanks, and modding propeller mountings so I don't have to trap the delicate beast in place when the fuselage/nacelle halves first go together, but can still glue them in at the end.

[Joe C-P]

Often, though not always if the models is for public display, railings on ships in scales 1/600 or less. If you look at photos you simply don't see them at the scale distances, and they're generally too thick, especially after a coat of paint. Plus those buggers love to bend and not straighten, and gluing them can be... 

[McColm]

Weathering,
I find that most of my builds develop their own weathering/shading due to puty/filler or by adding extra parts.
Interior detailing, if you can't see it leave it out. Aerials and stencils.

[Old Wombat]

Meals!

[Rick Lowe]

Sanity, often... 

[stuart]

Sanity, often... 

Can't remember when I last had some sanity to skip...   

Stencils get my vote - Hate the things..

[andrewj]

Everything I can get away with.

Andrew

[NARSES2]

Stencils get my vote - Hate the things..

And in 1/72 can be total overkill IMHO. One or two of the important ones yes but some modern aircraft look like flying bill boards. Some Japanese types in particular are covered in them for some reason (maybe it's the scheme that makes them stand out ?) and just don't look right to me.

But horses for courses and it would be a small world as they say 

[kitbasher]

At the moment it feels like the whole model!

But seriously, as a died in the wool 1/72er I've never been one to super detail, especially interiors - apart from seat straps and even then I use masking tape.  if I moved up to a larger scale I don't know.  Of the super large kits only the 1/24 Airfix Typhoon appeals (and even then not to the pocket!) and to be frank I'd probably just go with the kit parts except seat belts.

[Vlamgat]

Mostly I skip finishing them...