2017 One Week Build - The Discussion Thread

[NARSES2]

Right here's the place to raise any questions or for any general chat about the GB

[loupgarou]

Thanks for the "resurrection" GB. 
As I suppose (and hope) will be done also for the other GB, I have a general question:
If, after the end of the "regular" GB, a member continues working on the model, is it eligible for the next "resurrected" GB, or everything must be left in the state from a GB to the next?

[NARSES2]

Thanks for the "resurrection" GB. 
As I suppose (and hope) will be done also for the other GB, I have a general question:
If, after the end of the "regular" GB, a member continues working on the model, is it eligible for the next "resurrected" GB, or everything must be left in the state from a GB to the next?

The plan is to have the "resurrection" section in all future G.B.'s

As for your specific question ? I'll leave that to Kitbasher, the Moderator, as it's his idea in the first place. (classic cop out  )

[sandiego89]

I should be able to play this year, thinking of Liberty ship doing something it was not intended to do....

[strobez]

I kinda faded out of the Soviet GB (although my Yak-38 will get finished eventually), however I'm intrigued by this 1-week build.

I'm trying to make up my mind between tackling a nicely detailed OOB kit, like one of the newer Airfix ones (either a Tiger Moth or an F4F-4 Wildcat) or an old kit like the Airfix Fiat G.91...  which might cause me to do some involuntary scratch building (I'm not sure I can bring myself to just do that little detail OOB).

Any advice? Do I tackle a well-engineered modern kit? Or do I try to just slap together an older, less detailed kit?

[zenrat]

What's the critical path on your building?  What holds you up?
With me it's PSR so i'll go with a kit that fits well and do a paint only whiff with maybe some extra weapons hung on it.
If I do do a kitbash it'll be a simple one where the unrelated parts fit together so well (or can be made to fit together so well) that minimal filler is required.

[NARSES2]

I would say go with a modern well engineered kit like the Airfix F4F-4. Although strangely for a few of the past One Week builds I've done a full resin kit and had no problem completing it. Mainly Planet or Anigrand which go together well and don't have many parts.

Unfortunately I miss this years build although will probably have my own One Week Challenge when I return using an Anigrand kit.

[Dizzyfugu]

Hobby Boss kits are a legit way of cheating in the 1 Week GB. Their F4Fs are nice - not 100% correct concerning engines and cowling, as far as I can tell, but these are good kits if you want to stay close to the OOB model/aircraft.

And an Airfix G.91 can be built in a couple of days, I did a Spanish one during one of the last GB editions, and AFAIK there was still time left for another build... 

[Old Wombat]

... and AFAIK there was still time left for another build... 

What do you mean "AFAIK"?

You probably built another 2 aircraft in the remaining minutes!

[Captain Canada]

I go see my the doc for a follow up x-ray and consultation on the 23rd, so if I get some good news look for me to enter a few ! Nothing else to do lol

[sandiego89]

Any advice? Do I tackle a well-engineered modern kit? Or do I try to just slap together an older, less detailed kit?

For me picking the right paint job is the critical aspect to a one week build, as actual "building" can be rather quick- so an newer model may not save that much time, but generally simple, older models are good for the one week build.  Fewer decals helps also.   

I am lucky to get 2 hours at a crack, so picking a scheme that can I can paint and allow dry until the next color is critical.  So it may be best to go with simple schemes (or even one overall color) or bold demarcations and I use rattle cans to speed the dry time.  Last year I did a tri-color scheme, and was spraying on a humid, drizzly night in the back alley behind a hotel!  Not ideal conditions!     

[Weaver]

Yes, painting/drying cycles are the critical limiting factor. You might be looking at something like this normally:

Undercoat
Wait 24 hours
Underside colour
Wait 24 hours
Cammo colour A
Wait 24 hours
Cammo Colour B
Wait 24 hours
Gloss coat
Wait 24 hours
Decals
Wait 24 hours
Matt coat
Wait 24 hours

That's seven of your nine days gone waiting for paint/decals to dry!

Fortunately, those 24 hour cycles can be realistically cut to 8 hour ones, but if you're going out to work and/or have family committments, you might not be able to exploit that fully.

Things you can do to cut this down:

Use 8 hour drying times in a warm room if possible. I leave things to dry in an attic with two electric radiators which gets very warm indeed.

Pick a colour scheme with the least number of colours.

Pick a scheme with a gloss or satin finish, so you don't have to matt coat after the decals.

If it has to be a matt scheme, then pick out some good quality decals and use Micro-Set/Micro-Sol so that you don't have to gloss coat before you put them on. If you handle it carefully during final photography, you don't have to matt coat over them either (but do it later, of course).

Consider getting up early and putting a coat of paint on the model before going to work. This gives you two 8(ish) hour drying times per day: one while you're at work and one while you're asleep. Obviously people's circumstances are different and this may not be an option. I'm lucky now in that my new job is 3.15pm to 11.30pm, so I can paint in the morning, let it dry, then paint again before I go to bed.

Pick a scheme where the demarcation between colours corresponds to the breakdown of the parts: that way you can paint two colours separately at the same time and combine them when you assemble the kit. For example, I did a red snowmobile with a black roof and a yellow crane for a 1WkGB: the black roof parts, yellow crane parts and red body parts were all separate, so I didn't have to wait for one to dry before I could paint over it.

[jalles]

I have a question, I was thinking about vacuforming something for this build. Could I make the molds, vacuform the sheets, and cut them out before the build?  It would essentially be like starting out with a commercial vacuform kit, but this kit would be one I made.

[Librarian]

Thought I might challenge myself with one from the Kinetic/Kitty Hawk/Skunkworks stable. Always some serious fit problems to keep oneself occupied. Got an F-16XL in the stash so I'll probably have a go at that...God help me

[NARSES2]

I have a question, I was thinking about vacuforming something for this build. Could I make the molds, vacuform the sheets, and cut them out before the build?  It would essentially be like starting out with a commercial vacuform kit, but this kit would be one I made.

PM Kitbasher as he's the Moderator and will let you know