# Striving To Build The Perfect Model?



## 650bill (May 23, 2011)

STRIVING TO BUILD THE PERFECT MODEL.

Most arts have built in disciplines, setting the parameters of how close to perfection our finished project will be. After all, isn’t that what we model builders are attempting to do—build the perfect model?

The disciplines allow us to use many approaches to this dilemma, and yet the outcome is hopeful of achieving the same, i.e. great satisfaction at having built that “PERFECT MODEL”. At least this is what this model builder perceived during my earlier and formative years while growing up.

The rules of discipline never took root in my mind, as I was more concerned about building the model to completion rather than taking the time to correct or repair any mistakes. Success was measured in the statement, “Hey, I built and painted that model in one evening.”

Disciplines are exactly that, self-ruling and exacting laws that say do it until you have done it to the best of your ability, regardless of how long it takes. 
All this leads up to another question I poise to model builders reading this post. Do we strive to construct a perfect model before applying the paint and decals, or simply let the mistakes go and assure ourselves we will cover them up with lots of glue, putty, paint and decals?

What say you? Thank you, 650bill


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## Ductapeforever (Mar 6, 2008)

I strive for perfection everytime, no exceptions! I never reach it mind you,... but I try like hell.


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## 650bill (May 23, 2011)

Hi. And don't we know that is why we keep buying and building. Look at what we are reaching for, eh?
650bill


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## dreadnaught726 (Feb 5, 2011)

I try to be as accurate and perfect as I can but as we all know, perfection is a fleeting goal and and no matter how skilled you are there is always going to be a flaw or inaccuracy somewhere on the piece. My philosophy is I build for myself not for contests and do the best I can. If it looks good on my shelf, then I have succeeded. Besides when modeling ceases to be fun and turns into work, then its time to move on to something else.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Paint, putty, decals, and lots of _weathering_! :lol:


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## AJ-1701 (May 10, 2008)

I reckon true perfection is a state of the mind not a state of being... 
As for me, occasionly the lazy devil trumps the discipline angle... :devil: But discipline always gets back on the shoulder and pushes through.  I always try to do the absolute best & perfect build I can because it's fun and I really do it for me anyway. I have a demanding full time job as it is so I don't want my hobby to be another. Also I can confidently look back at a build I did which still sits on my shelf after almost 37 years and be as proud of it (to a 13 year old it was a near perfect build) as much as I am proud of what I can build now. And yes weathering is the botox of modeling for that piece of perfection that just won't get there... :tongue:

:wave:


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## Disco58 (Apr 10, 2011)

Like so many others I got interested in modeling because of my brother. He was a couple years older than me, and built the musclecars and "show rods" that were so popular in the mid and late 60's. They were cool beyond words, and he was my big brother, so that's what I built too. Because of divorced parents we only had the odd weekend here and there together, so we made the most of it. We could easily build a car kit in a weekend, and sometimes a start on the next one for me to take back home and finish. The Testors rattle cans were probably 50-75 cents back then ($4 now?), and we did the best we could with that and a brush. Everything we built was "perfect", with flawless metallic paint jobs, perfectly aligned decals (silvering, what's that?), never a glue fingerprint to be found... When he was about 13 or 14 we were told he was now "too old" for such things -- building models was for kids. When I again became interested in modeling in the mid 90's it was due to a coworker having a copy of FineScale magazine. In it was a picture of a '64 Chevy Impala diorama. The car was depicted sitting behind a garage, rusty, ratty, with a snow tire on the front, an odd colored door, a coat hanger for an antenna, etc, etc. Where was the pristine showroom cars my brother and I built? Why would someone build a model like this? The problem though, was that even with a model built in this condition, there were rules that had to be obeyed (rules, in building models?). That's when I learned that rust has to be a certain color to be 'right', paint has to be the right shade, you have to do this, you can't do that... And those caveats seemed to everywhere, in every subject and genre. Because of family history, I also had a love of the Navy, particularly aviation. Those of course, also had 'rules'. A '-3' variant was "obviously" different from a '-1' or a '-5', and an 'A' better have this, but a C or D has that, and this manufacturer painted cockpits this color between these years, and another color for other years, as opposed to another manufacturer who painted them something else... Because of these rules, my modeling interest has been up and down like a rollercoaster, and changes genres with phases of the moon. I have been reminded again that I am "too old" for such childish things, and also that as with so many other endeavors throughout my life, I'm not that talented at it anyway. Now I just read forums, advise occasionally, and hit a local show once in awhile. I've taken my brother to a few IPMS sponsored model shows, but whatever interest he might have had once upon a time is gone. On the other hand he has pursued the very adult activity of drinking beer, and is quite adept at it. He is genuinely talented at many other things, but there's a point there. For more than one reason I long for the return of those "perfect" days. If it looks like a '69 Chevelle with a big block, then it's good enough. If 9 out of 10 people can identify it as a P-51, then by god it must be a P-51. Was the interior really that green? Beats me, the instructions say "green".


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## Modlerbob (Feb 10, 2011)

I built my first model at the age of 6 in 1955 and I have been building them ever since then. Early on my goal was to build them as fast as possible and then play with them until too many parts were missing and then maybe blow them up with a firecracker.

Once I reached my late teens I was building models to put on shelves and display my modelling ability. I gradually got better at all phases of construction from cleaning up construction joints to applying a realistic paint job. In my 20's I joined the IPMS and went to local club meetings where we brought our models to show our skills. I started attending local and regional contests and entering my models. Occasionally I would win a plaque which was satisfying.

I can't say that I have been seeking to build a perfect model as that sets a goal that is difficult to attain. There were many projects that got started and somewhere during the build a situation would arise that made me suspend work on that model. Many of these projects got relegated to the trash bin while others were passed on to friends who wanted to tackle the difficulty. I got to where I was finishing very few models and wasn't enjoying my time working on them.

Now in my retirement I have adopted a new attitude toward my modelling. I still want my finished projects to look as good as I can possibly make them but I'm not going to let a few flaws prevent me from finshing a model. Today the kits are so much better than those of my youth and the aftermarket details and decals allow a modeller to take a project to whatever level of accuracy and detail he or she desires. For me most of the models I choose to work on will be built using only the parts provided in the box and they will be finshed instead of left to collect dust on the work bench.

So I'm not seeking to build a "perfect" model, instead I'm just trying to finish them.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Modlerbob said:


> So I'm not seeking to build a "perfect" model, instead I'm just trying to finish them.


There ya go - me too. There comes a point where I just say "Okay, I've messed around with this thing enough. Time to finish it."


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## 650bill (May 23, 2011)

Hi--thanks to all those wonderful posts made regarding my opening topic--bless you all. These are comments from the heart that help explan what model building is about. None of us will ever be too old! Why, because before I turned my tmie spent on model buildig I was a clock maker.

I repaired antique cocks, and some of my fellow clock makers were and are in their 80's and 90's. None have ever felt they are too old to tear down and repair an 8 day clock movement. The same applies to building models.

I quit repairig clocks becase of the pressure from the clock owners. 
Most wanted it done immediately, even when the clock was a 100 years old.

Now I only please myself.

Thanks for writing .
650bill


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## Fly-n-hi (Jan 12, 2007)

Striving for perfection simply means that you make fewer mistakes on each subsequent model.


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## miniature sun (May 1, 2005)

I think the skill part comes when you have to rescue a kit from the jaws of disaster when something goes hellishly wrong....something I've done more than a few times.
I still make plenty of mistakes after over 40 years modelling but I've also got pretty good at hiding them...


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## 650bill (May 23, 2011)

*making those replacement parts*

I am sure that many of you master modelers do this, but I have just discovered that I can create my own replacement parts.

First, a great deal of modeling is repairing the screwups we commit while building the original model.

This led me to search for a way to recreate replacement parts. I started with the most common broken parts--landing gear or struts. I have finally figured out a method for recreating any style of landing struts.

My material comes from the spree tree and from hobby lobby where they sell bags of varied sizes of wooden disc. I also rob tires from small toys such as match box or hot wheel cars.

This may seem strange to some, but for cement I use clear silicone. You don't have to worry about having to remove the paint from surfaces and it provides a strong contact.

I am now working on perfecting flight surfaces, such as wings, and verticle and horizonal stablizers.

I found a way to even recreate the bombs that are carried by some aircraft.

All in all, this allows me to spend more time in my complete woodshop that I convinced mom I needed.

Good building, 650bill


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## Disco58 (Apr 10, 2011)

650bill said:


> I am sure that many of you master modelers do this, but I have just discovered that I can create my own replacement parts.
> 
> First, a great deal of modeling is repairing the screwups we commit while building the original model.
> 
> ...


That's good that you are learning scratchbuilding -- it's an invaluable skill to have and use. There are hundreds of sources around the house for bits and pieces for that task; just ask any of the sci-fi scratchbuilders what's in their parts boxes -- you'd be amazed at the answers. I must say though, that using silicone as adhesive is probably not the best idea. While it sticks well to whatever surface you put it on, *no paint will ever stick to it*, and will flake off as soon as you rub your finger across it. The joints won't be very strong either. You're much better off just using appropriate glues and not painting surfaces that will be glued together.


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## Zombie_61 (Apr 21, 2004)

Ductapeforever said:


> I strive for perfection everytime, no exceptions! I never reach it mind you,... but I try like hell.


This sums it up for me fairly well. Well, to be honest, not _every_ time--sometimes I slam 'em together with a minimum of fuss just for the fun of it, but that all depends on the kit.

After 40 years of building model kits, I'd say I've exchanged the word "perfection" for the term "level of acceptability". I'm my own worst critic, and I can look at one of my completed builds and see flaws that most people don't notice. At this point, if I can live with a completed build flaws and all...well, that's good enough for me. I still try to do my best on all except the "fun" builds, but I've realized "perfection" isn't as important to me as enjoying the build and whatever results I achieve.


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## Guy Schlicter (May 3, 2004)

Perfection in model building? I always tried to be that way when building my Star Trek and other kits. Well as I got older I got more nervous and I became disabled as well. My painting skills have improved tremendously and I make occasional mistakes gluing my models now which never happened before. I don't give up. I have my own techniques for hiding my mistakes and being perfect. FORGET IT!!! Just do your best and if you try to be perfect when you do make errors. It will take the fun out of model building for you. I learned that, Guy Schlicter.


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## mgh (Jun 6, 2011)

Zombie_61 said:


> After 40 years of building model kits, I'd say I've exchanged the word "perfection" for the term "level of acceptability"... At this point, if I can live with a completed build flaws and all...well, that's good enough for me.


I am just beginning to model again, and I think that is about right on.

Perfection? From me? Not happening. I want to be able to live with the flaws and be happy with what I have done. Mind you, it doesn't always happen, but a much more realistic goal for me.


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