Category: Miniature Philosophy
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How Long Ya Going To Be?
There’s people here who need to go… Well, it’s not about that, though the topic is really one that can rivet you to the seat, if you know what I mean. I mean how long should you take to build a model? Well, if you are a model engineer setting out to build a coal-fired…
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” Your Thing Is Too Long “
Say what? Oh, you mean my weblog post is too long. It goes past the limits of your patience and vocabulary and you flick away. Well flick off, by all means – this column is for the grown-ups. It is for the people who can spend day, weeks, and months on scale model kits –…
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How Far Down The Yellow Brick Road?
How far into fantasy are you prepared to take your modelling? Why would you go there? Will it satisfy you or others? Good questions. From the dream doll house to the whiffery Heinkel to the improbable hot rod, we have all seen modellers exercising their imaginations as much as their hobby knives. Some of these…
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When The Model Price Is Measured In Hundreds Of Dollars
Something happens to the hobby. It becomes a serious business. Good thing? You might think so if you are a devotee of contest modelling and the pursuit of prizes. Newer and bigger can get you closer to the awards. Complexity figures in this as well – if you can overwhelm a judge with extra after-market…
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Not Every Tool Is A Good Tool
But they won’t tell you that at the hobby shop or on the internet site. We all have more tools than we use…every toolbox I’ve ever seen has at least 10 – 20% excess in it that just gets shifted about when we look for the useful items. Yes, I’m guilty of this too. Every…
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Who Sets The Bar Over Which You Leap?
Who sets you up to fail? Is it the manufacturer who makes a 600-part kit where 50 parts would be adequate? Is it the contest judge with a God-complex who marks you down to boost himself up? Is it you, who live in perfect magazine images and internet sites and never realise that real life…
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Risk Management In Scale Modelling
The Amalgamated Fireproof Insurance Company Pty Ltd asked me to write this to help prevent modelling disasters that they might have to pay for. The risks they don’t cover – well, knock yourself out. a. Don’t model drunk. Little knives and spray guns become a lot more fun when you’re schickered, but you’ll regret it…
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Scale Modeller’s Adolescence
If you have not experienced an adolescence of any sort yet, you may wish to loosen your clothing and put down newspapers over the good flooring… Scale modellers pass through adolescence any number of times. There’s the original one that breaks the voice and soils the sheets, and that’s a lot of fun. There’s the…
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The Empty Paint Bottle
In scale modelling an empty bottle that once held paint can be many things; a halt to the project, a nuisance, an additional expense…or a trophy of great significance. It indicates that you used the contents and were able to get full value. If it was half-full of sludge or dried pigment it would be…
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Lordy God Almighty
Our hobby is on the side of the angels. And also on the side of science and the law. As scale modellers we have endured the sneers and taunts of people ever since out first kit. Now we have vindication – our interest in scale models is of benefit to mankind. Okay – I hear…
