Category: Organisation
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And a Good Day To You…

Good days and bad days. Scale modelling has them both. How do you increase the number of the former while avoiding the latter? By exercising patience and good sense. Or by winning the Lotto and going stark mad. I cannot advise you which alternative to take, but if you choose the first, consider: A good…
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Modellers Need A Holiday

Or a festival. Not sure which would be better, but it needs to be a day that can have good things to eat and drink. I’m talking a regular, yearly holiday that can be gazetted in the Western Australian calendar the same as ANZAC Day or Easter. A day that you get off work, if…
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Build Simply

Or, in the case of the stash maniacs in the readership – simply build… Today’s posts on my other two weblog columns has centred around simplicity – in living and purchasing. It can also be applied to our hobby of scale modelling. Not every kit or model needs to be super-detailed to be super fun.…
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Why No 1:64 Planes, Then?

If you were a kid in North America in the 50’s you basically had a choice of three scales for electric trains: 1:48 Lionel, 1:64 American Flyer, and 1:87 HO made by Varney, Athearn, and lots of smaller firms. The 1:87 HO has stayed with us – just as 1:76 has stayed with the British…
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” Complete Your Collection “

I saw this line in an advertisement for commemorative coins. The only thing I could think was: Oh, Dear God, don’t! Don’t ever complete your collection of anything. If there is a finite number of things that make it up – even if these are only thoughts or other vague dreams – do not get…
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Scale Judging – A Modest Proposal

The task of judging models at a scale model contest is far more difficult than similar events for model trains or R/C aircraft. With these, the criteria for success are so much more evident. In the case of the former exhibition all an exhibitor has to do for a medal is keep the layout going…
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Bristol Beaufort Mk I – Part Five – Engine Night

The hot weather returning compelled me to wait until after dark to do spray painting in my workshop, but this was no bad thing. It meant the previous day’s cementation had a good time to set and would not be breaking loose unexpectedly. Engine Night, and a lesson in careful attention to detail. Not that…
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Anorak – Part One – The Blame Spotter’s Guide to Modelling

North American readers of this column may have noted the use of the word “anorak ” occasionally. There is a story. The original garment may have been Scandinavian, or adapted from an Inuit one. The name also – I cannot tell from googling which is the case. It is a supremely useful thing to wear…
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How Do You Know When To Get A Divorce?

Not a divorce from your spouse. Heaven Forbid. You married, and you have no right to demand happiness now. If you are a scale modeller you have other resources… No, I mean when do you decide that a kit in the stash is never, ever going to get built, and decide to sell it or…

