Screw Horizon, MTH, China, All the BS. Opinions about Scratchbuild off.

[Anonymous]

Hello everyone,

With all that has happened lately with Horizon hobbies, MTH Lawsuit, and the general disapearence of kits in general. I have started to become well shall we say disallusioned with the hobby. No I do not plan to leave model railroading But rather set my own course.

That has led me to wonder about the possibility of hosting a scratchbuilding compitition. What I am proposing is an open invitation to submit to a central location scratchbuilt models as well as articles detailing their construction. After the model has been photographed and the articles copied, have all entries posted to a website where then the modeling public can vote for their favorite model and the models returned to their owner. (I am still hashing this out, I may go with submission of photographs of finished model. Eliminates the whole shipping of models back and fourth) I propose 6 Catagories for the models. Locomotives, Freight cars, Passeger Cars, MOW cars, Buildings, and Mini-scenes. Then there will be a best of show award as well.

The models can be done in Any scale, of any prototype. Or if you want to wing it no particular prototype at all. The object is to have fun and show people like MTH, Horizon, and those that choose to do away with kits that there are still ways to ejoy this hobby beginning with a very basic elemental skill. Scratchbuilding.

There would be some ground rules so that everyone can play fair.

1. Models could not be started before a set date.
2. Models would have to be completed before a set date and articles submitted at yet another set date after that.
3 Modeler my use some basic neccissities. Like Doors Windows, Trucks Couplers, Motor, Drive train, and decoders but other than these items, the models would have to be completly scratchbuilt.
4. Models can be of any type and not of a complicated nature. This is like an NMRA contest where the winner is chosen on a point system, but rather what the public deems to be good model building.

This is all I have been able to think out for now. and I have no Idea what I could do for prises. Any opinions are welcome as well as Ideas. Please tell me what you think so that I may determin if this would be a good thing to pursue.

Thanks for your time.

James

[Dough]

I'm in if I have enough time. If the due date could be pushed back into March...

I like the ideas of pics best. One question though regarding #3. What if I want to do a MoW car that was a revenue service car modified for MoW? Can I purchase an undecorated shell or repaint a decorated one and then go from there? I don't think that their is anyway that I could go completly from scratch yet. So maybe a kitbashing catagory as well...?

This would probably be my first scratchbuild, but this give me a good excuse to give it a shot!

[areibel]

Step away from the RTR stuff and no one will get hurt!
Seriously, I think it would be a great idea. You'd definately have to make it a long term thing, maybe have the finals in June or July. But the conrtestants would have to submit a monthly photo to show progress?
I'm still very much a novice at scratchbuilding, but learning more. A couple years ago I started into TT scale, where there is no such thing as ready to run. Heck, the older kits would almost qualify as scratchbuilding- a wood floor, wood roof, maybe some cast car ends and wood or cardboard sides. You mess up the first one, but they get better as they go! But I want to try building a caboose to match an Erie RR one. Maybe the contest will give me a jolt to get started on it!

[Dough]

I'm actually kind of excited about this...[;)]

Do you think that if their is enough interest Model Railroader might even get involved? Although like the idea of just the people on this board a lot!

I like the idea of a long build too. June would be great! We could even have people submit a starting picture of the initial materials and say a local newspaper. It would keep people honest, but more importantly provide a before and after!

BTW, would only one submission be allowed? As I think about this, there are several different cars that I would like to try.[:D]

[Anonymous]

I have not set a start date for construction or a due date for the photos. I just had this idea and am wondering what people think.

In Regard to Dough's comment about kitbashing. I would like to keep it to what I deem pure scratch building. (I know that some kitbashes involve alot of scratchbuilding) Meaning on your mow car example in the spirit of what I am trying to do, You can use factory made trucks and couplers. But in terms of what I am trying to do. The resto f the car would be scratch built. However do not be dismayed. THe project can be comparitivly simple. (Like a Tie car, [which would be a retired flat car, maybe with a jib crane for helping ties off]) I am not looking for NMRA contest winners. Just oringinal pieces that didn't start as a Ready to Roll piece of equipment or a Set on the layout structure.

[Anonymous]

P.S. I do not know yet on the one submission thing. This was just something I thouight up over lunch today. I dont have all the details thought out

[Dough]

Oh well, I better get started praticing if I'm going to even have a respectable showing in this...I don't have a clue how to go from nothing, but maybe this will be a good way to learn. I'm still interested, but we shall see what I can come up with...

[Anonymous]

I suggest start with something simple.

I am sure you can use a simple tool shed on your layout of some kind.

Chose your medium. Wood, plastic, or what ever you have on hand.

Step 1. cut out two rectangles. These are your sides. If you want them to be a specific dimension get out a scale rule and measure so you cut to the correct lenght and height.

Set two. Cut out two pentagon shapes. Make sure that two sides are opposite one another and are as long as the short dimension of your two side pieces. Make the length across the bottom to the desired lenght and cap off the pentagon at the top to determin your roof pitch. (If you have ever made a gingerbread house your well ahead of the game)

Step 3 Cut out your doors and windows. If you have door and window castings measure them to make sure what you cut out is the right size.

Step 4. Brace your interior. Using 1/4" X 1/4" (Assuming this is HO) and make a frame around the walls. Lay a 1/4 post at each end and run a 1/4 cross member between them. Besure to rout the cross members around doors and windows. What you are wanting is a basic framing to prevent the wall from warping. Besure when you do the ends save a 1/4 on the outboard so you can glue your walls together without this unsightly inteior bracing sticking out.

Step 5 Glue your walls together. In the corners place 1/4 inch squre piece of bracing to ensure a strong glue joint.

Step 6. Glue in Doors and windows.

Step 7. Cut and glue roof.

Step 8. paint structure.

Step 9. when done place on layout.

I hope this basic project is eneugh to get you started. If your shed does not come out like you want your not out much money, and only a few hours effort. Try it again and learn from your first experience.

I hope this is some motivation for you.

James

[Anonymous]

Count me in.

[dehusman]

Oh my God, somebody is actually proposing that we BUILD models???

What happens if we actually become craftsmen??

I mean this is like 1950 stuff, actually building things from pieces, actually having to do research, actually having to be able to fabricate things, how retro.

The next thing you know the NMRA will give out awards for those people actually able to build their own models!

Dave H.
Scratchbuilding and kitbashing his way back to 1905.

[Anonymous]

I agree. The hobby isn't fun with all of this garbage going on. To make matters worse, my last four railfanning trips were disasters, it's starting to get very annoying.

[Anonymous]

James:

I'm all for a bit of scratchbuilding show and tell. I suggest an "all in" date of July 4th, for symbolic reasons as well as my tendency to sloth.

Also, not to sound like a broken record on the topic: I think it best to have two catagories, one for teens and first time scratchers, another "open" to all comers. Of course I'd not INSIST teens submit in the teens catagory. My aim here is to not overwhelm anyone first time out.

Count me in.

Randy

[AntonioFP45]

Dougal,

Please tell up what happened on your railfanning trips. Four bad trips?! That's extreme!

If you don't want to reply on this thread than perhaps you could post a new thread/poll on "railfanning trip experiences - ". Poll Categories maybe something like: Amtrak, Historical Society, Museum, Club etc. or the question wouild be Would recommend to friends , not recommend to friends, etc,. You get the picture!

God Bless!

[Dough]

Thanks Greyhound. One thing about the research though. Are there any books or websites that would offer at least rough demensions of cars? I was sitting here trying to measure a picture and then divide the length out to get its scale...Is their a better way?[;)]

I even went to Trinitiy's website, and they have a few more demensions than the side of the car gives. That is a pretty cool site by the way. I'm not thinking that anybody would be too happy if I showed up in a railyard with tape measure in hand...

[dknelson]

Here is an idea for a contest and it is borrowed from something my cub scout troup did, oh around 1960 or so. We were each given an odd assortment of stuff in a bag and told to "do something" with it. Maybe given each contestant the identical bag of bits of balsa and some brick paper and file cards and other odd stuff and see who has the most imagination to make something of it. I predict that the modeler with the best collection of articles by E.L. Moore and a wood burning tool might win this one!
Dave Nelson

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dougal

I agree. The hobby isn't fun with all of this garbage going on. To make matters worse, my last four railfanning trips were disasters, it's starting to get very annoying.

I imagine dougal thought his last trips were diasters was because all he saw was NS black.[:D][:D][;)][:p] (just kidding) What really happened, dougal?

[Morpar]

I really like the idea too. I have been working on casting Virginian style battleship gondolas, and have thought of making a mold for the modern style Thrall cars. I would scratch the master just to avoid copyright hassles, but where would the castings fall? Would they then be scratchbuilt, or kits? Are we looking also at quantity versus quality? Still some good questions to work out, but I am all for it! I think I'll hold off on the Thrall cars, just in case...

[dehusman]

Most of the major model railroading magazines publish drawings of cars and buildings. In addition if you search e-Bay for "railroad books" or "Train-shed Cyclopedia" you can find books with nothing but prototype plans and pictures.

Dave H.

[Anonymous]

Thank you all for your input. I like the idea about having a Teen/first timer class as it then gives a more level playing field for those whom this would be their first attempt at scratch building and for those who are old hands at it.

There are some peoples questions I would like to answer so please bear with me.

In regards to rdal1964

QUOTE: Originally posted by rda1964


James:

I'm all for a bit of scratchbuilding show and tell. I suggest an "all in" date of July 4th, for symbolic reasons as well as my tendency to sloth.

Also, not to sound like a broken record on the topic: I think it best to have two catagories, one for teens and first time scratchers, another "open" to all comers. Of course I'd not INSIST teens submit in the teens catagory. My aim here is to not overwhelm anyone first time out.

Count me in.

Randy

At this time I am not able to set a due date. I have only thought this up yesterday. I still need time to get a receiving and processing system set up, as well as contact some people and see if they are willing to donate prizes.

As for your tendency to be a sloth, I know the feeling. Being in college I have not had time to wrap up a simple painting project. Its been sitting on my worktable for over a year now.

As for Dough

QUOTE: Originally posted by Dough

Thanks Greyhound. One thing about the research though. Are there any books or websites that would offer at least rough demensions of cars? I was sitting here trying to measure a picture and then divide the length out to get its scale...Is their a better way?[;)]

I even went to Trinitiy's website, and they have a few more demensions than the side of the car gives. That is a pretty cool site by the way. I'm not thinking that anybody would be too happy if I showed up in a railyard with tape measure in hand...

The magazine Railroad Model Craftsman usually has at least one set of plans in every issue. Railroad Model Craftsman also has a column called Scratch Builders Corner that many first timers might find useful. If people are interested I can go through and correlate all the plans that I have and will be willing to scan and email copies to anyone interested. However please give a while I have magazines going back to the 70s to sort through if I do.

Was my little shed project helpful?

In regards to dknelson

QUOTE: Originally posted by dknelson

Here is an idea for a contest and it is borrowed from something my cub scout troup did, oh around 1960 or so. We were each given an odd assortment of stuff in a bag and told to "do something" with it. Maybe given each contestant the identical bag of bits of balsa and some brick paper and file cards and other odd stuff and see who has the most imagination to make something of it. I predict that the modeler with the best collection of articles by E.L. Moore and a wood burning tool might win this one!

Dave Nelson

Sounds like an idea I may have to follow up on. But not this first time. Maybe if I decide to do another one.

In regards to Morpar.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Morpar

I really like the idea too. I have been working on casting Virginian style battleship gondolas, and have thought of making a mold for the modern style Thrall cars. I would scratch the master just to avoid copyright hassles, but where would the castings fall? Would they then be scratchbuilt, or kits? Are we looking also at quantity versus quality? Still some good questions to work out, but I am all for it! I think I'll hold off on the Thrall cars, just in case...

That is a very good question. I know that resin casting of multiple same components is still considered scratch built by the NMRA. You pose a very interesting qeustion. I will have to think on this. If any of you other people have a feeling about this please speak up. My initial reaction would be to say that the scratch built master would qualify. But the resin copies could be sold as a kit and thus would not. But I do not know. I think I will field opinions from prospective participants on this.

I think I have stated this before and thus may be repeating my self. I thought all this up over lunch yesterday so I am kind of making this up as I go along and writing it down so I do not contradict my self. You ask a good question and it is difficult to answer.


Thank you all for all that have commented. I am still endeavoring to set things up so feel free to comment and share ideas.

Thank you.

Your fellow model railroader

James.

[chutton01]

OK, first timers, step 1: Every home on your layout gets a detached one-door wood sided garage [:)] (yes, perhaps the easiest of building projects...).

Heck, even with RTR I find scratchbuilding necessary (Example: The Classic Metal Works Chevelles, Galaxies, and Caprices need side mirrors)

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AntonioFP45

Dougal,

Please tell up what happened on your railfanning trips. Four bad trips?! That's extreme!

If you don't want to reply on this thread than perhaps you could post a new thread/poll on "railfanning trip experiences - ". Poll Categories maybe something like: Amtrak, Historical Society, Museum, Club etc. or the question wouild be Would recommend to friends , not recommend to friends, etc,. You get the picture!

God Bless!

Mostly film:

One: all of the shot-- overexposed.
Two: opposite of #1
Three: Fuzzy garbage on my shots!!!!
Four: Missed two UP engines last weekend. We missed one courtesy of the traffic light. The second we missed by fifteen second and it had a UP. UGH!!! [:(!] We also missed the other two trains because the camera wouldn't take a picture. I saw on a Yahoo group that 2 UP units are on a local that arrives here tonight. We'll try and tell you what happened. The only shots I got were two shots of static trains. If the camera at least doesn't expose these, the railfan trip will be scored "F" and the camera is in a landfill (Another one is coming in for my brother's birthday, lucky him).

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 4884bigboy

QUOTE: Originally posted by dougal

I agree. The hobby isn't fun with all of this garbage going on. To make matters worse, my last four railfanning trips were disasters, it's starting to get very annoying.

I imagine dougal thought his last trips were diasters was because all he saw was NS black.[:D][:D][;)][:p] (just kidding) What really happened, dougal?

Actually I lensed green and yellow and Blue and Yellow (two shortlines around here) and then the dreaded Dash 9s. The first shortline had a rare sixteen cylinder SD45 and an SW1500. The second had U23Bs.

[Anonymous]

While your at it... SCREW BRACES
My teeth are killing me as we speak. I HATE them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![soapbox][V][:(][}:)][B)][V][:X][xx(][banghead][censored][|(][:-,][sigh][#offtopic][tdn][soapbox]

I wi***hey where never invented!

[Anonymous]

A "scratchbuild off" sounds like fun and I would love to participate. Hopefully this can become something we do again and again.

Some of us are retired and have more time than others to dedicate to modeling. I have read where some folks only have a couple-three hours a week for their hobby. I recommend keeping this in mind when setting start/end dates. The categories and the entry levels sound good. I guess the entries would have to be based on integrity. I.e. an experienced modeler would have to be honest enough to not enter his/her model as a "beginner".

Enough "notice in advance" time should be allowed so that we have time to do research, get photos, drawings, etc. prior to starting the assembly/building process, again integrity would apply for the date you "started" building the model.

Will you be considering those projects that are completely freelanced versus those that are a replica of a prototype?


This is obviously NOT a prototype. [:D]
photo found on the internet, modeler unknown.

Looking forward to the "scratchbuild off" and reading all the "help" and "how to" questions that will be propagated by this competion. I am sure this will be a GREAT learning experience for us all.

Have you considered asking MR if they would/could help with certificates/ribbons for the winners. It would be nice for the winners to have something to display on their layout for their efforts. Maybe a special note under their number of stars here on the forum.

Keep us up to date on your decisions.

[Anonymous]

On the subject of plans: Every time I visit the LHS I go through the "dead pile" of old train magazines. Many of them, particularly the older ones prior to the 1980s, have plans in various scales. The magazines are 50 cents a copy. I've gotten several good ideas for projects from them, one I am considering for the contest.

Also there are many collections of plans and building ideas published. A good source of them is at local train swap meets. For the younger people you might ask around to see who has a collection of old train magazines which you could leaf through and perhaps copy a plan or two.

Someone asked about working out dimensions from a photo. I'ts possible to do so If one or more dimension is known: truck length, overall length, or perhaps wheel diameter. Any set of dimensions will be pretty approximate. If you are not trying to build a prototype but a freelance car you should be OK. The old engineering adage applies here: "If it looks right it is right." Sometimes you simply have to work with what is available.

Randy

[Anonymous]

Randy,

I agree with you on scaling from a photo, it is easy if you know the true size of at least one object in the photo. For structures I use doorways and windows as they are pretty much standard sized. And like you, I use wheel diameter and car length as good indicators.

---

For those who have not scratch built but would like to try your hand at it, just keep in mind the scale you're doing.

For instance HO is 1:87 meaning that if the prototype is 87 feet long then the model would be one foot long. A 50' boxcar would be 0.5747126 feet or 6.8965512 inches [:D] (about 6-7/8") in length. Take 1 divided by 87 which gives you one scale foot. (0.0114942). Then multiple that by the length of the boxcar, 50', which gives you 0.5747126 scale feet. To get inches from feet multiply the scale feet by 12. In this instance 0.5747126 times 12 equals 6.8965512. The decimal equates close to 7/8".

Here's a great site for conversions. http://www.onlineconversion.com/

Now lets convert a photo. You know that a 50' boxcar model is 6-7/8". When you measure the boxcar in the photo it is only, for simplicity, 3-7/16" then you know that the boxcar in the photo is half the size of the model you want to build. Therefore all measurements from the photo need to be doubled (multiplied by 2). If the photo measurement, lets say, is 2.29884 (close to 2-19/64) then the boxcar in the photo is only 1/3 the size and all measurements must be multiplied by 3 to get the correct size for your model.

I use a "cheap" digital caliper (mine cost less than $20) to measure photos. This gives you decimal numbers for greater accuracy. Then convert to fractions only if needed.

I hope this has been a help. It may sound difficult at first but after you convert a couple measurements you'll see how easy it is.

Scratch build - you'll enjoy it!

[Anonymous]

I qualify as what most of you would call an old fart and I think the concept of going back to scratch building is simply marvelous. I hope you guys get your contest up and going. More power to you. And, yes, welcome to the 50's. Model railroading was fun then too.

Tom

[slotracer]

For a time in the mid to late eighties, I got into S scale (I got out as I gre tired of waiting 2 years after due date on locos I had deposts on and basic track and detail components became hard to come by).

To me, the over proliferation of variety and availability was a downside of the hobby. I was buying more and more stuff and had less and less time into each piece, I began to enjoy and appreciate it less.

When I did S Scale for a number of years, it forced me to choose a prototype, a limited time and regional frame, an operational theme etc and stick to it. Instead of getting kits for every loco and caboose I could conceivable run, and build a large pike that could be used to hsot several of my favorite roads I had to choose one and do the research and planning to become really in touch with and involved with the specific prototype I loved and devoted myself to. I spent the time to build say a single freight car or caboose in very high quality. I appreciated every piece I had, every bit of track I laid, every structure becase of the time and dedication it took to achieve it. I recall a single NYC wood reefer I built from Styrene I was able to sell for over a hundred bucks, so the work was appreciated by others as well.

Modeling like that was far more rewarding than a loco roster of over a hundred engines, hundreds of freight cars and dozens of projests started but not finished before I had a new whim of interest and more new project kick offs.

If I ever do return to the hobby, I likely would go with S or O and do almost everything from scratch, sure I'd have far less track, but that is less to maintain, skip most of the outragously priced brass, and use plastic as a fill in to the roster only. Experiencing the hobby like that is very rewarding, just make sure you have the time !

[Dough]

Thanks Greyhound. I'm going to give the shed a shot next weekend. I am in college as well and modeling constanly gets pushed down as a priority. I usually have big surges and then slow periods. My old hobby shop is now much more of a drive as well. But I'll give it a shot none the less and also pratice with some kitbashing before moving on.

There is also a Model Rail show coming soon and I hope to pic up a few ideas as well as supplies there. I'm just trying to figure out what I need ahead of time.

[Anonymous]

Hello,

Again I would like to thank everyone for their input. There are some more people who I would like to respond to and make some comments as well.

In regards to Snake.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Snake

A "scratchbuild off" sounds like fun and I would love to participate. Hopefully this can become something we do again and again.

Some of us are retired and have more time than others to dedicate to modeling. I have read where some folks only have a couple-three hours a week for their hobby. I recommend keeping this in mind when setting start/end dates. The categories and the entry levels sound good. I guess the entries would have to be based on integrity. I.e. an experienced modeler would have to be honest enough to not enter his/her model as a "beginner".

Enough "notice in advance" time should be allowed so that we have time to do research, get photos, drawings, etc. prior to starting the assembly/building process, again integrity would apply for the date you "started" building the model.

Will you be considering those projects that are completely freelanced versus those that are a replica of a prototype?

Looking forward to the "scratchbuild off" and reading all the "help" and "how to" questions that will be propagated by this competion. I am sure this will be a GREAT learning experience for us all.

Have you considered asking MR if they would/could help with certificates/ribbons for the winners. It would be nice for the winners to have something to display on their layout for their efforts. Maybe a special note under their number of stars here on the forum.

Keep us up to date on your decisions.

I hope to this is something I can host again and again. This is something that I have chosen to do out of my own pocket and on my own time so the ability to do so will depend greatly on the amount of participation I get, and the amount of assistance I can get from places willing help out.

You have a point on the integrity thing. It is something that I never even thought about. I guess the only thing I can do is let them enter and hope it doesn’t get abused.

As far as the notice in advance goes, I do not think that will be a problem. That is why I have started a discussion on this now so that people can start thinking about if they want to enter or not and if they do what they want to build. I figure at the rate I am going It will take me about three weeks to get my ducks in a row and then I will allow a period of time before the start of construction that modelers can use for research and acquiring of materials.

I am going to consider a prototype for this event to be a non-issue. If you want to make a painstaking recreation of RGS #4 in On3 be my guest. I feel it should share an equal footing with a model that someone built of Captain Proton’s Rocket Loco. In this contest I am trying to stir the imaginations of modelers and get them to pu***he envelope of their skills. I do not want them to be hindered by whether or not their model will lose ground because it is prototype or not.

As for the help and how to question. I am looking forward to them to. As has already occurred on this thread, A person that has not built anything from scratch before was asking for something he could practice on. So I gave him a basic tool shed he could cut his teeth on. I am willing to render assistance and information to all those who ask for it.

Yes I have considered asking MR and other model railroad magazines for help. As I am writing this I am in the process of writing a formal email to the staffs of these magazines and hopefully I will be able to gain their support.

I am checking in on this thread daily and will keep everyone apprised as to what is going on.

Oh while I am still responding to you Mr. (or Ms or Mrs. perhaps?) Snake, I would like to thank you for going over how to scale items from photographs. You covered the topic with more eloquence than I would know how to broach the subject.

In response to Mr. Tpaulsen

QUOTE: Originally posted by tpaulsen

I qualify as what most of you would call an old fart and I think the concept of going back to scratch building is simply marvelous. I hope you guys get your contest up and going. More power to you. And, yes, welcome to the 50's. Model railroading was fun then too.

Tom

Well I definitely think I qualify as one of those snout nose punk kids of Generation Y. (I am 21 years old) But I however developed my modeling skills under the wings of quite a number of what my generation refers to as “Old School” modelers such as your self. I am quite proud of that fact.

And once again, I respond to Dough

QUOTE: Originally posted by Dough

Thanks Greyhound. I'm going to give the shed a shot next weekend. I am in college as well and modeling constanly gets pushed down as a priority. I usually have big surges and then slow periods. My old hobby shop is now much more of a drive as well. But I'll give it a shot none the less and also pratice with some kitbashing before moving on.

There is also a Model Rail show coming soon and I hope to pic up a few ideas as well as supplies there. I'm just trying to figure out what I need ahead of time.

No Problem. I am in the last year of college my self so I understand fully what you mean. My situation is complicated by the fact that I live in the State of Wyoming and there is only one hobby store in the whole state meaning I am essentially dependent on mail order and E-bay to get things I want. As such it is much easier for me to walk down to the lumber yard and brows the miniature lumber section. And brows the crafts store for scratch building supplies when it comes to a lot of my model building.


Lastly I would like to make a general response to some comments I have received via E-mail and over AIM.

As I mentioned earlier, This contest is for everybody. If you have never scratch built anything before in your life. Now is your chance to seize the opportunity to do so. Your model does not have to be an elaborate recreation of some Rio Grande Southern Prototype painstaking recreated in miniature board for board, rivet for rivet. It just has to be a model that once stared as a sheet of nothing fancy, and through model building skill and imagination made something cool from it.

Also an elaborate workbench is not necessary. You can scratch build something with only a hobby knife, a straight edge, and some Elmer’s glue. If any of you have built some of the basic kits this hobby offers, you already have all the tools you need to participate in this competition.

Also construction materials can be anything you can cut glue and arrange into what you want. It can be styrene or Basswood, or just simply Foam core and cardboard. I have made things from all 4, all with good results. If you have to cut up cereal boxes for construction materials, by all means do it.

Again, thanks everyone for their responses and input. I will keep everyone apprised.

Sincerely,

James.