Into the Bin, A Quiet Goodbye

[Rick Griewski]

Today I gave a moment of silence with appreciation to vacuum formed model kits that tossed into the trash. I used these to develop my scratch building methods over the years.  These were the only kit available for many aircraft back in the day.

 

All were sidelined and never finished after Styrene kits came along.  The Ju-88 by Combative Models (build one 8 variants kit) was the farthest along and looking acceptable until comparison with the Revell kit revealed undersized engine nacelles; on and on from there.  Ouch. I learned when to stop.  All 5 that remain in my stash are never going to see styrene in my life time. The Avro Anson is my favorite rescue puppy.  BYW all Vacuum formed model kits are all rescue puppies.  IMHO
 

Now we are going through another big change, 3D printed models. This to some of us are going cause more once wonderful  it now “obsoleted” styrene kits.  Kits with mucho AM in the box.  Will the upcoming Eduard P-51b  KO my kit bash conversion project?  I will let it play out.   Will I let my Trumpeter Me-262 kit build languish on the shelf of indifference?   We have new kits coming out this year. 
 

OK back to the bench

[Martinnfb]

Good for you Rick. Purging is liberating, everyone should do it. We won't be here forever. 

[Oldbaldguy]

I always cast an envious eye toward vac kits, knowing some of the subjects would never be available in any other format while also admitting that even a simple vac kit is likely beyond my skills.  I have a couple that I dig out and fondle once in a long while, but that's as far as it ever goes.  I also have one full 3D kit that will never see daylight.  Bits and pieces might one day make their way into a different kit but that, also, is as far as that one goes.  It seems very likely that 3D printed kits will supplant all others in the not too distant future, leaving most of us with a pile of rejected injected kits that no one will want.  Except me.  I'm going to stick with IM kits for the duration.  Any and everything I could hope to want to build in my lifetime is either already in my meager stash or is readily available somewhere close.  Be nice if the prices of IM kits would come down some, however.  Half a grand for a model kit can be pretty eye watering.

[dmthamade]

7 minutes ago, Martinnfb said:

Good for you Rick. Purging is liberating, everyone should do it. We won't be here forever. 

 

100%!! A cluttered enviroment = a cluttered mind. Constantly purging stuff, not just model related stuff.👍

 

Don

[RCPlym]

And here's me seeking out 32nd scale vacforms... 😁 

[Rick Griewski]

1 hour ago, RCPlym said:

And here's me seeking out 32nd scale vacforms... 😁 

Nothing wrong with getting what you want.  I still find that Vac kits are fun to work on.  

[Hubert Boillot]

When a vacform is well done (which for me means using female molds, rather than male ones like most vacform producers), it is a very enjoyable product to use …

Unfortunately, some of the old vacforms offered in the past had too often only one virtue : to be available … I have binned more than one, because of glaring inaccuracies, dimensional issues - like two halves of fuselage of different length -, etc. 
 

In fairness, 3D printing is the new vacform horizon …

 

Hubert

[thierry laurent]

I have a box full of 1/32 german nighfighters vac kits. I got them when there was no other option. Now I think I will just use them as painting mules or a source of parts! By the way as I have the Revell Ju-88 as well as the ID models and Combat models one I can confirm that the latter is actually close to 1/35th scale. Finally, I think the only full kit ones I will assemble will be the ID F-82 and Echelon Lightning!

[Gazzas]

Good for you, Rick.  One thing I never really liked about vacform was that I felt unsure about where the real edge of the part was.  Heh...  and how easy it was for my knife to take an errant turn into it.

I have a couple 3d printed kits...  and they are cool.  But they lack the magic of an IM kit.

[Jack]

I'm still working on and off to have the ID RB57F Canberra presentable, but it's been on the shelf of doom for quite some time, hope to be finishing it before the end of this year.........🤞

[Hubert Boillot]

25 minutes ago, Gazzas said:

Good for you, Rick.  One thing I never really liked about vacform was that I felt unsure about where the real edge of the part was.  Heh... […]

Which is why the molding technology is so important. Echelon, for instance, used female molds (where parts are sucked into the mold) when ID used male molds where the plastic is sucked over the mold …

One has the parts’ edges clearly defined, the other has … « indicative » … edges

 

Hubert

[LSP_Kevin]

I'm still tinkering with vac kits on the regular, and have one in the production queue right now (plus several others on the SoD). The largest and most ambitious so far was this 777-200 from Welsh Models:

 

 

So far, I've avoided anything that needs scratch-built cockpits or landing gear, but that day is coming!

 

Kev

[RCPlym]

17 minutes ago, Hubert Boillot said:

Echelon

 

And very nice moulds they are too!

 

The vacuum forming mould for the wings was made with these:

 

 

I do have more tooling masters for both Lightning and the Hunters.

 

 

[RCPlym]

8 minutes ago, LSP_Kevin said:

I'm still tinkering with vac kits on the regular, and have one in the production queue right now (plus several others on the SoD). The largest and most ambitious so far was this 777-200 from Welsh Models:

 

 

So far, I've avoided anything that needs scratch-built cockpits or landing gear, but that day is coming!

 

Kev

 

Your airliners really are works of art. Beautifully finished every one of them! 

[Hubert Boillot]

4 minutes ago, RCPlym said:

 

And very nice moulds they are too!

 

The vacuum forming mould for the wings was made with these:

 

 

I do have more tooling masters for both Lightning and the Hunters.

 

 

 

2 minutes ago, RCPlym said:

 

Your airliners really are works of art. Beautifully finished every one of them! 

You’re right. The masters are gorgeous. But the molds, I am sure, were poured around the masters, to result in cavities into which the plastic sheets were sucked. Ditto for Welsh Models airliners : female molds.

 

Hubert