Bill, I completely agree and struggle with the same issues. My current thinking is twofold: every project has its relative level of "perfection" and the "correctness" of the overall scene can make up for deficiencies in individual models.
For example, in the past I've built PRS kits and really superzdetailed, painted and weathered them to a high level. Why? I think those kits can support that level of work and the results are outstanding. Currently, I'm working on an old wood reefer kit a friend pulled out of his junk box because he thought it might be a fun challenge for me to save it. I re-kitted all the parts (it looked like 4 year old had built it the first time), cleaned it up and started my rebuild. I'm limiting myself to the parts that would have been available when the kit was originally released 40 years ago. With some care, a wood car goes together as square and clean as plastic, after careful trimming and sanding those white metal parts look great and even those old stamped ladders (if you file the rungs down to about nothing) are almost indistinguishable from modern parts made from .012 wire. some people would say that's more work then those kits deserve. To me, that's about the right balance between their level of accuracy and making an outstanding car. Relative perfection. Josef Brandl is a European modeler I really admire. There is a coffee table type book out of his work called "Almost Real" and indeed his scenes do look almost real. When you really start to look at the details you realize he doesn't do a lot of super-detailing or weathering. His locos and rolling stock are pretty much off the shelf. What he does do is make complete scenes that feel correct. He's found that right balance. Yes, it's very high level modeling but it's not the last word in structures or scenery. I'd take it any day. Again, relative perfection. Chris Borgmeyer rivet counting & reality Posted by: "Bill Lane" [email protected] wdlane Sun Jun 5, 2011 2:22 pm (PDT) In reference to some of Chris Borgmeyer's thoughts, it is a constant struggle for me as to how much time to throw at any 1 thing. Many things start out as _ and become a major rebuild with a lot more time consumed. Now that I have started my layout a few things have happened. I have reexamined things on the shelf and sold some of it. I have also had some attitude adjustments. 10 years ago I probably would not have spent the time I did on my H27 hopper given it's American Flyer origins. I was head deep in brass modeling only. I had some fun with the H27 since it was a "good enough" project with some "winging it" involved. But the struggle still exists on how "much" I will spend on any given project. Rolling stock absolutely rules my interests. I don't see that changing much. But I have to back off a bit if I want to complete my rolling stock projects and still make forward progress on my layout. Thank You, Bill Lane [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
