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Post by sd40dash2 on Aug 22, 2019 6:18:00 GMT -8
Opinion: Detail parts are the lifeblood of our hobby
Lately I have undertaken a number of detailing projects on equipment that falls outside of my usual beloved era. This has necessitated a search for numerous new-to-me detail parts which is obviously a lot of fun. Work has begun as parts arrive in the mail and the prototype research continues.
We spend a lot of time in ARF discussing the latest RTR beauty and that is great. I have many RTR items and am floored at the level of detail and quality we have achieved. However, not every variant of every prototype is available and likely never will be. Or, some cars are close to desired prototypes but not 100% accurate. Or, the manufactured model isn't quite detailed enough for one's standards. And sometimes you just want to have fun building and/or detailing something, regardless if you "need" it or it fits some self-imposed era.
None of the above projects are possible without detail parts and supplies:
-Evergreen and Plastruct styrene sheets and strips
-Tools like Exacto knives, chisels, tweezers, tiny screw drivers, cutting surfaces, choppers, rotary tool and bits, saws, squares, visors, tiny drill bits and pin vice -NMRA standards for wheel gauge, coupler height and car weight
-Kadee couplers, aftermarket wheels and trucks of most types
-Tiny screws -Detail parts (incl those available from numerous manufacturers including RTR providers) from companies like DA, DW, Moloco, Intermountain, Precision Scale, Cal Scale, Juneco, Plano, Tichy, Grandt Line, various 3D print shops and many others.
Plus the advent of the Internet for immediate prototype research, excellent discussion forums with high-quality modelling progress photos posted. Plus direct contact (via email or numerous other means) with others who have done or are working on similar projects. As modellers we're collectively more and better connected than we've ever been.
The rise of excellent online hobby shop websites and good, tracked parcel post mail service has also enabled us to access items from anywhere with just a few clicks and a later parcel pickup.
It's a great time to be in the hobby but my bottom line here is I sure hope that the detail parts mfrs will continue to offer those parts lines. Without them, even with all other innovations we are severely limited in our ability to customize existing or scratchbuild the models we all love.
Manny |
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Post by vincep on Aug 23, 2019 19:49:10 GMT -8
Athearn aka Horizon also has been selling detail parts.
Don't forget KV Models either.
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Post by 12bridge on Aug 27, 2019 5:54:50 GMT -8
Evergreen is one company I would be lost without, same with Tichy - I use alot of their basic parts.
I think we are going to start seeing more of a trend in the coming years to 3D printed parts as the technology grows. Lets face it, some of the molds for these detail parts we all use, are getting really old in some cases, and it shows. Most of the Custom Finishing stuff is totally unusable these days, as are some DW, and when you can find them, DA parts that are just totally flash ridden.
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Post by gevohogger on Aug 27, 2019 6:17:39 GMT -8
...and when you can find them, DA parts that are just totally flash ridden. Is Detail Associates even in business any more? Every time I open a new package from DA, I get the feeling I am discovering King Tut's tomb. They've been selling off "New Old Stock" for many years. |
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Post by 12bridge on Aug 27, 2019 6:21:14 GMT -8
Yes, they are, but they only do runs of backordered items every few months, and I do think they thinned out the line. There is indeed oodles of NOS parts out there still, although certain ones are getting harder to come by. You can always tell by the price stickers.
One DA part I really enjoyed were their eye bolts, they had a nice tight radius. I just dont really care for the Plano ones.
I have been using less and less DA parts over the years. The only things I use in mass are the vents, arm rests and once in awhile a specialty item like the big cast lift rings and such.
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Post by sd40dash2 on Aug 27, 2019 6:28:40 GMT -8
Evergreen is one company I would be lost without, same with Tichy - I use alot of their basic parts. I think we are going to start seeing more of a trend in the coming years to 3D printed parts as the technology grows. Lets face it, some of the molds for these detail parts we all use, are getting really old in some cases, and it shows. Most of the Custom Finishing stuff is totally unusable these days, as are some DW, and when you can find them, DA parts that are just totally flash ridden.
Thanks for your reply. I agree about Evergreen and Tichy -- I too would be lost without them.
You're right about the older parts. For example, if you look closely at the PSC line with a view to upgrading or kitbashing any type of steam engine, you quickly realize how important just that ONE parts line is. And if the molds wear out, will they bother to replace them for any particular part? The same can be said for any interest -- there are usually 1-2 critical parts lines that enable the work we do.
As another example, not having easy access to all of Grandt Line's stuff has been a bit challenging so I can only imagine the pain if suddenly some other parts lines were gone.
A recent Jack Burgess/TSG video on structure building showed how he drew up some of his own parts for windows and doors and had Shapeways print them. The results were very good but I still think we have a long way to go to replace the large volume of parts made in this hobby over several decades by many suppliers. To make it worth anyone's time to redraw them for 3D availability could make the parts too expensive for the end user.
Things get tricky when you don't have easy access to the right parts.
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Post by brakie on Sept 2, 2019 6:23:44 GMT -8
IMHO There will always be a need for detail parts for the prototype modelers and guys like me that models a freelance road name.
I'm currently using detail parts like horns, sunshades, uncoupling bars and rings, bells air hoses, and MU hoses from Atlas. I buy these parts from a e-Bay store that specializes in detail parts and some shells.
As far as Evergreen I've have made several loads from their shape plastic like pipe of al sizes, flat plate steel, H columns and structure steels so,yes, too would be lost without Evergreen.
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Post by csx3305 on Sept 2, 2019 13:08:05 GMT -8
Evergreen ain’t going anywhere. Remember, they have the military, architectural, and automotive modeler segments keeping them up, with the added benefit that most of their product line is not scale-dependent.
Details West and the like don’t enjoy the same situation.
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Post by thunderhawk on Sept 4, 2019 21:20:15 GMT -8
Evergreen is one company I would be lost without, same with Tichy - I use alot of their basic parts. I think we are going to start seeing more of a trend in the coming years to 3D printed parts as the technology grows. Lets face it, some of the molds for these detail parts we all use, are getting really old in some cases, and it shows. Most of the Custom Finishing stuff is totally unusable these days, as are some DW, and when you can find them, DA parts that are just totally flash ridden.
Thanks for your reply. I agree about Evergreen and Tichy -- I too would be lost without them.
You're right about the older parts. For example, if you look closely at the PSC line with a view to upgrading or kitbashing any type of steam engine, you quickly realize how important just that ONE parts line is. And if the molds wear out, will they bother to replace them for any particular part? The same can be said for any interest -- there are usually 1-2 critical parts lines that enable the work we do.
As another example, not having easy access to all of Grandt Line's stuff has been a bit challenging so I can only imagine the pain if suddenly some other parts lines were gone.
A recent Jack Burgess/TSG video on structure building showed how he drew up some of his own parts for windows and doors and had Shapeways print them. The results were very good but I still think we have a long way to go to replace the large volume of parts made in this hobby over several decades by many suppliers. To make it worth anyone's time to redraw them for 3D availability could make the parts too expensive for the end user.
Things get tricky when you don't have easy access to the right parts.
Depends on the parts. Structural stuff like windows and doors can be designed in minutes in CAD. The final size of the part has more to do with dictating the price in 3D as the bigger the part the longer it ties up the machine. One benefit of the liquid resin machines I use is it doesn't matter if you are doing one HO scale door/window or 50, it takes the same amount of time. I've actually kicked around doing some parts that have become difficult to find but not sure where to start. The Horst intakes I did because I need them for my models. And they are better than those available previously. |
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