I was just wondering. I know that a lot of us have a large stack of unbuilt models. Also most of us have a selection of spare parts that we use on other models. What do you do when you're looking for a spare part to use, and you know you have something in a unbuilt kit? Do you rob from an unbuilt kit and except the fact you can't ever sell or trade that kit in the future?

hiya.

well depending on the part I cast me a copy to use.
if I cant cast it I try to scrachbuild if that doesnt work I rob.
and order that part again
:-)

tamiya does that costs ya but you can order all single sprues and when I do that I got more extra parts :-)

Halfyank

A good question. For me, much depends on the part, and the kit I would need to take it from. Sometimes I'll use the kit part as a master and make another. If there is a number of parts I could use, and the kit price was not to high I'll strip the kit of the parts and dump the rest in the spare parts box.
Wolfsix

It must be the other kits that have extra parts, cause I've assembled 4 Italeri models so far, and I got yet to see an extra piece, as a matter of fact, I wished they had a lot more in them. Is this true on all Italeri ? or just the old ones I acquired, see I acquired a bunch of old models from an out of business hobby store, and just a few are still in production.

Yeah right! I wish! I only have about 10 unbuilt models and only about 50 spare parts...... (snif,snif....)
Thanks for your time.

Depends on the part. Sometimes a part can be better replaced with an after market casting (Tamiya's M-60 MG's from the M151 kits, eg). I have a couple kits I bought to "part out", either at exceptionally low prices or partly built at swap meets. As to accumulating spare parts, some kits tha come quickly to mind that help populate teh spres box are the Academy M60's, they come with two each "Ma Deuce", .30 cal brownings and Galil style mg's, extra rolls, figures, a clear sprue with "Plastic" and "glass" bottles, a plain and heat shielded barrel and more. Their Israelli M113 comes with lots of spares including a full set of "toga" spaced armor and a set of parts to make a communicatiosn vehicle. Once you've done a couple conversions or bought some detailling sets, your spares box starts to grow.

Ola People

Funny subject this.

Yes I have a huge amount of Spareparts. Some assorted and a huge load (About 3 big icecontainers full) unassorted. When I need something special I first check the spares boxes. If I can`t find it and it might be too hard to scratch I might rob it out of a Unbuilt kit still knowing that there will be a time that the Unbuilt will be built and then it`s up to the Scrapbox again (or robbing it from another kit :-) :-) ) It`s like Filling one hole with ground from the other

I don't rob from one to fix another unless I have multiples of the kit in the first place.

I will use a part from one to model a scratch build or a resin pour to fix another kit.

Hey, guys, I'll take any, and I mean ANY spare models and spare parts off your hands. You know, you'll probably never get around to making those. If you don't feel like having them taken off your hands, then I'll have all those little arm-less and sometimes torso-less men leap upon you and have YOUR arms and head be switched with other modelers who have disobeyed me! Buwhahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!! #:-)


















Thanks for your time.

Well, to quote a quote:
Weeeeeeeelllll, now that you mention it, I need a 1:48 B-17 (G) prop. When I got it, I didn't open it until 9 months later (BIG MISTAKE), and it was missing a prop. I then realized why the model was only 6 bucks! Everything else was there, except the prop. I tried to get from the on-line Revell site. I said what I needed, I even joined the darn place! It's been 6 freakin' months, and nothing! AAAAAAAGH! It's driving me nuts! Oh well, thanks for your time.

Excuse me for saying so, but you guys are a little obsessed. You know what I do when I lose a part? Well I will tell you what I do. I just leave it out. I mean come on, who is going to notice. I dont sweat it when I lose a part, I am having too much fun to worry about it. For example, yesterday I lost the instrument panel to the 1/72 plane I was building and after 5 minutes of looking, I said forget it, I won't notice, and looking for it will only drive me nuts. Oh well, differnt strokes for differnt folks. I want to rock and roll all night and model everyday!!

Back to the original subject of whether or not to steal from an unbuilt kit: I will check to see if there are any pieces that will not be needed. You know, bits not required for the version I intend to build, an internal piece that will not be seen due to hatches being closed or landing gear doors installed in the up position, or perhaps a whole sprue of parts for a two seater trainer version while I intent to build the single seat version.

Sometimes I will 'snap off' a portion of a piece that protrudes from the interior, i.e. tank machine guns will be separated from their barrels. The barrels get glued to the tank chassis exterior, while the rest of the gun becomes detail on a Sci-Fi kit or aircraft avionics bay(?).

Robbing out the kit is always my last and far option. First i take a good look in the spares box just in case i am so lucky to have. Then i ll consider scratch it or take it from another kit thats unbuild but only if it is a spare part or i am not going to build the version thats includes that part. If all this fails mmmthen thats a difficult situation guys. So far i only had 1-2 kits that i had decided that i wasnot going to build ever so i robbed them without second thought. But for the other 30-40 kits that i have unbuild i dont touch their sprues cause for sure some day i ll wake up and say ahhhh today i ll build this Churchill Crocodile that i have stashed for 15 years now. So ......i post a thread here in Armorama and say ..." hi guys i miss 4 Trumpeter M1A1HA road wheels securing caps. Does any one of you have some to send me ? Thanks in Advance" Then after 10 days you get it in the post box and everything is ok !!!!! Now really if you have some of theses%$%#$%#%%^#% caps i dd aprecciate it if you send them to me..They were so small........

I'll never rob one kit to finish another, I'd just be tranferring the problem down the line. I have 4 boxes of spare parts, either leftover or robbed from busted models, if the part I need isn't in their I either scratchbuild it or leave it out.

Whahahahaha




I see you're still working in the same kit as I am.....
:-)
(I'm just missing 1.....)
LOL

i never take parts from other unbuilt kits,

i keep any unused parts from kits, either still on the sprues in the kit boxes, or if i have several of the same vehicle (sherman for example) i remove the parts, clean them up, then put them in labled money bags.

you wouldnt believe the number of british periscope covers or browning machine guns i have!

cheers

joe

It all depends on the kit being robbed. If it's a cheap easily replaced one, and it has a part that is perfect for the model in-build, then I do.

I also sometimes buy cheap kits as a source of spares.

But if the part I need is from an expensive kit, I will modify or scratch build one...haven't mastered casting a copy yet.

Also it depends if the part can be seen...i.e. if its something internal then I may just omit it.
But if its a wheel or prop...you can't do it without.

Cheers
Peter
. :-)

I'll save parts.....and on occasion Rob a part from another kit. (Only if it's not getting used or easily replaced)

Just as a matter of principle, I never rob a part from a kit. If I don't have a part in the spares bin that I can use or modify, I will try to scratch build the part. If that doesn't work, I will purchase an after market part, order a new sprue, or beg one from a buddy.

As I build mostly versions of Pz111, Pz1V and StuG/StuHs, DML kits are treasure troves of spare parts.

I have a pretty fair sized "spares box", from "left overs" and dismantaled kits , the organized part of which is 8 plastic see thru shoe boxes. I must confess I have bought 2 or more models knowing they would yield only one finished product. For the Mig prototype in my gallery I cut the nose off of both the Mig 19 and Mig 21 to produce the test bed for the Mig 21inlet, as we are talking 1/72 scale that's not so bad price wise. Usually when totally destroying a kit in this manner I buy multipules.

I have been known to buy a kit just to get the parts I need. Usually though I have the spre parts in my spare parts section which contains 9 boxes . 1 for each major vehicle type I build, M60,m113 Merkava halftrack and one for spare tracks . I also have sopmewhat fishing tackle boxes for the loose peices for these vehicle and a few more fo thing slike weapons and ammo pouch type things. the spare PE is kept in a photo album as are spare sets of decals.