I am just an OOb person, simply because I have returned to the 'scene' after a number of years, and I am pretty rubbish at making my kits anyway.

I simply make, paint, build the kit as it "says on the tin".

I guess it comes down to your preferences, and enjoyment.

I just prefer OOB.

I Like to build just for the sake of building it and enjoying it. Aftermarket products are fine in some instances and if it's what makes you happy, then go for it. For me, all the aftermarket stuff just seems to make the subject more expensive then it needs to be. When I do use it, I use it to make a small enhancement and that's about it. Don't get me wrong, I think what they can come up with is cool, but it's just a wee bit out of my budget and interest.

Build what you want the way you want and tell the rivet counting detail freaks to ______________ fill the blank with your own words.

I must admit I build mostly OOB. The problem for me is that I usually have several boxes - packages - items from several different manufacturers in one build! (Sorry folks just a bit of levity.)

OOB is fine and build what you want, its your money. The hobby is meant to enjoy as Grumpy has so aptly put it. As long as you the builder are happy its no one elses concern.

Me, I enjoy taking a basic kit beyond its box. . .a little like Dr. Frankenstein !

To each their own! No worries!

I build models only OOB. I'm getting enough satisfatcion from such kind of modelling so I don't need to buy any aftermarket parts. I'm more focused on improving painting and weathering techniques.

I, too, have recently returned to the hobby after a 20 year haitus. I mostly build 1/25 trucks, but might branch out later. We'll see. Anyway, I build OOB with some detailing (wired engines, working stearing), or after market decals for a different look. Maybe I'll go nuts one day and do a CSM "Trick My Truck" job (but I doubt it) or a big conversion. You never know!

Jim

Hi Ron:

All my Builds are OOB. The only thing that I add to them are the seat bealts that generally I make of lead foil and masking tape. The only sets that I use that aren´t from the kit are the decals.
I love modelling AC and I enjoy checking references, building, painting, decaling and all of this great hooby because it makes me happy. I don´t believe that´s necesry to buy aftrmarket sets to make a good model.

I'm all over the place. With a pattern. I'll build kits with succesively more AM and scratch building. When I get cross eyed from all of the AM, I'll then focus on a kit or two that are strictly OOB. I enjoy it all. It gives me a lot of enjoyment and allows me to "unplug" and not bring my work home with me. It's very satifying to sit back at the end of a build and say to yourself (or to the garage aloud) ,"Now that's cool"

Cheers
Dave

I build mostly airplanes OOB.

To improve quality I tend only to buy the best kit around for a given model.

I find it a bit bizar to buy an outdated kit and then spend a fortune on aftermarket stuff to improve it instead of just buying a good quality kit but hey, that is just me.

I only use aftermarket parts when they add value to the end result. So no cockpits which become invisible once the model is put together.

I'm a OOB builder too. The only time I used something aftermarket were decals. The kit remained OOB. I wouldn't know how to work with resin stuff anyway

oob is great as thiers no need for am with today's modern kits, but slapping together something new and different with a little more strugly is also great once in a while.

Me to!!




Agreed. I can never understand why some modellers invest so much time and effort on, say an AFV engine or the underside of a truck - only for it to be rendered completely invisible once the finished model is completed / fixed to a base.

I'm very much of the "if you can't see it, I'm not going to waste time on it" school. But - as you say - that's just me!

Hey, that's a great news... I felt so alone working with OOB. Especially PE freaks me out.
Resin is not considered to be OOB, by the way
So where's everyone, when it comes to articles on modeling sites? Everybody there seems to be building only with AM. We are the oppressed majority, or what? Are everybody obsessed with being absolutely correct historically?

(By the way, somebody once told me that building an old, bad kit into something is modeling; putting something together that's good is not. )

For me it depends upon the kit For example

The Trumpeter KV 2 Great OOB kit

Some kits I may add a small PE set Like on a Tamiya 1/48 StuH 42 105mm howitzer I added some PE screens for the engine deck air intake areas

On a Tamiya 1/48 T34,I only added some plastic sheet to cover up the open sponsons above the tracks I am trying to find some thin wire to replace the crappy nylon tow cables I also added a 5 minute two part epoxy resin drop for the head light

I returned to the hobby last year, and so far I've built primarily OOB. That said, I recently tried my hand at scratchbuilding (simple stuff like side racks for an OIF M113) and PE (again, a fairly limited set so far). I like OOB builds, but I also want to steadily improve my skills, so with every new build I try something new. I personally don't see anything wrong with going full-out on a kit OR with building it straight from the box. So long as the builder likes the end result and enjoys the build, it works for me.

yes, I build OOB.
I'll might improve handles and details with wire and basic scratching.

hey,

Nothing wrong in sitting back,going OOB.but in time you may want to go to the next step,starting out simple,small resin conversion,like the simple radio conversion by blast models for the Kubelwagon.or adding a couple p/e items from a set.intake grills,and thats where others here,who have work with these will be able to assist you,replacing vinyl tracks with indy's.but if you don't the funds,keep it simple,we picked up a old Italeri PanzerIV Ausf.H on ebay,$10.00(with shipping),picked up Tamiya's Panzer IV on-vehicle set,and replaced all of the tools,jack,lights ,etc; which are very heavy looking on the Italeri model,threw on a set of indy tracks by Academy,at the most,we spent a total of 20.00,this model is sitting right next to DML's Panzer IV Ausf.F(w/ few extras),and looks just as good,and we're more prouder of this build than the DML sitting next to it,we took a old out dated dinosaur,,and turned it into a eye popper. sometimes thou ,you just have to kick it up a notch,the tools on the Italeri model where begging to be replaced(along with the tracks) we kept it simple and it didn't break the bank ether,and best of all we had fun building it.

Joe

for me it depends on the kit.

For me, I cant justify spending more on PE than I do on a "cheap" kit. I classify cheap with price and tooling.
Now on a kit costing big bucks with plenty of detail,...like Roden or Eduard kits I will spend the extra to go for the detail,....But even then I may not go "all out",...just a cpl resin parts and a basic PE set,..depending on the model!

Hi, I build because its FUN and Relaxing for me and yes, mostly out of box. I buy very few after market detail sets as I want to keep my builds as ecomomical as possible and most important to me as I really have no artistic abilities or that keen eye for detail I'll leave that up to the modelers who have the skills, patience and ability. There are many of them on these sites. I love checking out their builds, "works of art" ...... Keep On Modeling, milvehfan

Do it the way you like to do it and don't let anyone else stop you or make you think your doing it wrong. This is a HOBBY for chrissakes, we are not curing cancer here. It is done for YOUR enjoyment, not anyone elses. If you want to paint a Panther pink with purple pokadots then have at it!

Personally I build mostly OOB. I'll add things like metal gun barrels (because they look better/easier to work with than molded plastic halves) and some external stowage but that's about it. Depending on the kit I might use something like an Eduard Zoom PE kit to add obvious details that would really show up - but I'm not going to spend weeks hacking at little pieces of metal. The audience for my work is me. I'm the only one I need to impress and the 2-foot rule works just fine for me.

I don't even object to building those old, supposedly horrid Tamiya and Italeri kits from the 1970's. They go together quick, are relatively cheap and still pass the 2 foot test.

I'm also an OOB guy. It's mainly because I can't really afford all that stuff. I also like to look at it in this way: The time I spend bending and glueing PE etc and the money spent on PE and resin could be put toward another kit!

I certainly don't mind the guys that do and I like to drool over their stuff... Just go with what pleases YOU.

Hellbent

Hi
Most of my builds are out of the box. If I do add any extra's it's usually only the likes of personnel kit & stowage items. If any items I want to change I usually try & scratch build them mainly because I'm on a very limited budget & can't afford most of the aftermarket items about.
I find it's more fun trying to make my own items than keep buying ready made add ons.

Greetings all,

As a few others have mentioned, I find it quite impossible now to build straight from the box, however, I DO NOT buy aftermarket or PE accessories. I have found much satisfaction in modeling my own details from spare parts and lots of trimming/sanding/scribing/painting/trashing/starting over several times until getting it right. (my perception of right)

A few years back, I done a COMPLETE interior scratch build of an old Aurora 1/48 HC-1B Chinook helicopters, which was basically an empty plastic shell, from the box. No sound-proofing insulation covering the many Stringers & Formers & wire bundles & etc etc, and the only AM addition were the .50cals, Ammo Belts, and FFAR Pods, which were GIFTS from an aftermarket manufacturer who had been following the build online.
I documented the entire process if any would care to look. http://modeling.gunsagogo.org/

Scratching details is an attractive alternative to spending all that money; it builds confidence and improves ones skills, but takes MUCH more time and must be thought out ahead of time so you don't have to tear up detail you've already built to add more. For me, is MUCH more satisfying

Take care,
Frank

I build out of box when i need a break . More then 3/4 of all my kits have PE and resin plus the rest off the scratch building that I will add myself , Flat PE parts aren't good for doing things that round . I'm also getting into vac kits now and there is lots of scratch building that will need to be do . a great way to improve on my skills . Most modelers that I know build out of the box . With the new toolings they have now you really don't need all that PE parts and what ever else you can add with after market parts . Eduard is the perfect example of this . If you have ever built there earlier kits ( 15 years ago ) They relied heavily on PE parts , now they are the best out there .
Nothing worry with building out of box at all . It depends on you the builder on what you can afford and what your skill levels are .

I hadn't really thought too much about my model building habits in those terms. But, once I did, it was interesting to realize I am most likely to build an aircraft kit completely OOB. The only exception is adding the cabling to WWI plane wing supports, etc (which is why the Taube kit is still unbuilt and will probably remain so for some time yet) and antenna on later craft. I am more likely to kit bash and do scratch build stuff to car models. I try to trend towards accuracy with military vehicle kits and will add PE, metal barrels, and resin parts to them. I don't go totally rivet counter because some stuff just isn't worth the effort to me. It's that fine line between having a build be fun and a build becoming a chore that must be completed to not have wasted the time before the line was crossed.