It's not a matter of getting rid of plastics category. For instance, take any Jo-Han plastic model. The molds are old, worn, tons of flashing, but if you take the time, you cab build a car that frankly, you may never see again. This is what I am trying to say. Also, those Tamiya kits fall together only if you have the technique. That CB750 was one of the hardest models I ever built. A 108 link chain, that worked, flawlessly! I have built probably 40 or more Tamiya's. They were a lot cheaper back then. I tended to build Military miniatures, my preference. The Bren Gun Carrier was my favorite. My models were displayed in all the hobby shops in Fairfield County, Ct.. Heated pins to duplicate bullet holes, rust scraped into paint, to make rusted pieces, adding rust just as the paint was tacky to finish off the effect.
There are the models I want to see. If someone is going to build plastic, then take something that requires much to bring it to it's potential. I sold off virtually eery model I had because when I broke my neck, I went 6 months without pay. I sold many things I wish I had not. I am happy you responded. Build the Jo-Han Phaeton below from the box and make it look like that. That is professional modeling. I still have a Renwahl Visible V-8 I plan to build with my 15.5 year old son. The model is from around 1966, in the original box, untouched.
Still though, I'd rather see it done in paper. The Fenders water formed on surfaces made of whatever, 2 part epoxies work, then sanded, trimmed to shape. This is far more than anything done is plastic, unless you hand form a model in plastic. We have a member here who makes ships 4 and 5 feet long out of PVC and other materials, they must be worth $1000's when done.
This forum will not turn into a plastic model forum.The focus is paper, and other mixed media. If you make a car, and use plastic fenders, or wheels, I have n problem with that. But to see the work, done but people like Allen Tam, Alan Rose, these are artists. We have people on this forum who do work for the movie business. If you need to make a part with compound surfaces, then get a block of Balsa, and start working on it. This forum's focus is fabrication with paper, metal mixed media. The people who make fantastic works are not going to have their work detracted by slap together plastic models. It just isn't going to happen. There are 100's of plastic model forum's that anyone can go too and they will gladly rip your models apart, or praise them. I have found many to me extremely critical, but then again, they are making plastic models that look real. They machine, out of metal, engines, and many other parts.
Plastic is a turn off to the majority of people who contact me and ask what's with all the plastic models. With paper models, I can offer techniques, actually fabricate templates, but what do you do with a plastic model? Do you say"You didn't tape off that area and the pain went on area it should not have. Or, "Wow, you really did well painting the seats black, gluing that chassis to the painted body, and the dots you painted kind of make it look like a real dash?" If you built a 1/8th scale Jaguar Model, that would be different, but if the windows did not roll up or down, then I would say you flubbed it. Of course, if you started such a model, I would tell you the gears have been messed up in the molds, and mu be reformed to work, and I would show you how using gap filling crazy glue.
Thre is no interaction with these types of modes, and that is why I feel it is a mistake. I though maybe members would bring really excellent quality of build, like jo-Han's, but that has not been the case. There is no discussion, just, "Hey, that came out nice." There can be no sharing. Think of all the Thunderfighters that Revell-Fan and Rhaaven Blaack (on a Personal Sabbatical) have built. They have built a fleet of ships by sharing ideas with many members.
None of that can happen with plastic models. Plastic models are a one way interaction. You display the model, and the only thing that can be said, is "Nice job' or something similar, and it ends there.
That is not what this forum is about. The plastics category will not be locked, not yet, but if I don't see some really special model models being build, and I think you know what I mean, then that section will be locked. Use of plastics in models if fine. A kit bash, I means something really awesome, anything would be allowed, but it has to have paper in it, as it's main material. Paper makes the models take on shapes that plastic cannot. Paper makes models that cannot be purchased. You can't offer a model you have designed and built in paper, it just can't work, and that's what this forum is about. It is not about ,"Look what I made" You can't make it unless you buy it. Yes, there are paper model sold, but people here build from scratch, they design from scratch, and after all that hard work, they giver it away, and it ends up in our "Resource" section for all members who wish, to build.
Plastic models do not offer the exchange of ideas that this forum is about. Funny thing is that you have built some of the most awesome Paper Models, and if you did a build thread with them, you could have taught many, who find these models intimidating, anyone who could build this, damned, why would you bother with plastic? In any event, I truly respect your work, but my beef is with crappy plastic models. I don't want to deal with them or tell someone, that model sucks, no matter what you do to it. I have incredible designers who wonder why simple slap together plastic models are here. I am not going into detail, but when you see a car, and non of the wiring is under the hood, either that person doesn't know where they go, or just didn't care. That kind of model has no place of this forum. I am a click away from ending plastic models, as a whole. I really only want models people build, fabricate, not put together from pre-made parts. I will tell you I am going to close the "Plastics" section, it just is not in line what this forum's direction lies.