I think there was some discussion a while back and while there was no definitive answer (is there ever?) we decided that scratchbuilding sounds better and everybody knows what it means. Plus we can't have too many sub sections.

 

Well part of the problem of this question is that there are a ton of cars out there that are not done in slotcars. But there are many models that can be made into slotcars. Are there models that get made into workable trains? And while a manufacturer may make a certain car. There are always real racecars that have modifications that show up on different cars. Take for instance Slot-it's Porsche 962. I want a Kremer CK6 which they don't make. I will simply cut one up and make it myself. I am not going to carve one out of balsa just to say i built it from scatch.

 

I think you are right Brian.
Most slot ' scratchbuilds ' are conversions. I think the difference is alot of the train folk are retired engineers and really know how to make a scratchbuild....from scratch!
they also tend to be rivet counters, very boring.

 

There was a sort of move to get the "kitbashing" term accepted for the conversions, but it doesn't seem to have caught on.

And you're right about the real meaning of scratchbuilding - by rights we should be carving our bodies and building our motors! I actually saw an article in an old French DIY magazine from about 1959 that had an early slot racing circuit in which you were supposed to build your car's own motor from scratch! Kind of silly, since there were already lots of miniature motors by then, but it was a DIY mag - and French to boot!

In slot racing, scratchbuilding generally came to mean soldering together or machining your chassis, whether or not you also did the body yourself. I guess we should turn the wheels on a lathe as well (BWA? Kai?), and punch out the tires from old carpet insulation....

Don

 

You mean you don't do all that now Don ????

What ever works is fine with me.

As far as motors go I have almost made one all from scratch, all but the endbell so far. And I have modified those pretty far as it goes. I have made my own wheels tires and axles. Even some special screws. So it can go too far in either direction.

Slot racing is great for improvisation when needed.

 

I started a similar topic a while ago, and the answer was that for slotloonies scratch and kitbash are considered the same.

 

NSCC Ed, I reckon you and I saw the same thread and thought the same thing!

 

QUOTE (Kai @ 26 Apr 2006, 20:34) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>....and the answer was that for slotloonies scratch and kitbash are considered the same.

Dunno - maybe I'm not a "slotloonie", but taking a plastic body from a static kit and mounting it on a purchased plastic chassis is kit-bashing and not scratchbuilding to me. I would say that one or other of the body or chassis needs to have been constructed from raw materials (brass, piano wire, styrene sheet, etc) to qualify as scratchbuilding.

But i do both, so I guess in the long run it doesn't matter much as long as we're having fun.

 

Back in the 60's if you wanted a good car to race there was really no choice but to build your own chassis, rewind and balance a motor, cut your tires, etc.

Fast forward near a half century (gawd that make me feel very old) and there are very competent chassis, motors, tires, etc. available that make the effort required for a good car very much a matter of choice...I for one do not miss my burnt finger tips and flux induced watery eyes from soldering up a brass creation nor miss adding to ancient scars when an occasional oops occurred using the tire cutter.

That being said, I have the deepest respect for those that are carrying on the real "scratch" tradition...like the blacksmiths of today, someone has to pass the (literal) torch to the next crop of slotheads...

 

Thanks for this, I always thought that 'kitbashing' was something do do with putting a brick across the track at the end of a long straight.

Scratchbuilding is making slotcars from static kits to me. Anything else is simply 'tarting up' or 'repainting' a stock slotcar.

 

hi, guys
my recollection from that LOOOONg thread a while back was that the conscensus among slotforum
people was that kitbashing was modding an existing car kit to fit on a slot car chassis, and scratchbuilding
ranged from a handcarved body to a custom, handbuilt chassis and anything in between. Just my
recollection...

regards,
John

 

For me scratch building is not putting a readymade body or kit onto a commercialy available chassis. I feel it needs to have a lot of personal construction to be classed as a scratchbuild. I wouldn't go so far as to say one has to cut ones own gears or pinions. However manufacturing a chassis and body is to me a minimum requirement.
Alfetta

 

So, how would this be classified:

(Resilient Resins Ferrari TR59 on a modified Ninco Austin Healey chassis)

Or this one:

(Resilient Resins Ferrari Supersqualo on a home-made brass chassis)

I guess this makes a good point for not trying to make a distinction!

 

hi, gascarnut
good examples of "tricky" calls...but not that hard. Personally, I would call the first car a kit...not a kitbash, the body was designed for a slot car and chassis was intact except for a little trimming around the edges. the second car barely squeaks by as a "scratchbuild" since the chassis is somewhat custom and hand made. does that sound right?

regards,
John

 

A rose is a rose is a rose....

Why are we bothering about these definitions? A car is a car is a car. Some are more beautiful than others, some have more personal creativity, individuality and meaning than others, but c'mon! Scratchbuild, schmatchbuild. As long as you have fun.

 

QUOTE As long as you have fun.
That's it in a nutshell...having fun. Slot cars like no other hobby encompasses so many facets...from the cars to the tracks they run on there are so many diverse ways of doing so...and none of them wrong.

Besides, if one stretches the definition of "scratch" a little then all RTR's and aftermarket bodies and chassis and parts were all "scratchbuilt" initially...

 

How about "scratchbashing"........
Regards,
TED....

Go fast and stay on!

 

You want to bash scratchers? That hardly seems fair.

QUOTE (tedm @ 28 Apr 2006, 10:42) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>How about "scratchbashing"........
Regards,
TED....
Go fast and stay on!

 

We're lucky enough to see so many wonderful scratch-built / kit-bashed / modified cars and chassis on this forum. As long as folks keep sharing their work with us, I don't care what they call 'em!

cheers,

Rob

 

QUOTE (NSCC-Editor @ 26 Apr 2006, 18:50) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>It is quite common on here to see references to "scratchbuilding" where people are actually converting/modifying a commercial kit.

In the choo-choo train world "scratchbuild" means exactly that - constructing a loco or rolling stock from the bare metal or plastic sheet. Everything else is known as kitbashing.

Is the slot car world different?

No criticism intended here at all folks - I am continually amazed by the standard of work that people turn out and I could never hope to emulate it. Keep up the good work and continue to make us RTR types drool over the stuff you produce.

I am just interested in the definition and wondered whether the Forum could do with two separate sections to reflect this difference.

Brian

I think we are losing sight of the original question. and allowing our own fears & prejudices toget in the way.
Alfetta

 

hi, alfetta
you took the words right out of my mouth...anyone has the right to start any thread they want. people who don't consider it interesting or valid, should simply read other threads, not discourage this one.

regards,
John

 

When I first saw the word "kitbashing" I had the same negative thoughts as was mentioned toward "scratchbashing".

Perhaps "modifieds" would be a preferable word for any slot car from a repaint to the use of any aftermarket market parts and all that's in-between.

 

QUOTE (NSCC-Editor @ 26 Apr 2006, 09:50) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I am just interested in the definition and wondered whether the Forum could do with two separate sections to reflect this difference.

Brian

I like the mix of kitbashing, repaints and scratchbuilding that is present in this section. The contributions on another forum that I was on, slowed down considerably when the sections were broken down into more specific subjects. I suppose we got confused as to which section we should have been posting our bits (keep it clean...) and froze at the keyboard.

cheers,

Bob S.

 

Well, this is a dreamsituation.
SF is the main forum for slotcars, and could sort of descide what words are going to be used in the entire slotworld.
They could even make a competition for finding the best words for each category of building.

 

Nope, doesn't work like that Kai! Maybe you're just saying that tongue in cheek, but in case not...

Language is never decided by edict, and believe me, France, where I live is a very good case in point! The administration decided they didn't want English words for some of the new techy stuff, so they tried to impose French words: eg, "balladeur" instead of "walkman", courriel instead of email, etc. Generally, it just didn't work, of course.

Just like a lot of the serious hobbyists in the 60s tried to discourage the use of "slot racing", because we're not racing slots, n'est ce pas?

Well, it became the accepted term anyway, and I think "scratchbuilding" is going to be a catch-all term as well, applied to what is more logically kitbashing, as well as the in-between stuff most of us do, and the pure scratchbuilders like Michel Conti, Olivera, Rex Hays and their modern equivalents... - who really do build every part of their museum-quality models from scratch.

Got an itch? Scratch!
Don