ghodges

Looks good! The wood framing nicely sets off the interior. Gil

Wow! When you said you had some knock-out pin holes to fill you weren't kidding! Excellent work, and much neater looking than whenever I attempt to add stringers like that. Question: You drilled holes in those side stringers..... I've found it very hard to get my drill low/perpendicular enough to drill through a part like that without bending and breaking the bit. What tool and method are you using to frill them? Gil

Jaxcon is a GSB judged show, but there's absolutely NO "scoring" used to determine that. The judging teams just judge the basics and decide according to our written standards what the model earns, or doesn't. Here's a link to the "handheld" standards we issue to all judges and used for Jaxcon: https://www.ipmsfirstcoast.com/gsbjudging/jaxconjudgeguidelines2023.pdf Here's the link to the more fully detailed standards as posted on our website: https://www.ipmsfirstcoast.com/gsbjudging/jaxcon2023gsbjudgestds.pdf There IS one caveat to the above..... this was the first year we had dedicated Zones for the Gundams and Lego models (there were less than 10 in each) and I did design judging criteria that did involve a bit of "math" since we had no true experience in judging those and felt we couldn't approach them exactly as we do regular plastic kits. If these Zones grow in the future we'll have a "handheld" guideline with their different basics of construction and finish and eliminate the points/math for them as well. Below are the two forms we used for those 2 Zones... they worked very well for so few entries, but would not work if we started getting 20+ entries. GUNDAM DISPLAY ZONE JUDGING CRITERIA SHEET ENTRY#_______________ SUBJECT/TITLE_______________________________________________ ENTRIES WILL BE AWARDED 1 POINT PER CRITERIA (Good=1pt, bad=0pts) EXCEPT FOR B1a, C1, C2, C3. Gold = 14+ point Silver = 11-13 points Bronze = 8-10 points A) Construction 1-Basics a) seams ______ b) glue marks ______ c) sprue nubs ______ d) clear parts ______ e) complexity (movable parts are movable) ______ f) sanding scratches ______ B) Finish 1-Painting a) whole or 75%+ model painted (award 2 points) ______ b) model 50% or less painted ______ c) smoothness (airbrushed or no paint brush strokes) ______ d) decal silvering ____ e) small detail painting ______ f) consistent clear coat overall ______ C) Bonus points 1- Weapons/Hand held Accessories (1point for each) ______ 2- Lighting added not included in kit (2 points) ______ 3- Motion added not included in kit, not including rotating bases (3 points) ______ TOTAL POINTS ______ And..... LEGO DISPLAY ZONE JUDGING CRITERIA SHEET ENTRY # ___________ ENTRY SUBJECT/TITLE ________________________________________ ENTRIES WILL BE AWARDED 1 POINT PER CRITERIA (Good=1pt, bad=0pts), EXCEPT 3B. 8+ = GOLD 6-7pts = SILVER 4-5pts = Bronze 1) Construction a) Neatness (dirt smears, finger prints?): ____ b) Complexity (simple shape or not?): ____ c) Consistency (any gappy seams or missing blocks?): ____ 2) Finish a) Color flow (are colors grouped aesthetically or randomly?): ____ b) Consistent color (do any bricks look faded or old?): ____ c) Over all finish (is the shine or flatness even over all?): ____ 3) Bonus points a) Original design, not built from a kit (point awarded for originality): ____ b) Lighting and/or motion added (that was NOT included in a kit, 1pt for each): ____ 4) Overall Presentation (you can tell what the builder intended): ____ TOTAL POINTS ____ Let me know if you have any more questions. Thanks! Gil

Thanks for the kind words Ron! We lucked into this facility (or were blessed by God) at the end of covid. Being a church, they could open sooner and with fewer restrictions while our old venue couldn't. It's actually cheaper to rent... BUT, here we have to rent the tables for the show, so overall the venue expenses only equaled out. However, this place is MUCH better lit, slightly larger, we can start on Friday evening without any added costs, and they allow food trucks. It is a very large church on that side of town, and ironically where I graduated Kindergarten in 1963! 🙂 Gil

And one last bunch.... This was an amazing Box diorama This was the Best Armor winner This 1/32 Ki-84 was the Best Camouflage winner This 54mm Sergeant of the Revolutionary War was the Best Figure winner This was the Best Ship winner This Walker was the Best Sci-Fi/Space winner This was voted the Most Popular model Gil

Here's some more.... Gil

JAXCON 2024 was a record breaker! We had 124 people put 601 seriously fine entries on the tables. We had so many very nice models that we ran low/out of medals and may need to mail out some to some winners after we resupply. That's a problem that's really a blessing! Anyway, below are some overall pics from the show. Hope you enjoy. Questions welcome! The 1/72 Panzer diorama in the center of the display won Best Diorama, built by Dave Russow. This was the Best Detailed award winner, with a lit hangar deck and opened phot-etched speed brakes on all of the Dauntlesses! This 54 Panel Van was Best Automotive and Best Gloss Finish winner. This amazing collection of 1/72 F-15 Eagles was built by Ken Belisle. This was the Best Aircraft and Judges Grand Award winner, built by Ken Friend. Gil

Looks good! Interesting that they attached wheel to the skid designed body! Gil

Great looking center console! Gil

That's some righteous rotor work! Off to another great start! Gil

Not sure if I followed you question correctly or not... but if you're asking if the back seat pad should look like it has two parts, an upper and lower, then it should, There's no need to fill that line across it. If you're asking about the gap seen from the sides between the back padding and the metal seat; yes, that's a problem. It appears that the molded seat padding doesn't mirror the contours of the seat. Instead of filling that gap, I'd try removing the back pad, heating it in very hot water to soften it (if you cannot simply bend it by hand), and then try pushing/forming it against the seat back to hopefully get it to conform exactly or more closely. If that doesn't work, I'd try supergluing it a bit at a time from the bottom to the top, making sure each bond was secure before moving up to the next in order to force glue it in place. I wouldn't fill behind it because then your padding may look too thick, and as you mentioned you also have to get the filler that shows textured to match the rest of the padding. I'd make that the absolute last resort. Hope this helps! Gil

Glad to hear you posted an update or announcement on Facebook.......... But nothing here, on the OFFICIAL DF for IPMSUSA.... where up until a few weeks ago you guys were making regular and informative announcements... And nothing on YOUR main page, except the cryptic "2/2/24 UPDATE" ...... which says absolutely nothing about any new hotel info.... And even if someone clicks onto your touted Update, UNLESS they scroll down half the page, they won't find the new hotel info or even a hint that it's below... And IPMSUSA (as I said ) ALSO dropped the ball... as there is still nothing on the IPMSUSA main page announcing the addition of new hotels and no link to click on to take anyone to your Update.... Nor have they sent out a Wild Sau announcement to the membership with that info..... ALL OF THE ABOVE could have been avoided by a simple announcement and link here in the days after 2/2/24... in addition to Facebook, but for some reason we members who do our IPMS communicating HERE weren't thought of.... or maybe expecting an IPMS Nats host to communicate here on the official IPMSUSA DF is seen as asking for "special treatment" now. You can try to make this personal and insult myself and others who want to attend your show but haven't been able to get a room yet, if that's what makes you happy. I'm asking why you guys suddenly have made it more difficult for those looking for rooms? If you don't like the questions or seeming criticism, sorry, that comes with the territory of working and organizing a show. Especially when complications or difficulties arise (like being unable to book a room the first time around). None of us, including me, are looking for any special treatment. We're just looking for an opportunity to know what's going on in an open and easy way. Many are still trying to decide whether to take the time and spend their hard earned money on a trip to Madison. Having to hunt information to help make that decision isn't a smart play by your committee, as hard working as they may be. As I said before, I merely hope that FUTUTRE communications are much more open and easier to find, especially as you have yet to let people know when the Embassy Suites will open. If that's asking for special treatment, so be it. Gil

I've done my turn of 2-3yrs in the barrel Jeremy, having been the Contest Chairman for the 1997 Nats in Columbus OH, and learned from one of the best, Ron Bell. I've also been the Jaxcon Chairman for the last 20+years, and though not a Nats, it requires plenty of planning and has become one of the larger shows in the southeast each year. I'm also a past R-11 RC... so I'm no shrinking violet as to volunteering in IPMS, nor am I ignorant of the work and planning to run a Nats. IF I was within working distance of you and the Madison group, I would have readily volunteered to help from the get-go. Sadly, Florida is too far away. IF you go read my responses to your club's initial messages here, you guys were IMPRESSIVE with your communications in the beginning, and I praised that. THAT is why I'm so bewildered now. In spite of that, ever since the initial hotel reservation day went badly, the exact opposite has been true. There's been no further messages here after the replies as to what went wrong with the hotel reservation system. Your "hotel" page on your own website was not updated with the new hotel info even after you went to all of the trouble to get them and publish the "update". And, I even allowed for a whole week to go by after I found out about the new hotels before posting it here above (go look at the date on my reply to "looking for a room mate"). True enough..... you announced an "update" (but on your page, NOT here)...... BUT YOU DIDN'T SAY WHAT IT CONTAINED, NOR EVEN HINTED THAT THERE WAS NEW HOTEL INFO IN THAT UPDATE. And, what's worse, even after you clicked onto the update the hotel info wasn't front and center, you had to SCROLL DOWN to find it. Please do not try to imply that your group did its job when people literally have to HUNT for the new information! And as I stated above if Phil Peterson had not casually mentioned it, I wouldn't even have known to go looking for it. That's how obscure the hotel update was! If you guys are miffed at complaints about the hotel reservations getting messed up through no fault of your own, I can sympathize. I experienced some of the same failures in '97 and know the personal sting of being "mortified" when something YOU planned backfires at the Nats. It hurts, but trust me, there's STILL important work to be done. So.... does this obscure update mean you guys are now saying "screw it"! Fend for yourselves! We'll set up hotels but don't expect us to help you get in them anymore? No problem on my end if that's the way y'all want to go.... but how about at least an announcement that the game has now changed? And yes.... this FAILURE to expressly and very publicly announce the 3 new hotels now calls into question whether we can rely on you, OR IPMSUSA for that matter, to keep us informed and up to date on the opening of rooms for the Embassy Suites whenever that happens. AND YES... IPMSUSA IS EQUALLY AT FAULT! President Phil Peterson KNEW about the hotels. Yet there was NO update on the IPMSUSA main page and no message was sent through Wild Sau (that they so highly tout now) to notify the membership of them. It would be interesting to hear from Phil as to why neither happened. I sincerely hope you guys pull yourselves back together and once more communicate like you did at the start. For all I hear, despite the problems of the changing Eboard, the rules changes, and the unsure Head Judges situation that you've been unfairly saddled with; many, many people are planning on and looking forward to attending the Nats in Madison. I'm still one of them! Gil

Glad to have you hear Joe and "back in the saddle" so to speak! Make yourself at home and feel free to post your work in the modeling topics area lower down on the page. Let us know how we can help you have more FUN! Gil

Let me clarify further Ralph.... in that I AM A CASUAL MODELER! Do I occasionally go all out and super detail the pilot's relief tube? Sure..... but compared to most of the competitors out there I "bang them together" and move on to the next! If you read my replies over the last 10pgs then you'll see that I merely believe that the VAST SEA of model builders will never be interested in us. History has shown they've never been interested in US, even 40-50yrs ago when IPMSUSA was on the cutting edge of modeling techniques, tips, and industry information. We seem to attract about 4000 people here in the USA on average and that number has been generally steady over DECADES. The idea that we can suddenly somehow double or triple our membership is, I believe, a misnomer. That said, I DO believe there are more model builders like US out there that we can target. They ARE interested in joining clubs, going to model shows, building to compete (to whatever degree that may be), and in supporting an organization who makes that more possible. Those are the ones I label as "serious" modelers... because of their level of INTEREST in the hobby on the whole as compared to the rest; and not because of their building abilities. In my view, growth IS possible, just not on the scale proposed or viewed by many. And, I also oppose changing WHO we are for the sake of growth. It's not an attempt to be "elitist" nor exclusive.... it's just we're a group dedicated to building PLASTIC models and I see no reason to try to kow-tow or please other modeling groups just for their money and higher membership numbers. Gil

That's a very nice Viking! I wouldn't have guessed you had any problems with the decals from the great looking results. I like the weathering too.... as it looks like a plane that's seen some sea duty and is ready for some shore leave! Congrats, and thanks for sharing it here! Gil

Okay..... I waited more than a week to see if the Madison crew would post this.... THERE ARE 3 NEW HOTELS THAT HAVE BEEN BOOKED AND ARE CURRENTLY TAKING RESERVATIONS FOR THE 2024 NATS! HERE'S THE LINK TO THE INFO: https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/ac24d88a-08a8-47fe-961a-a53559fd3d36/IPMS-2024-Madison_Mission-Brief-number-3ver1.pdf You'll have to SCROLL DOWN a little more than halfway on that page to find the info... and there's even an update on the Embassy Suites too... Is this info listed anywhere on the IPMSUSA main web page? No..... Did IPMSUSA send out a "Wild Sau" email to all members with this new info? No.... Is this info listed on the Madison's NATS main page? No...... Is this info listed if you click onto "hotels" on their main page? No.... In fact, the ONLY reason I was aware of it was because of a reply on the "looking for a room mate" topic by IPMS President Phil Peterson! I then dug into the Madison 2/2 update (which you have to click onto the "download" under the mention of it) and found it buried there. I posted this link for anyone to read and use LAST WEEK in my reply on that topic and then waited until now for IPMS, Madison, or someone else to get the word out. But it hasn't happened.... I'd think that after the initial 3 hotels being sold out so quickly that the Madison crew would have been shouting their addition of THREE MORE hotels from the rooftops! But evidently not. In any case, I hope this helps some people who want to book now. But in the meantime I'm really scratching my head as to why this info hasn't be made much more public up to now.... Gil

Gotta disagree with you Noel on the "PLASTIC" being a problem.... it IS who we ARE! I have no interest in other "static" model building hobbies, be it wood or whatever. That's NOT to take away the skills needed to build those other types of models..... it's just not what I do and I didn't join IPMS with an expectation of seeing/reading/competing with those other types. And, I don't feel responsible for any ignorant impressions others may have of us. In fact ANY plastic model builder who thinks that what we do is assemble toys is NOT the type of modeler IPMS should look to target and recruit. They would only be the "casual" builder types who more than likely (as you correctly point out) don't understand us or "get" us and will never be interested. IPMSUSA faces some serious questions going forward, IF we do want to grow our Society. Perhaps the most important one is: Do we want to lose our identity by embracing growth at all costs or grow while being sure to retain our identity, even if it means that growth is more limited? I side with retaining our particular PLASTIC affiliation! Gil

Superb Spitfire! I think the extended wing tips give it a bit more elegance than the regular winged versions. I also like your diorama display as it makes it appear the top cowl was left off by choice, and not by any kit deficiency. Thanks for sharing! Gil

I think that Wee Davey raises a valid point in that there are indeed two model building "camps" overall; the CASUAL modeler and the SERIOUS modeler. The VAST majority of model builders, and this includes the majority you see on line and in the local clubs have only a casual association with building plastic models. They're not SOLELY FOCUSED on it. They don't devote the same amount of time, effort, or money to it as the more serious builders. People like us, IPMS members, are in the serious camp, We are much more focused on our hobby and devote a lot of time, effort, and money on it. While we have a common interest in plastic models with the casual builders, we have a much more intense approach to our hobby at almost all levels, in both building for ourselves and especially if building for competition. IPMSUSA needs to figure out how to interest the INTENSE, SERIOUS model builders to join us. We'll never convince the casual builders to join us, and in fact they look upon our intense dedication to all things plastic as a "problem"; which is why we're labeled as being elite rivet counting accuracy nazis. BUT, there are a minority of builders like us out there who might be interested in joining us IF we can find a way to reach out to them. I have NO problem with our local IPMS clubs being somewhat mis-labeled since they more often are made up of mostly casual builders and only a few of the dedicated people like ourselves. That's more an indicator of human nature and not a "problem to be solved". And there are so many ancillary things that go on in clubs where the non-IPMS members more than pull their weight locally, you can NEVER label them as freeloaders despite their never joining IPMS at the National level. This also speaks to the subject broached several pages back... how do we grow IPMSUSA and who do we target? Unlike some ex-Eboard members who proposed trying to throw IPMS open to ALL modelers in some vain attempt to appear "inclusive", I think we should be targeting the SERIOUS PLASTIC modelers who are most like us and who would be much more likely to join. Would that put a limit on our growth? Not really.... I think it would make us be more realistic in our estimates of growth. In the past we've tended to look at the numbers of kits sold and the obvious evidence of the great number of builders out there and see that vast sea of plastic modelers as the group to appeal to; and then wonder why we can't interest them. It's because only a small sliver of them are actually like US. But if even a tenth of that sliver could be enticed into becoming IPMS members, it would probably triple our current numbers. I'm not sure if THAT would be good or bad..... but IF we're looking to "grow" IPMSUSA let's first be realistic about who we have the best shot at adding to our numbers. THEN we can start discussing WHAT we think might make IPMS more relevant and interesting to them and any changes needed going forward. Gil

Good looking build and an Invader version that I need to build to add into my WWII bombers! Thanks for letting us ride along and for the inspriation! Gil

Looks good to me..... and the majority of people who see it wouldn't notice and scale differential anyway. I kind of actually like that he may seem a little big... as most WWI fighters were rather diminutive overall! Gil

Let me start by thanking you.... as now I won't appear to be the only NUTCASE who builds vacs here! 😁 You're already committed to much more work than I put into mine... dropping the flaps and altering all of the tail control surfaces. I'm going to enjoy watching this project! Are you doing both as military 121s, or will one of them be an airliner? Gil

Keep in mind that if you're talking about "the first hour", or the "first day"; that's Wednesday..... Who comes then? The people who HAVE to be there..... the vendors, the show host folks and IPMS officers, and die-hards like me who try to make every convention I can. In other words.... mostly ALL IPMS members. You wouldn't be restricting many people at all. THURSDAY is really the only day you might have an impact with "restrictions" on a LOT of non-members who get there that day, and again, I think there's more problems with setting up and carrying out restrictions than any benefits it would provide. I advise applying Ron Bell's idea of the KISS principle.... it's easier to charge non-members more than to try to control where and when they go somewhere once they arrive! Gil

The idea of restricting access to the vendors in order to give IPMS members an advantage comes with the need to actually PHYSICALLY RESTRICT access.... After all, it does no good to try this idea and then not stop and check badges, tickets, or whatever "system" is used to make it work. Who will do that? Local volunteers? Not only are the local show hosts already overtaxed for manpower, but this would entail adding a particularly onerous duty to their list of jobs to be filled for the show. How many of YOU would be willing to step in front of, or even grab an arm to STOP an attendee who's waltzing into the vendor entrance? How many want to play the "ID CHECK game" at the start of the hall or at the vendor room doors? Want to talk about the possibilities of creating a lot of BAD feelings among attendees if you get someone who likes to throw their weight around in those situations? Or will we hire local Security Guards to at least be present to help and act as intimidators? Even if that worked like a charm you're still adding yet another expense to the cost of hosting a Nats. And what for? To give some people a one or one and 1/2 day head start at the vendors, who DON'T WANT any restrictions to start with? Restrictions are a bad idea. We need to instead investigate the idea of raising the costs of NON-IPMS MEMBERS to attend the show. Welcome them, but don't give them such a price break. Make it worth their while to join IPMSUSA, even if only for that year as compared to shopping and looking at models for 2-3 days. And perhaps we could even add a "PREMIUM CHARGE" to the general entry fees for the first 2 days, Wednesday and Thursday and make them a pay a bit more for that early access. AND DON'T BE APOLOGETIC about it! It's OUR convention for OUR members. BUT, after they pay more for their access, don't try to control where they go and what they see or do. Gil