In need of a judges feedback for OOB rules

[MarcusMJones]

I really need some clarification on IPMS's Out Of The Box rules.

 

A - For my first question, you can see there is OK bolt detail on this frame, the problem is, there is a lot of filling and sanding that will need to be done in this area to correct the frame and what little bit of detail there is will be lost. What I am asking; can those bolt heads be sanded off, and after all the filling and sanding is done, be replaced with new bolt heads using plastic hex rod?

B - This question is similar to my first, except this time, the bolts are just a lump with no hex detail. Can those be sanded off and be replaced with new bolt heads using plastic hex rod?

C -  According to IPMS rules, I'm assuming it will be OK to drill out holes like the one pictured? Correct me if I'm wrong, but this would also hold true for bed pocket holes and finger holes on molded in door handles?

D -  Those long round lumps on this timing chain cover are suppose to represent fins, these so called fins should be square and not rounded. Can they be sanded and replaced
   with correct fins, if not, could they be sanded off and left smooth even though the directions do show fins?

 

 

E - As you can see, there are no individual leaf spring detail and the band that would hold these leafs together is very faint. Can those individual springs be carved in and can the bands be
replaced with thin sheet plastic?

   

 

 

Thank you in advance,
   Marcus M. Jones

Edited August 19, 2019 by Eric Aitala
Fixed List

[Ron Bell]

Marcus, Your best bet for an authoritative answer is to contact the Chief Judge, Mark Persichetti, at NCC@ipmsusa.org, otherwise all you will get is personal opinions, not actual rulings. 

[MarcusMJones]

Thank you, Ron, I will do just that.

[Nick Filippone]

I refer you to National Contest Rules (2019) which should be considered the current contest rules unless or until the National Contest Committee makes any changes for next year. ( These are still on the IPMS Website home page.) 

Section III, No. 2, letter D is pretty explicit in that it states that improving the model by replacing parts would make the entry no longer eligible for an OOB category. Currently accepted exceptions are defined elsewhere under No. 2. Replacing parts that the builder feels are poorly molded or inaccurate is not one of the listed exceptions. As always, in grey areas, the judging staff has the final word. And, of course, keeping the playing field level, always, in the end, depends on the integrity of the modeler. 

If I may, I will let you in on a little secret of which you may not be aware. If you want to maximize your chances of winning in an OOB category and still obey the rules, pick a good kit and do a good job on it. Trying to resurrect a poorly molded lump of plastic by building it OOB and hoping to make a winner out of it in an OOB category is more work than it probably deserves. You may be such a good modeler that you can bring a 1970’s kit up to modern standards. But having done it, the result would not be OOB. Good luck.

Regards, Nick Filippone, Senior National Judge