Is there any value to built kits?

With some kits that haven't been re-released, yes. This is especially true for some car kits that were changed on a yearly basis, i.e. a

1975 kit that was re-tooled and became a 76, 77, etc. year car and was never reissued as its original version. The same was true for the original Star Trek The Motion Picture Enterprise. After the first movie, they retooled it to give it a textured surface and remove the lighting. For a long time, the original "smoothie" was highly sought after whether it was built or not.

Some old built kits are just old kits.

I have no idea where your KitCar stands though.

Some old kits have constant value like the Revell XSL rocket and space station - usually go for ~ $500 - even if partially built. What really matters iss finding the collector who just has to have that kit or for that matter the box from the kit. I've seen things go for $300 on eBay - and found 2 at a hobby shop on the net for $30 each two weks later. The real answer is value is in the eye of the beholder - you just have to find the right beholder.

Val Kraut

Well if You have a Revell 1:32 "Midwing George" it'll probably also be worth a few dollars, but if I got one I would build it - not evaluate it's possible selling price.

Claus Gustafsen

"Val Kraut" skrev i meddelelsen news:4d4ad279$0$20190$ snipped-for-privacy@cv.net...

Some old kits have constant value like the Revell XSL rocket and space station - usually go for ~ $500 - even if partially built. What really matters iss finding the collector who just has to have that kit or for that matter the box from the kit. I've seen things go for $300 on eBay - and found 2 at a hobby shop on the net for $30 each two weks later. The real answer is value is in the eye of the beholder - you just have to find the right beholder.

Val Kraut

There's a lot of truth in this. If I had a chance to buy an XSL for $500 I would certainly pass. But if I already had one - well is a one shot of $500 going to allow me to move into a better house, buy the next level car, fly first class instead of cattle car in the rear of the plane, - probably not. If I did sell it, I would probably end up with 5 $100 models replacing it in the stash. So I may as well enjoy building and having the beast. The one worry I would have is screwing up a part I couldn't easily scratch build and couldn't get a replacement for. I had a friend who was a consistent builder - finished many projects. His philosophy was buy three - the first you build, spare parts for screwups come from the second. After finishing - build number three as a perfect model. Give number 1 to a kid in the neighborhood.

Val Kraut

Figure sculptors and painters often sell their finished pieces for hundreds or thousands of dollars apiece. Armor modelers do almost as well. For some bizarre reason, these types of transactions are rare within the world of "aircraft modeling." Perhaps because aircraft modelers are less inclined to view their pieces as "works of art?"

"> Figure sculptors and painters often sell their finished pieces for

I've also seen 1/350 scale ships go for big bucks. But in this case a lot of work with brass aftermarket and they make a really great display on something like the fireplace mantel.

Val Kraut

Val Kraut wrote: : : I've also seen 1/350 scale ships go for big bucks. But in this case a lot of : work with brass aftermarket and they make a really great display on : something like the fireplace mantel. : I wonder if the fellow from Greece sold his Tamiya ship model(s)? I think he was only asking 150k US for one of the US/UK battleships...

Val - did you get your question regarding locomotive servicing answered?

Bruce

Yes, he did. A bit of thought as to why the odd prices would result in an interesting conclusion.

Thank you for the replies. One more question. Any kits out there that can supply rear axle and drive shaft. I can recast the rear wheels that I drilled thru as kid. ZoomZoom

Verlinden is one that will get the big bucks for his one of a kind models. If you go to a national model show in the US there is usually his latest creation. but its not only the model but the research and attention to detail that wins out. Talk to the people at their booths, interesting stuff.

">

Yes - but no good pictures of items under service.

Val Kraut wrote: : : ">

:> Val - did you get your question regarding locomotive :> servicing answered? : : Yes - but no good pictures of items under service. : There is little practical difference between US and European steam locomotives when it comes to routine maintence and service.

I believe there are photo books by O. Winston Link that have some shots of steam locos being serviced, but in general, you will have some number of mechanics looking over the machine, refilling oil reservoirs, greasing grease points, tightening various fittings, cleaning the ash pans (coal burners only), and also checking for any leaking stay-bolts. These are special bolts that are half hollow, from the bolt head down, and are used to hold the inner firebox sheets in place, so they run from the outer boiler sheets to the inner boiler sheets, in the firebox area. X number are allowed to be broken, and leaking (hence the reason for the hollow bolt) before the boiler must under go some fairly extensive maintence.

You can also look around for "Locomotive & Railway Preservation", a long out of print magazine that covered most any aspect of steam locomotive maintence you care to cover.

Specifics will vary from railroad to railroad, and locomotive type to locomotive type, but they are more similiar than not.

For outside, routine maintence, locomotives will periodically need water, then fuel, and depending on the weather and particular section of track, sand.

Locomotives evaporate much more water with respect to fuel, so water stops are the most frequent - in the order of 3x - 5x the fuel stops. Sand, again, was generally available where fuel was available, and is carried in the domes atop the boiler (where the steam kept the sand dry and from freezing should it have become wet somehow). The pipes from the domes to the drivers are the sand pipes.

Bruce

=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 Bruce

urden =A0 =A0Austin, TX.

I am reminded of what a co-worker once told me concerning the difference between steam and diesel. Diesel takes two days to find the problem and an hour to fix, while steam took an hour to find the problem and two days to fix.

Val Kraut said the following on 04/03/2011 23:51:

One of the BFI DVD series of British Transport Films has what can either be termed a training film on a steam engine which is brought into a shed for full overhaul, which means taking the whole thing apart and rebuilding, or people actually did sit in the cinema and watch half an hour of technical descriptions.

Here's an idea for a diorama based on a true(?) story, my Dad wouldn't lie... I live in Brockville which used to be the major recoaling and watering stop between Montreal and Toronto and connections to Ottawa. There were repair facilities including a roundhouse.... Some bright light managed to misalign things sufficiently that a mainline loco went off the track and into the dirt when exiting the roundhouse. (upright or on its side I don't know) Loco's are heavy things, so it being off the track bed, it started to sink into the ground as it was a wet and muddy spring. They tried to get it out of there by putting ties underneath it. It kept pushing the ties down.... Apparently it took several carloads of ties to get that engine out of there and they're still there imbedded in the dirt where the round house used to be..