ORIGINAL: Gray Beard
ORIGINAL: GerKonig
ORIGINAL: Gray Beard
When I did a review on an ARF I had to give this a lot of thought. I finally came to the conclusion that ARFs are kits. It's like IKEA items, if you have to assemble it then it is a kit. I didn't like it but it's true. To me, a kit is a box of sticks and sheeting that you have to cut and fit to finish up with a plane, but there is no definition of how hard a kit must be or how many pieces in one. I don't like it but I got over it.
I still get a giant pissmeoff when I see anyone that calls assembling an ARF building. They have built nothing, they are gluing assembled parts together, not building anything! I come completely un-hinged when I see a reviewer in a magazine use the term building. These people are supposed to be smart enough to know the difference but I see too many of them with brain damage and using the term building there review ARF. Maybe they are trying to give there readers a little ego boost thinking they are building something? Maybe the reviewer needs that ego boost themselves??
OK, the term Kit or ARF Kit I will go with and give these ARF nimrods that but ARFers, Never Never use the term building, you aren't and most of you can't.
There, that was my rant.
I build models form little (or big) pieces of wood. Mostly form Balsa USA, I am one of their supporters.
But I also ''build'' arfs, and if you do not like it, or get a giant pissmeoff, here is my advice: It is a friggggggin hobby, enjoy the hobby, and enjoy the days you have left, as every day that goes by, we have one less...
I build, build, build and build ARFs. And sometimes I re-build ARF's. I am able to take an ARF, and re-kit it in seconds. I have a huge tree at the field that helps me do precisely that. I can prove this, I have the pictures...
Gerry
When I do not shave, by beard is also gray...:-)
I gave this reply a lot of thought trying to figure out how to reply. I decided you fit into that catagory with the reviewers in magazines that use the term build when refering to ARFs.
Good, this shows me that you have not lost your sense of humor:-) and as long as we hang on to that, we will be OK. I still did not run out of available kits I want to build, but if that day ever comes, I have a long list of plans one can have the wood cut for.
As far as the frustration about the way people use the words, or assign meanings, well I know one thing or 2 about that:-) I am a linguist... ARFs is a new term, and the way people are using the word, they call it kit, and they build them. Is it the best choice? No, of course. But there are hundred of wrong word choices done every year, sad to report. And people start using the term with a certain meaning, and there is no going back. That is why they call it live languages, they grow, evolve, and change.
Happy landings
Gerry
Balsa USA 1/4 scale PA-18, Sig 1/4 scale J3, electric Telemaster, electric 1/4 scale RV ARF, GP 1/5 scale Curtiss Hawk. Overhauling my old Balsa USA Morane Saluliner 1/3 and building a Fokker DVIII, plus some small models in RTF condition.