I hope I am not too late…had a funeral to attend yesterday so I was in the car all weekend. My Father-in-law was ill for several years so it was probably a blessing really.
my favorites:
#1: Joe Bussing’s oil rig…wonderful detail cleanly executed.
#2: Dave Taylor’s power house…classy, neat and tidy work.
#3: Jim Rowson’s hill top house…looks like a fun place to live.
First off, Thanks for letting me play with you real modelers! (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-embarassed.gif)I am in awe of the builds this year and I thank all who entered for upholding the Tradition of MIK, just Mik.
Joe Bussing … heck it’s all hand made. Oil well.
Todd Haskin’s (my nomination for using ‘Mik Odds and Ends’) tipple and Perfect drawing.
John Passaro’s Many steps to up there …
Special thanks to Eric Mueller and his ‘hulls’ for adding to the fun! I think we will enjoy watching Kid-zilla hone his skills!
Not a bad build in the lot.
Thanks Everybody and Thanks to Saint Dave for being a great friend and our build leader.
Devon your health comes first, we want you back so you can complete your mental image and keep us entertained!
Time to throw my votes to the totals.
Joe Bussing - Early 20th Century Oil Drilling Rig - Chosen for the use of material in a grand way. I love the open spindly tower and with the minimal details the tower is the star.
Dan Hilyer - Maxwell ‘T’s’ Cookhouse. - I just like the overall vibe of the model. I think it will look great in the main camp of his logging line.
Jim Rowson - Cliffhanger Worker Shacks - Great eye for fitting a scene and making use of the surroundings.
I know I am not supposed to comment further, but there are some very honorable mentions. Pete Lassen for a nicely done tunnel protal…and who says it needs paint? Vic Smith for a complete model railroad out of one 2 x 4. And can’t forget Dave Taylor’s Power House. Love the model but ‘where’s the wood?’ Looks to be mostly stone and corrugated siding. I do really like the use of frozen dinner trays for the transformer sides…
Well I am struggling to sort this all out . Second time I have erased and started over trying trying to decide which one should I vote for, without a lot of success. I really want you to give everyone a 1st place and have Boomer make a Rooster, BD, Ken or a Devon( minus aluminum hat ) for everyone. But since he might balk at that here are my picks… unless I change my mind again
#1 Gregory Hile . Having the guts to build a perfectly fine stable that could have taken first place, and them making it more authentic by burning it down, one goof there and it is a pile of charcoal.
#2 Dan Hilyer. Something about the whole building just keeps calling me to look at it again, I am having a. Hard time not swapping it to #1, but don’t want to cheat them by calling a tie.
#3 John Passaro. The amount of different types of stairs and overall job are impressive. I sure don’t want to work there, but by the time you got to your work station it’s time for break.
First timer award to Eric Mueller limited tools and “kidzilla” helping you deconstruct what you are trying to build.
Special mention to Devon Sinsley for even getting as far as he did with brain juice pressure, headaches and vision problems, and for making me comepete, thanks it was fun
Dave Taylor, for carrying on with the challenge, We all hope your friend is better. Thanks for coming up with these great ideas to push us novices and skilled builders alike. How soon until the next challenge, say next month???
Special thanks to BD, Bob for hosting us and all the work to keep us here .
Been a little pre-occupied the last two days but inhale been following along. And I am voting. First we are all winners. I think we all obeyed rule #1. And if we had fun then we are winners.
I made a promise that I would award first place to the first person that burnt their build to the ground. So for using THE most radical weathering technique yet devised #1 goes to Mr. Hile. A great build that actually got better after being destroyed.
#2 goes to my actual personal favorite Jim Rowson for some awesome cliff hangers.
And #3 goes to that truly awesome oil rig of Joe Bussing.
Honorable mention goes to all those I peer pressured. I take credit for the stairway to heaven, a bridge instead of a crate on stilts, and a very nice portal and a dirty pair of pants. If it were not for me your builds either eod be lousy or none existent. So gifts of bourbon or BBQ can be sent to my home address.
Thanks Mr. Taylor as always for hosting the party and for the very unique idea and two outstanding and thought provoking builds. I mean I couldn’t get one done and you spent more time in the hospital than me and got two done.
And especially thanks everyone for supporting me over the last year. You are a great bunch of guys and true friends.
Eric Schade,
I wanted to mention your beautiful turntable. It is the quality of work we expect from you, you are quite talented and skilled. Maybe too skilled for the rest of us. Gee that sounds funny, but so does our not giving you, your proper due.
Since you have won before I’m guessing we leaned towards the new guys and ignored your build. Perhaps next year Joe will be scratching his head too?
I think we need another contest that embraces Fine Scale, where as Mik was a wonderful Folk Artist, scrounger and re-purposer. (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
I voted for Todd because he used odd bits on his chute and the slope was off in an artsy way, I knew it was, but it didn’t bug me.
Saint John’s Stairway … well so quirky!
What I’m trying to do is make me feel better for leaving you out. I hope some rubs off on you!(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-smile.gif)
I really want to invoke rule #1.
The quality and originality far outshines the basic premise which was just to get people doing something railroady in the winter off months. The comments throughout this thread and throughout the individual builds tell of the outstanding modelers who amass to LSC. From beginner to master modeler, and all those between, we have seen and been involved in some extreme creations that have more than likely taxed all the entrants and made them strive to challenge their own skills as they watched each other creating.
Looking at all the builds and thinking of the individual abilities that have been expressed I really see no way to honestly choose from amongst the entrants to put one above the other even in this friendly challenge. Hell most have taught us new techniques for our own use. They have not only shown us their first tries but taken time to explain what worked and what didn’t. All have gained a unique piece for their pike and in most cases have been asked to build two or three more for others.
I abstain from voting other than to vote you all winners. Fantastic challenge.
I would also like to suggest that since the challenge is in MIKs honor, that next year it be a build in the tradition of MIK. Research his threads and build in his style, using the same materials and tools he used. You have a year to prep and build by the only rule needed to enter the contest. BUILD SOMETHING.(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
Touche Hollywood! I think you have put into words what most of us feel.
David Marconi, FOGCH said:
Looking at all the builds and thinking of the individual abilities that have been expressed I really see no way to honestly choose from amongst the entrants to put one above the other even in this friendly challenge.
No balls !
" Rooster " said:
…
No balls !
Well, if you had any balls, you’d vote for ME for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, AND Honorable Mention. You know I deserve it.
Is it too late to vote?
Doug Arnold said:
Is it too late to vote?
No, you got till the 25th.
I’m receiving a lot of votes from the Ukraine. I didn’t know that we had so many LSC’ers that have a server that routs thru Moscow…
Some guy is WAY in the vote count lead with initials of V.P…
Who would have guessed?
You are bad!
You are bad!
You are bad!
I really didn’t stutter Dave! I don’t know what happened!
I knew there was terrific talent on this forum and once again it was on display in this challenge. I think it is so great how we can all start off from the same thing and our imaginations kick in to build something unique and perfectly suited for our individual layouts. It was also impressive to see how weather worn and beaten and in one case actually burned we can make our builds look.
It is all so good to see and be inspired by.
It is of course very difficult to decide on the 3 best builds from a perfectly suited bridge, to portals, to mining facilities, a power plant, a turntable bridge, RR related structures and a chunk of wood with wheels… so my votes lean more towards the feelings that are conveyed through the builds and here we go.
1 Dan Hilyer
2 Jim Rawson
3 Joe Bussing
I think we all deserve Gold medals for our olympic builds. Great job to all.
Who’s “Jim Rawson”? And “Jim Rowsen”? Wonder how the guy feels about his name being spelt incorrectly when it’s displayed right here on this very message bored for everyone to see. As the late Rodney Dangerfield once said, “No respect!” (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)
Just call me “Hey you” and I’m happy 
