I went through Mik’s MLS posts from earliest forward, and this is the first mention I noticed from him of a build challenge. Here’s the actual link, from 1/1/2010. All Mik’s text is in bold italics.
I was digging around in one of my junk/scrap/parts boxes this morning (looking for a 2" long bit of styrene rod… which I didn’t find BTW), when I came to the realization that I probably have enough accumulated crap here to build another complete locomotive. Then I thought, Vic probably does too… and maybe a few others.
Which led to… Since it’s Jan 1, how about a really goofy idea… Is anybody up to a friendly little contest? Rules are simple: 1. It can be just about anything you want to build. motive power, rolling stock, structure, mini scene, whatever – BUT you’ve got to do it with less than $10 of additional purchases (to be fair, lets say $20 for a locomotive) 2. Long planned or already under construction projects are not eligible. New year = new project. 3. Pictures of the completed project have to be submitted by January 15th – ie. you’ll have two weeks to toss something together. 4. Winner will be picked by popular vote. both for each major catagory listed above and overall best-- If it’s your first or second major project, we’ll give you extra points for effort… AND 5. The whole point is to have FUN with it. So there may or may not be a tangible ‘prize’ for the winner beyond the satisfaction of saying "I did it!"
Who’s game?
Later that day…
Guess I should have made it more clear. The monetary limit only counts towards NEW/ADDITIONAL materials purchased. Stuff you already have lying around = free. Stuff you can horsetrade for = free. Stuff out of yours or the neighbor’s trash can = free. Stuff you can mooch off of your cousin = free. Glue and paint doesn’t count towards the price limit either. Stuff shoplifted or stolen off your kids without their consent will be counted at 5 times retail. And just to be reasonable, we won’t count a bare motor brick w/ wheels or a pair of trucks, either (a full rolling chassis is pushing it, though). All this is on the honor sytem, because there ain’t no real way to verify if you’re play by the rules, unless somebody remembers the feebay listing anyway.
Kitbashes can also be submitted with before and after pics.
Sound fair?
On 1/16 Mik wrote:
On another forum, they took the same idea and ran with it.
http://www.largescalecentral.com/LS…p?id=12428
http://www.largescalecentral.com/LS…p?id=12431
Maybe the idea will be a success here some other time?..
From these and other posts on that thread, it seems to me like he first expressed the idea on MLS in 2010, but also mentioned it on LSC that same year; and that’s where it first really took off.
Cliff