Yeah um uh hmmm…well I never claimed to have all the answers 
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Its all a bit of a red herring actually. Ive seen a guy build a HO scale steam loco out of an empty soup can. Rough? You bet. Ive also seen out of the box builds that look like museum models. So whos the “better” modeller?
Years ago i entered a diorama in a contest. I was disqualified because i was a “professional”. Whatever that meant. Some folks stood up and pointed to the judges that you cant go into a hobby store and buy a box full of skill. So they relenteted and let me enter just one diorama.
Ive enjoyed reading this thread. Lots of wisdom. But the reality is that there is no right answer. The definition of “scratch building” is constantly changing.
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That’s why I don’t bother drawing distinctions - it’s a sliding scale rather than neat categories. And these days I just do what it takes to make my models, whether it involves kit parts, scratched parts, resin, or a combo.
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Conversion kits are a thing, which in many cases modify half of the base kit that they are intended to. It is not the same as scratch-build conversion, like creating your own turret for a vehicle. Though, I do agree with your statement.
Kit smashing are combination of kits that are not intended to be put together. It is side by side with scratch building and can be see done in many scratch building posts around the net.
I doubt that the OP even wants to extinguish kit smashing and scratch building.
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BGT, your experience reminds me of an event at a model contest from long ago (20+ years)…
There was a category for Scratch Build/Conversion models at a particular regional IPMS show. All of two models were entered.
A) Scratch built camping trailer in 1/25 scale. It was terrible, spots of bare plastic showing, didn’t sit level, so poorly slapped together it wouldn’t have looked out of place in a fat house cat’s litter pan. Paint was full of dirt, dust, orange peel and just looked nasty. It was easily one of the very worst builds I’ve seen in my life with 52+ years of model building.
B) The GT40 Race Car conversion was the other entry. The car had been converted from one mark to another, had a scratch built sub assemblies (engine, transmission, chassis, brakes, fuel system, interior), aftermarket wheels & after market tires, body was a bash of various kit parts etc if I recall correctly. Paint, polish & finish was near perfect
The race car was exceptional enough I’d noticed it and briefly looked it over ealier in the day. All four wheels touched etc, looked like an easy 1st place win. My friends into car modeling loved the race car and pointed out all the nuances in the build.
Judging went well that night, we rolled around to select Best of Show with the whole mass of the regional IPMS judges.
There was stunned silence when the head automotive judge proclaimed the camping trailer was the Best Automotive and should be considered for Best of Show.
The discord following was profound as practically every single judge asked how could the dog turd trailer beat the GT40.
Head Automotive said “Because A Scratch Build Always Beats a Conversion”
It was like the very worst of a Religious Dogma mantra come to life in a plastic model contest.
Very quickly the head automotive judge received a much needed Education that statement was sheer idiocy based on the two models at hand. Short version after discussing and seeing the reactions, the automotive category judges decided to revisit their “hasty” decision. They revised their decision during the contest awarding the race car GT40 1st place & Best Automotive. Their their original decision may have been interfered with by the head automotive judge…depending on who described events.
The race car GT40 was then nearly unanimously selected as Best of Show for the Regional.
The head automotive judge was still harping “Scratch Build Always Beats Conversion”
The race car GT40 went on to place in an IPMS Nationals…
Modelers involved in judging were like travesty adverted, let’s go to the bar and have a much needed drink 
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We have all got stories like that Wade. Why I don’t bother entering anything myself.
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Very good/interesting points guys - I hope nobody inferred that I rated scratch-building as a higher art form than the rest. Not at all, I sense we’re unanimous that the only thing that matters is the end result no matter how it was arrived at. Although quite a few of us gave the guy who recently showed amazing models made out of paper & cardboard extra kudos because of those materials, I think (hope) it was mostly because the end products stood tall in their own right.
After extensive meditation, deep thought and…OK a nap, I came up with a half-baked idea for a term to cover that gr*y area between Conversions & all-out Scratch-building – what Dinocamo called kit-smashing & pretty much Stikpusher’s sci-fi example. I was playing around with words like Franken-build and Montage – hey presto, Fromage! Cheesy enough? Happy Xmas all 
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Back in the 70’s in the model railroading world it was called kit bashing, and I still do it to this day.
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Yes, cheesy enough! 
But not really Gouda nuff 
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Edam near made me cry with that , but we have gone one Feta. 
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Just shootin’ the Bries. didn’t mean to drive you Emmental 
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Gish gallop sounds like the techniques most politicians use.
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Am I missing something here? Having more modeling options: kits, aftermarket details — this is a negative?
I can’t see too much that is troubling about this. I remember purchasing the old Dragon Panther II and Panther F kits and when I started researching, felt a little crestfallen.
I was left thinking about what needs to go into these to correct them and realized that I simply did not have the time nor inclination. If that leaves me excluded from the Experten Modelers Secret Club, oh well. My life goes on.
So, of course I was thrilled with the new Panther F kits. I also remarked to a coworker, “I hope someone comes out with a good Panther II” and didn’t have long to wait. We now have three Panther IIs from Amusing Hobby.
And you can be sure I bought aftermarket tracks, barrels and photoetch. I make no apologies. And I care nothing about any contests and don’t even know where any are, nor do I have some secret smug attitude that I am a better modeler than everyone else through the illicit use of unfair aftermarket advantages.
It’s just a hobby. My time is limited. Aftermarket items can improve a kit more quickly than if I were to instead fashion each detail from scratch.
I scarcely have time for arbitrary rules that I am “cheating” or thoughtlessly and selfishly pounding nails into the coffin that is said to inter the hobby if I use what is on offer.
Have fun. Don’t worry so much. Somehow this hobby is definitely growing based on the plethora of options that just did not exist, say, during the 1980s. I wrote elsewhere seeing completed Aurora tank kits when I was 13 and thinking they were absolutely amazing.
NOW look! How can I not be even more amazed and pleased?
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FWIW, I like to share my experience of scale modeling military equipment. About 11 years ago I was building an r/c tank OOB. A part in the kit was flawed and you needed to make an improved one yourself. When that worked out well, it was most satisfying. Actually, it was accompanied by a flash of enlightenment: this is it, I must make parts or complete models myself!
I learned about CNC routers, that were in my budget. Then came a resin printer. Seeing a part being cut out from PS sheet or pulled out from resin soup, just as you meant it to be, gives me intense satisfaction. Up to now, I have built (only) 3 models: an M113, M925 and an M109A6 all in 1/16. No parts bought, all 3D modeled and made from stock PS or 3D printed. Whether or not this qualifies as scratch-building is probably a matter of taste. At least, the models have been built from scratch.
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I don’t think scratchbuilding is dead, at least when it come to ship model,Per example, on my case, I plan to do extensive modification on a heller soleil royal stern and I’ve seen people re-doing it completely out of styren or resin like hubac historian on ship of scale/model ship world.
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Agreed!
But factor in the dentist bills if you try to remove a pair of baggy knickers with your teeth…
Cheers,
M
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Good news, now that Christmas has passed the price suddenly dropped to $47.70.
Still way too much!
Yes very annoying. And I know it’s not cookies because I don’t search for such things lol