Sal Manila Egg Wholesellers by Bar Mills again

For a long time, I had wanted to build models for one of the kit manufacturers. However, I never actually approached any of them with a proposal. My thinking was always pretty simple: if my work was good enough and they noticed it, they would approach me.

That had actually happened once before with another manufacturer, although the arrangement didn't last very long. I'm almost certain I've documented that story somewhere in this blog, so I'll leave it up to you to find it.

A few years ago, Art Fahey contacted me about building some kits for Bar Mills Models. Art was still the proprietor of Bar Mills at the time, and naturally I was excited about the opportunity.

Then he told me which kits he wanted me to build.

Some of that excitement went away.

The problem was that I had already built them, and I really don't enjoy building duplicates. There are simply too many interesting kits out there and not enough time to build them all, so repeating something I've already done doesn't have much appeal to me.

Still, I thought this might lead to something else. Maybe eventually I would get to build something I hadn't built before. Perhaps I might even get an opportunity to build a pilot model for a new kit.

I had some serious doubts about that last possibility, though. Not because I don't think I have the modeling skills, but because I'm not sure I have the ability to deliver a model on somebody else's schedule.

I have a day job. I have other responsibilities. Modeling is a hobby, and I build when I have the time and, just as importantly, when I feel like building. That works perfectly well when the only deadline is my own. It might be a different story when someone is waiting for a finished model.

Anyway, Art sent me Sal Manila Egg Wholesalers and another kit, which shall remain nameless for the time being.

The timetable was very reasonable. The models needed to be completed before the Springfield show, and there was plenty of time before then, even with my rather relaxed building schedule.

There was really only one condition: I was to use only what came in the kit.

Having built Sal Manila before, although previously as part of a limited-run kit, this build was a breeze. I already knew the structure and there weren't any real surprises along the way.

So there really isn't much more I can say about the build itself.

I hope you like the result. And if you've been to one of the shows, you might even have seen it in person.

That's it for now.