Going back to the analogy of someone mastering (from scratch for sake of discussion) and entering the assembled the subsequent kit available to everyone in a SB only category. There is something odd about it. While it technically would be fair, is there a benefit?
I can honestly claim that I drew the art for the decals for hundreds of production kits. Should I then take credit for creating the art that I used on an Out Of The Box model that looks identical to all the other kits built using the kit decals? I don't know what benefit that would afford, or what difference it would make.
So while it is not improper to claim credit for the mastering of kit parts (when being truthful), in the long run I doubt it would make much of a difference in a contest.
Karmodeler2 made some excellent points regarding farming out work. Just where do you draw the line? Ironically I judged (along with other judges) that Ricky Couch car (red Corvette) mentioned when it was entered at the 2005 GSL.
I was against it being given The Augie (Best Machining) award the other judges wanted to bestow on it due to its great machine work because that work was not done by the builder. Thankfully Ricky was honest.
As an aside, he did win that award that year, but for another model (a little trike) he did do all the work on. Would it have been fair to give that prestigious award to someone else who farmed out the machine work but did not mention it? I think not.
I am wondering why it is viewed as acceptable by many to farm machine work out, but almost unanimously agree it is not fair to farm paint work out?
Many machined parts are finished by the machinist, so the argument of the builder needing to finish them and therefore getting some credit for their being does not always apply.
If someone farmed out a SB intake manifold with carbs that included pattern making and machining for example, and they were fully finished (by the "farmer"? "commissioned builder"?) and added to an otherwise 100% scratchbuilt model by "the builder"... Would that be deemed the same as commissioning machined parts? It included painting/finishing of those parts. Just wondering... My opinion is no, it should not be allowed, just as it is frowned upon to have another paint for you.
A point is made that not everyone has access to certain machines like lathes and magnetic polishers. True, but not everyone has access to airbrushes. That is not met with the same reasoning as towards lathes or mills. I don't have a magnetic polisher and would not be concerned if someone I am competing against does. (BTW, What is a magnetic polisher?)
For every machined part I make there is the possibility for me to make it well, or poorly. Same as when assembling an Out Of the Box kit. It's not the wand, it is how the magician uses it.