General Question:
Hello, thanks for calling Scale Models Studios. How may I help you?
Hi, can you take pictures of my kid? She/he is really cute and I want her/him to be a fashion model.
No, sorry -- I make models.
Yeah, umm, so can I make an appointment for her/him?
Ahh, I'm sorry, I build architectural models and stuff like that.
Confused silence.
What?
I make models of things like buildings and prototypes.
You mean like toy cars???
Yeah,.....stuff like that.
Oh.
Click.

Where did you learn how to do this stuff?

Well, I got my start at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh's Industrial Design Technology program. I then worked at Design Specialties ( the best model shop in Pittsburgh and some say the galaxy-- Thanks, Don! )

What's up with that logo on your home page?

I designed that. I wanted a simple graphic that would convey model-making. What I came up with was the ruler ( or scale ) graphic, an outline of a person ( me ) and a subliminal skyscraper model within the outline and the name of my business. 

What does it all mean?

It could be a regular sized ruler next to a small-scale man with an even smaller model of a building OR it could be a model of a building in front of a normal sized man standing next to a giant ruler. It's all topsy-turvy. You decide. Let me know what you think.
Do I need to have blueprints?
I need to have a model of a thing-a-ma-bob. Can you help me?
Sure, I just need to know a few things about your project.
What do you need to know?
Well, as much information as you can give me. Sketches, renders, blueprints, photographs, etc.....
Do you need blueprints?
Blueprints are always a handy thing to have.
I don't have blueprints. Will a sketch or render help?
Certainly. I've had to fabricate models from pictures when blueprints were unavailable. Click HERE.
You'd probably like to have blueprints though?
They really help when you're trying to make something.
How so?
Well, the less time I spend trying to figure out what's needed is more time spent working on the model. That means it will get done faster, which means it will cost less for you.
I see, so it's as they say; "time is money".
Exactly.

Scale Model Studios. How many "studios" do you have?
In terms of a physical environment---just one studio/shop location. The studios ( with a plural "S" ) refers to the different aspects of the model-making profession. Some woodworking, metalworking, molding, casting, sculpting, drafting, designing, etc... all add up to a "jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none" scenario. So, I stuck on an "S" and made it Studios.
MUSIC:
What's the greatest rock band of all time?
JOURNEY.
What does that have to do with model making?
Nothing really, I thought I'd just throw that in there.
MOVIES:
What's the best movie of all time?
Well, it used to be Star Wars, but now I'm pretty sure it's The Incredibles.
Again, I fail to see what that has to do with model making.
I like to listen to music as I work. Soundtracks and instrumental scores from movies are my favorite types. Star Wars is the one that got it all started for me and Michael Giacchino should have won an Oscar for his The Incredibles score. He out-Bond-ed the James Bond-007 movies and then some.

Is this FAQ supposed to be funny?
Yes, it is! That first "conversation" happens more often than I and other model-makers would like, but it is true. I've also had to make due without blueprints more times than I'd like as well for some reason. Oh well.