Actually, this thread makes a good arguement for creating a sticky thread at the top called "Asking for kit lists - don't...." and then (politely) explaining why it is not going to be received with open arms and all that. Seems like we get these requests from time to time. Some are met with humor, but others lead to the "why is there so much damn secrecy in this hobby?" replies. Dacrates - you really should take a look through some of the longer threads. Though you may not come up with a complete list in one post, you will get some clues. And you will likely understand better some of the responses you've been getting (read the SS TIE WEAPON shroud thread and you'll see some of this come out). It's a touchy subject, but it boils down to:
Kit research is difficult work - the ILM guys (and the Hartland guys for that matter) didn't keep notes and we, the geeks, know this stuff better than they do. Still, it takes hundreds of hours (if not thousands) to figure out the parts used.
Kit research is expensive - also involves spending a lot of money, sometimes on nothing more than a hunch (that doesn't always pan out).
Finite resources of donor kits - if you figure one guy working on a replica here represents three or four guys working on their own replica - there is potential for the price of those needed kits to be driven up when they are only available on E-bay.
Ego - we hate to admit it, but we all like the "I know something you don't know" feeling. I've found some RPF'ers to be very generous, though, and on the whole, it's a great community - but sometimes ego does come into play.
So, for a combination of the above reasons (and many more), people are reluctant to just offer up all their (and others') hard work just because someone asked. May seem petty to a relative outsider, but any type of hobby is going to have it's own politics. Stick around, check it all out, have fun - the RPF can be a great place.
Gene
