diff --git a/src/main/mesh.js b/src/main/mesh.js
index 54539d81..bd670d80 100644
--- a/src/main/mesh.js
+++ b/src/main/mesh.js
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ function init() {
         opacity: 0.1,
         color: 0xdddddd,
         zoom: { reverse: true, speed: 1 },
-        size: { width: 300, depth: 300, height: 1, maxz: 300 },
+        size: { width: 2000, depth: 2000, height: 1, maxz: 300 },
         grid: { major: 25, minor: 5, colorMajor: 0xcccccc, colorMinor: 0xeeeeee, colorX: 0xffaaaa, colorY: 0xaaaaff },
     });
     space.view.setZoom(zoomrev, zoomspd);
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ function ui_build() {
     }
 
     // listen for api calls
+    // todo: switch to util.defer(fn)
     broker.listeners({
         model_add: maker.update,
         group_add: maker.update,
@@ -150,7 +151,7 @@ function space_init(data) {
                     selection.focus();
                     break;
                 case 'KeyW':
-                    selection.wireframe({toggle:true});
+                    selection.wireframe({toggle:true}, {opacity:0.15});
                     break;
                 case 'KeyB':
                     selection.boundsBox({toggle:true});
diff --git a/src/mesh/api.js b/src/mesh/api.js
index 3272114c..084b707a 100644
--- a/src/mesh/api.js
+++ b/src/mesh/api.js
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ let selection = {
     // @param group {MeshObject[]}
     set(objects) {
         selected = objects;
-        selection.update();
+        util.defer(selection.update);
     },
 
     // @param group {MeshObject}
@@ -77,13 +77,13 @@ let selection = {
             }
         }
         selected.addOnce(object);
-        selection.update();
+        util.defer(selection.update);
     },
 
     // @param group {MeshObject}
     remove(object) {
         selected.remove(object);
-        selection.update();
+        util.defer(selection.update);
     },
 
     // @param group {MeshObject}
@@ -96,8 +96,9 @@ let selection = {
     },
 
     clear() {
-        selected = [];
-        selection.update();
+        for (let s of selected) {
+            selection.remove(s);
+        }
     },
 
     update() {
@@ -251,6 +252,8 @@ let api = mesh.api = {
     }
 };
 
+let deferFn = [];
+
 let util = mesh.util = {
 
     uuid(segs = 1) {
@@ -261,6 +264,24 @@ let util = mesh.util = {
         return uid.join('-');
     },
 
+    // merge repeated function calls like updates
+    // that importantly take no arguments
+    defer(fn, time = 50) {
+        for (let rec of deferFn) {
+            if (rec.fn === fn) {
+                clearTimeout(rec.timer);
+                deferFn.remove(rec);
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+        let rec = { fn };
+        rec.timer = setTimeout(() => {
+            deferFn.remove(rec);
+            fn();
+        });
+        deferFn.push(rec);
+    },
+
     // @param object {THREE.Object3D | THREE.Object3D[] | MeshObject | MeshObject[]}
     // @returns bounds modified for moto.Space
     bounds(object) {
diff --git a/src/mesh/model.js b/src/mesh/model.js
index c012d481..969f8f3f 100644
--- a/src/mesh/model.js
+++ b/src/mesh/model.js
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ mesh.model = class MeshModel extends mesh.object {
             };
         }
         if (bool.toggle) {
-            return this.wireframe(this._wire ? false : true);
+            return this.wireframe(this._wire ? false : true, opt);
         }
         if (this._wire) {
             this.mesh.remove(this._wire);
@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@ mesh.model = class MeshModel extends mesh.object {
             this.opacity(this._wireo);
         }
         if (bool) {
+            this.material({clone:true});
             this._wireo = this.opacity();
             this._wire = new THREE.LineSegments(
                 new THREE.WireframeGeometry(this.mesh.geometry),
@@ -169,7 +170,7 @@ mesh.model = class MeshModel extends mesh.object {
     }
 
     material(mat) {
-        this.mesh.material = mat;
+        this.mesh.material = mat.clone === true ? this.mesh.material.clone() : mat;
     }
 
     remove() {