General Model Kit Building Thread

[ParkourVeyron]

That's cool. Great job.

I still haven't ordered the rest of my paints yet. Just procrastinating ol' me.

 

[Encyclopedia]

What company is it? Revell, or Tamiya?

All Tamiya, except for the Z which is an old Monogram.

 

[Robin]

I've got a question about priming plastic models. Is it really nessary to sand down the primer after you have applied it or is it OK to go on a spray the colour coat? Because I sprayed primer and it looks pretty smooth to me.

 

[Apok]

I find it depends on the type of primer. I now have a very fine primer that I don't sand. Before that I had a primer that was much rougher and I had to sand that. So I think it's fine to spray without sanding.

 

[dhandeh]

Also, make sure you rinse the plastic with warm soapy water. As there may be some chemicals left over from the manufacturing process left on the plastic.

I've finished my Mclaren MP4/13 model, will get some photo's up soon.

 

[nitrorocks]

Yes post your Mclaren. I'm looking forward to it 👍

 

[dhandeh]

Yes post your Mclaren. I'm looking forward to it 👍

Ask and you may receive.

It is 95% complete, it just needs a touch up in the front/rear wing area and a few other places, but nothing major. I have applied the lacquer coat and need to wait a week or two before giving it a polish. Also I will be removing the wheels, to 'roughen to' the tyres to give them a used look. The rear light needs attaching, but I'm generally pleased with how it turned out, its a bit average in places, but I'm still learning. I've picked up lots of tips ready for the next one, that will be a Mclaren M23.

 

[nitrorocks]

Nice! What company is that? And the M23 will be cool.

 

[dhandeh]

It's a Tamiya, same as the M23.

 

[nitrorocks]

I want to build an M23. Where can you get it? I haven't seen one but I'm assuming eBay.

 

[dhandeh]

EBay was where I got the M23.

 

[nitrorocks]

Okay thanks.

 

[Robin]

Thanks for the replies about the primer sanding but I've just come across another problem...

I've got a slight orange peel finish on one of my other projects. Its never happened to me before, maybe its been too warm but I don't know what to do about it.

I've heard you have to wet sand it down with fine paper but how would you work around the small details on a plastic model (its not a flat surface) without destroying the whole thing?

 

[Shaun]

After looking at all my unstarted kits in my cupboard I remembered this thread.
Some nice work going on here guys. 👍

dhandles: Nice Mclaren mate.
Not sure If mine is the exact same model but it was the model that got me back into the hobby after a very long break going back to my childhood.
One thing I do remember though was how much a PITA the red decal on the nosecone was. So much so that I ended up leaving the bloody thing off as you can see here.

Sorry about the photo quality but I thought I had some better ones.

Not sure if you have roughend up tyres before but my normal method is to put the tyre on a holesaw, 16mm from memory for Tamiya 1/20th kits (no wheel obviously), holesaw in drill, turn on drill and hold whatever grit sandpaper you want against the tyre. It works really well.

Have you heard of a product called "bare metal foil"?
If not, its a micro thin foil with an adhesive on one side that comes in many colours to replicate different metals. It's tricky to get a handle on using but once you do it's a fantastic product. You rub it on and carefully trim away the parts you don't want with a scalpel.
Works really well for the heatshields on the floorpans of F1 cars.
It can be seen in this pic of a Bennetton engine bay that I haven't wired or plumbed yet.

Robin: How bad is the orange peel mate?
To be honest the only way I know to get rid of it is to do alot of sanding until you are down to a smooth coat and start again.
Maybe someone else here has a different method?

Cheers Shaun.

 

[Slick Rick]

Your Benetton looks awesome! Good work with the Mclaren dhandes

 

[dhandeh]

The red nose decals lifted off on mine for some reason. I had it all lined up neatly, came back 2 minutes later and he had curled up. I have never had a decal do that before. I managed to salvage it with some microsol and touching up paint.

 

[Shaun]

Oh I forgot to ask before dhandles, did the tobacco decals come with the kit?
The Mclaren I got didn't have them I had to use the ones that the team used in countries where tobacco advertising was banned back then. Shame really because the West ones on your kit look so much better.

I built this kit a bit after the Mclaren and I actually ordered the decals from a company in Japan called Studio 27, they make all sorts of detail kits. The non tobacco liveried Fezzas of that era look pretty average IMO.

Cheers Shaun.

 

[dhandeh]

Who is dhandles?

I bought 8 Tamiya Mclaren models on eBay and they all came with the extra tobacco decals (the seller had bought them separate), along with the standard ones. It helps to give them the right look, as you say, without them they don't look right.

 

[Camaroyenko]

Here's one I just finished

Note the hood pins cables I made in the last one xD

And here's another I'm working on!

 

[nitrorocks]

The benetton looks like it was made in the factory! Nice job!

 

[Shaun]

Who is dhandles?

Oops.
I could say that's my pet name for you but that would be very creepy.

I bought 8 Tamiya Mclaren models on eBay and they all came with the extra tobacco decals (the seller had bought them separate), along with the standard ones. It helps to give them the right look, as you say, without them they don't look right.

Nice pick up mate. 👍
Keep us posted with the progress.

Your Benetton looks awesome! Good work with the Mclaren dhandes

The benetton looks like it was made in the factory! Nice job!

Thanks guys. 👍
The paint work involved a lot of masking and prep for the 3 colour scheme.

Cheers Shaun.

 

[Slick Rick]

Here's one I just finished

Looks great, the body paint turned out really good and the engine looks mean! Id try and add chrome details like to the coachline and window frames.....

 

[Sly Guy]

The New MR2 GT kit in the bottom left came with the T-Bar/Turbo body, I guess the guy I bought it from switched it. The MR2's now only come in Hardtop N/A like the one in the bottom right.

 

[NISM0_SKYLINE]

Picked up two new sets.

Only to add them to the list of cars we already have.

 

[KookiBirb]

I have recently given up sim racing for model Car and Gundam collecting. I've just ordered the Tamiya Basic tool set and Testors cement glue and I hope that these will come in really handy like what people have been saying. Also I've ordered my first car model kit, Mazda Eunos Roadster, which was simply just $16 on fleabay. I wanted to get a cheap kit for my first one to work with instead of wasting my money on an expensive one and learn my mistakes through the miata.

Also I have a question that I am really concerned when it comes to painting the engine parts and the interior. Which is better to use water-based acrylic paint or non-water acrylic paint?

 

[dhandeh]

Water based is easier to clean up! Provided your prime your model before painting, just go with what you can get. There is not much too chose between the two, if you're just starting off.

 

[Venom800tt]

I have recently given up sim racing for model Car and Gundam collecting. I've just ordered the Tamiya Basic tool set and Testors cement glue and I hope that these will come in really handy like what people have been saying. Also I've ordered my first car model kit, Mazda Eunos Roadster, which was simply just $16 on fleabay. I wanted to get a cheap kit for my first one to work with instead of wasting my money on an expensive one and learn my mistakes through the miata.

Also I have a question that I am really concerned when it comes to painting the engine parts and the interior. Which is better to use water-based acrylic paint or non-water acrylic paint?

lol how do you give up sim racing for model cars and Gundams? <__<
I always figured one could do both, like me
Although, I can partially blame buying model cars and stuff for me not getting a PS360 compatible wheel to enjoy GT5 and FM4 to the fullest...

And now I am thinking about giving model car kits another try. I really need to practice my spray painting so I can fix a few paint damaged 1/18 diecast models...

 

[KookiBirb]

lol how do you give up sim racing for model cars and Gundams? <__<
I always figured one could do both, like me
Although, I can partially blame buying model cars and stuff for me not getting a PS360 compatible wheel to enjoy GT5 and FM4 to the fullest...

And now I am thinking about giving model car kits another try. I really need to practice my spray painting so I can fix a few paint damaged 1/18 diecast models...

Is this the same Venom from the Cost Over forums?

I guess its just the lack of clean rooms online in GT5 and I cant keep my pants up for rFactor 2 any longer.
But most likely once that comes up, I'll get back to sim racing, its just that I am losing interest of spending my money for sim racing related stuff.

Water based is easier to clean up! Provided your prime your model before painting, just go with what you can get. There is not much too chose between the two, if you're just starting off.

Oh okay thanks for the quick info.

 

[Venom800tt]

Is this the same Venom from the Cost Over forums?

Possibly

 

[KookiBirb]

Haha sweet.

Oh and if you really do get back into the 1/24 scale building again. Show dem skills. All these procedures will be my first time once I get the necessary tools for the models and will need to know the right and wrongs about all this... especially painting.