Winter is coming and it might too cold to play outside. To help keep your parent (s) sane, may I suggest a new hobby? Like assembling plastic model kits, whether if you like cars, boats, or military, it can be bring hours of fun and help with your boredom. Assembling model kits can not only kill some time, but can be very helpful in building some skills. I am not going to bore you with all the skills you will learn, because the results may vary with each person. I want to share with you some tips and tricks to modeling that will make assembling plastic model kits more enjoyable and a lot easier to start modeling.
WHAT SHOULD YOU BUY?
When I started modeling, I made few mistakes along the way and wasted some of my hard earned money. Or should I say…Spent a lot of my allowance only to not complete the model kit. This where I help you save some money-I hope! Oh, I began modeling with the easy ones; The “Snap-fit” models or models that don’t require any glue or paint to assemble. Starting these models got me hooked into assembling more models. Beginning with the easy ones may seem really lame, but it will help you discover if you like modeling and if you want to try something harder. How do you know what is harder? Well….Model kits all come with a skill rating. Revell/Monogram skill rating, one of the most popular to buy, their model kits come with different skill ratings. Not only Revell, but many other makers of plastic model kits have same skill ratings:
Skill Level 1: The easiest to assemble. Does not require glue or paint for assembly. For ages 8 years of age and up.
Skill Level 2: Intermediate skill level. Does require some previous experience in modeling. Contains not only more parts for assembly, but the parts may be smaller than skill level 1. Does require glue or paint for assembly. For ages 10 and up.
Skill Level 3: Advanced skill level. May have many complex parts. Does require glue, paint, complex directions, and a lot of patience to assemble. For ages 12 and up.
Skill rating may go as high as level 6. All model kits come with a skill rating. Check and make sure you don’t buy something that is too hard. The allowance I wasted? I bought a Tamiya Model kit when I was about ten. It had rating of “expert”. I remember spending about $35 dollars on the kit. I thought it was the greatest. Went home opened the model kit and tried to assemble it. Needless to say…I did not finish the kit. I ended up putting the model together wrong and the model was ruined. Basically, buy a model kit that you feel comfortable with. Remember….Model kits may only take an hour to assemble and some may take months to assemble.
SOME HELPFUL TIPS
When handling small parts that are hard to handle, see if your Mom or Dad have some tweezers to handle the parts. This will definitely ease the frustration.
When gluing the plastic model parts together, try using a toothpick to apply the model cement onto the part. This way you control the amount of glue. Not only can you use the toothpick to apply, but you can use it to spread the glue out-rather than your finger.
Use plastic modeling spray paint for painting large sections of a model. Hand painting these with a brush will take time and not look as clean as spray paint. Like car bodies, tank bodies, ships, and airplanes.
Use an X-acto™ Knife to cut parts off their retainers. This way you have less chance of breaking your part you need from the holder. *Be very careful when handling the knife. The knife pictured below is generally used in modeling. It is relatively inexpensive for the beginner and you can buy replacement blades. Knife is very light and easy to handle.
1. X-actor knife $2.99Once the part is cut away, remove the extra holding off the part. Or what I like to call the “Booger”. This extra piece may not fit well the other pieces you are assembling; so, you want to make sure you remove the extra from the part.
Pictured on the left is a car body from the Knight Rider TV series. 1980’s TV show. I have highlighted the extra that should be removed. Now, if there is a indent or too much of the part was left on the holder of the part, then you can use some body filler to fill in the missing plastic. This is more than a beginner topic, but I let you know if you are interested in filling the gaps in the parts. Most hobby stores will have the plastic body filler for the model you are working on.
Set up a place that can be used for modeling. A place that can be left alone and does not have to be moved. You will have parts recently glued and you don’t want to move them because they might fall apart.
Use a place mat for assembly and painting. You can buy a place mat from the hobby store or you can make your own. I used newspaper. It was free and provided a large area to work with. Use at least three layers or more of newspaper-So model glue don’t soak through and stick to Mom or Dad’s furniture. Lastly, the top newspaper can be easily thrown away and you have new and clean fresh sheet to work on underneath.
Read and follow the modeling directions that came with the kit.
When handling the model kit parts, make sure there is no glue on your fingers. Not that your fingers will never let go of the part, this keeps the parts you are working with clean. Many a times I had my finger print on a clear plastic part or somewhere on the model. Kind of hard to get the glue off.
Work in a area with a lot of light. This helps to see what you’re doing.
If you are having trouble with your model kit, then ask for help. Whether it is your Mom, Dad, brother or sister, or just somebody older than you, you might be surprised to find they like helping you.
Use soft tip brushes when painting for detailing your model.
The smaller the tip brush, the finer the detail.
The more model kits you build, the better you will get.
Work in a well ventilated area if using glue or paint. Basically means working where you can get plenty of fresh air and you’re not smelling paint and glue all the time. For instance: Don’t lock yourself in your small closet to work on your model with paint and glue, because your Mom or Dad told you to go to bed and you did not want to wake them up.
Be patient, patient, and more patient. If the directions on the paint can say: Allow 4 hours to dry, let the paint dry for four hours. If after drying for two hours on your model, you decide and test with your finger to see if the model was dry, most likely will have a finger print where you tested because the paint was not dry.
Take your time and let the glue dry. I know it is tempting to test and see, but don’t do it.
Lastly, Modeling is supposed to be fun. It is OK to get frustrated from time to time. If you get frustrated, take some time off or ask for help.
Check out what the possibilities are for modeling. Granted, this guy, Roy Wells from the United Kingdom, may have years of experience, but with a lot of practice you may building you next show winning diorama.
These are actual pictures of models-Not the Real Thing! Great Work Roy!
To see more of Roy Wells work: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/rs_wells/Frame.htm Thanks Roy for sharing your work 2
You got some great tips and some inspiration. What are you waiting for? Get your model!
Remember: You are not just building models…You are building great memories while building models.
About the Author:
Bradley Blanski Owner of Odin Art & Collectables, webmaster, and also selling collectible Car, Armor, Air Plane, and Ship plastic model kits. One time modeler for years. Any additional questions, I can be reached at
References:___________________________________________________________________________
X-Acto Knives at X-acto.com is copyrighted material with express permission of X-Acto. Knife pictured is a X3201 No. 1 Precision Knife.
Pictures were supplied by Roy Wells with the express permission for informational purposes only. All pictures supplied in this article are copyright material.
