The Workbench
My RSS Feeds
Blur Modeler
Model Building Lessons, Week 1
posted Sunday, 5 March 2006
This model building class was definitely worth it for me. While my main problem has always been my impatience, I was also clueless about some of the more basic tools and techniques.
I had the sprue clippers, but I used to use an X-Acto knife to trim and clean up the pieces. Now I use a diamond file set and sandpaper instead -- and I do a good job of it. The other day I spent half an hour cleaning up the mold seam on two of the Marder's microscopic tow hooks. Madness! But they look good.
Another change was to use the thin plastic cement instead of the thick, goopy stuff. I had tried the thin cement on the EC-121 with disastrous results. Looking back, I think everything that fell off the plane was secured by first brushing the cement on the part, then placing it. Apparently, this stuff doesn't work that way. You need to fit the parts and THEN brush the cement on. Now I know.
The last big thing was to stop using putty to fill the smaller seams and gaps. I'm using the super glue and baking soda trick now: use a pin to apply the glue and then brush it with baking soda. It immediately hardens and fills the gap so you can keep working. No more waiting for the putty to dry. I've read about this method, but never used it. It's pretty good, but I still like Mr. Surfacer for filling small seams,
So my homework is to assemble the Marder before the next lesson. The kit is 1970's vintage which would have kept me from buying it if I'd known at the time. It's built like a toy. All the hatches have these funky hinges so they can open and close. The engine hatch and the rear hatch fit poorly resulting in large cracks through which you can see the interior and there are empty holes where the vision blocks would go if any were supplied.
And there's no interior. The kit was intended to be motorized, so the inside is set up for holding an electric motor and some batteries rather than crew and the bottom of the hull has big holes and slots where the motor controls and switches would stick out. It's not a killer, but it's certainly a far cry from the quality of Tamiya's more recent kits. Eduard makes a nice looking photo etch set for the exterior (#35456), but I'm not allowed to use it -- that's the advanced class...
So I'm breezing through the build. I'm going to let Sifu tell me how to handle the very large gaps between the side skirts and the front mud flaps. Speaking of side skirts, I think I screwed up by putting them on. The next lesson is to fit the tracks, but it can't be done with the side skirts on -- which means I can't glue the top of the hull (to which the skirts are attached) to the bottom hull until I've got the tracks on (and painted?). We'll see how that works out.
I had the sprue clippers, but I used to use an X-Acto knife to trim and clean up the pieces. Now I use a diamond file set and sandpaper instead -- and I do a good job of it. The other day I spent half an hour cleaning up the mold seam on two of the Marder's microscopic tow hooks. Madness! But they look good.
Another change was to use the thin plastic cement instead of the thick, goopy stuff. I had tried the thin cement on the EC-121 with disastrous results. Looking back, I think everything that fell off the plane was secured by first brushing the cement on the part, then placing it. Apparently, this stuff doesn't work that way. You need to fit the parts and THEN brush the cement on. Now I know.
The last big thing was to stop using putty to fill the smaller seams and gaps. I'm using the super glue and baking soda trick now: use a pin to apply the glue and then brush it with baking soda. It immediately hardens and fills the gap so you can keep working. No more waiting for the putty to dry. I've read about this method, but never used it. It's pretty good, but I still like Mr. Surfacer for filling small seams,
So my homework is to assemble the Marder before the next lesson. The kit is 1970's vintage which would have kept me from buying it if I'd known at the time. It's built like a toy. All the hatches have these funky hinges so they can open and close. The engine hatch and the rear hatch fit poorly resulting in large cracks through which you can see the interior and there are empty holes where the vision blocks would go if any were supplied.
And there's no interior. The kit was intended to be motorized, so the inside is set up for holding an electric motor and some batteries rather than crew and the bottom of the hull has big holes and slots where the motor controls and switches would stick out. It's not a killer, but it's certainly a far cry from the quality of Tamiya's more recent kits. Eduard makes a nice looking photo etch set for the exterior (#35456), but I'm not allowed to use it -- that's the advanced class...
So I'm breezing through the build. I'm going to let Sifu tell me how to handle the very large gaps between the side skirts and the front mud flaps. Speaking of side skirts, I think I screwed up by putting them on. The next lesson is to fit the tracks, but it can't be done with the side skirts on -- which means I can't glue the top of the hull (to which the skirts are attached) to the bottom hull until I've got the tracks on (and painted?). We'll see how that works out.
comments