Rookie Modeler Questions - Please Help

There are no stupid questions. I started with advice hands on from my dad. Later I read several of the books that Kalmbach publishes about basic building and about ships or planes etc. The ones by Mike Ashey I liked the best. FSM is also a great resource. After all that, it all comes from practice. Welcome to the hobby. You're in for a great deal of fun.

Hey Davrukr, To answer all your very good questions would indeed take awhile. I would like to suggest to you that you look through the specific forum topics to find the answers to most of your questions. These question come up frequently and the answers are there waiting for you. For example, I just just answered the glue question just a day or two ago. After you have absorbed this basic advice you may have more specific question as new problems present themself to you. Ask your new questions in the forum that relates to it. You'll get very rapid answers!

Hey, brother.....
The only stupid questions are the ones you DON'T ask................
Get a subscription to FSM - right now.
1. I always try to airbrush as much of a model as possible. You get a better finish than if you were to use a brush.
2. The best masking agent is Bare Metal Foil - period. Makes painting canopies a breeze. Check the search function on the forum to find about "masking canopies" - it'll tell all.
3. Always try to paint detail bits before they go onto a model.
4. Always use liquid glue and/or superglue. Throw away your tube type glue.
5. The single hardest skill to learn when making models is PATIENCE. Think about how stuff goes together - think about how something will interfere with another BEFORE you glue it on.
6. Always carefully study the instructions.
7. If you have questions, ASK!!
8. Try to limit the number of questions to a posting - if someone sees the post, and it has 20 questions on it, it's guaranteed that most of the people who would normally answer will just skip it because they see the answer as too daunting.
9. Always look ahead and try to see possible problems with construction.
10. Important - test fit EVERYTHING BEFORE you apply glue.
11. Fuselages can be easily glued - liquid glue can be used - make sure everything fits well, slowly work your way along the fuselage and allow the thing to dry. Alternatively, superglue works well and also fills gaps on the way. Sanding the seams can make raised detail disappear- so be careful.
CHeers
LeeTree

Great help LeeTree, thanks.

davrukr - I learned a long time ago, the only stupid question is the one you don't ask.
As to your questions:
A. I try to paint as much of the interior base color as I can before assembly (even still on the sprue.
B. I rarely put tape over wheel wells and cockpit openings - it tends to lift and let overspray inside - I usually fill the opening with dampened tissue paper and remove that with tweezers when finishes - just don't try to pack it in real tight - you'll break details off.
C. I use liquid glue 95% of the time - If at all possible I try to apply glue to each side prior to putting them together - if I'm going to put the two sides together and then apply glue, I try to be vewy, vewy careful - even then I occasionly glue my fingers to the subject.
D. As far as paint schemes go, over the years I have come do distrust the manufacturers schemes. I've noticed that the patterns for paints they give are usually correct. However the colors of paint they give are very suspect. The only way to correct this is to build up yours sources. there are a lot of places on the web that will give the data you need. Check your LHS to see what they have on hand for references. Ask questions on the forum for where you can find references.
On your use of acrylics over enamels, acrylic washes shouldn,t lift enamels and enamel washes shouldn't lift enamel base coats. You should let the base coat dry for at least 24 hrs before applying the wash.
E. On painting canopy frames, to me, the best thing I've found that are the masking kits (Eduard or Magic Mask). Only problem is that they are for individual models. Bare Metal
Foil works ok but right now I prefer to spray clear decal sheet with the models base color, cut that into the proper width strips and apply.

You are probably going to get a lot of advice from your questions. For what it is worth, my advice is this: there are probable two to three different ways to do something on your models. Try the all of them and then go with the one which is comfortable to you.
What works for me may not work for you and I've yet to find any answer in modeling which is absolute. Good Luck

I think you've got the answers, there isn't a best way, its really what ever suits you and that comes from experience and reading/listening to what others say and trying it. I use all the techniques above and vary them according to circumstance.

I use superglues when a rapid bond is necessary and always on multi-media parts but tend to stick with a plastic weld type glue for all plastic. I even use PVA type glues on plastic and multimedia parts occassionally when there isn't any stress on the part being fixed and the chances of a glue slip is high. The pva can be wiped off with water with no affect on the surface beneath. The occassional "oops" still occurs and requires prep and repainting or touch-up.

I paint as much as possible before assembly. As I use spray cans and "she who must be obeyed" won't let me use them in the house I have to wait for fine windless days and do it outside. Hence a lot of small detail parts are handbrushed, but any body or large interior surface waits until the windless sunny day.

Masking is essential and I use a combination of bare metal foil, Tamiya masking strip, maskol and the Eduard type masking kits but never the sellotape type tapes unless its onto one of the above. Sometimes the masking takes ages to apply and the actal painting time only a few minutes. However if the preperation is poor the end result is also poor. Its always going to take time to produce a quality end result.

Keep at it.

Davrukr

As qmiester & Leemitcheltree said the only stupid questions are the ones not asked. We all had to learn sometime, some of my earlier models were disasters compared to my recents models, but I loved them all regardless as I learnt from them.

You can find most of your answers contained within this forum and there will always be somebody here to answer your questions.

Thanks for the advice guys. Keep'em comin, cuz I'm taking notes.

Bare Metal Foil - I can't quite picture how this works. Can someone elaborate. I've searched the forums, but have had no luck. I "think" I know what it is, but I'm not sure how it is used for masking. Can you rub it off after painting over it??

Another question - What is your opinion on the best scale to get started building aircraft models? Do you like the larger or smaller scales?

Bare metal foil is a very thin metal (aluminum foil?) with an adhesive on the back - you cut it to rough shape, remove the paper backing and stick it in place -then you trim it to final shape (preferably using a new # 11 blade) - comes in several colors (silver, gold, black etc) and textures. I think the sheet size ir 4 x 6 inches.

I tend to stick with 1/72 scale aircraft - I've spent most of my adult life living in apartments and trailers and just sort of fell into that scale, cause I could display more models in a limited area - and bench space tended to be kinda small (would you believe a 2 ft x 2ft piece of glass on the kitchen table - which had to be cleaned and stored at the end of each modeling session) - try a couple of each scale and the go with what you feel most comfortable - I've got a buddy that doesn't model a given scale, just builds the aircraft he wants - works for him

Just a reaction here, guys. Firstly, where can i get my hands on this miraculous "bare metal foil"? i live in Manila, Philippines, so i'm not too sure how to approach that one. do they sell them in hardware stores craft stores? what is it REALLY used for (or is it made specifically for models)? I saw a picture in FSM of an early C-130 that was covered with bare metal foil to give it the unpainted aluminum look. comments?

secondly, i would also like to ask about masking off canopies when using a regular brush... i tried it once when i was 13, spent a whole afternoon cutting scotchtape to the proper size only to have the paint seep under the tape. Will this bare metal foil work? What i do now is simply paint the canopy very carefully with a very fine brush. enamel seems to be easier to control for this than acrylic.

And lastly, i'll have to agree with qmiester... 1/72nd scale rocks. it'll fit on your shelf real easy, it's cheaper, the number of aircraft available is incredible (from big bad bombers to tiny fighters from different periods in time). the only drawback is that detail is sorely lacking in places like the cockpit or engines... it's your call really. i figure you should build the model you think would be the most fun.

Try the Hobby FAQ. If you can't find it there we might have to make the Webmaster( this means you Voss put it there. It could use expansion anyway. Don't worry about asking questions. It helps people with the same questions who are afraid to ask.
Hope we can help.

Shrikes, bare metal foil really works very well!
Specially on 1/72 scale because canopys are really small.
Here in Portugal we dont have it so i went to their site on the net and bought it online !
Their service is great here is the site: www.bare-metal.com

Shrikes, bare metal foil really works very well!
Specially on 1/72 scale because canopys are really small.
Here in Portugal we dont have it so i went to their site on the net and bought it online !
Their service is great here is the site: www.bare-metal.com

QUOTE: Originally posted by Davrukr Another question - What is your opinion on the best scale to get started building aircraft models? Do you like the larger or smaller scales?

If you've never built a model aircraft before, I recommend the larger(but not too large) scales. I started on 1/48. It has a great selection and it's big enough to have great interior and exterior detail. I recommeend a tail dragging low wing single engine monoplane. You don't have to deal with nose weights, multiple engines or wings or rigging before you learn the basics of seams, cockpits and painting and decals. Usually some WWII fighter is a great intro. Avoid natural metal finishes until you've gotten the regular paint technique down. Three or four of these and you have an excellent start into a collection as well as an excellent start into a great hobby. If you're maried, I will begin praying for your wife now. Happy modeling and the key is to keep doing it and you will keep getting better.

Shrikes as you live in Manilla try hobby link japan (www.hlj.com). Most good model shops with web addresses will have it. Its excellent stuff with a multitude of uses.

"11. Fuselages can be easily glued "

Don't forget to include the lovingly detailed cockpit tub you worked on for two weeks BEFORE this stage

welcome to the site, there are some great people to learn from here