Modeling in a Small Space

Depending on the size of the model you can put it under a cake cover. Cheap and easy to find. You can also use a piece of plywood and a plastic tote turned upside down to cover or hanger the model while it dries. This keeps fumes in check and the model in a dust free place to cure.

You can vent fumes out a window, all you need a means to collect carry and discharge it outside.

Make a wood/plastic box and buy an oven/range hood with the fan built in (sometimes lights too), then hose it to a window or so.

You're in a tough situation for spray painting.  Even if you vent outdoors, you may have neighbors complaining.  Have you considered brush painting with acrylics?  Some people can do beautiful work this way.  From what I understand, you don't need to prime as long as the plastic is well cleaned.

Besides the auto forum here, check out this one.  Lots of tutorials and other good stuff.

Don

Used to be in a similar situation.. The best advices i can give you is to use a big cardboard box as a spraying booth as cardboard can be folded and the lid can act as a back wall. Possibly you could line it with cloth or sponge or something of the sort to catch overspray.

Also consider spraying with acrylics as opposed to enamels as i have found that a lot of acrylics have less of an odour as opposed to enamels.

Just my $0.50....

Richard

Consider using a primer that you can airbrush.  With airbrushing you get small enough amounts of overspray that you don't really need a booth.  Personally, I use rattlecan primers, but I have several friends that only use airbrushed primers.  A couple of these guys are car modelers.

As for books look here: http://www.kalmbachstore.com/scale-modeling-special-interests-scale-modeling-books-military.html

Dom