Info required on model building - newbie

Seeing all the wonderful threads on plastic/resin models built up by Fchatters, I feel tempted to get my hands into building models. I have zero experience in this area.

Some of the models that tempt me are old F1 cars, GP cars like Alfa Monza, Group C cars, Ferrari road/race cars.

Need some advice/tips/tricks on how to attack this the best possible way.
- Recommended Kit Makers?
- What would be a good starter model from the above car set?
- What kind of tools would I need - I am guessing sharp hobby knife, putty, relevant paint, paint gun, glue, etc?????
- Dos/Don'ts?

 

I'm interested as well. Are there any web sites specific to model building that would help a newbie get started?

 

here's a site that could help a bit...i've used it once as a reference and got it from an fchatter here...

http://italianhorses.net/Tutorials/tutorials.htm

the best advice i can give is practice makes perfect, you wont come out with a spectacular model the first time...

 

After many years of the building hobby I would recommend buying a couple of cheap,basic 1/24 scale models of regular cars like Mustangs or Corvettes(about $12 each).These don't have a lot of parts to hassle with and if you screw them up you have not lost much.Get like AMT,Revelle etc brands.

Use liquid cement that comes in the small square glass bottle from Testors.Super Glue is Ok -be sure to get the gel kind as it gives you a little more time to position your part before it is stuck forever.

Use paint from the small cans rather than an air gun compressor etc.Cans are pretty good to help you get a feel for how much paint to apply.If you go to an auto parts store like Pep Boys etc they have automotive touch up paints in the cans.These paints are lacquer and they hardly ever run. Only a little bit is needed on the model. Be sure to get the gray or white colored primer.Be sure to get the same brand primer a the color coat so that they don't have a bad chemical reaction.Always use the primer as lacquers will sometimes eat the plastic.Make a stand out of a wire coat hanger to hold your model while painting it.Use rubber gloves because the paint is hard to get off your hands.Don't paint your model indoors.The fumes from lacquer are realy poisenous. Let your primer coat dry about a day before putting the color coat on.After about a week you can polish it with MILD car polish or toothpaste-easy does it as lacquer is really thin.

Get an Exacto knife and some extra number 16 blades usually at a hobby shop.

Buy a plastic fishing tackle box that opens up in the middle with lots of small trays designed to hold about 20 lures.This is a great thing to have to organaize all your hobby stuff.Get a big one and it will also hold a couple of models.You can take your whole hobby with you!

 

Thanks for the advice.

 

What Litespeed said is all perfect, in my books. I have a couple more ideas...

Get one of those Xuron tools to help you get plastic parts off the tree runners. You can use the hobby blade Xacto, but the pinch action kind will break fewer small parts. One or two small files are also very useful to clean up parts.

Post your effort here, even if it does not come out perfect. We are tolerant of first efforts; if not some whackdowns will take place. Then, you can work for improvements here and there.

I have been doing this for over 40 years now, and some of my stuff has a few Grandma Moses aspects to it!

 

Adding to what was previously mentioned, the first thing you need is PATIENCE! You can build a kit in an evening or weekend, but expect it to look like you did just that. If you want to go for results, take your time! So, what do you need in tools? A good #11 x-acto is a must and I would agree with a parts snip, but a small pair of wire cutters works just as well. A good pair of fine tweezers is a must for putting on small parts. I really use my pair of sucture scissors on a very regular basis, big plus for decal work. Get a basic set of needle files for cleaning up parts, getting rid of seam line and the remainder from taking the part off the tree, etc. I have five different plastic trays full of files, putty blades and shaping tools (some are things my dentist was throwing out) polishing pads, scissors and hemastats (great for holding parts while painting) and assorted other items. Start small, if you are having fun it is real easy to add to the collection.

Next, find an area that you can dedicate as your happy place to work. I have a TV, VCR, good light and lots of room on the table. Make it a fun area, not something you will pick-up and then forget about for 3 months.

Finally, and this is completely personal to you, pick a subject you like to build! If you are going for plastic, say Formula 1, I would chose a Tamiya kit. The parts fit is very good which will cut your frustration level down big time. They are clear in the instructions on building and paint requirements. Yes, you pay extra. But I think it is worth it for these reasons. For a Ferrari, Hasegawa is ok, Fujimi has brought out a number of cars and Revell has some cars as well. Fujimi kits have some fit issues, but for value and overall ease, go with the Revell product. Their 599 kit is not bad, better than some of their other cars for certain. Alot of people like the 1/24 F1 cars by Revell, I don't. The fit is ok, the decals are fair, and trying to get a good finish is very difficult. I really dislike the kits where they molded in the suspension to the tub. Good luck getting a smooth paint job on that. (Ok, so it has been done by some, but you get the point.)

Go ahead and use rattle can paint for the first time until you decide you really want to get into the hobby. Then spend the money on a GOOD airbrush and a quiet air compressor. The A/C unit will pay for itself over air cans or bottled air. And you can use it for those other household chores. Again, Tamiya is probably the easiest to obtain for rattle can and the color match is pretty decent. I have seen some real nice results from that.

Lastly, don't be afraid to ask questions. There are many here who will give up their secrets for getting a good result. Decide what works best for you and go for it. I probably do my decaling different than anyone I know, but I get real good results from it.

Good luck, let us know what you build!

 

To get good results with the rattle cans, set them in a container of warm water for awhile before you use them. This will make the paint flow easier through the nozzle.