BASIC TIPS AND MODELLING HINTS

This page is really directed at beginners and novices of scale aircraft modelling.  It will contain just a few tips that are worthwhile sharing (some of which I didn't even know about until I became "experienced"!!).  Feel free to contribute, it will really be an anything goes page - it is not intended to cover everything, but is intended to make the hobby more enjoyable as well as giving you a few more skills.

If you want to look for more tips on the web, have a look in my links page for suggested sites.

The Basic Toolkit:
A list of modelling tools that are musts for any modeller - those optional are suggested to build up skills:

Modelling Glue : Revell Contacta Professional seems to be the go - careful you don't dry out the applicator!
#11 blade hobby knife (Exacto, Excel) : cutting and trimming, very sharp
Tweezers : small and handy and invest in curved and straight tweezers to ease specific jobs
Thinner/Cleaner : Used to clean brushes after painting.  White spirits like Turpentine works the best but wears out brushes
Paint : I use Humbrol enamels and have 95% of their whole range, choose the brand that suits you
Paintbrushes : You need a fairly good range of brushes ranging from finest to larger brush types
Superglue : to attach metal and resin parts, use a fast setting and strong bonding type, I use Zap CA with a toothpick
End-nippers : Used to cleanly detach parts from the sprue
Masking Tape : Special low-tack type specifically for modelling like Tamiya - 6mm recommended, I also use 10 mm
Putty : Using a toothpick lightly fill gaps and holes on model aircraft
Sandpaper : Wet (so dust is not so prominent) 'n dry types to smooth out join lines etc - Grits between 300 & 600
Flat File : a couple in different 'roughage' to enable one to file down rough features
Panel line Scriber (optional) : Rescribe panel lines and control surfaces to correct kit errors, or engrave raised lines
Mask-solution (optional) : a special solution to mask off canopies like Gunze's Mr Masksol, Humbrol Masksol etc
EVERYDAY ITEMS : from list below - pegs, rubber bands, toothpicks, textas, plastic card, cheeseboard

Basic and useful tips:
Please feel free to add to these, just send some tips via e-mail for consideration

CLAMPS: Use wooden pegs (plastic pegs could risk being affixed) as clamps on flat surfaces like wings and fins or small round objects like some fuselages, missiles etc.  Rubber bands (doubled over) are good as clamps around the fuselage.

CLEAR PARTS: Use white glue to attach canopies and windows to aircraft - this will not fog or ruin the plastic.  You run the (big) risk of fogging, scratching or even melting your canopies if you use super glue, or even normal modelling glue, rendering it worthless and unable to see through.  Super glue can be applied to clear parts after it has been coated with Future Floor Wax (Aussie equivalent - Johnson's Super Shine) to prevent it from being ruined.  Naturally, check this first on some scrap plastic before using on a 'live' project.  Cleaning them (both injection and vacuform) can be achieved by using an alcohol based window cleaning liquid, applied with a Q-tip or cotton-bud.

SPRUE LEFTOVERS: Leftover bits of the sprue that you would normally throw in the bin can be cut into pieces. Larger long pieces can be used to form stretched sprue which can be used for a number of tasks.  In short, you simply hold the sprue over a flame and as it melts you can stretch it to form a shape (to replace a missing part), rinse it in cold water to cool and harden it.  This takes a bit of practice to work but it's most common uses are as exhaust stacks, ducts and aerials.  Other sprue leftover bits can also be cut and used to mix and/or stir paint - especially good for enamels (and not proned to snapping like toothpicks) because after they have been used they simply get chucked into the bin.

NOSE WEIGHTS: Just about every model kit needs a nose weight in wheels-down configuration to prevent the aircraft from being a tailsitter.  Bolts, nuts, sinkers and any other small bits of metal are ideal to use depending on the available space.  I sometimes use Blu-tak (Aussie version of a handy mold similar to plasticine, used specifically to attach things to walls, doors etc, I think the UK equivalent is Milliput?) to bed the weights in so they stay in place, or even as the weight itself where only a small weight is needed.  Small ball bearings can also be used as nose weights providing they will not move around in the model too much - seal them off in a nose compartment or whatever.  When (use wings instead of nose

TOOTHPICKS: Toothpicks are one of the handiest everyday items to have on the workbench.  They can be used as applicators for glue, stir enamel paint and apply putty and filler to your models.  You can also glue then to small fiddly parts to act as a handle while you paint the part, then unattach it afterwards. 

CHEESEBOARD: Small cheeseboards, wooden or chopping boards are essential if you do not wish to damage your desk or benchtop.  They are generally used to place small parts on when cutting off leftover chunks after detaching from the sprue and ensuring the hobby knife cuts into the small board, rather than the desk/bench top.

HANDLES: As mentioned above you can glue toothpicks to small parts, you can also wrap some rubber bands around an old toothbrush and then place this in a suitable spot (eg: up the tailpipe) to hold the model while you paint around it.

SUPERGLUE: Adding Baking Soda will speed up the setting time and make it a stronger (but uglier) bond.  It can get a bit messy so its recommended to use a lot of care and practice on scrap bits first and not to overdo the Baking Soda, you can use a stiff brush to get rid of any excess, loose particles. 

WIRES: Aerial wires and ribbing struts can be reproduced using very thin wire (takes a bit of skill), thin strands of cotton or perhaps the best example - fishing line, since this comes in a variety of diametres and colours.  Painting the 'wire' dark can give an optical illusion of it being thinner, while lighter paints can make it look thicker.  Transparent 0.11mm lines are the most commonly used.

FILM CANNISTERS: A few people have suggested keeping leftover 35mm camera film cannisters as these can be used as containers for many things eg: parts, water when using wet 'n dry sandpaper, paint thinner, etc - as well as a variety of other uses too numerous to mention here, including mixing paint (or making your own colours!).

PERMANENT MARKER PENS: These are useful to colour small bits on the model, such as red & green navigation lights that are hard to paint with a brush.  Black can be used on areial tips, missile fin tips and so forth and other colours can be used to draw panel lines.

SCREW TIDY DRAWERS: A useful item that is intended to keep your screws, nails etc, can also be employed to keep a range of spare parts, sorted into an easy to find reference rather than sifting through boxes.

UNUSED PARTS/DECALS ETC: You should not chuck away anything that is unused that could possibly be called upon later.  Unused decals can be used on other modelling projects or when one like it deteriorates on another model, or comes off while parts can go into the spares box (or screw tidy) to replace omitted items in other kits.  

YELLOWED/AGED DECALS: After a while unused decal sheets can become yellowed with age.  To restore them back to their original colour and get rid of the yellowing is actually quite simple.  Put them in a plastic bag and tape the bag against a window facing direct sunlight.  In a few days the decal sheet should be restored.  From first hand experience, the following worked - Airfix (1976) F-86D decal sheet placed in a freezer bag - trimmed to be about the size of the decal sheet.  Excess plastic bag folded and taped on the back of the sheet.  The decal sheet and bag were taped inside my backroom window facing west - directly into the hot Australian setting sun.  Three days later - white decals!

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