Techniques

Gluing Shit Together 101

3443120112_a057975df2When I came back to modeling in 2010, I initially had a lot of questions about glue. After all, my last experience had been building models as a kid, and the glue situation was pretty much as follows:

  • Testors tube cement, which was gooey and didn’t work very well
  • Testors liquid cement, which just didn’t work very well
  • Superglue with accelerator, which worked really well but fogged the hell out of everything
  • White glue, which was for wusses

My questioning period lasted about two weeks, until I discovered the awesome power of modern solvents. But across various forums and groups, I still see glue questions pop up all the time. So here’s a quick primer.

Do you want to glue plastic to plastic?

Use a liquid cement, also known as solvent cement, liquid welder, or other variations and combinations of these words.

This stuff works by literally melting plastic, so that it fuses together and cures as a single piece. It is stunningly effective, and if you choose the right welder and have a good join to work with, the entire process from application to cured takes maybe a minute, tops. (more…)

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Painting Tamiya’s 1/32 F4U-1 Corsair

Painting-F4U-1-Corsair

With each new build, I try to push myself outside of my comfort zone (RELATED: Where the Magic Happens) in at least one area. Test a technique. Try a new paint. Experiment a little.

But every so often, a build comes along that’s more than that. That kicks me into an entirely new level of modeling.

Tamiya’s 1/32 F4U-1 Corsair is definitely one of those builds.

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This kit has been, hands down, the best I’ve ever touched. It makes other good kits look decent at best. I knew even before I started building it that I wanted to give it a paint job that would match the awesomeness of the kit. I actually procrastinated for some time, unsure how to approach what I had in mind, until some experimentation showed me the way. (more…)

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Technique: Multi-Layer Chipping

M-LChipping

I’ll straight-up admit it. I’ve been procrastinating on my big Tamiya F4U-1 Corsair. Oh, sure, part of it’s been working on other builds, but a bigger part has been sheer anxiety over how I’m going to paint the thing.

The problem is pretty basic, really. I have a pretty reliable painting process that puts a lot of variation into potentially monochrome schemes – a must for a worn, faded, battered Marine Corsair serving in the South Pacific. I also have a need to introduce some fairly aggressive chipping and worn paint effects – a need that my black-basing process doesn’t really make provisions for.

I knew hairspray or some other kind of chipping solution would play into the answer, but how, specifically?

I decided to do a little experimentation to sort that out. (more…)

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Tonal Crush

TonalCrush

I’ve touched on the idea of tonal crush in a few posts here and there, but it occurs to me that I’ve never stopped to fully explain the concept – or its implications for modeling.

Time to fix that!

A Brief Explanation

Tonal crush is, at its most basic, the apparent loss of tonal variation within a certain color, when placed alongside contrasting colors. The tones are literally crushed together, so that a color looks more monochromatic.

To explain why this happens, it helps to come in through a side entrance. (more…)

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How To: Get Started (or Restarted) Building Models

If there’s one common trait I’ve noticed among many modelers, it’s that most of us built models as kids, then drifted away to go about the business of growing up and starting a life, a career, a family. Years later, something brings us back. Maybe it’s seeing the latest FineScale Modeler on the magazine rack, the yearning to do something with your hands, or just the old itch returning. Or maybe you’re just picking it up for the first time.

Either way, ramping up in this hobby can be a daunting thing. The internet and the global marketplace have opened up a veritable sea of tools, paints, and options. And don’t even get me started on the wondrous variety of kits, aftermarket accessories, and knowledge to be had. In many ways, the hobby is truly in a golden age right now, but if you’re just dipping your toe (back) into the water, it can all be a little bit overwhelming.

With this how-to, it’s my aim to cut through to the heart of the matter – what do you need to accumulate to give it a go? (more…)

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