Giving model kits a try

[Ltee]

Hey all,

Loved some of the models you guys have made and decided to start a new hobby making macross kits(besides collecting the toys) I've started out with the a.r. II 1/100th vf-1s model which I think is a pretty good model for a total newb to start with. Anyways a few questions if you all don't mind....

As I've been breaking the pieces off the plastic tree thingy I notice there are stubs at the end of the pieces how do I go about removing this?

This model I think will require some glue to keep everything together will any super glue work? Is there a good way to apply this? (not sure how I'm supposed to put glue to keep the canopy of the cockpit on without making it look terrible)

Paint I've been reading, but painting itself I have no clue as to how to apply. Do I just use a brush? Marker? q-tip??? (don't laugh just a thought)

I've been looking for a good magazine to keep me up to dates with models/techniques/etc. any good ones? I saw some japanese ones...but i cant read japanese at the moment.

I've also been looking for the hasegawa models that I've seen like the yf-19 battroid and other mecha types but I've been unsuccessful finding these any places you guys know of?

Lastly, once I finish this model I'd like to go on to something a bit more challenging what kind of model/brand do I go to next? (I'd prefer making either the fighter model or battroid)

Thanx all I hope to be posting more with other newb questions.

[tsuyoshi1]

Check out the site:

www.aircraftresourcecenter.com There's lots & lots of techniques in their technique section pertaining to aircraft modeling which are great for macross models.

Other than that I can think of cody's groove, which has a section on making the strike valk and bunch of other anime modeling in great detail.

To save some $$, get through these sites and they should give you a good start.

The american magazine, fine scale modeler is not too bad. Check out their web site first.

I've been with them for 3 years. They pretty much "cycle" through topics with some updates. I mainly get it so I have some stuff to do before I go to bed.

Hope that helps. There are many other sites. Check out the links of MW as well. Good luck and experiment with some piece that you don't care as much first before you dive into your "love"

[Prons]

Hey all,

Loved some of the models you guys have made and decided to start a new hobby making macross kits(besides collecting the toys) I've started out with the a.r. II 1/100th vf-1s model which I think is a pretty good model for a total newb to start with. Anyways a few questions if you all don't mind....

As I've been breaking the pieces off the plastic tree thingy I notice there are stubs at the end of the pieces how do I go about removing this?

This model I think will require some glue to keep everything together will any super glue work? Is there a good way to apply this? (not sure how I'm supposed to put glue to keep the canopy of the cockpit on without making it look terrible)

Paint I've been reading, but painting itself I have no clue as to how to apply. Do I just use a brush? Marker? q-tip??? (don't laugh just a thought)

I've been looking for a good magazine to keep me up to dates with models/techniques/etc. any good ones? I saw some japanese ones...but i cant read japanese at the moment.

I've also been looking for the hasegawa models that I've seen like the yf-19 battroid and other mecha types but I've been unsuccessful finding these any places you guys know of?

Lastly, once I finish this model I'd like to go on to something a bit more challenging what kind of model/brand do I go to next? (I'd prefer making either the fighter model or battroid)

Thanx all I hope to be posting more with other newb questions.

Use a knife to remove the stubble.

Qtips work great for painting, airbrushes help but thats something you should look into later...

[tetsujin]

As I've been breaking the pieces off the plastic tree thingy I notice there are stubs at the end of the pieces how do I go about removing this?

This model I think will require some glue to keep everything together will any super glue work? Is there a good way to apply this? (not sure how I'm supposed to put glue to keep the canopy of the cockpit on without making it look terrible)

Paint I've been reading, but painting itself I have no clue as to how to apply. Do I just use a brush? Marker? q-tip??? (don't laugh just a thought)

I've been looking for a good magazine to keep me up to dates with models/techniques/etc. any good ones? I saw some japanese ones...but i cant read japanese at the moment.

I've also been looking for the hasegawa models that I've seen like the yf-19 battroid and other mecha types but I've been unsuccessful finding these any places you guys know of?

Lastly, once I finish this model I'd like to go on to something a bit more challenging what kind of model/brand do I go to next? (I'd prefer making either the fighter model or battroid)

Thanx all I hope to be posting more with other newb questions.

Hi,

First, when taking parts off the trees you should do so either by cutting with a sharp xacto knife, or with some sort of small wire cutters or nail clippers or what have you. The first cut should be well away from the part, so the sprue stub is relatively large. Then you should use the knife to progressively trim more and more of the stub off until it is flush with the part. Cutting too much at once can result in gouging. Clipping too close on the first pass can cause the plastic to get mashed around, resulting in more ugly gouging or other problems.

Don't paint with a Q-Tip. They would make lousy paint brushes, and they tend to shed as well. Don't get them anywhere near wet paint, whether said paint is on a model, or in a bottle waiting for future application. Buy paint brushes from a local craft store. When handbrushing, move some of your paint to a separate container and thin it there. (Don't thin it in the bottle, or it'll cure in the bottle) Don't dip the brush in too far, particularly keep the bases of the bristles free of any paint. Try to paint thin coats, and let each cure thoroughly before trying the next. Always wash your brushes after each use, by swishing them around in paint thinner (again, don't get the base of the bristles wet) - also don't set them down on the bristles or scrub the bristles against anything. When they're clean, store them bristles-up. If you do that, they'll last a while and your paintbrush investment will be protected.

A somewhat simpler alternative might be to buy modeling paints in spray-cans. If I didn't have an airbrush, that's probably what I would do for painting large areas. Also, you need a system for holding the parts while painting them, and while they're drying.

As for magazines, there are domestically-published modeling magazines like Fine Scale Modeler. Nothing anime-specific, but lots of good information.

Hasegawa hasn't made a YF-19 Battroid, sadly. Hobby Link Japan is where I generally go for Hasegawa kits.

As for greater challenge - any kit can be challenging depending on your expectations. If you want your models to look really good, that takes time and practice to refine the basic skills. Balance this next piece of advice against your need to work on whatever kits you find you are interested in: I think it's best to refine your skills on simple kits before tackling advanced projects. (The Hasegawas are at least reasonably simple..)

[GunnerX]

Hey all,

Loved some of the models you guys have made and decided to start a new hobby making macross kits(besides collecting the toys) I've started out with the a.r. II 1/100th vf-1s model which I think is a pretty good model for a total newb to start with. Anyways a few questions if you all don't mind....

As I've been breaking the pieces off the plastic tree thingy I notice there are stubs at the end of the pieces how do I go about removing this?

This model I think will require some glue to keep everything together will any super glue work? Is there a good way to apply this? (not sure how I'm supposed to put glue to keep the canopy of the cockpit on without making it look terrible)

Paint I've been reading, but painting itself I have no clue as to how to apply. Do I just use a brush? Marker? q-tip??? (don't laugh just a thought)

I've been looking for a good magazine to keep me up to dates with models/techniques/etc. any good ones? I saw some japanese ones...but i cant read japanese at the moment.

I've also been looking for the hasegawa models that I've seen like the yf-19 battroid and other mecha types but I've been unsuccessful finding these any places you guys know of?

Lastly, once I finish this model I'd like to go on to something a bit more challenging what kind of model/brand do I go to next? (I'd prefer making either the fighter model or battroid)

Thanx all I hope to be posting more with other newb questions.

Try not to use superglue to join the pieces, as it tends to crystalize and shatter over a long period of time.... i had a superglued model i haven't touched for over 5 years and when i took it out again, the pieces just came apart!

Use polystyrene glue for polystyrene kits, the bond is much better as it melts the plastic slightly. For the canopy, you can get Microscale's canopy glue or even normal PVA (white) glue... it's almost the same thing, dries clear and doesn't fog up the clear plastic.

[tetsujin]

Try not to use superglue to join the pieces, as it tends to crystalize and shatter over a long period of time.... i had a superglued model i haven't touched for over 5 years and when i took it out again, the pieces just came apart!

Yeah! I forgot to mention the superglue thing.

The thing is, superglue has a really strong bond, but it cracks under stress. People generally use super glue for resin kits, but in order to make them hold together in the long term, they have to insert support pins. Another problem with super glue is that it's much easier to misapply it, and if you get it someplace it shouldn't be it's still cure and mess up your surface. Styrene solvent glue, on the other hand, works by melting the plastic, so the bonded pieces are (in the ideal case) just as good as if they were a single piece to begin with.

I'd recommend using one of the stronger varieties, like Tenax, along with the needle-type applicator. It takes some practice, but it bonds like nobody's business. Tenax is very liquid, too, so it flows into the whole contact area and bonds it up good. Comparatively, more convenient varieties of liquid glue like Testor's (in the plastic bottle) don't bond quite as well, and gel-types (the types that come in a metal toothpaste-type tube) are said to break down over time because of the stuff (fillers, adhesives) they put in them apart from the actual solvent which creates the bond.