learning

[alecras234]

Hi my name's Ash and im from Wales.  I am disabled and use a wheelchair.   I've been watching aircraft modeling videos on youtube and i enjoy watching some of them and i had a go at building a few 1 72 scale ww2 aircraft but becae my hands dont work that well so i tried a bigger scale, 1 48 ww2 aircraft and find that scale better.   I'm currently building a 1 48 scale 109,  i have nearly finished it,  i need to gloss varnish it, add decals, matt varnish it then apply clay weathering wash.  For weathering, do i just apply the dark dirt clay wash?

 

The video builds i watch on youtube, this guy paints small parts on the sprue before he assembles them onto the fuselage,  maybe doing it that way would be easier for me, then after he's assembld them onto the fuselage he touches them up with paint.   i use paint brushes and revel acrylic paint.

[peebeep]

Dark dirt is good, but apply it to a gloss surface then after wiping off seal it with a top coat of whatever sheen you want to use on the model. You might find this video helpful:

 

Painting parts on the sprue is a matter of preference, try stuff out and find out what works best for you.

[Sailorman]

Hi,

Bear in mind that if you do paint the parts while still on the sprue you should not paint the parts where you want to apply glue.  For example: if the part has a pin that is fits into a hole on another part you should not paint the bit that goes in the hole or the hole itself.  If you do paint it then 00000000the part will never bond properly.

If you paint it by mistake you should scrape of the paint with a craft knife before glueing it in place.

 

[zuludog]

If you are painting small parts on the sprue you may find that cleaning them up by removing moulding lines and other minor faults is tricky; it might be easier to remove them and hold them in a clamp - or both on the sprue and in a clamp, depending on how tricky it is, or whether the parts fall off or not!

 

Search t'Net for modelling clamps and mini vices, there are all sorts of things available

Try jeweller's suppliers as well

There is a combination of clips & a magnifying glass known as a helping hand or a third hand which might be useful

Or possibly a fisherman's fly tying vice?

You can get reverse action tweezers, which are sprung to be closed, and you open them by squeezing

Or the humble clothes peg; feel free to modify the jaws to suit yoiurself

 

As mentioned, glue will not stick to paint, so you must remove it from the appropriate areas with a scalpel blade or a needle file

Speaking of which, you can get handles for needle files which make them easier to hold

Likewise, you can get scalpels and modelling knives with fatter handles, just keep Surfing t'Net

When I've painted small parts I lay them on a sheet of glass

For wheels & propellors I fit them onto a cocktail stick, and then into a lump of plasticine

[Marcus Hassall]

Lots of good advice there, Z-dog!

Learning by doing is great, and necessary, but a few extra hints are great.