customplassic Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 Well, introduce myself. I have been building 1/24 & 1/25 scale cars since I was atleast 5 years old. I use to build it to the "T" it was supposed to be "stock". Then I tried doing small things like fake plug wires, battery cables, and brake lines out of sewing thread. When I turned 13 I got the custom bug and started lowering suspensions and doing minor body modifications. After looking through here I am sooo not as good as I thought I was. And I really want to go from "hack it out in a week" to something better. And I guess I want any info I can get, and what products to get. Ive read alot of guides on here and it is very inspirational/educational. I guess I will start by asking the basics. Any recomended glues? I use testors? in the orange tube Fillers for mods? I know its way wrong, but I use drywall putty. I have never known what to actually use on a model. Anyone built their own frame rails? what to use? I will stop there, so many questions...so little time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62rebel Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 WELCOME ABOARD! first off; there's no "wrong" product to use unless it's just plain dangerous. if drywall putty works for you, use it! but i'd find some alternatives soon. second; the reason we're here is to share the experience, so helping you make better models is what it's all about. third; there's a lot of information here and on members' links; lots of tips tricks and techniques. use what you feel confident to try at first and move up gradually. there's no final exams here; learn as you go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve H. Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 Welcome to the MCM board, theres a lot you can pick up here! So many ideas, so little time... Glues: I use testors liquid (mostly) I find it melts styrene perfectly for me, resulting in a strong joint. Ca is useful, but only if its parts that go together cleanly (no time to adjust a joint). My 3rd most common glue is 2 part epoxy (especially when bonding resin, metals, other materials, etc...) Theres also Crystal clear, which is a thick white glue designed for glass. For tiny photoetch, I use clear acrylic paint. Filler: for skim coats, I use automotive bondo glaze (1 part tube). feathers nice, doesn't react to most paints, generally a good filler for me. I've recently starting using Tamiya putty. Its nice, but I don't have enough experience with it to know all the qualities of it. Scratchbuilding: Evergreen or Plastruct styrene. Both companies produce a wide range of sheet, rod, tube, square or rectangle stock. You'll be able to find just about anything to suit your needs. The best advice I can give you is to concentrate on one skill at a time (bodywork, scratchbuilding, engine detail, etc...) after several models, they'll all start to come together in a single project. The biggest problem most people have is trying to do too much in one single model. (boy, do I have some of those still on the bench!) I've been back into building since the late 80's, and just started feeling competent in the "Complete" model. Whatever you do, make sure you enjoy it! Build for yourself, and let the contest sort themselves out. all of the above info is what works for me... opinions may differ, but they're never wrong! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob paeth Posted December 8, 2006 Share Posted December 8, 2006 Chad, the advise that Steve gave you is right on the money. The biggest mistake that modelers make when they first participate in our hobby is trying to do too much too soon. I too, have a box of mistakes, commonly refered to my parts box. Experiment all you want to with different materials, tools, ideas etc. If you are enjoying yourself, it doesn't matter if you screw up. If you did, you must have learned something that you didn't know before. Do not hesitate to ask any questions that you may have as someone here on this web site has the answer. Check back on some of the postings that have occured before you found us. You may find some helpful hints with answers before you can form your questions. At any rate I feel that you have the right attitude to become a first class modeler. WELCOME ABOARD. Bob :shock: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customplassic Posted December 8, 2006 Author Share Posted December 8, 2006 Thanks for the information and tips! speaking of styrene....anyone suggest getting this? http://www.evergreenscalemodels.com/Book.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob paeth Posted December 9, 2006 Share Posted December 9, 2006 I carefully looked over the copy describing what the book covers. It would be invaluable if you were into building dioramas. For the most part, building an air plane model, or scratch building parts, is the same as building a car model. I do feel, however, that this book covers really basic techniques that a model builder will learn on his own in a sort period of time. My evaluation of this book might be "colored" because of the many years that I have worked with styrene, so I would never tell anyone not to buy it. It just don't seem to lend itself to the techniques of chopping and channeling. Bob :shock: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zebm1 Posted December 9, 2006 Share Posted December 9, 2006 Get a coupla subscriptions to magazines, starting with Model Cars Magazine (check with Gregg or Jairus) they publish MCM, then perhaps Scale Auto (Kalmbach Publishing), then wait for tha wisdom to flow guy. BTW I use tha lightweight spackle for small jobs, fills holes real fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customplassic Posted December 9, 2006 Author Share Posted December 9, 2006 Thanks for the insight again! I agree, hands on is really the best way to go. I self taught myself to fabricate suspensions and sheet metal parts on cars. So hopefully it will come 2nd nature as well. Next project, I do promise no quick job and do my best to pay attention to detail and push my skills to the limits. I also will try and get some pictures of past models. Granted my collection is down to 2, actually more like 1.5 There was a incident with a black lab and well.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrObsessive Posted December 9, 2006 Share Posted December 9, 2006 Welcome aboard Chad! A few thoughts about what I use to build........ Glue: I too use liquid cement where applicable..........My favorite is Ambroid Pro Weld since it's shelf life is limitless, and doesn't seem to evaporate over time like others. I try to stay away from tube cement as much as possible-----especially from attaching bodywork, due to the tube cement can still be "active" even many years after you've built the part. Meaning the tube cement can still eat away at the part long after it's glued. 5 min. epoxies I use on attaching bodywork simply because the properties of the epoxy won't ruin a paint job and can be cleaned up (carefully!) with alcohol. Fillers: I use products such as Tamiya putties for small jobs........to a product called "Dynatron Putty-Cote" for larger body work areas. I personally will not use any putty from Squadron as the shrinkage is horrendous and makes more work than is needed. I like to use things that are as much drama free as possible and take the least amount of effort to make the bodywork come out well. As others have mentioned, try to concentrate on one area at a time. Maybe the first model out after a long time-------focus on getting the basics down. Getting rid of mold lines, eliminating flash, and filling sink marks are some of the basics. Your next model maybe focus on getting that really nice paint job that you've been after. All in all it will take practice, practice, PRACTICE!! You won't learn everything in one model........it will take time. You've come to the right place for any questions-----so don't be shy if you run into a roadblock! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot_Rod_Bob Posted December 9, 2006 Share Posted December 9, 2006 Hi Custom ! Welcome to the forum. I am fairly new here myself. But let me tell you one thing. You have come to the right place. There are lots of very talented and gifted folks here, And I myself feel very fortunate to have found the website. Thanks again to all the people that give of there time and talents. All the inspiration here has really helped me to push the limits of my abilities, hone my skills and made me think of what I can really do. Happy Modeling!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratrodder Posted December 10, 2006 Share Posted December 10, 2006 Welcome. when all other ideas fail, you can always build a ratrod. Looking forward to seeing your work and hearing about your work..........ratrodder...........Doug Harrell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customplassic Posted December 10, 2006 Author Share Posted December 10, 2006 Ive been thinking about doing a rat, I just have to look at pictures of some to get more of a feel of how they are built before I buy a kit to do. Totally agree Bob, this site is sooo informative and just oosing with new ideas. I found an old 77 monte carlo lowrider I built a couple years ago and starting messing with it (because I dont care for it) and am trying functional opening doors! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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