Prep Process--What's Yours?

[Dr. Cranky]

Here's mine in a nutshell:

1) anxiously open the box, get a whiff of the fresh styrene.

2) soak all the appropriate parts in a warm soapy bath--don't forget the rubber ducky, EYEGORE!

3) Clear sink marks, flash, seams and any other imperfections!

4) Mock up, mock up, mock up and MOCK UP yet again, always looking for fit issues and other things you might have missed.

5) Primer all the parts.

6) Mock up again (OCD makes me do it!) It's actually extra insurance.

7) Smooth the primer and wash the parts again to ready them for paint.

8) Set each part to be painted on its own holder. Doctor Cranky uses double sided tape and chopstix!

That's it pretty much.

What do you do, my fellow styrene addicts?

[Danno]

Here's mine in a nutshell:

1) Anxiously open the kit box, get a whiff of the fresh styrene.

2) Remove contents; examine body, study every tree, study every part, study decals, review assembly instructions, satisfy self that general assembly sequence is understood.

3) Formulate build concept; envision finished model; develop plan for execution of build; work out (mentally) solution to every problematic component or assembly; determine color schemes; finalize paint and finish choices.

4) Mentally prepare detailed parts requirements list, including aftermarket components.

5) Place body, trees, parts, instructions, decals back in kit box.

6) Enter identification data (kit number, storage box and bin location) into Excel spreadsheet inventory tracker.

7) Place box in proper storage location.

8) Place planned project on mental list of things to do.

9) Forget project.

10) Years later, while looking for something else, rediscover kit and vaguely remember the plan, wonder why project was never completed started.

Edited October 14, 2011 by Danno

[Art Laski]

The longer I am in this hobby, the more my strategy resembles Danno's...

[Lownslow]

1. clean the body up removing flash and seams

2. spend 2 hours or more looking for the right wheels

3. dip everything in warm CSC/water for 2 hours then clean them off 2 hours later

4. attatch whatever necessary body parts that are molded or will be molded

5. build minor assemblies block,suspension seats etc........

6. primer everything thats gonna be body colored

7. paint body

8. assemble/detail interior

9. assemble engine,suspension, and frame

10. mockup everything together then make adjustments

11. clear coat body

12. assemble

Here's mine in a nutshell:

1) Anxiously open the kit box, get a whiff of the fresh styrene.

2) Remove contents; examine body, study every tree, study every part, study decals, review assembly instructions, satisfy self that general assembly sequence is understood.

3) Formulate build concept; envision finished model; develop plan for execution of build; work out (mentally) solution to every problematic component or assembly; determine color schemes; finalize paint and finish choices.

4) Mentally prepare detailed parts requirements list, including aftermarket components.

5) Place body, trees, parts, instructions, decals back in kit box.

6) Enter identification data (kit number, storage box and bin location) into Excel spreadsheet inventory tracker.

7) Place box in proper storage location.

8) Place planned project on mental list of things to do.

9) Forget project.

10) Years later, while looking for something else, rediscover kit and vaguely remember the plan, wonder why project was never completed started.

happens quite a bit here

[Junkman]

Here's mine in a nutshell:

1) Anxiously open the box, get a whiff of the slightly morbid smell of decades old, in dignity embrittled styrene.

2) Get another whiff.

3) Get a real deep drag.

4) Thoroughly inspect the contents of the box, imagine what to use and what to change.

5) Do some research regarding colour availability on the real car, buy an old colour chart if I don't have it already, discover that all of them were atrocious. If I don'thave it already, buy an original sales brochure. Those can be sold on once the model is finished.

6) Envision each and every colour combination that was available. See whether the car was used ina movie on IMCDB.org. Decide on the most attractive version. This process can take years.

7) Try to match the original paint I have decided on. This process can also take years.

8) Clean up the body, fill in all sink marks or other imperfections, primer it.

9) Shoot the body with the carefully selected paint.

10) Pack everything back into the box and never look at the kit again.

Edited October 14, 2011 by Junkman

[Aaronw]

Here's mine in a nutshell:

1) anxiously open the box, get a whiff of the fresh styrene.

2) soak all the appropriate parts in a warm soapy bath--don't forget the rubber ducky, EYEGORE!

3) Clear sink marks, flash, seams and any other imperfections!

4) Mock up, mock up, mock up and MOCK UP yet again, always looking for fit issues and other things you might have missed.

5) Primer all the parts.

6) Mock up again (OCD makes me do it!) It's actually extra insurance.

7) Smooth the primer and wash the parts again to ready them for paint.

8) Set each part to be painted on its own holder. Doctor Cranky uses double sided tape and chopstix! That's it pretty much. What do you do, my fellow styrene addicts?

Pretty much the same except 4 & 6 frequently get shorted (I'm very much a measure once, cut 2,3 4 times, curse scream, get a new piece and start again type).

For 7 I don't wash again but I do wet sand which is about the same thing.

8 is a sometimes, depending on the part I'm likely to just lay it on the floor of the spray booth, but for more complex shapes I have some stiff wire I make little holders from.

and I add step 9, get 50-99% done, then get bored, and set it aside for 1-5 years.

A perfect example of rule 9, I started building a Tamiya Alpine Renault in March 2008, all that is left are the tail lights, rear bumper, and fog lights but it went into a box until 2 nights ago (it will be finished and posted in Under Glass this weekend after only 4 1/2 years).

[Jantrix]

1. Wait for a truly unique idea.

2. Find a kit that would best fit said idea.

3. Layout a plan of attack.

4. Begin standard build practices, cleaning/sanding/filling etc.

5. Get the engine and chassis built, scratchbuilding and modifying as necessary.

6. Back in the box while I agonize over the paint and/or build issue and the finish of the body.

7. Six months later, having figured out how to fix said issue, (while ofter involves a drastic change to step 3) paint and finish kit.

It aint real professional but it works for me.

Edited October 14, 2011 by Jantrix

[Boreham]

1) Anxiously open the box, ..usually in the car on the way home from work or at the buddies place.

2) go through each sprue and judge the quality

3) read the instructions.

4) Ponder the short comings of the kit and list the improvements

5) consider an OOB build... but referre back to #4 and actually add to the list

6) place contents back in the box and store in one of the Hoarding area's

7) use #4 as an excuse for not starting "this one" and carry on as if nothing happened.....

[lordairgtar]

Tongue in cheek sequence of prep process

1. Go on forum and find kit review of kit considered.

2. Read gripes on how character line is one scale millimeter off on one side.

3. Read seven more pages of modellers bashing original poster about how they should be happy the maker decided to tool kit at all.

4. Read seven more pages of people bashing the first seven.

5. PM people about kit because mods have shut down the thread.

6. Do research on real car and find that character line is off one millimeter, but only on base model where trim doesn't cover the flaw.

7. Finally go to hobby shop and buy model.

8. Open kit and examine, finding yourself real happy you bought this model.

9. Resume accepted building practices.

[Dr. Cranky]

Cool, yes, keep your own prep infos coming. I think it's useful to get a sense of how some of the steps are the same for everyone, and different for some other folks.

[charlie8575]

A mix of Doc and Dan's!

Charlie Larkin

[1320wayne]

My steps resemble so many others listed here except for #1. And I think my #1 will probably resemble so many others even if they aren't willing to admit it.

Here goes..............................................................

#1. Explain to wife why I had to have this model when the garage shelves are full with at least 400 hundered others that haven't been built yet. Explanation? Because it is a new model that I/we have been waiting on for years to either be produced or reissued and if I don't get it now it will either dissappear and/or eventually become a high priced purchase on Ebay later on down the road.

Then to eventually fall into the steps listed above where the kit finds it's way onto one of the storage shelves only to be pulled back out (if lucky) a year or two later to finally be started.

[Mike Kucaba]

Here's mine:

Open kit box

Ooh-Ahh over the kit and all it's contents

go to MCM message forum and find out model is too big,too small, wrong shape,etc.

put model back in box with tears in my eyes

play games on my computer

:D :D :D

[Dr. Cranky]

Seriously, the more we share our own steps, the more we are likely to learn from each other.

[tabsscale1]

Usually here is what i do

1. After opening the box get body and everything that goes on the body out.

2. Remove all mold lines and fill sink marks and then sand the body. ( I have never in over 20 years washed a body as i usually wet sand the whole body)

3 . By this stage i have figured out waht color i want to paint the body so it gets primed.

4. I then shoot the color or colors.

5. while paint gasses Out I prep everything else by removing all mold lines and mock up the suspension if using after market wheels.

6. Do the interior In a color cordinating color to the body.

7. usually by this time I can cklear the body.

8. Assemble engine and add plumbing and details if going that far.

9. Assemble the model add details as i go.

[Sixx]

Let's see...open the box, check out all the parts, see what the wheels look like in place, scratch my " backside " LOL! ,put it all back, & stash it away for another day...to look at again like a dummy!

[Dr. Cranky]

Don't feel bad about that, Derrick. I think many of us do that a few times and the along comes a kit like the Revell 41 Willys "Street Rod" (Goodguys) and then you end up building ah . . . how about 8 of them, 12 . . . yeah, the OCD kicks in . . .

[peter31a]

HHmmm.... Let's see:

Open the box and enjoy fresh styrene smell.

Sand tire tread

Try to remove mold seams from body. Obliterate body shapes while trying to remove blasted mold seams. Add more scratches to body while still trying to remove blinkin' mold seams. Get extremely frustrated.

Throw body back in box with nicely sanded tires and put the whole thing back on shelf.

Repeat with next fresh model....

[Junkman]

Tell ya guys, there are a million ways to completely devalue a pristine vintage plastic kit within seconds. And I know a lot about that.

[Dr. Cranky]

Lol! Welcome to the club.