How to get started?

[looney]

I have checked the vids, still busy cleaning the sprues. And trying to decide what paint to buy.

I want to but revell waterpaints, I think these are easier to work with compared to oil based paints (correct?)

Is there a color chart on how to convert ( for excample) Revel 15 -> waterbased color?

Or an RLM color to the waterbased paint?

 

[N4521U]

If you go to the "home" page on this site from the top blue navigation bar, then scroll down to the "modeling section" you will see all the categories within this site. you will find color reference charts in there, several. Plus all the other things you could possibly need. Good hunting.

 

[Njaco]

Don't know if this will help but there are 2 things that I do:

1) I got myself a fishing tackle box a few years ago and that is what I use to keep my stuff in. Many compartments and the top has extra boxes that remove from the box. I don't have room for a bench or anything so I use this. And when I'm done I can just pack everything up and stow away. Makes the pre-wife happy.

2) Speaking of the pre-wife - I was able to get sveral items from here that work well for. Emory boards are great as sanding files and much cheaper than the metal ones. Politicians around here sometimes give them out for free at local fairs and carnivals so I always grab handfulls. The makeup sponges are great for painting, weathering or anything that involves liguid including cleaning. I have several different shapes that I use when making camo (I don't own an airbrush). Q-tips and small makeup brushes are also something that I get from her.

Hope this helps.

 

[Loiner]

I have checked the vids, still busy cleaning the sprues. And trying to decide what paint to buy.

I want to but revell waterpaints, I think these are easier to work with compared to oil based paints (correct?)

Is there a color chart on how to convert ( for excample) Revel 15 -> waterbased color?

Or an RLM color to the waterbased paint?

To me the modelling part comes easy, the tricky part of getting a good looking finished model is the painting skills.

In my opinion, I always like to use water based paints and avoid enamel (oil based) wherever possible, and the Revell Aqua range are about the best and nicest to use, the only better ones I think are the Warhammer paints for non-specific colours (black, metal, white, browns etc), but Tamiya do the widest range generally available.

The most critical part of basic modelling skills is getting a good overall paint finish, the best way is an airbrush, even a cheap one, but if you just want to stick to brushes for now I'd recommend a wide soft artist brush for main coat areas as well as finer brushes for all the details.

 

[mikewint]

looney, by all means invest in an airbrush. it takes practice but the results are well worth it. i still use brushes on small parts and permanent markers for very fine detail. i use an Aztec from testors and a small compressor. it is an investment but there is nothing like a properly airbrushed finish. i also like testors master series paints or tamyia paint. kit directions will tell you what colors
i have also had many discussions with modelers about details which will never be seen, like a good deal of the cockpit. there are lots of details and some worry about the exact placement of the rudder pedals on am FW190, or the color of a fire extinguisher, etc. details that are buried when the kit is put together. i just spent a month putting together and painting the interior of a 1/48 B-29. now the fuselage halves go together and all that work is hidden

 

[looney]

If I enjoy building this model it could very well mean I'm goin to buy an airbrush. Problem is space, I live in a appartment with no real hobby room (1 is my computer room) So I need to make/buy a spraybooth also.

Most likely I'll build like 4-5 1:72 WW2 models.. and then decide what I'll goin to do.

My proposed learning curve:
1st model:
- Make all pieces fit together in the way intended.
- Paint the model resembling boxart. (would be my 1st try)
- adding decals (would be my 1st try)

2nd model
- Gain further exprience with the tools
- Build on 1st model experiences.
- Try some drybrushing/weathering

etc etc

So i plan on slowly increasing my skills

 

[Airframes]

Looks like a good plan, and the right way to go about things. Once you've got a few done, you might want to consider going up to 1/48th scale, given you have the space, as you may find things a little easier to handle, paint etc.
Of course, the bigger the scale, the more detail one is tempted to add, but that's for the future. Don't fall into the trap of wanting to try such things as scratch-building this, detailing that, weathering and so on - get the basics right, or at least to your satisfaction first. In other words, don't try to run before you can walk.
Have a look at some of the other modelling threads, in the 'Start to finish' and 'Group Builds', and see and learn how modellers prepare the kit parts - sanding off seams and ejection pin marks, ensuring the burrs from the sprue attachment points are smoothed away etc etc.
It's all the little things which make the difference between a good model, and a collection of parts thrown together, even straight out of the box with no additions, and, above all, never be afraid to ask a question, how ever dumb it might seem to you.

 

[mikewint]

looney, as to a spray booth, as long as you stick to acrylic paints fumes are not a problem. i use a medium sized cardboard box. once i'm done the box is where i store the airbrush, compressor, paints, tackle box, etc.

 

[looney]

Tnx for all the info. Haven't been to a store for the paint yet. Slowly and very carefully cleaning the parts of the kit.. On several pieces the sprue was bigger than the part itself. But I still haven't broken any part WOHOOO

 

[N4521U]

When you do when you do get an air brush.
One simple thing you can do if you have a balcony, spraying acrylic paint.

Lay a chair on its back on a table, legs toward you. Wet an OLD bath towel, doesn't have to be dripping, just good and wet. Lay it over the legs to make three walls. Card board or paper on the table in the bottom of the three sided box. Spray your parts in the BOX. The wet towel will help attract the over spray, and will also help reduce any dust in the air. The typical auto spray booth is washed down with a water hose before painting, to reduce dust, the towel will do the same thing.

Happy modeling.

 

[looney]

My balcony is about 1m x 1m (3ft by 3ft) but I could use it for spraying

I run into some problems, the Pitot tube has some flash on it, same with the smaller pieces of the landing gear struts. How can I clean those, as the flash is almost as thick as the part itself.

 

[N4521U]

Get yourself a small file set from the 2 dollar shops. For very small flashing it can be carefully scraped with the Exacto or scalpel blade.

 

[Airframes]

Very thin parts, such as the pitot tube, are always difficult to clean up. It's best to lay this on the bench, keeping it flat and tight with a finger, and probably tape if possible. Then use a sharp scalpel blade to trim as close as possible, cleaning up with the file as Bill suggested, followed by an emery board, then fine wet and dry. Make sure you sit and position yourself in such a way that the part will fall into your lap when it goes 'ping' - as it probably will a few times - otherwise the 'Carpet Monster' gets a free snack !

 

[looney]

I think I got the cleanup done now...
So I bought some revell acrylics, and started some test pieces. But I couldn't get a nice coverage... somehow it felt to thick. How runny should the paint be?? Like water or more like sirup?

 

[mikewint]

in general, most recommend about like milk. use 2 or 3 thin coats rather than one thick
I also use a small wire cutter (electronic-type) and/or a small brad cutter to remove such flash or even a toenail clipper which has less curvature

 

[Loiner]

Agreed, one of the best things I bought was a small sharp sprue cutter (like the one shown below), and it is now my most essential tool for almost anything, it cuts even the most fragile small parts off the sprue without breaking them, it's really sharp and cuts off flash and excess plastic effortlessly, so I only use a knife to slice off the last bits of excess plastic that the sprue cutter leaves, just to finish off.

As for paint, sounds like it needs thinning, like milk is a good discription, and paint more than one coat if required. For large areas, I would suggest a flat/wide brush.

Although I agree with others above that when you get an airbrush you won't look back: a small compressor and a couple of sheets of cardboard or newspaper are all you need to spray, the airbrush is about the size of a pen so space shouldn't be a problem.

 

[looney]

My knife came apart and the sprue cutter is to big, but does the job. So my next purchase is a real good knife, for now I bought a cheap hobby knife (break of kind).

I am dryfitting the cockpit, seat doesn't fit, controlcolumn to small etc etc. Cleaned the wings and fuselage.

Didn't do anything this weekend, cause I went cycling with my dad. 150km around Amsterdam on sunday. My 1st trip longer than 60km... I was knackered, but at 26km/h I'm very happy.

 

[mikewint]

don't know what is available in holland but here there is a company called XACTO. they make hobby and carving knives in 3 sizes from small to screwdriver size with heavy duty blades to match in 20 or so different sizes and shapes. i used the medium size and have never broken it or a blade. try a small wire cutter as would be used in fine electronic assembly. i like it better than the spruecutter. the blaes are shorter and stubbier so you can clearly see where the cut is going to be on one side or use the tips to nibble at the flash unlike the sprues whch are longer

 

[Airframes]

Agree there. I use a small electricians pair of wire snips - just as good as a sprue cutter, and much cheaper. As for knives, I have an X-Acto, which I use sometimes, but have used Swann Morton surgical scalpels for nearly 50 years. They have a number of handle styles, the Number 3 being the most common, with the Number 4 being a larger version. Blades are surgical quality, stainless, and easy to replace , and again there are different styles, with the Number 10A blade being the most useful in the No.3 handle. (This is a 'straight' blade.)
The handles are solid stainless steel, and not too expensive, and will last virtually forever. They are also flat, extremely strong, easy to grip, and won't roll off the bench !

 

[mikewint]

airframes, i will look into that, had an xacto roll off the bench and darn near did a dart imitation on my foot. the wife ever finds the hole in the floor... i would have thought the slipon nature of a surgical blade/handle would not allow much horizontal or lateral stress. plus i like the razor saw that xacto has for their handle