Old times techniques

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al49

Tech Sergeant
1,552
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Dec 16, 2009
Milan, Italy
I don't know if this is the correct place to start this thread, but I think it could be interesting if "old guys" like myself will tell everybody how modelling was done thirty years ago when, in my knowledge, after-market products availability was very, very limited.

The idea to discuss this, came to my mind when I was looking again to pictures of models I did in late eighties, these for example:

View attachment 229767


One after-market product that was available were coloured decal sheets, so I used white ones to make squadron badges scribed on free hand with Indian ink and similarly on orange decal for "rescue" tags. Red decal sheet was used for stripes on fin.
For masking, Mascol was available but as masking tape, the product used was paper skin patch.

My safety belts were made with paper.

If anybody wants to add his contribution ...

Cheers
Alberto
 
Great idea Alberto.
I have to smile today, when many modellers think they must have resin parts, photo-etched parts and so on, when many of the 'improvements' they want, or need, can be made, with a little thought and practice.
Thirty years ago, the rules of IPMS competitions didn't allow much other than plastic, sticking to the theme of International PLASTIC Modellers, and as you rightly state, such things were few and far between, with some white metal parts, very limited use of the sparse amount of photo-etch, and almost no resin at all.
And pre-painted parts, had they been available, would be scoffed at - that would be someone else's work being used on your model - almost like cheating back then!!
No doubt I'll add things in here as and when I remember them, but I also see this as a 'central store' where questions can be asked and answers given, rather than have lots of separate threads repeating the same things over the months or years, as new members arrive, and others come and go.
Might be an idea for a Mod to 'sticky' this thread.
 
Wow this brings back the memories. I remember making gunsites for .50 using speaker wire wrapped around a pencil lead and gauges by painting plastic stock black and using a needle to etch them.

Great idea for a thread Alberto!
 
I love the idea of this thread. Many, many years ago, all I had was sheet stock, some tubing, some stretched sprue and my imagination. I am re-visiting these ideas with some work I am attempting with my Dora build. Lets keep this thread alive and growing.
Dale
 
I agree. With the advent of resin this and pe that, many 'modellers' seem to have lost the art of doing additions themselves.
Nothing wrong with resin or pe of course, especially if it's a part to replace a missing part, or inaccurate or downright 'wrong' part, which can't be made easily by ones self - but it seems the norm nowadays for many modellers to seem to 'need' the resin etc, otherwise they think their model isn't 'up to scratch'.
To me, that's not 'proper' modelling, it's artificial enhancement, that anyone can do.
And those that say 'But I can't make that', either haven't tried, or have a worse disability than me!
 
Heck, once you have the tools and a few basic photos of whatever it is you are trying to do, scratchbuilding is FUN. I sure wish I could find my old Mattel vac uc form thing. Man, that thing and some balsa wood and there was not much I could tackle in 48th and up. Scratch building in 72......... my eyes have never been good enough for that.
Dale
 
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