- Hello and welcome.
I'm here to help you get started with tools and supplies
in regard to the hobby of building model kits.
If you're just starting out or rediscovering the hobby,
I will try to help you with some
beginning learning curve tricks.
I'm gonna start with the basics.
Materials and tools, what I used and where I got them.
So, for you out there thinking about
braving the crazy world of model kit building,
here are the materials and tools
I currently use and had started with.
Just to let you know,
there's no set order to buy your materials.
Go by the instructions of the model kit you are building.
It will help you out with the
materials and tools that you will need for that project.
Everything else that you will need will come over time.
Be patient and always be willing to learn.
Going by those two rules will
make you an all around better model kit builder.
Let's get started.
Paint brushes come in various sizes and widths.
What I recommend is, if you are just starting out,
go to your local hobby shop or arts and crafts store
and look for the packs of various sizes.
The packs will be divided up on various brush sizes
or various application uses.
Buy a pack that will give you fine to wide tips
for various applications.
Fine tips should be used for details
and the wide for even coverage.
There are also various types of brushes
that will give you different effects.
For example, if you are looking to
do a dry-brushing technique,
you can use either round tip brushes like these,
or a brush with a flat tip.
There really isn't a specific brush to start off with.
It all depends on what you are painting
and the effect you are looking to achieve.
There are many types of glues to use
with varying degrees of results.
The three that I have here are the ones
that I use the most on different types of plastic.
Zap-A-Gap Medium CA can be used
on almost any type of plastic,
including styrene, resin, and vinyl.
It is a superglue and will
adhere your skin and fingers together.
So, be very careful.
Ambroid Pro Weld is used for plastic styrene kits only.
All you have to do is brush it on over the seams
and let the bonding commence.
This glue will literally melt the plastic together.
Any type of five minuted epoxy, when mixed together,
can bond resin, styrene plastic, and vinyl.
When mixed, it can be a little thin.
So, be very careful when applying.
Always use one type of primer
for whatever plastic thst you are applying it to.
It really helps with the paint adhesion
and serves to bring out a kit's details for easier painting.
I have been using Armory grey and white primers
for plastic and resin mode kits.
It is not too dark or light
and paint adheres to it quite well.
For using through an airbrush,
I mainly use Testors Model Master grey primer.
On vinyl kits, use any water-based gray.
I suggest Delta Ceramcoat colors
for your primer or base coat.
Depending on what material the model kit is made of,
styrene plastic, vinyl, or resin,
will depend on what type of paint to use.
On styrene plastic and resin model kits,
I recommend using either Tamiya's acrylic-based paints
or Testors enamel-based Model Master paint.
Both can be applied by using either
a traditional paintbrush or through an airbrush.
If you are using either paint brand through an airbrush,
remember to thin them down with
each brand's appropriate thinners.
Thin them down enough so that you can get a good flow
through the tip without clogging it.
Please remember to allow a good amount
of time for the paint to dry.
You don't want fingerprints or smudges.
If you are working on a vinyl kit,
use water-based paints only.
I cannot stress that enough.
As oil- or enamel-based paints will never dry
and will stay tacky or sticky to the touch.
Water-based acrylic paint colors
by Delta from their Ceramcoat line
are perfect for vinyl model kits.
They dry fast and, when thinned properly,
can be applied with a paintbrush
with very little brush strokes appearing.
If using through an airbrush,
make sure that you thin the paints down
to the consistency of milk.
Or you will have trouble with the airbrush clogging.
You can do this by using either water
or with the airbrush medium that they provide.
There are many types of paints
from different companies that you can try.
See what you like.
And, with a little trial and error and some experimenting,
you will find what you can get
comfortable with and like to use.
Remember, the type of paint that you use
will depend on what type of material you are applying it to.
When you are either done painting or airbrushing colors on,
no matter if it's in between colors
or the last color applied,
you should always seal in and protect the color.
By doing this, you will protect the color
and, if you make a mistake with
putting a color over the last one,
you can take it off without ruining the color underneath.
Though, learning that trick will be learned over time.
And when you are more skillful with manipulating paint.
Also, do not mix different coatings or lacquers
with different types of paint,
as you will get effects that will be undesirable.
And starting a paint job over
can be quite a pain to deal with.
And not too fun, either.
Delta Ceramcoat Varnish should only
be used with Delta Ceramcoat paints.
Krylon finishes can be used on most paints.
Test before using on any water-based paints.
Tamiya clear coat finishes should be
used with Tamiya colors only.
Never use it on Delta colors.
Testors lacquers can be use on most paints.
It can be used on their line of
Model Master's paints, Delta Ceramcoat colors,
and any enamel paints.
Do not use on Tamiya colors,
as it can cause the paint to crack.
Masking materials are important
for clean lines and for protecting a finished paint job
that has already been applied by
either spray paint or by an airbrush.
Ambroid EZ Mask is a liquid masking material
that can be brushed or airbrushed on.
It's easy to apply and comes off without any problems.
Tamiya produces many different sizes of tape masking
that's good for when you want to do more than one color
and want to get a little fancy with your paintwork.
Patience is required when working with masking materials.
Setting solutions for decals can be quite helpful
when you want the decals to stay on
and fit snug around contours and deep crevices.
Microscale Industries produces
two bottles that are very helpful
in applying decals to most model kits.
Micro Set is a very versatile decal setting solution
that does several things to decals to improve application.
Micro Set should be applied to the surface of the model
where you will be sliding off the decal.
Micro Set prepares the surface
with special wetting agents that cuts the oils in new paint
and converts the adhesive on the back of the decal
to a stronger and more lasting one.
And, finally, Micro Set slightly softens the decal's film
to make it more flexible so that
it can conform better to the model's surface.
Better adhesion by the decal to the model
prevents tiny air bubbles from occurring
and results in an invisible carrier film
or the so-called painted on look.
Micro Sol setting solution is for
the most difficult irregular surfaces you find on models.
It completely softens the decal,
allowing you to drape down onto the surface of the model,
conforming perfectly and without distortion.
You can get the most amazing results
in seemingly impossible places,
because Micro Sol actually makes
the decal part of the paint.
For that reason, we should coat Micro Sol on
for only a few seconds and then leave it alone.
It does all the work.
Do not touch until dry as the decal
is very soft at this stage.
It could be easily damaged.
Besides using your hands for holding parts to be painted,
it's a good idea to have some tools
to hold the smallest pieces,
so that you don't get paint all over your hands.
The tools are also good for holding small pieces for gluing
so that the glue is far away from your fingers,
gluing them together or smudging glue prints
all over the model that you are working on.
Here are a few tools that I use on a regular basis.
A long tweezers with a straight tip,
a long tweezers with a bent tip.
Helpful in both painting small parts
and setting parts into places
that are hard to reach with my fingers.
Helpful in gluing those hard to reach areas.
A large needle nose pliers
and a small needle nose pliers.
Cutting tools and how you cut the parts
are important to making a good model,
especially if you are cutting parts
off of a tree from a plastic styrene kit.
If you use the wrong type of cutting tool,
you can actually wreck or ruin your parts.
Here are a few tools that can help you out.
A wire cutter for thick plastic,
a pair of scissors for thin parts and paper models,
a sprue cutter, it's flat on one side,
so that when you cut parts off of trees from styrene kits,
you get a nice, even cut.
It can also get right up to the part,
flush with it, and cut with no damage to the part at all.
I highly recommend this cutting tool.
I sure can't live without it.
And, once you get one for yourself, neither will you.
Putty is very important for filling seams on model kits.
No matter if the model kit is made of
plastic, resin, or vinyl,
there will always be seams that need to be filled
if you want the model kit to look like one piece.
You can fill seams with gap filling
superglue, epoxy, or putty, as seen here.
Green putty is used to find seams easier for sanding
once it's in the gaps and sanded.
It's made by Squadron and is very easy to work with.
They also produce a gray color
if you are worried about covering up
a green-colored putty.
Nothing is more important in this hobby
than a sharp hobby knife.
As you can see here, there are two that
I highly recommend you using that
will be very helpful in your model kit building adventures.
The first one is just your usual X-Acto brand hobby knife
that you can find just about anywhere.
They are inexpensive and durable.
It is adjustable so that you can put
other blades into the handle.
The next hobby knife is produced by Testors
and is designed with a flat handle
so that it will not roll off the table.
Unfortunately, the major downside to this hobby knife
is that the cutting blade is not
replaceable or interchangeable as the blade
is molded into the plastic handle.
But the handle is designed in such a way
it feels real good while using it.
Both have their pros and cons.
So, try them both out and see which one
you will like the best.
Or, if you're like me, you might go for both of them.
I find that, depending on how detailed
you want to get with your model kit building,
it is always very useful to have
some sculpting tools at hand.
I suggest these tools for scribing panel lines
and to help blend in areas on figure kits
that have been puttied and need to have those areas
blended in to look like the rest of the kit.
I find them invaluable to make a
convincing seamless model kit.
You can find them at select hobby shops or online.
Just look for sculpting or dental tools.
Sandpaper is an invaluable tool
in creating a professional looking model kit.
Sandpaper is helpful in wanting to get rid of seam lines
and to help blend parts together.
There are many types of sandpaper for many types
of projects and materials.
Depending if you are working with
metal, wood, plastic, resin, or vinyl
there is most likely a sandpaper made for it.
There are many manufacturers of sandpaper
and they can be found just about anywhere,
from your local hobby shop to your local hardware store.
Commonly and primarily used for nail care,
these nail sanding boards can be used
for sanding small areas on a model kit.
It's better than folding up sandpaper
to try to get into small areas.
They are very durable and usually have
two different types of grit on them.
One side has a large grit.
And the other's a fine grit.
They fit well into your hand
and can take quite a bit of abuse.
These small jeweler files come in very handy
when you need to get into very small areas.
But, be careful, they can break easily.
So, don't put too much pressure on them.
They can be found at some hobby shops or online.
With all the tools and materials that I have shown you,
you might be thinking where am I gonna put all this stuff?
Just go to your local art supply, hobby, or fishing store
and pick up a tackle box.
You have all that you need for
storage in the trays provided.
Just lift up the top tray,
thus revealing compartments that you can store
whatever hobby supply that you have
or may purchase in the future.
I find the tackle box invaluable.
An easy way to store hobby related items
and easy to store itself.
It doesn't take up a lot of space and is portable.
Disposable plastic measuring cups and pipettes
are very helpful with mixing paints.
If taken care of and cleaned properly,
these disposable items can be used more than once.
Small plastic measuring cups
are very useful for mixing paints.
Depending on the type of paint used,
when clean, you can use these cups more than once.
I recommend using pipettes for
siphoning paint from their containers
to use either for mixing or moving paint to an airbrush.
These two items can be found at
your local hobby shop or online.
Another very useful tool are paint trays.
They come in many sizes with a set number of areas
to put your paint for easy access,
from a small one like this to this larger one
that has an area in the middle
for mixing paints to your desired color.
Before choosing an airbrush,
consider the factors unique to your particular project.
What type of work will the airbrush be used for?
What type of media will be sprayed through the airbrush?
What is your level of experience?
And so on.
An airbrush can become a very useful tool
when you want to paint a large area
or to achieve very fine details.
Don't be afraid or intimidated by airbrushes.
They are actually very easy to use.
Once you learn how to operate and get used to them,
it's like it becomes an extension of your hand.
Let's get started with the basics of airbrushes
with the two pictured here.
The first airbrush that I will introduce to you
is the Badger Crescendo 175.
I've been using the same one for almost 20 years
with only having to replace parts that get worn out.
It's a dual action airbrush.
Meaning that, in order to trigger the air,
you must press down on the lever and then pull back
to siphon the paint from the cup.
To get different widths of paint,
there are three tip and needle parts to swap out,
small, medium, and large.
It's a quick and easy process
to swap out the tips and needles.
So, downtime is quite fast.
It is also a bottom feed airbrush.
So, either a paint cup or a jar will fit
and will siphon your choice of media up into the airbrush
and out the front nozzle.
The next airbrush I also recommend
is the Paasche F single action.
It's very easy to learn and use.
All you have to do to get both
air and paint flow at the same time
is to press down on the trigger.
Paint adjustments are made in the front
with turning the paint flow nozzle up or down
to get different widths of paint flow.
Cleanup is simple and fast.
A good airbrush also needs a good air supply
that won't fail during the application process.
I highly recommend the Paasche D3000R air compressor.
It's a 1/8 horse power, 115 volt, one phase
with an automatic shutoff when
the tank is done filling with air.
A holding tank, air regulator and moisture trap,
and an air pressure gauge are all included.
You can find this very reliable air compressor
for between $199.99 to $239
at any hobby shop or online.
I hope that I have covered materials and tools
that the beginner or experienced model kit builder
might be able to use.
What I've explained isn't the final word
on materials or tools in the hobby.
But they have helped me throughout the years.
And I hope that they will help you, too.
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