Modelling Tips for Beginners by Larry Shred

Modelling Tips for Beginners

by Larry Shred
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I built an Accurate Miniatures A-36 Apache for a business associate. He was so impressed; he's been harping on me to help get him started in the "Hobby". I wrote the following for him but thought others considering this hobby, should also know the truth.

So you want to build Models eh?

Insidious, creeping, consuming habit. That's right... HABIT. You call it a hobby if you like, but you're just kidding yourself.

Modeling. Let's face it... there's not a reasonable guy in the world that's not impressed by a great model. I use to look at them and say "Geez, I wish I could that." Moreover, I said that for about 43 years of my life.

Then it happened.

I have always been a WW2 aircraft buff; one of my friends bought me the 1/24 scale Airfix Spitfire for a birthday present. Of course the fact I haven't built a model since I was about 10 years old, apparently never crossed his mind.

So there it sat in my closet for a little more than a year and a half. I never really wanted to build it because I new I couldn't't do it justice. No matter how careful I was during the process, I'd be unhappy with the final product.

Then while at work, I decided to look up modeling sites (Ya, ya. Like you haven't used work time to look up stuff on the Internet!). Holy crap! Thousands of models and modellers! People offering up all kinds of help, sources and invaluable tips & tricks. But the pictures... wow. Models that should be classed as, and only referred to as, "Objects D'Art".

But it was the people. Friendly, smiling people. "Come" they said "Come to the Dark side" Pulling me into the spinning, dizzying madness of their "community". So then I start. Buy a little glue, buy a little paint. Start working.

That was a little over a year and a half ago.

Today, dozens of models and hundreds, if not thousands of dollars later here is the result.

40 bottles of paint, 3 kinds of thinners, 5 different types of glue,3 lamps (one with the magnifier built in), 4 kinds of tape, 3 art knives with 4 different kinds of blades. 2 airbrushes, 1 compressor, 4 kinds finishes - flat, semi-gloss, gloss and metalizer sealer. 8 grades of sandpaper, several version of nail files and buffers. Clamps, vices, pencils, markers, enough small metal tools that you'd think I was doing at home do it yourself Dentistry. Enough pastel chalk to sketch a wall size mural, 2 mixing trays
(one for paint, one for chalk), about 15 distinctly different paint brushes, small rubber hoses, wire, 3 different shades of thread, two kinds of toothpicks - the flat ones and the round ones, pipe cleaners, jars, two contraptions to hold pieces of models. 3 kinds of putty, Blue Tac, plastercine, cutting board, scissors, lazy Susan (invaluable for painting by the way), 5 - ¼ ounce paint cups, a dozen books ranging from "How to Airbrush" to "Rare Squadron Markings of the Luftwaffen" One room of my house completely taking over by the "Hobby". The shear look of panic on my face when I see the kids coming out of the "Hobby" room. Combine this with yelling at my wife because she actually used all the Future on the floors. For God sake woman, Future is a tool! This just scratches the surface. There are dozens of other things.

I used to go to the hobby shop and buy a model I liked. Now it's a decisioning process almost equal to filing my tax return. What's the cost? What's the rarity factor? Who makes it? How are the reviews? Quality? Raised or recessed lines? After market parts? Ya there's the killer, aftermarket parts. I'll give you an example. I used to be happy painting a seat. Then the seat HAD to have seatbelts. Then it had to be more detailed... more...accurate. Then I had to buy the resin aftermarket seats, instrument
panel, side panels, wheel wells, engines, exhausts. The model cost $23.00. Aftermarket? Another $56.00. And I'm HAPPY to pay it! Now I found an article
on how to scratch build a seat out of brass. Rivets and everything! I couldn't't be happier that I've changed a job that use to take 5 minutes, into a job that now takes 5 hours. Ironically after I put the pilot in, you really can't see the damn seat!

There are probably a dozen other things I can list, but this gives you some idea of what has happened in my life over the last couple of years.

Now you might think you'll have better self control when it comes to your "Hobby". But you won't. It might take longer for you to go over the deep end than it did for me, but, you'll go. Oh yes. And you'll love every minute of
it.

Larry