Basic Model Assembly?

[drwonga]

Hi Guys,

So as I am getting some more experience in building scale models the right way (turns out I've been doing it wrong when I was a kid), I'm realizing the order in which you assemble and paint makes a huge difference in how it comes out in the end.

So my question is, would you keep the details off the model until after decals have been applied, to avoid damaging them? Do you assemble and paint the details separately before attaching? Doesn't that ruin the paint finish if you wait till the last minute?

I was working on my P-47, and I attached some details, wanting to get them primed and put in the same shade as the rest of the model (I did leave the landing gears off though). Of course, after I primed, I ended up losing some details when I worked on another model. So I'm wondering what your thoughts are! Thanks!

[Grey Ghost 531]

Sorry, but the answer is, "it depends".

If it's a part that needs blending or filling in before painting, I put it on before painting. That usually includes antennae. Since those are very easy to break, they're the last thing to be put on before painting.

Little blade antennae on jets can usually be glued on after painting since they're often a different color than the airframe anyway. Most of them are not painted in real life, at least not painted when the aircraft are. They even have stencils on them saying "do not paint" because it would affect their performance.

Pitot tubes and gun barrels if they're separate parts usually go on after painting since they won't need any blending.

Canopies depend on whether they're the kind that has natural panel line at the joint (and they fit well) or are moveable on the real aircraft which means they go on after painting, or if they're the kind that needs to be blended in like the windscreen.

Propellers I never glue on. I put a brass tube in the nose or gear casing of the engine and an extra long prop shaft on the prop. That's so I can take the props off for transporting the model.

Sometimes you can attach small parts with white glue after all the painting is done. The glue dries clear and since you can see the paint through it, it usually looks okay.

I hope that's some help. What ever else you do, don't sweat it. This is supposed to be fun. Try it one way, if it doesn't work they way you want it to, try a different way next time. Also, if you haven't joined a club, try to find one. You'll find like-minded people you can show you how to do stuff. That's a lot easier that telling you.

[robtmelvin]

I think one of the biggest differences between our modeling now and what we did as kids is the whole concept of "thinking through the build." I'm not going to speak for anybody besides myself, but when I was a kid as soon as I go the shrink wrap off the kit I was grabbing for the glue! Now, I'm grabbing for the instructions so that I can pour over them like a race track tout pouring over the Daily Racing Form. LOL Before I ever pick up the first piece of styrene I try to get a plan formulated in my head. I keep a small notebook on my workbench where I jot down thoughts about how the kit should best be built, particularly any traps that spring out at me. I'll usually put that away and then come back to the instructions and my notebook the next day, or even a few days later and try to fine tune my "build plan". Only after I have a sense of a plan of attack do I even start to work on a kit. I try to constantly refine that build plan as I go, since I usually find things as I work up the kit that cause me to change my battle plan.

I think the first rule of a good build is think it though, then think it through again.

Bob

[drwonga]

Glad to know I'm not totally nuts. So marking up instruction sheets and making notes is a good thing!

[niart17]

I'll put myself down in the "it depends" field. Most of the time I'll prepaint most of the smaller details while still on the sprue and then scrape off where needed to get a good weld and then touch-up once finished. I've seen some guys that will build the whole thing, then prime and then paint. Seems like a hard way to do it, but works for them works so it's not wrong.

Bill

[Britaholic]

I usually go through the instructions, identify what colours are required for which parts (sometimes these are marked on the instructions), then I cut all the parts off the sprues, clean them up (get rid of seams and flash) and group them in sections dependant on what colour they require.

These are all painted and laid out on card, then assembly can begin, componants like undercarriage, aerials etc are laid out on card and left until the major assemblies have been assembled and painted. Thought if you are fading paintwork it is easy to forget them !

Here's the interior green componants of my latest "masterpiece" awaiting their turn for assembly.

And here's a finished mix of parts

Dennis

Edited February 10, 2011 by Britaholic

[tornado64]

Sorry, but the answer is, "it depends".

and that in a nutshell is the best one line advice

i have no particular build method , you just use judgement skills

the more you build and the more build skills you learn

the judgement skills will become second nature

don't worry about breaking bits off when building

anyone who says they don't is telling porkies !!

[tornado64]

I've seen some guys that will build the whole thing, then prime and then paint. Seems like a hard way to do it, but works for them works so it's not wrong.

Bill

i use it on armour build including details spray primer airbrush then paint details it's a superb method difrent to aircraft and very enjoyable

[Fishwelding]

The more you build, the better you'll get at developing a plan of attack for each kit. This is "craft knowledge," gained primarily through experience. I will tell you that generally, I do a better job building the same kit the second time around. Even crossing companies, if I am building the same subject again, I have a better idea of how to go about doing it (for example, an F-16 by Italeri, then a -16 by Hasegawa). I, too, occasionally jot down notes on kit instructions, both to guide the current build and anticipate a follow-on.

[Phantom ordie]

I've found through the years that you can't be in a hurry. You have to study the directions and the parts. I cut all the parts off the sprues being careful to remember the numbers or letters. Then clean up all parts and trial fit most everything. Determine how I'm going to assemble each section and what I need to paint first. Every kit needs a different approach.

[toadwbg]

I have yet to encounter any model kit instructions that were written with common sense. They get the big parts right (put fusalage together, add wings) but completely miss the boat when it comes to when it is smart to add small details and fiddly bits that get knocked off.

Some kits are engineered poorly- like when you must add landing gear in step 3 of 20 to trap it in the fusalage halves. Good chance that little booger will be breaking off.

As most of us have figured out by now: Kit Engineers and instruction writers are usually not modelers.