Starship Modeler Discussion Forums

I use something that sounds exactly like what you've described. I get mine from Caboose Hobbies, in Denver, but you can order from them online. Is this what you need?

Is it a bubble canopy, (like on an A-wing or an F-16), or a greenhouse canopy, (like on an X-wing or a B-24) ?

Anyone know why these things are so expensive? I've never got a set because it seems like there's not that amount of material in the things for the price. The same reason you wouldn't build a model for someone just for the price of the kit alone. Material costs are usually the cheapest part of a jo...

The main pressure hull of this model is a fishing float. It was much easier to work with than the ping pong balls that make up the fuel tanks. The canopy and the engine bells are different types of fishing floats.

I get mine from Professional Plastics . As Kylwell said, 4x8 foot sheets for $15 to $30, depending on thickness. Unless you are building something incredibly gi-normous, a 4x8 foot sheet will last a while. (And if you are building something gi-normous, 4x8 foot sheets are pretty much required). At t...

Another helpful trick: For larger holes, start off small and work your way up. So if you need a half inch hole for example, start off by drilling a 1/4" hole, then step up your drill size 1/16" at a time until you get to 1/2". It reduces the chance that the web of the drill will grab ...

Hey Irish, Regular model cement will thin Bondo spotting & glazing putty very well. Stuff like Ambroid ProWeld, Tenax, or even Testor's liquid cement. You can use it to feather the putty in, or just mix the two and apply it then. Sure it will bite into the plastic a little, but not any more than...

Is it that humid on the dark side of the moon?

I agree with Joseph Osborn, Lacquer thinner works even better than regular paint thinner, especially with Model Master enamels. It helps the paint go on smoothly, and dries quickly. I currently use Mr. Color leveling thinner, but I've had no trouble using plain old hardware store lacquer thinner. It...

Who?

Nice work, very clever designs. Do you plan on painting these in luft 46 schemes?

I'm looking forward to seeing this at CoMMiESFest. You've still got a couple months!

This is airbrush only paint. It does not need to be thinned, unlike other Model Master enamels, however it is not made to be brushed on. Like other MM metallizers, it should be airbrushed over a glossy, smooth primer coat, preferably black or silver, although you can get different effects by paintin...

Hmm, sounds like you probably don't need to paint it.

I'll have to try the ink in Future wash pretty soon.

What Kylwell said. Painting in sub assemblies is often easier. But I wouldn't tear a model apart to re-paint small areas. Well, it depends. If it's designed to come apart, like a Gundam kit for instance, then ok. But your boys, (I assume you're talking about kids, right?) have a point. It is their m...

I recommend Photoguy and Romulan Spy's method for this. I've had very good luck by airbrushing, in this order, gloss black, Alclad chrome, then an uneven coat of Alclad burnt metal, followed by a very light coat of transparent burgundy lacquer, (only around the edges), and transparent blue lacquer, ...

I've been doing this forever too. I use 1/4-20 stainless steel nuts, just because I have a bunch of them lying around.

You probably know this by now, but yes, it dries clear.

I'm having trouble picturing what you are trying to build. But I can answer the second question: Use CA to bond Aves to Aves. Or 5 minute epoxy.

Testors liquid cement, Tenax 7R, Tamiya cement, and Ambroid ProWeld all will work well with styrene and ABS. I prefer Ambroid myself, but it is quite "hot", and will turn a model into a gooey puddle if you're not careful. The trick with liquid cements is not which brand to use, but how you...

I'll second Kylwell's suggestion of using Mr. Surfacer, 1000 or 1200. And you can use them either way, they come in jars for airbrushing and in spray cans. Either way they produce an excellent base coat.

Even if you do get a proportional divider, you still shouldn't rule out getting a pair of calipers. Each has their own uses, I find calipers to be indispensable. For instance, when making multiple parts of the same shape, the calipers will tell you when they are all exactly the same, much better tha...

The purpose of mold release is to keep the molds from sticking to the resin. In fact, it keeps just about anything from sticking to the resin; paint, glue, putty, you name it. Different people use different products as a mold release, some more, um, persistent than others. Some scrub off with a litt...

Maybe about 20% or 30%. Preshading and post fading, and maybe some soot streaks. The rest I do with oil washes, drybrushing, pastels, and pencils.

File card is the way to go. Like a brass brush, only it's wider and the bristles are only about 1/8 inch long. I've never heard of the chalk method, but I've used a bar of soap to do the same thing.

Plastic shops like the one JDH linked to will have styrene in all different thicknesses, from .010 to .080 and thicker, 4' x 8' sheets, for ten or twenty bucks each. No need to use arms or legs as currency.

Welcome to the forums Alan. One of the easiest ways to remove excess resin is with a dremel tool. Cutting into an eighth inch slot, you'd need a pretty small bit, 3/32" or so. Barring that, you could try cutting into it with a razor saw, or an exacto sawblade, or a scroll saw blade chucked in a...

What do you mean? What does it look like, (looks like stainless steel, very nice looking); or how does it function? (Airbrush only, gloss black base coat).

The indexing head that srspicer shows uses 5C collets, (typical lathe collets). To use this you will need some way to center the part on the indexer. 1.125 inches in diameter is about the top end for 5C collets, although you can get oversize collets too. It might be better to chuck a steel or alumin...