SPA Modeler

Hah, I seem to be in "Chatty Cathy" mode this morning. And I couldn't think of a clever title for this post.

My talk about "tooling eras" made me think of something else,,,,,,and it is going to be a bit of a "Rex and his rambling thoughts" type of post.

On another forum, a while back, I asked about whether people "just know how to build models" or if they are the "constantly learn new techniques" modelers.

I keep getting into situations where I am both, at times.

Back when the Dinosaurs first got turned into plastic models, and the gasoline to go to the Hobby Shops (remember those places?), I learned how to cut plastic instead of my fingers, how to glue those pieces together, how to putty a seam, and how to paint White without leaving brush streaks all over the place.

I graduated to using "real" metalizers, like SNJ, and when I had to switch to Acrylics, I switched to Talon. Now I have Polly Scale metal colors, with some of the new "wonder paste" from AK. My putty used to be Testors tubes, then Squadron Green Stuff, and then Bondo spot Glazing putty. I also switched from Revell and Testors tube glue, to Testors Liquid Cement, then Tenax, and now Tamiya Extra thin. The only decal solvent I could get was Solvaset, then, later on the Microscale system. Knives were the same, I started with Dad's used single edge injector blades, then I made a handle for them, then discovered X-acto. Now I use Scalpels the most, with X-acto and the clones for some of the heavier work.

I used paintbrushes for so long that even after I got and learned the airbrush, I might still reach for a "real" brush when painting something where I will be doing "just a quick little session at the bench."

Where is he going with this? (I can sense that you are asking yourself this by now)

My point is that I only learned any of the newer ways to build models when I absolutely had to. Sometimes it is because of products going out of production, or sometimes it was because of a big deal, like having to change from Enamels to Acrylics.

I figure that I "know how to build models", because if I haven't figured it out in 51 years of modeling, I would just give it up. So, new techniques are not things I jump all over. The building is my deal, not the learning on each model. Modern models make this easier to do,,,,,,,,,a few swipes with a file or sandpaper, and things are changed to "right" much faster than trying to beat the Fujimi F-8 into "being acceptable" for a display model.

This new era is so cool that someone like Jimmy could start from scratch about 4 years ago, and wind up building models for a print magazine in that time. (I have never had a model published on paper in 51 years of doing this)

This line is not aimed at any certain person, but, to me, using my skills to get the details right is more important to me than expanding my skill set, and maybe not knowing what details need to "get more right."

Oh, and as for build threads and group builds,,,,,,,I am from the "modeler alone in the quiet" era,,,,,,and I am terrible at group builds,,,,,because if I remember to take the box and parts photo at the start,,,,,,,I wind up just building away, and the next photo I'd end up with is the finished model. All of those photos of painting the cockpit, the wheel wells, the fuselage seam filling and sanding,,,,,,,I just get too far past that place before I remember I was supposed to stop and take pictures. I do however, look at all of your threads as you put your models together,,,,,and watch as your model progresses.

I have a bunch of other thoughts,,,,,,,but, I've typed this long enough that I would have to scroll to see if I already talked about them, lol.

Just some ramblings from "Dinosaur Rex" as I sit here and wait for Anne to get up so we can go have lunch and then sing with some of our friends in a small mall nearby.

Have a good Sunday,,,,,,,and PM me if you ever need "tiny part X to change your Y into version Z in 1/72 scale"

I'm pickin up what you're puttin down!
I never really tried to analyze the method to my madness. Now that I think about it, I've gone through some major changes!

In the very beginning(mid 80's)....rip/twist/break the parts off the sprue, squirt some glue on em...sprue tabs be damned! Paint...what paint?!!!
Next BIG step, I'd trim off those sprue tabs with a steak knife I took from the kitchen. I even started filing the seams, with a giant file from Dads tool box (closer to a rasp than a file!)...Paint...maybe!

Good ole days!

After I got back into it (mid 90's)...seams would be clean and sanded, I used rattlecans and even masked so I could have multiple colors! This evolved (slowly) into using a cheap Testors a/b with canned air, and even some weathering. During this period, I honed my building/assembly skills and started scratch building details...I did not know anything about the after market world! Got fairly decent models by the early 2000's. Some of them are even still ok to look at. Had a few years hiatus.

Got back to it again in 09. I have evolved (slowly) during this current period. Going from spraying the base colors on bare plastic to adding a bit of tonal variation to those colors, on to panel line pre-shading, on to adding further tonal variation on top of that, to now, where I do the "black-base" thing with "marbling". All these changes just kinda happened.

oooh, yeah. Ive gone throu a number of growth periods....

I first started back in '05 I think, with Revell-Monogram boxings that my dad could get at Michael's/Hobby Lobby. Most were typical '70's and '80's vintage kits... Raised details, questionable fits, but I really enjoyed the detail that was included and how easy it was for me to build. Not that I built them well, however, as many of these early models were twisted off the sprue, slapped together and painted willy nilly...I would have been 15-ish at the time these were built.






Once I headed off to my first year of college in 2009, I learned about online forums and so many new techniques. I read all the articles and posts like a starving man eats food. I would consider this my first foray into competent scale modeling. This is the era where I actually detailed/painted the cockpits, filled and sanded seams, rescribed panel lines and began scratchbuilding. Most of these kits ended up being handpainted or sprayed via rattle can, as I dint think an air-compressor/airbrush set up would be allowed in my dorm!








Id say I moved into a third stage after I joined my local IPMS chapter. This would be the first time I had face-to-face interaction with fellow modelers! The members were more than happy to help show me even tips when building or painting, and have done nothing but encourage me to keep improving and trying new things.

My most recent models have focused more and more on perfecting my construction and finishing, and working on my airbrushing skills. The Club members have even given my models awards during our contests!!







I cant wait to see what I learn next!!!

nice pics, folks

BlackSheep, that WE coded Corsair is VMF-214, those codes were invented after WWII. (during the war, Navair used either geometric symbols or one letter tail codes for the carrier assignment)

Yeah, we live in some great times, as far as this hobby is concerned. Kit selection and quality is way better than ever. Aside from the mainstream manufacturers, there are also cottage industry companies turning out stuff that is better detailed than mainstream kits were when I first started building models... But I am pretty happy that I did cut my teeth on kits of that time. I have yet to come across a kit that is "unbuildable". (funny how the guys who make those pronouncements always seem to complete the kit anyways and it usually looks better than halfway decent) Raised panel lines do not bother me for the most part. In the grand scheme of things they are no more inaccurate that recessed details in most cases. Go look at a real WWII era aircraft and see how skin panels were often overlapping and rivets were actually raised!!! It's funny how a 1960s vintage kit can often catch these details better than a modern new tooled kit. Embossed circles for flush rivets instead of simple divots in the plastic. Seriously, if they could cut molds by hand 50 years ago to do that why is it not now done with CAD moldings? But I certainly have built kits that are more challenging and force me to up my game if I want it to look presentable when completed. And yes, I am not one that has to incorporate the latest fad into my latest build. Chipping and dot filters? I'll pass, thank you very much. I like working with what I know and pushing those tools and techniques as far as I can. I am not averse to learning new things and incorporating them into my bag of tricks. And I am slow to give up old stuff and replace it with the new. But over time I do see things here and there and incorporate them into my own techniques for use as needed...

It seems lately that everything on my bench changes or a technique changes to meet whatever hits the bench. I'm always learning new stuff and that changes all the time. It also changes the paints, glues, primers, putties. Heck even the kits have evolved as I've learned new stuff.

It's funny how I'm going thru kits in my stash with a different eye lately. Don't get me wrong, I love many of the new tool kits. But seriously the high parts count and engineering on them has me really saying is this what I want to build? Especially in my majority area of armor builds. Today's latest kits are simply fabulous to see detail wise, bet seriously, some are way over engineered at the same time. When a kit has a parts count of over 500 with much of it going into the tracks or suspension I find myself wondering why the manufacturer went to such lengths. I know there are guys out there who enjoy that level of building and details, but myself I find losing steam on such projects. My bench time is limited and my annual build rates are dropping from such issues. The finishing stages seem to slow me down enough more and more due to new and additional techniques that I keep adding to my bag of tricks. But then I seem to be stalling more and more now before I can even get to that point due to the build itself slowing me down or stalling completely.

I couldn't have said it better Carlos; I've even encountered this in my scale. One main reason I love the Modelcollect kits is they are fast and simple to assemble, yet they look so detailed that you'd think they had 500 parts! I don't like spending a ton of time on assembly; I want to get my models done so I can start painting and finishing them up. There are too many kits in my stash that I want to build to spend an inordinate amount of time on myriad detail pieces that may or may not be seen; or that could have been molded as one piece to make things faster.

Yes, I see how you 72nd scale builders can knock out completed kits at a rate that is simply not possible in new tool large scale kits. And much of the new tool 72nd scale stuff is pretty impressively detailed as well. I personally prefer highly detailed, but not over engineered. The new tool Revell, Airfix, or Tamiya stuff is all "just right" for me regarding those parameters. Get those items into a cost bracket I can afford and I am there.

I think I must be strange – I like old kits. I have some really nice NT Airfix, Revel , Trumpy and Tamiya kits in the stash, but time and time again I ending up building an old clunker.

I don’t build much outside 1/72 and I have to say any parts count over thirty for a WWII Single seater or an early jet puts me off and kills the enjoyment of the build.

A case in point is the NT Airfix Spitfires – I’ve built a few of these kits now and although they look good on the shelf (and the magazines), they’re a pig to build because of the cockpit. Do you really need a 5 or 6 part cockpit in a 1/72 Spitfire with a closed canopy? You’re lucky if you can see the IP.

The only exception to this is the NT mk.IX which has the more ye olde fashion ‘bloke on a seat on a peg’ type cockpit (the rest of the kit is superb) – and have to say, once it’s built and on the shelf you can’t and won’t tell the difference without a pen light.

And the NT Airfix kits can still be a difficult build. The Lancaster has apparently given people some headaches. And that’s the problem I think – in my experience with them they’ve not been as much fun as they’d look to be in the box – As I said I’m strange. I like the old stuff, Vintage Airfix, FROG, Monogram, MatchBox, Vintage Hasegawa – all good fun yet simple kits.

Mind you – it’d stupid to complain about it though – it’s really good that these new tools and manufactures are here, it’s a sign that the hobby is buoyant. Yes I like the old stuff, but it’s nice to have the choice – sometimes it does you good to build something more modern - and if I couldn’t build the old stuff, I’d be very thankful we have these new kits rather than nothing ( I really must have a crack at that trumpy SU-27 in the stash, it looks superb, two piece fuse and wings and not an overly high parts count).

As for techniques – I’m learning all the time, mainly to make the most of what I have. I’m not likely to get an airbrush any time soon, so I really enjoy seeing just what I can do with brushes and the more readily available paints. Weathering still seems a bit of a black art for me – so at present I’m just trying to keep it simple.