Hey all getting back into modeling after a interlude. I had done some airbrushing before ,but am trying it again. Do any of you folks use Walmart acrylics for airbrushing? If so would like to hear your tips and tricks.

Morning everyone I am hoping someone or multiple people can help me. I have the stl files of a 1:14 scale semi truck and want to 3D print them in 1:4 scale. Now I know I can measure everything out multiply by 14 then divided by 4 to get my scale, but my question is this. How much bigger is quarters scale vs 14th scale? I’m asking this way because if the answer is in percentage I could type that percentage into my slicer program and it should enlarge it to the correct scale. Well at lest that’s what I am hoping for at lest. Any help would be great and very much appreciated thank you

So over the years, I have tried different methods to make what is known as sprue goo (basically melted-down runners that the model comes on), and I have found that the smaller the bits will give better results when the plastic cement is added. So I hope someone can recommend a method to shred and/or grind these small bits of plastic as doing it manually has worn open blisters into my hand and fingertips.

The main body is a bit off green but I'm happy of my work

I haven’t modeled in years. I don’t plan on modeling for years. (I’m a truck driver with zero time or place for it). I’m not even a guy with a big stash of kits.

And yet… my love for modeling, good sales, and the Invader all came together in a perfect storm for me today and “forced” my hand.

Squadron emailed me about ICM 40% off sale today so I broke out the wallet and bought 3 of their Invader kits.

Can’t wait to build them someday!

That is all. Good day, folks.

I have been modelling "seriously"^* since I returned to the hobby in about 1988 or so. I've done minor conversions, lots of super-detailing, won awards from events ranging from local shows to IPMS/USA nationals to World Model Expo.

And I cannot drill a straight hole, it seems, to save my life.

Recently, I broke one of the gear-shifts for my 1/35 Toyota FJ43 from AK. I tried gluing the parts back together but the join-point was too small. So I reached for some brass wire, cut off the knob and the base, and fashioned a new "shaft" from the brass. But when I went to drill holes for the knob and the base, neither came out straight. I've managed to get an acceptable stick (since it'll be hard to see anyway), but man this is frustrating.

Any tips for how you keep a straight drilling? I mean, right now all I can think of is to get some blocks of plastic and just drill a few hundred holes (checking each after it's drilled)...

^* By "seriously", I mean involved with local clubs, doing extra detailing, etc. Not to be confused with the way I built as a child :-).

Hi all. I recently got an airbrush set as a gift. I've been brush-painting my models until now, partly because I'm fairly new to it but also because I'm a bit paranoid about the risks of airbrushing as my lungs are already a bit knackered.

I've looked into masks and spraying booths, but it all seems a bit much to have a hobby that requires hardcore safety equipment, especially when I already have respiratory issues. So my question is, would a decent mask and spray booth pretty much eliminate the risk of getting paint particles in my lungs? I use acrylic paints, if that makes any difference.

Hello guys, I am new to scale modeling and have recently purchased a revell airbrush to try my hand at that. However i have some issues with airbrushing. Im using revell paint and thinner but when i airbrush my model the paint comes out very inconsistently. Not only that the paint is very blotchy and it also dries on the needle. Do you guys have an idea of what i am doing wrong?

Goodday fellow moddellers!

I'm currently in the process of building a Meng PZH2000 with the added armor as seen in Russo/Ukrain war.

I want to build a diorama for it, where the pzh2000 is firing after it came out of its camouflaged hiding spot in the trees in a grassy area of the country (it will be a fictional country side)

To portray a proper howitzer firing location i would love to know the pzh2000 tactics, the howitzer carries 60 shells of any given type. I wonder if the howitzer moves to a location, camouflage the ffp, waits for a fire mission, drives out of the treecline, fires a few shots and hides again or drives to location, hides, fires a few shots and scoots out to a different location until it runs out of ammo and heads back to either a rearm location or calls in a rearm on site where it didn't fire.

I have considered counter artillery fire, but with an impressive 50km range with the excaliber munnitions i don't think they have much to fear.

Missing a lower track for one of my Sherman tanks (Brand: Plastic soldier.) Where could I get a replacement part? Or would I have to buy a whole new set?

Hey Modellers; I’ve been out of building for quite some time, used to build Tamiya and Revell automotive stuff probably 10+ years ago but I’ve got the itch to get back into it.

I love mostly Euro, endurance racing, and JDM stuff, everything from Porsche to Initial D and whatnot in between. I’ve been looking at some of the Japanese brands like Fujimi/Aoshima but don’t know what kind of quality/skill level those kits are. Anyone here familiar with them, or have other recommendations? Better to start with something simpler getting back into it?

Let me know!

Over the years I've been modelling, crafting, woodworking, building furniture both full size and miniature, I have never had a single project that I felt was "perfect". There is ALWAYS something that I've felt could have been done better. It usually related to something minuscule; a cut just slightly off, a gap where there shouldn't be, flashing that you missed cutting or sanding.

It drives me crazy..."Good enough" does not work for me. We all know having good tools, and the right tools for the job, are hugely important . I recently found one of those "Why didn't I get one sooner?" kind of tools.

I'm talking about an ultrasonic knife. They're been used in the food industry for a long time, for cutting breads, cheese, mass produced sliced fruit, sandwiches etc. and have made their way into more niche uses, like model making. They haven't made big inroads because of price but that's starting to change as the prices have dropped.

I bit the bullet on one a while ago, and wanted to share my experience with it so far. They work on a similar principle to an oscillating saw. Instead of the blade moving a few millimetres a few thousand RPMs, and ultrasonic knife oscillates at 40,000 cycles a second. Instead of moving millimetres, it moves in nanometers, but generates sound waves, which have a disruptive effect in material bonding with itself on a molecular level. With greatly reduced resistance, things that are difficult to cut with just a razor knife, fall apart with an ultrasonic knife.

If you work in leather, or styrene, you NEED one. Cutting parts away from a tree can be the beginning of a ton of scraping and sanding, just to remove the tiny spots of flashing. This thing lets you remove parts incredibly clean, no flashing, no rough edges. With clear plastics & acrylics, it will give you a clear, finished shiny edge, and it's much quicker to cut with. "a hot knife through butter" is what I keep thinking of, cutting plastics. Leather cutting is vastly easier. The knife just glides through.

They make no noise, and there is no vibration at all. The only way you can tell it's functioning is with a change in the operating light color. The sonotrode (ultrasonic pulse generator) generates no noise audible beyond an occasional high pitched squeak on certain materials.

They aren't cheap. The one I bought was around $350 CDN, and there are several in that range, and up. I purposely haven't mentioned the make/model I have for a couple of reasons. I'm not a shill for any company, first off. Secondly, they ALL do exactly the same thing; the only difference is in features and power output. If you cut mostly styrene, 15W is almost perfect. For leather, heavier plastics and acrylics, 30W and up will do a faster job.

Overall, it's a very worthwhile tool to invest in. It speeds up your work, is much cleaner cutting, and really versatile. You need to be paying attention when you're using it; a razor knife cut can be severe. A ultrasonic knife will cut you like a "hot knife through butter"

Playing around with the idea in Ikea (yes I took my Challenger 2 to test things out.

Ultimate version I went with. Billy bookcase with glass door and replacement glass shelves.

Just wondering how other people choose to store and display their finished work? I have a book case in the snug, big enough that it will take a long time for my to fill up with a glass door to cut down on the amount of dusting I have to inevitably do overtime.