I’d like to see a thread filled with modelers tricks and techniques so that the collective wisdom
of this group could serve to educate us all
One of the now defunct Magazines { I think it was model railroading} used too run a monthly section on this subject and I found it very helpful over the years
Here’s a sample
When gluing clear plastic to window frames I use a pencil with a piece
of painters tape glued to the eraser
it makes it much easier positioning the plastic on the frame and keeps the glue off my fingers
You only have to wait a few seconds if you’re using CA
Yes, there used to be articles in all the major hobby magazines about tips and techniques, but since nobody builds any more there is no reason to continue using the space when it could be used for advertising.
Oh boy, where to begin. I don’t even know what skill is left in the world anymore. One of my techniques that I think is mundane would probably be a true revelation to another. Anyway, tip #1
Tip #1
Build only the two sides of a building you are going to see, use the other sides as raw materials for other projects.
Tip #2
When cutting thin wood put some masking tape on the back side of the cut to prevent the wood from splintering
Tip#3
Use Windex to thin acrylic latex paints for the airbrush. It dries faster and cleans up easier.
A British modellers website www.mremag.com has been doing exactly this for about the last 6 or so months and published once a week on Wednesdays. I contributed many items to this forum and that column as a support … which I believe needs to be two way from all of us in this hobby… and I feel OK when I ask for assistance. I also facilitated a number of hints submitted by others to the mremag site to assist the moderator.
Do we need to have a separate hints and tricks thread? I would have thought many inputs to this forum amount to hints and tricks, just a case of reading and finding them! Check out the making plastic look like wood for example and my version of how to do it is there, and no doubt there will be others!
Anyway the idea has merit but I think the territory is covered fairly well!
You’re right Trevor A seperate thread may over lap I guess I Was Trying to Cull out General Tips rather than case specific ones ie “How to make Plastic look like Wood”
I went to the site you mentioned and read some of the tips you mentioned there
So the question i’m left with is If they think it’s a good idea there why don’t we do it here ?
You’ll find these forums to be populated by a very thoughtful and imaginative group of modelers who are friendly and willing to share what they’ve learned. (Not that that doesn’t exist here…) But these forums are constructed in such a way that it’s a lot easier to find technique threads without having to wade through a bunch of other fluff.
I use 5 minute epoxy; I mix up a small amount in a soda cap and with the assistance of a magnifying glass and a jig to insure a straight line and a small paintbrush I paint a narrow 1mm(?) strip along the edges. The epoxy will set up rather rapidly; it may not be cured by within about a minute it will hold in place.
I’m not sure just when the kinks column expired in Model Railroader magazine but there were a lot of fine tricks-of-the-trade therein; some of the best of these were compiled in a issue titled 714 tricks or something like that; this is now out of publication but should you find a copy at a swap meen it is the expenditure of a few bucks!
My tip - when you see a useful tip in these forums, cut 'n paste it into a word document of tips - you can edit out the extraneous stuff, add comments & updates from posts down the thread, and even cut 'n paste images into the document. I add the date, the thread url, and a ‘tip’ block divider between tips. Then…you have a great list of tips! (Hey, if somebody got paid to write an article for RMC about clipping articles, then I can get credit for this [:P] )
I’ve used CA on clear plastic windows without any problems. I read about the problem many years ago by aircraft modelers, seems the hardening CA gives off fumes which can cloud the glazing in an enclosed cockpit. Since I’ve added windows to structures and rolling stock they are open to the air, and the fumes don’t collect on the glazing. I apply teeny dots of CA with a toothpick, and insert the glazing with tweezers. Works for me anyway.
There is a glue from the aircraft modelers that works too, its called, of all things, “Formula 560 Canopy Glue” from Pacer. Comes in a small plastic squeeze bottle, looks suspiciously like white glue. It does dry clear, I used it this week for the glazing in an O scale resin structure I’m finishing.
I use thick gloss medium from an art supply store to attach clear glazing. It is thick enough to hold them in place as they are drying & won’t show if a little squezes out. Some brands of tacky glue also work.
There have been a few times that I wanted some information on how folks did some particular thing or some technique used. The temptation to post it passed when I first did a SEARCH of the forums for the topic I was interested in. And guess what? It was there.
Something I came up with yesterday (using a p2K motor):
If you have a motor that is noisy, take it apart and sand the magnets and the plastic areas on the ends. Test it to see if it’s quieter. If not, check the copper wrapped around the armature, sometimes pat of it folds up. I pushed it back down, and glued it in place. Works nice and quiet. (I had a loose wire in it)
If your brand new Branchline boxcar takes a nose-dive off of Yuba Pass toward the concrete floor six feet below and it’s the only car you’ve ever had in the history of the world that decided to, then after a VERY fast ‘catch’, take the little dear over to the workbench and replace the Branchline wheels with Intermountain. Other than their crappy wheelsets, those Branchline cars are just wonderful.
Oh, and PS: As far as setting window glazing into frames with CA–that’s why God invented the Straight Pin.
