Scale plastic model kits

New Master Box August 2010 Releases. Iraq set of 2 kits.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:06:00 +0000

Master Box have announced their newest model kits.
August 2010 releases was 2 model kits on Iraq War theme.

Iraq. Kit #1 US Troops 4 figures 1/35 Master Box 3575

Iraq. Kit 2 Iraqi Insurgence 4 fig 1/35 Master Box 3576

Released! Rolls Royce British Armoured Car 1920 1/35 Roden 801

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 21:05:00 +0000

Finally!!! Roden has been released their first model kit in 1/35!!

Rolls Royce British Armoured Car 1920 1/35 Roden 801

Price: $36.85

Molds looks good. Decals and Gum wheels are includedFinally!!! Roden has been released their first model kit in 1/35!!

The Rolls-Royce armoured car was a British armoured car developed in 1914 and used in World War I and in the early part of World War II.

The Royal Naval Air Service raised the first British armoured car squadron during the First World War. In September 1914 all available Rolls Royce Silver Ghost chassis, including their engines whose power had been increased to about 80 hp, were requisitioned to form the basis for the new armoured car. The following month a special committee of the Admiralty Air Department, among whom was Flight Commander T.G. Hetherington, designed the superstructure which consisted of armoured bodywork and a single turret for a Vickers machine gun.

The first three vehicles were delivered on 3 December 1914, although by then the mobile period on the Western Front, where the primitive predecessors of the Rolls-Royce cars had served, had already come to an end.Chassis production was suspended in 1917 to enable Rolls-Royce to concentrate on aero engines.

The vehicle was modernized in 1920 and in 1924, resulting in Rolls-Royce 1920 Pattern and Rolls-Royce 1924 Pattern. In 1940, 34 vehicles which served in Egypt with the 11th Hussars regiment had the "old" turret replaced with an open-topped one carrying a Boys anti-tank rifle, .303 inch Bren machine gun and smoke grenade launchers.

Some vehicles in Egypt received new chassis from a Fordson truck and became known as Fordson Armoured Cars. Pictures show them as equipped with what appears to be turrets fitted with a Boys ATR, a machine gun and twin light machine guns for anti-aircraft defence.

1920 Pattern Mk I - thicker radiator armor and new wheels.

Rolls Royce Armoured Car
Rolls Royce 1920 Pattern
Type	Armored car
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Service history
In service	1915 to 1941
Used by	United Kingdom Ireland
Wars	World War I, Irish Civil War, World War II
Production history
Manufacturer	Rolls-Royce
Variants	Rolls-Royce 1920 Pattern, Rolls-Royce 1924 Pattern, Fordson Armored Car, Rolls Royce Indian Pattern
Specifications
Weight	4.2 tonnes
Length	4.93 m (194 in)
Width	1.93 m (76 in)
Height	2.54 m (100 in)
Crew	3

Armor	12 mm (0.47 in)
Primary armament	.303 Vickers machine gun
Secondary armament	none
Engine	6 cylinder petrol 80 hp (60 kW)
Power/weight	19 hp/tonne
Suspension	4x2 wheel (double rear wheels), leaf spring
Operational range	240 km
Speed	72 km/h (45 mph)

Dingo Mk. III Scout Car Miniart 35077 review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 21:59:00 +0000

Dingo Mk. III Scout Car Miniart 35077

The "Dingo" in detail
It would be an absurd and pointless to compare this model with the older Tamiya, so let us assume that this is the first model produced by the vehicle and leave it at that ...!

The first thing to think about the sprues, as many parts. The dingo was probably one of the smallest (armored) vehicles of World War II, and it is amazing how many parts have been considered necessary to reproduce. This is partly due to the fact that it is an open-top vehicle, and not with a full interior would be counter-productive. The other problem, if the modeler must be reasonable (as if we are not) is the thickness of the walls of the crew one. Looking at it from different angles, they look good and give an impression of scale. Brief produce them in photo-etch (with added entertainment value of the bend to the right angle) the designer has done an excellent job.

Another well thought out was in the design of the wheels. The tread pattern is perfectly reproduced, and each wheel is a piece of molding system, which avoids damage to the tread and problems with orientation. Each wheel is equipped with a separate application for the hub on the axle on this page.

>
With regard to the internal details for a moment, everything is as it should be. The N º 19 radio is done well, with his battery, and the seats are very nicely detailed and the debate on the design of the originals. The Super Detailer may want additional cabling to areas such as the radio (the protective "cage" in the PE-leaf) and the wiring inside the building, but apart from that, pretty much everything is there.

The hatch in the fuselage are finely made, although there is a very thin film of flash-round, they need careful cleaning.

The suspension, it is for those who dislike complex constructions - Good News! - Suspension of Dingo is pretty simple. The big spring shock absorber is also a little more attention, because in my eyes, the coils are a little too close together. Not every kind of problem - a few minutes with a file should arrange it. The N º 19 aerial mount is well done, as well as the distinctive "British" fire extinguishers. Side lights and main lights, etc. are excellent reproductions of the originals - again, the company has done its homework on the little details.

I have only superficial measurements with my own plans, but from what I can tell, there are no glaring errors in the angles and dimensions.

With the subtlety of some of the smaller parts, real care must be exercised as they consider their sprues - This is a very sophisticated model, and the small pieces reflect this.

The crew figures  
Hey! They are made MiniArt, and they are British. What more could you ask for? Well, in fairness, they are some very good numbers. Both are shown to bear the AFV Crew denim overalls. Check my references, once again, that all should be present there. A figure sits to the driver as the vehicle, the other, is the vehicle commander. Some light cleaning to eliminate some forms of lines, however, that apart from two excellent figures. Detail is crisp and right brains are good though perhaps some might want to use AM resin heads (especially to change the head-gear). In itself but a good sign for the future.


Conclusions
MiniArt, like all major manufacturers are not following "whims". They invest in the bars and tools, which are to maximize their investments. I would expect that the Italian Lince in the future along with the Mk.1 / 2 in the German service.

Once again, the long wait was worth it. This is an excellent model of a very common vehicle was in service for more than 30 years. The quality of the forms of the superlative is not in the "Shake 'n Bake" class, it is in a superb model with some basic modeling skills. Although I miss the gate, about what I had was enough for me to say that MiniArt have some serious work on this set, which is in sales - that earned in large quantities.

Finally, once again my thanks to the team of MiniArt Ltd for this network can be one of the first at this excellent model!
                      </span>

Masterbox announced aircraft 1/32 produce line

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:40:00 +0000

Masterbox Ltd have only the "official" information, which is particularly welcome that you, the big aircraft issues.

The company, which has an excellent reputation in 1/35th scale military topics are the pages in the aviation market.

Currently they are working on both flight crew and ground staff in 1/32nd-scale - an area that has unfortunately not in injection-molded styrene.

The list they have published is the following:

1 / 32 Scale. Military Miniatures

- 3201 Air Force flight and maintenance personnel

- 3202 U.S. Air Force flight and maintenance personnel

- 3203 Royal Air Force flight and maintenance personnel

- 3204 Imperial Japanese Air Force flight and maintenance personnel

- 3205 Soviet Air Force flight and maintenance personnel

In addition Masterbox have announced that they are in the planes with the following themes - in 1/35th scale

- 3568 Horsa MK 1 troop-contributing with an umbrella. Model numbers of the British paratroopers with this record.

- 3583 Horsa MK 1 troop-contributing with an umbrella. This model is consistent with the numbers of American paratroopers.

- 3584 Douglas C-47 Skytrain. This model is consistent with the numbers of U.S. aircraft and maintenance personnel and U.S. paratroopers.

- 3585 Douglas C-47. In British and Commonwealth Service, the C47 Dakota. This model is consistent with the numbers of British aircraft and maintenance personnel and the British paratroopers.

- 3587 German military cargo aircraft Junkers Ju-52. Affectionately as "Aunt Ju" by the German troops. Also in this series are the numbers of German aircraft, maintenance personnel and the German paratroops.

Long-awaited U.S. Bantam Jeep are IN SALE in 1/35 scale Miniart 35014

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:20:00 +0000

What did you said, you will ask?! Yes!!!
US BANTAM JEEP Miniart 35014 1/35 ARE IN SALE!!!!
We waited for this release for a long long time.
Official date of release this model kit was an June 2008.
Miniart-models.com already in August signed Bantam Jeep as AVAILABLE but manufacturer delayed this model kit.

And now it happens! This kit come to first traders and during a month or more will be available in woldwide stores.
Let check again the model kit specifics:
Bantam Jeep kit consist of 152 parts, this model contains the jeep vehicle along with five figures. This five figures was taken from stan alone model kit 35047 - US Jeep Crew.
This is the first model from any plastic manufacturer of this Bantam Jeep vehicle.

Retail Price: ~19.50 US$

THIS IS built US JEEP CREW 35047 photos:

So here is a photos of built Bantam Jeep:
This is a main mold of Jeep. As we can see form picture, this is high detailed kit.

And here is a box:

Photos was taken from www.plastic-models-store.com

History of Plastic modeling

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 10:53:00 +0000

The history of plastic modeling arose shortly before the Second World War, albeit in very limited form. Mass-produced plastic kits came in the period after the Second World War era, but you can not look at the history of plastic model without the long history of modeling in general, which dates from at least to ancient Egypt. Some graves contained models of cars and ships. In the history models were used to ideas and designs for recording. Before photography models rank with the art to contemporary events. In the lobby of the El Presidente Hotel in downtown Santo Domingo is a model of Santa Maria. It is 20 Century model used to illustrate the history of islands. In fact, most models from the past seem to be vessels and many are also in hand. Most warships have been built before the model ship was built. Until the mid-20th Model century was a hobby, the vast quantities of time. With the availability of mass-marketed plastic model kits and disposable incomes in the (relatively) prosperous times after the Second World War and Reconstruction in Europe and Japan, a new hobby was born: plastic kit building.

One of the main selling points was a link with history. Another was a hunger for an understanding of how different machines work. Model creates an interest in issues that will in any case from what is the color of the engine in Richard Petty's car, or what color was a F6F-5 Hellcat. Modeling allows each user a separate representation of the USS Constitution, or to keep Darth Vader's Tie fighter.

The first plastic models were manufactured in the 1950s by the British company Frog and Airfix. American manufacturers like Revell, AMT, Monogram and won promotion in the 1960s as French Heller SA in Europe. Since the 1970s, Japanese firms such as Hasegawa and Tamiya have dominated the field and represent the highest state of the art. Brands from Russia, Central Europe, China and Korea have also prominent recently. Many smaller companies also have plastic models.

During the injection-molding is the predominant manufacturing process for plastic models, the high cost of equipment and tools make it unsuitable for lower-income production. For example, models of small and obscure subjects are often produced using alternative methods. Vacuum Forming is popular for aircraft models, although assembly is more difficult than for injection molded parts kits. Resin-casting, popular with smaller manufacturers, especially "aftermarket" companies (but also producers of full kits) yields a greater degree of detail formed in situ, but as the forms used not so long, the price for this Kits is much higher. In recent times, the latest releases from major manufacturers offer unprecedented detail, this is a game for the best resin kits, which are often also high-quality mixed-media (photo-etched brass, turned aluminum) parts.

Order of multiple paint coats

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 09:33:00 +0000

Question
I'm trying to get the smoothest finish possible - not necessarily the glossiest. In other words, I HATE orangepeel! After I apply a color coat, I'm not about the correct sequence of (a) clearcoat, (b) sand (c) colorcoat. IOW, once I cover the model with color, should I use any additional color coats? Or just multiple clearcoats with sanding in between? And if I use more color coats, should I sand EVERY coat? Or just the clears? Or just the colors? Many thanks for the trouble you take to answer our question! Tom

Answer

The best (smoothest) finish should be obtained by applying a good color coat first. After that has dried well you can Polish out any irregularities with fine grit sand paper (2000, 3200, something of that order.). If additional coats are needed you can apply them lightly afterwards. I would wait for clear coat until the finish is blemish free. If you are using gloss paint for the color coats make sure that the coats are thoroughly dry between coats. Sometimes that might take a day or two. A trick that a friend uses for his funny car models is to use finger nail polish as it dries very smooth.

I have managed to get fairly smooth finishes by polishing the surface prior to my first coat and building up the paint in light layers. I also sometimes use flat paints and a final gloss coat. That usually results in a smooth finish. There really is not a science to good paint finish, it is more of an art that each person develops on their own.

How to get great effects custom painting plastic models

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 16:04:00 +0000

How to get great effects custom painting plastic models?

Two cheap way's to get very good results on model cars is to go to the cheap shops ($2 dollar ones) and check out the nail polish ..amazing colours huge range and at $2 dollars its cheap, looks great and holds its colour..also a product by "pentel pens" called "metallic brush" fantastic pen brushes ..self contained pump fed water based metallic paint in about 12 colours take covering with enamel clear top coat @$8.00 at good papershops /stationers and both of these items will last for a vast number of projects and will keep for years

Depending on What you are trying to do, you can use an Air Brush, Painting masks, and painting templates. IF you are a Military Modeler Dry brushing is what works the best for mud Streaks and splashes, Oil runs, Rust spots with runs down, exhaust streaks. The list of things that can be done is almost endless. The Best answer is Practice, lots of practice, and patience. :)

How to remove chrome parts from model car

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 09:00:00 +0000

In previous post I wrote How to remove chrome from plated parts and How to remove paint from your models.
Today we will talk about another method of removing chrome parts from car model!
Ever wonder why kit makers seem to chrome some of the strangest parts? Everything from distributors to oil pans make it into the plating bath. If you are building a trailer queen show car, great, but if you prefer to detail your kits with a more practical look, here's how to remove that pesky chrome in no time.

You should do some steps:

Know that not all plating is created equally. Depending on the manufacturer, the stripping process can take a few minutes or a few hours, which is generally no sweat since you will be building that 426 Hemi while waiting for the valve covers to de-chrome
Get an airtight container, such as a prescription bottle.
Get the chemical for stripping the chrome. Easy-Off oven cleaner can work, but it does have a weird smell, so many prefer chlorine bleach, found in the laundry aisle of your local retailer. Get the cheap stuff, it has no added fragrances and seems to work better for this purpose.
Pour enough bleach into the container to cover the parts. Usually about an inch or so will do the trick.
Drop the parts into the bleach and place the lid on securely. Here's where the airtight part comes in. Since most plastic parts float in bleach, shake the container a little to insure tha parts are covered.
Take a look after about an hour. If the chrome is hanging tough, replace the lid and wait another hour. If the parts are still shiny after that, leave them in the bleach overnight.
Once the parts are dechromed, recover them using tweasers. Place them in a container of fresh water to soak. After 30 min. replace the water and allow them to soak another 30 min.
Be sure and dump your container.

Helpful advices:

If you can get your hands on a small strainer or wire basket, it will help in the rinsing process. Just be careful when rinsing under the tap. Plugging the sink is a good idea, unless you really want to test your plumbing skills by trying to fish out a 1:25 scale carb from the J trap.
Use lukewarm water to rinse. It takes the bleach off faster than cold.

Warning! Be attentive:

Bleach is dangerous if handled improperly. Protect your eyes and skin.
Rinse all tools and containers after use with bleach and do not use soap of any kind when rinsing. This will cause the bleach to gas off and the results can be harmful.
Clearly label your stripping container and never leave it in the reach of children. Using a child resistant container (pill bottle) will help but "child resistant" isn't child proof, so be safe and put the container out of reach of children.
Again, protect your eyes, skin and clothing. Work around the sink to help contain possible spills.

Soviet tank crew at work 1/35 Miniart 35017 REVIEW

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 14:07:00 +0000

plBefore I have already made a review of new Miniart diorama Street with Ruined house Miniart 36001 and today we will make a review of Miniat Soviet Tank Crew at Work 35017

Advantages: nice, modern set of figures in casual poses "doing something" around any tank or vehicle
This kit is available at Plastic Models Store just check Soviet Tank Crew at work
Conclusion: Highly Recommended
Recommended: for all Soviet armor modellers and dioramists

For too many years, the wealth of facts, figures and attaches importance were produced too narrowly focused only on the Second World War, German subjects, the very frustrating for the rest of the arms and body. When the stray American, Russian or (heaven forbid!) Commonwealth set came out, Modeler would fall on them like a pack of hungry piranhas, no matter how good or bad it was.

By the way. we wait for opening web store of miniatr model. Plastic Models Store will opens in second part of 2008 year.

Happily many of the newer manufacturers have seen this and now the Chinese and Eastern European ones are filling the void, and with good, high quality figures too. Miniart has begun with a pretty good track record on figures, and now Soviet WWII modelers have been able to get some decent figures to compliment the growing number of WWII Soviet armored vehicles offered.

This set provides five Soviet tankers performing maintenance. Three of the figures are posed as it operating a bore brush for the main armament (which was usually carried in sections inside the longest of the stowage bins – "ZIP" in Russian for spares, tools and accessories – on the fenders of nearly all combat vehicles. One bareheaded figure is posing with a rag in hand and the commander is standing in a relaxed position with his hands set to drape over an open hatch.

The one thing that I have noticed about the new Miniart figures is that their facial sculpting yields to no one. The five heads in this set are the equal of many of the after-market resin ones offered and can be shown to have individual expressions and even ethnicity – one tanker hear looks to be a Tadzhik (central Asian) with a shaven head and it shows. The same goes for the other four.

Anyone with a good set of tank blueprints may want to have the man with the rag working on cleaning out the tank's air cleaners, which needed constant maintenance with a good cleaning by the crew every 3-4 hours (until 1951 when UVZ finally created a working design that solved that problem.)

Finishing is provided similar to DML boxing with an assembly diagram and color directions on the back of the box. Interior directions provide a handy sketch of where the parts for each figure are located on the sprue.

Overall, this is a great set and one that any diorama modeler would be able to find good use for with a T-34 or IS tank or other 1943 and later armored vehicle.

NEW MODEL KITS of MINIART are IN SALE NOW!!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 14:01:00 +0000

NEW MODEL KITS of MINIART are IN SALE NOW!!
New Miniart kits:

SOVIET SELF-PROPELLED GUN CREW 1/35 WWII MA 35037
GERMAN ARTILLERY CREW RIDERS 1/35 Miniart 35040
GERMAN SOLDIERS w/FUEL DRUMS 1/35 Miniart 35041
Russian SOVIET NAVAL TROOPS 1/35 Miniart 35043
STREET with RUINED HOUSE WWII 1/35 MiniArt 36001
RUSSIAN STREET with ADVERT COLUMN 1/35 Miniart 36002

All this new releases of Miniart manufacturer are in sale now in eBay.
Welcome to my auctions. And you are welcome in my Plastic Models Store where you can find many Miniart model kits.
Thank you.

Here you can check the review of 36001 Miniart Street with ruined house
Here you can read How to glue different parts of models.

How to remove paint and chrome from a model.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 10:56:00 +0000

How to remove chrome from plated parts? How to remove paint from your models?

The chrome plating on model parts is very fragile, and most hobby paints are not much tougher. There are hobby specific paint removers available at different hobby shops, Easy-Lift-Off made by Polly S has been recommended, but many household cleaners will also remove paint and/or chrome. Take a plastic container with a lid and soak or scrub the part or complete model in/with one of the following, listed in roughly increasing order of chemical nastiness:

Castrol Super Clean (hand cleaner ? - buy at auto stores),
Fantastic, Formula 409, Pinesol (not lemon scented),
Chlorine bleach (works good on chrome, maybe not paint),
using a toothbrush to scrub with Comet cleanser (for chrome, not paint),
EZ-Off oven cleaner,
common dot3 brake fluid (more toxic - not good to wash down the drain -but good for long dry paint).

By the way, you can try another method. You can very carefully reverse plate the chrome off, using an acid pickle. You should be able to remove the chrome layer down to the nickel underneath without harming the plastic.
It's unlikely that a bit of acid on the plastic will harm it anyway....after all the acid probably came in a plastic container, right?
You can also buff it off.

The time to soak varies with harshness of the chemical, from a few minutes to a some days. Chrome plating would just disappear, you will likely have to scrub the paint off with an old toothbrush, especially from the nooks and crannies. Many cleaners are reported to etch or
embrittle plastic, so keep the exposure brief and flush with water afterwards. A downside to the harsher, faster acting chemicals is that they tend to remove putty as well.

One thing you shouldn't to use is standard methyl-ethyl ketone based paint removers - this stuff will disolve styrene very quickly. Lemon scented Pinesol has also been reported to soften plastic.

Finally, the nastier of these cleaners - especially the EZ-Off and bleach - can cause burns to the skin, eyes and nose, and who knows what else. Use common sense and lots of ventilation (common sense includes wearing safety goggles, rubber gloves, and a respirator when using this sort of stuff).

I have already wrote about paint removal in my prevoius posts, so you can read this:

Thanks.

Street w/Ruined House diorama review Miniart 36001

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 13:08:00 +0000

Hi again friends. As I promised before, today I will post the review of new model of Miniart from new "Diorama" line in 1/35 scale.

They have announced the release of 3 new diorama kits in September this year.

And now I want to show you the first model in new line - "Street w/Ruined House" Miniart 36001.
Today we will look in the box, check the molds and we will look a built photos of this kit.
So here we go.
Box:
BOX Dimentions: 345x240x60 mm
Number of plastic parts: 63
Inside the box we can see this molds:

There are 4 plastic parts of walls of ruined house and Stone blocks Road.

And now you can check built photos of this kit "Street w/Ruined House Miniart 36001".
Please, Enjoy!

Thanks, guys. Please, comment this post. Bye!

New Dioramas by Miniart.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 08:07:00 +0000

Hello. Today I want you to present new kits of Miniart manufacturer. In September Miniart opened a new deparment of model kits. And this is a "Diorama" line. Now there are available only 3 kits but only 2 of them is in sale.

MiniArt is becoming a household name, partly due to the constant release of new products. They have announced the release of two new diorama kits in September this year.

Two new releases come from MiniArts new "Diorama" line. This line of kits states that each comes as a complete diorama.
They include everything you need ; you will find a base, a building, and building details in each of these kits. In past kits they have included propoganda posters too. The website does not picture these. This could have been an oversight, because the site does state that they are included.

The kits are:

36001 Street w/Ruined House

and

36002 Russian Street w/Advertising Column.

And the third item in "Diorama" category is

36003 STREET w/PARK WALL

and this kit will coming soon.

The first and third kit is fairly generic and can be set in a number of locations while the second has strong Soviet architectural themes in it.
This 3 dioramas are available in Plastic Models Store for a good prices.
In next posts in this blog I will make a reviews of this three dioramas.
Thanks and good luck!

Painting Model Aircraft Interiors Part Two - Cockpits

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 12:15:00 +0000

Painting of your plastic models is so difficult for you?! Helpful video from youtube.com
Part 2.

Painting Model Aircraft Interiors Part One - Wheel Wells

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 12:15:00 +0000

Painting of your plastic models is so difficult for you?! Helpful video from youtube.com

Best method to remove old paint

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 14:05:00 +0000

What is a best method to remove the old paint without scoring or ruining the actual plastic?

The best way to do this is by using a paint thinner(not paint stripper). The best thing to do is to purchase the paint thinner at a hobby shop because then at least you'll be certain the paint thinner is designed for plastic model kits. Using this will in no way score or ruin the plastic, at least I've never known it to. Depending on how many layers of paint there is, you may need more than one application. Also, if the paint is very old and has been applied for quite some time, there may be some staining of the plastic meaning that there might be some discoloration of the plastic even after all the paint has been removed. To apply the paint thinner you can use cotton swabs(preferably), facial tissues or Q-Tips for small or hard to reach places.

And you can find the answers from related articles from another sites:
How to remove paint from plastic models

Thank you and best regards, see you soon.

How to repair your Models.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 11:53:00 +0000

All of us break things, but for miniatures there are some special issues you need to think about before you proceed with a repair. First make sure you gather up all the pieces! Handle the pieces as little as possible to make sure oils from your hands do not compromise the repairs. If you have the tiny tools and magnification needed you may be able to do some repairs. If not, consult a local club for help.

Resin

Resin based miniatures are tricky to repair. Many household glues for resin will yellow and eventually damage the miniature. If the piece is not valuable you may be successful with crazy glue or epoxy. Use as little as possible and check with a museum before using either of these gluing methods on your particular miniature.

Styrene Plastic

Most plastic model kits are made from polystyrene. Breaks in this material can be mended with cyanoacrylate (crazy glue)or model cement which are the glues generally used by modellers to assemble these models. The type of glue (gap filling, fast drying etc.) should be matched to the type of repair needed. The piece may need to be gently supported with tissue paper or plastercine in order to allow the glue bond to set properly. Follow safe practises when using these glues, work only in well ventilated areas. (Acetone/nail polish remover will unstick fingers glued by crazy glue.)

Thank you.

(materials from www.about.com)

Should You Choose Acrylic Paint?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 12:02:00 +0000

Before You Paint - Should You Choose Acrylic Paint?
When choosing paint for a miniatures project you must consider a number of points.

Will the object be handled? If so, it should be painted with enamel/oil paint. Acrylic paint will need special sealers to allow repeated handling./li>

Is the object porous, does air get through? Acrylic paint works best where air passes freely through the object. On plastics or metals, acrylic paint will only survive if it is painted on top of a sealing base coat./li>

Which paint suits your working style? Oil/enamel paints take longer to dry and allow more time to adjust colors. Acrylic paints are fast drying and easy to clean up after.

Easy Clean Up

Acrylic paints are easy to clean up using soap and water. Only mix small amounts of paint at a time, use a flower palette (see basic tools) with a cover, and cover unused paint when you leave your work. Paint stored under a cover will last for up to 24 hours before drying out. The time depends on heat and humidity levels in your work area. Dried bits of paint are easily peeled off the painting palette when dry.

Best Types

Acrylic paints come in a wide variety of forms. If you haven't used them before, learn to blend your own colors using artist’s quality acrylic paints and acrylic mediums, rather than using hobby or craft paints. Artists quality paints are much better colors with much less filler than student quality paints.

Student quality is usually above the standard of craft paints. Craft paints are usually more opaque with more fillers than artist’s paints. Craft paints are not rated for lightfastness or pigment content.

Many craft paints are specified in particular instructions. If you want your miniature to match, use these.

Acrylic Mediums Enhance Effects

Learn to use acrylic mediums, extenders and thinners, to create the effect you want. A wide variety of acrylic mediums are available which extend the handling qualities of the paint. Some thin it, some add texture, some change transparency, some even allow you to use the paint as a fabric paint. Sample jars of mediums are available. Using Pumice medium will allow you to instantly create a stucco texture.

Best Used on Porous Materials

Use acrylic paints on materials which breathe and do not trap moisture – paper, wood, terracotta, bisque.

If you will use acrylic paints on non porous materials: metal, plastic or resin, use proper undercoats and overcoats. These materials do not breathe so anything painted on them needs to dry perfectly and not swell or contract. If possible, use enamel paints on these materials, or use undercoats with acrylic paint to help the acrylic stick properly then seal the acrylic coating with an overcoat to prevent it absorbing moisture.

Fast Drying Thin Layers

Acrylic paints are fast drying and can be thinned with water and acrylic medium to apply very fine layers.

Use thin coats to accent surface detail. Thick coats of paint will fill in the details and lower your opportunities to add highlighting washes.

Acrylic paints are idea for situations where you want to apply washes to highlight miniature details. Very thin yet opaque coats can be used to create the base, then detail washes can be applied over the base coats without any danger of blending or bleeding.

Do not over thin acrylic paints with water, the paint will become weak. Use a mix of water and acrylic medium.

Soft Coatings

Acrylic paints never completely dry out. They are hydroscopic and will swell slightly with moisture. They are not for use where wear is important. If you need a hard lustrous coating use oil/enamel paints.

Applying Paint

Acrylic paints are easy to use with brushes or airbrushes.

Airbrushes: Thin the acrylic mixture with medium and water to achieve the correct consistency for using with your airbrush. After use, run a mixture of soap and water through the airbrush to remove all paint traces.

Brushes: Choose the right brush for your painting task and the thickness of paint. Ask the art store what type of brush you should use. Always wash your brush with soap and water after painting and use your fingers to pull the brush back into shape and leave to dry standing upright.

(materials from www.about.com)

eBay Plastic Models Store . OPENING!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 08:56:00 +0000

Hello my dear friends.

2 days ago I opened an eBay Plastic Models Store.

And now I want to invite you to my Plastic Models Store on eBay.

You can find there many figures of soldiers, buildings, military vehicles, aircrafts.
I have new arrival of model kits and most of them is in my store.

Thank you for attention and wish you to have a nice day everyday!
Bye bye!

Gundam Building step by step

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 09:45:00 +0000

Enamel, Acrylic or Lacquer Paint?!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 08:52:00 +0000

Hello again my dear readers!
Let talk about paints! We always paint our plastic models in different paints, so today we talk about classification of paints!
So Enamel, Acrylic or Lacquer Paint?

So:

Lacquer Paint

very quick dry

beautiful gloss
air brushing
very tough
harm health
hand painting

Enamel Paint

beautiful metal
hand painting
good for washing
harm health
very slow dry
harm plastic

Acrylic Paint

beautiful flat
thin by water
slow dry
air brushing
easy fingerprinting

And now we will talk about painting one paint type under second paint type! Chck this table for compatibility of different types of paints!

--------Over Coat Under Coat--------	Enamel	Acrylic	Lacquer
Enamel
Acrylic
Lacquer

How to read this table?! "You can not paint Lacquer on Enamel" or "You can paint Acrylic on Lacquer."

But remember, you can not mix any combination of enamel, acrylic and lacquer paints!!!

Thanks for attention! Good luck!

Tools and materials for professional modelling.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 14:15:00 +0000

Here are tools and materials for modellers. As you see, most of them came from Japan. I always buy lots of these stuff whenever I go to Japan. Unfortunately, this hobby is very minor in US compared with Japan. Therefore kits are very expensive and the quality of tools are very poor.(US street price is 1.5 times higher than the list price for Japanese kits. In contrast, Japan street price is usually 20-30% off the list price.)

This is Pro Hobby's sanding tool. It's very handy. There are 4 types of adhesive refill paper, 240, 400, 800 and 1200.

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Tamiya's sand papers. It's not stiff like other brands. 10 grade are available, 180, 240, 320, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1200, 1500 and 2000.

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From top, Tamiya's model saw, Hasegawa's scraping tools, rivet maker and US scraper (I use this a lot!)
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All are Tamiya's except left hand side ball tweezer. It's US product.
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Tamiya's paint mixer. Tester's dropper and Hasegawa's handy drill
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Polyester. putty, white putty, normal putty and epoxy putty for different purposes.
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Gunze's or Tamiya's glue, primer, paint thinner, airbrush thinner, decal softer and primer for metal parts
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I mainly use Tamiya's enamel, acrylic, Gunze's lacquer and acrylic.
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Tamiya's masking tapes (wide, medium, narrow) and double sided adhesive tapes(strong, medium, light) for fixing parts for airbrush and US general masking tape.
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Using lacquer paint is very harmful. 3M mask is good for protection. Here are Tamiya's 2 types of airbrushes and pastels for weathering AFVs. Pro Hobby's paint mixer dish is handy, because it's easy to peel off dried paint by just twisting dish.
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It's hard to find nice brushes in US hobby shop.
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Must have items for airplane modeling. Hasagawa's scribing template is much thinner than Verlinden's.
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Compound is must have item for removing the center line of canopy. Wax is good to keep dust away.
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Hasegawa's ultra thin saws and drills.
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I use different viscosity super glues for different purposes.
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Squadron's Walk Around, Detail & Scale's D&S and Verlinden's Lock on are very good reference for aircraft-modeling.

Applying a Flat Coat to a Hasegawa Scale Model Aircraft

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 12:03:00 +0000

Great video! Very helpful and interesting!

Tamiya! Coming soon! German Tank Destroyer Hetzer in the 1/35 scale

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 13:05:00 +0000

Item #35285
Retail Price: $48.00

Already available as a 1/48 scale MM series kit, Tamiya now responds to the requests of military modellers and announces the release of the German Tank Destroyer Hetzer Mid Production in the 1/35 scale.

About the Hetzer

In 1943, the German high command ordered development of a new purpose-built tank destroyer to replace all of the interim vehicles like the Marder, and the Hetzer was quickly created to meet this requirement. Based on the Panzerkampfwagen 38(t), the Hetzer housed a crew of 4 in its low, compact hull. It was armed with a powerful Pak 39 L/48 75mm gun in a fixed mounting and featured sloped armor for enhanced protection. 2,584 were produced by May of 1945, and modifications were continually added during production, leading to differences between early, mid, and late production models.

About the model

High-quality 1/35 scale assembly kit model of the mid production Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer.

Brand new moldings with new details such as the remote control MG34 machine gun mount on the top of the hull and periscopic binoculars.

Includes both belt type and assembly type caterpillar tracks for more modeling options.

Accessory parts such as a jack and other tools add lifelike detail to the hull.

1 tank crew figure in realistic standing pose included.

4 types of markings also included.

Now this model kit is available on Ebay only from sellers from Hong-Kong.
Only 3 sellers has this model kit.
This is:
- model-direct( 247 )
- dogdogcome( 1352 )
- bboykorea382( 1266 )
Now only one kit is in active auction on eBay.
Check this link.

Related links on Hetzer Tank Destroyer reviews of other brands:
- 1/48 German Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer by Tamiya
- 1/72 German tank Destroyer Hetzer by UniModels (Ukraine)

Thanks. I hope this post was helpful to you!
Regards, Artem!