discussion unconventional modelling materials list

[Guest]

Chinese take away containers are good for storing bits of kits that are no wanted. I use them for storing decals in as they are air tight. Florists oasis sponge is good for holding tools etc. Coat hangers bent around a pole or something above the work area make good drying racks for larger bits.

 

[Guest]

And another one kids salt dough easy to make and has many uses sand bags, kit bags, you could even use it for weighting things down just add a small stone. best bit is it can either air dry or oven bake depending on how long you want to wait

 

[Gern]

It's that time of year folks when there's fireworks going off everywhere and every night. Keep your eyes open for the used rocket sticks. Coffee stirrers are all very useful, but sometimes you want something a bit bigger or more square or longer or .....

Just remembered - I used some stiff wire to make some handrails for my dio and reinforce the joints on my bug. It's 1.6mm stainless steel TIG welding rod. There are all sorts of sizes available and it's cheap (I just got 40 pieces about 16" long for £8 off ebay).

Gern

 

[Gern]

I work at my kitchen sink when using my airbrush. I use a large bulldog clip to hold it. Takes seconds to fix and remove, but only works with the recessed type of drawer pull.

View attachment 72639

View attachment 72640

View attachment 72641


Gern

View attachment 185662

View attachment 185663

View attachment 185664

 

[yak face]

Bought a pair of shoes or boots recently ? or know anyone who has /is intending to? The

spring loaded clamp that holds them together is a very tasty piece of kit . Usually theyre rubber tipped and very strong so perfect for clamping joints that are a little reluctant or even holding things - the hook is ideal for hanging larger items up while being sprayed . heres a pair that i got £15 each and they came with a free pair of boots too!! and an 'in action' shot taming the beast of a moulding that i'm working on now, cheers tony

View attachment 74505

View attachment 74506

View attachment 74507

View attachment 74508

View attachment 187528

View attachment 187529

View attachment 187530

View attachment 187531

 

[Guest]

I'm none too fancy, but I do like to use a lot of thread. Black thread. for Antenna wiring. Yellow for cockpit wiring or other "electrical" purposes. elastic bands, cut the ends off and use as foot straps on the pedals of 32 scale (or larger) aircraft. I used some tissue paper, glued to the side pocket of one of my ground crew, and then touched the tissue with a black sharpie here and there, to simulate grease stains.

I'm still learning as I go...

 

[downscale model art]

ask the missus if shes got any masking oojamaflips for wnen they do their fingernails. bloomin great for doing the windscreen wipe on a vehicle...and masking on a curve

 

[Gern]

oojamaflips

Is that the trade name 'cos I might be interested in getting some ( I don't have a missus to ask)?

Gern

 

[downscale model art]

dave they are called french manicure nail tip guides. you can get them on ebay

 

[yak face]

Canopy Applicators

Ever had a problem holding a canopy while trying to glue it in the right place? Heres something I found while browsing the cosmetics/nail dept recently (yes I DO get some funny looks!) Its a pack of 3 false nail applicators which consist of a plastic, flat ended stick with a small rubber sucker on the other end.It makes positioning a canopy, particularly the bubble type, easier than trying to hold it in your fingers, just stick it on then apply your glue and when in the right place , hold down and pull off the sucker. I only paid 99p for a pack of 3 , but got the last 2 in the shop. Ive since seen them on e-bay for 99p and free postage , just search ' False nail applicators' cheers tony

View attachment 78494

View attachment 78495

View attachment 78496

View attachment 191517

View attachment 191518

View attachment 191519

 

[Guest]

Hi all they come in many sizes I have used empty spray cans for all sorts of things cylindrical (take great care here and wear goggles) I drill a small 1.5mm hole in them to empty the propellant and as an example of use I use 2 for the funnels on the Waverley (took a while to find the right size) and used one for the boiler on the Mississippi. Sternwheeler.

 

[yak face]

Knobs !

Ever had trouble with yours? Of course I mean the various knobs and balls we sometimes need to scratchbuild for all sorts of applications . I recently had to make a ball ended lever for the Mig 15 and struggled to get it looking right , I traditionally just put a blob of pva on the end of the lever but it usually goes a funny pear shape when dry so needs several goes to get it looking right.Then I had a brainwave while browsing the nail and cosmetics dept of the local poundland (yes , i can hear you all saying "again!!" , honest - I'm not a drag artist) I got these beauties



Theyre called caviar nail effects and are basically an assortment of tiny coloured balls , designed to be stuck on fingernails . The good bit for us is that theyre perfectly round and are variously sized so make perfect knobs for whatever. I stuck one on a piece of stretched sprue and it looked great. Some of the smaller sized ones could also be used for switches etc







Also very useful but for larger scale stuff such as car gear levers or 1/35 tankie type stuff , are the bristles on hair brushes . The ones with the knobbly bristles can be found in various sizes and usually in the poundshops (or you could just keep snipping a few off the missus' hairbrush , but dont blame me if you get caught!!)





cheers Tony

View attachment 83131

View attachment 83132

View attachment 83133

View attachment 83134

View attachment 83135

View attachment 83136

View attachment 196154

View attachment 196155

View attachment 196156

View attachment 196157

View attachment 196158

View attachment 196159

 

[Guest]

Very useful. I have squirrelled this away.

 

[Guest]

Imagination.

Ingenuity.

Patience.

Impatience.

Observation.

Artistic ability.

Skill.

Organisational skill.

Temper.

An occasional hate of model making.

God forgive me for all of my blasphemy.

Laurie

 

[Gern]

Just gone through this thread from the start. Tony - do you LIVE on the cosmetics counter in your pound shop?

For folks using small quantities of paint for touch-up or detail work, use an ordinary household wall tile with a smooth glazed finish. Put your paints close enough and you can use the tile like an artist's palette to mix colours. Don't bother washing the paint off. Wait 'til it dries and it will scrape off with a razor blade.

Gern

 

[Gern]

Just gone through this thread from the start. Tony - do you LIVE on the cosmetics counter in your pound shop?For folks using small quantities of paint for touch-up or detail work, use an ordinary household wall tile with a smooth glazed finish. Put your paints close enough and you can use the tile like an artist's palette to mix colours. Don't bother washing the paint off. Wait 'til it dries and it will scrape off with a razor blade.

Gern

Just realised I forgot the pics:

View attachment 83162

View attachment 83163


View attachment 196185

View attachment 196186

 

[Guest]

On the back of Dave's good idea - if you're mixing up paint to see how it might look, sheet of tin foil & masking tape labels works well :View attachment 83175

View attachment 196198

 

[PaulTRose]

on a simler vein, i have one of those little artists mixing thingys with 6 little spots for mixing etc, use it for making washes, i always cover in tin foil cos then i dont have to clean it afterwards, just peel off the foil and bin it

 

[Guest]

idk anyone mensioned before. DOT 3 Brake Fluid works well to remove paint from model. put your model inside it for 2-3 days. paint will be removed. Plastic wont be damaged.you can use it again and again. contain it very well and dont touch it w/o gloves, it is highly toxic.

all brands work well but i suggest good quality ones

 

[Guest]

You know when youve made a model and there's those plastic frame things that hold the parts before you put the model together? Well if you take those and cut them down to an appropriate size, and then paint them, you can either use them for the frames of a blownup building or wooden fences