PLASMO - plastic models

Tips and tricks

How to build a plastic model (1)
Introduction

Difficulty:

I decided to create a comprehensive multi-part tutorial that describes how to start building plastic models. Articles are intended for very beginners, so do not worry that still you do not know some things. Gradually I will build a plastic model and describe its construction.

There will be many tips in every article for both beginners and for those who already have built scale models. The main purpose is such that I would like to introduce plastic modeling as a hobby for people who would like to build their favorite plane, helicopter or even a car, but they do not know how to do it.

Insight into the history of modeling

The first attempts of creating scale models can be already found in prehistoric times, when the primeval people spend free time by carving and modeling little scale models of animals and characters from clay, wood and bones. And yet, we encounter plastic modeling much later. The first plastic models were produced by Frog in the UK in 1936. In the late 1940s, the first manufacturers appeared in the United States and many other manufacturers from different countries entered market in the 1950s.

Before a commercial production of plastic models, during the Second World War in 1939 - 1945, there were plastic scale models of aircrafts, which were used for training pilots of the RAF in the UK. When discovering an enemy aircraft, pilots could compare the shape and determine what type of aircraft it is.

As modelers in the Czech republic, we can assemble plastic models for some years. In the fifties and the sixties, there were starting to appear the first plastic kits on the Czechoslovak market, especially models of airliners. Since then, the market has made great progress. With improved computer technology and machinery we have now almost perfect plastic kits with great precision.

Production of plastic model kit

The first series of models produced by British Frog was made from cellulose acetate. It is the same material that was used to produce records. Currently, models are made from molten polystyrene.

First of all, there has to be produced metallic mold, which usually has several parts. The mold is made by electrical discharge machining or using more modern CNC milling machines, which can work with computer model and can produce an exact mold.

When the mold is ready, it is filled with molten plastic, which is injected into a mold under high pressure. Plastic gets into all channels and cavities and plastic molding is created. Based on the composition of the plastic, injection-molded kits may have a different color, which is usually gray or dark green. In addition to opaque parts, there are also manufactured clear parts that are used to imitate the glass.

Which scale models you can build

In addition to well known models of various aircraft, we can build military vehicles, battleships, helicopters, railway models, sailboats, sci-fi models or figures. All these models are manufactured in various sizes. Thus, it is your choice if you decide to build aircrafts, military vehicles or something else. Most of the modelers try different categories and they choose one which is their favorite. But sometimes, doing one and the same thing is not good enough anymore, and eventually they move on to some other category of models.

The size of the model is influenced by the chosen scale. The most common scales for aircraft, which are produced, are 1/72 and 1/48. Which means that 1/72 scale is 1 inch (1 cm) on the model 72 inches (72 cm) on the real aircraft. Also, there is a rule that the larger model, the more parts, and hence it is more difficult. For beginners it is good to choose model in 1/72 scale.

In addition to traditional plastic model kits, where the individual parts are glued together and then painted, there are much simpler kits called Easy Kits. Such a model is usually painted or already has individual plastic parts in matching colors. The model can also have pre-printed insignias or there are stickers included in the kit, which can be easily stick on the model. There is no need of using glue, because individual parts can be snapped together. This type of model is designed especially for younger children (from about 6 years) that do not yet have the experience, skill or patience to build classic model kits. The advantage of Easy Kit is undoubtedly its simplicity and lower price. I have assembled several similar models myself when I was starting with my hobby, and I can only recommend it.

Although Easy Kits can be nice models of high quality, they are not the subject of this tutorial. Due to their simplicity, there is virtually nothing that could be said furthermore. Therefore, I will pay attention only to building classic plastic models, which must be glued and colored. It is more difficult, but the results are much more interesting.

What comes next

I think it is quite enough for the introduction. Next time we will choose a suitable plastic model kit for beginners, and we'll tell what we need.

Comments

#5  mirekkkp  2012-12-25 10:12:13

CHci se zeptat:dostal sem model auta k slepení od firmi revell,celý návod je v angličtině a němčině a nevím v jaké části se jednotlivé kusy barví.Jsem začátečník,tak mi prosím poradte.

#7  mirekkkp  2012-12-28 17:48:24

děkujji za odpověd

#18  Geremee  2013-02-02 18:17:45

Ahoj, jakou používáš airbrush pistoli ? Kdyžtak prosím odkaz děkuji

#20  Geremee  2013-02-03 14:12:15

Pěkná, ale já teprve začínám s Airbrush. Mám doma pistoli. Ale ta je k ničemu tlustá tryska. A jiná k tomu není. Vyhlídl jsem si pistoli fendgda BD-116C zde je odkaz: http://www.airbrush-potreby.cz/store/goodsdetail.asp?lngDepartmentID=236&strGoodsID=fen-BD116C
tak doufám že je dobrá. Kdyžtak dej vědět jestli je to dobrá volba. Díky

#24  JAN HÄMERLE  2013-07-31 23:16:36

při lepení,mě vyteklo lepidlo. na palubu, čím ho mám odstranit.nebo ho zabarvit.nevím.

#25  LittleBear  2013-08-01 11:49:52

Ahoj, to se občas stane. Nech lepidlo pořádně zaschnout a pak postižené místo přebrus smirkovým papírem. Pokud se lepidlo vyžralo jamku, není na škodu místo zatmelit a přebrousit. Zničený vzor paluby lze obnovit přerytím spár žiletkovou pilkou. To si člověk přidělává práci

#26  Evička  2013-11-22 11:54:11

Ahoj, prosím nutně o radu. Můj přítel už dlouho mluví o slepování modelů letadel. Nikdy to ale nedělal. Chci mu koupit nějaký model k vánocům. Chtěla bych vědět jaké značky připadají v úvahu a z kolika dílů by se model měl skládat, když to bude dělat poprvé. Ať mu třeba nedám něco moc složitého :D A taky u těch modelů není žádné příslušenství, tak co mu mám popřípadě dokoupit aby vůbec mohl začít.. Děkuji

#28  honza 01  2014-02-01 10:04:40

Zdravím,prosím o radu,budu začínat s airbrushem,zatím jsem barvyl,klasika štětcem,revell humbrol enam.něco málo akryl tamya.Vím že jsou special barvy na airbrush,či vhodnější ale někde jsem se dočetl že při optimálním naředěním lze použít i tyto enam.je to možné???A dále,kde nebo doporučit odkaz na výkresy nýtových řad u letadel ,1/72,1/48??kromě klasické knižní literatury.momentálně 1/72 f4u1cors.Díky za rady ať se daří

#32  Marcus  2014-07-29 22:08:24

Zdar, vrátil jsem se k lepení, teď tu mám Spitfire MK, co se týše lepení je lepší kus po kuse lepit/zaschnout a další nebo udělat celý trup a křídla a ostatní třeba zítra (například) že modely trvají více dní apod. Díky moc

P.s. skvělé stránky hodně typů a rad mi určitě pomohlo

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