Greater Abilene Scale Modelers

Lesson 4 - Construction

Work Space: You will need a room with a flat working space- the larger the better. Avoid bedrooms if you can as they are too dusty for painting. Most often a garage, basement room or recreation room will be the work space but a custom-designed room will be the best! You will also need lots of light, preferably from windows or from a high-intensity light. Try to find an area where you can work for several hours without being bothered as you may have to leave glued or painted parts in place overnight without moving them. Assembly: Protect your working area by spreading a newspaper or drop cloth under the model. This will protect the table surface from spilled glue or paint. Read the kit manufacturers instructions carefully before starting and familiarize yourself with the way the kit will be assembled. The following are the general assembly steps to model kit construction:

1. Examine the parts of the kit while they are attached to the parts tree. Keep In mind that parts can be painted while still attached. Review the "finishing" section of your kit before painting.
2. Remove flash or extra bits of plastic from the parts with your hobby knife or sandpaper. Small rough spots should be scraped off with the edge of the blade end and smoothed over with sanding. Do your trimming on a piece of flat scrap wood or glass and never hold plastic pieces against your hand when cutting. Cut the parts off carefully with a saw, pinchers or sharp blade.
3. Try fitting pieces together without gluing first in case adjustments must be made. Painted parts must be thoroughly dry before gluing. Do not get paint on surfaces to be glued.
4. Usually assemble parts in the order shown in your instructions. Sometimes to paint certain sections you may want to assemble them first. For example: interior areas should be assembled and painted before final assembly.
5. Both tube type and liquid type plastic model cement is available. Tube cement can make a strong joint but should be used carefully. It is critical  to use only enough cement to do the job.  Cements for plastic models contain a "welding" agent which actually fuses the plastic together so only a small amount is needed. Remember to scrape away paint or chrome plating from surfaces to be joined. Liquid cement is used differently: Hold the parts to be joined together then dip a brush into the liquid cement and touch the joint. The glue will flow along the opening to fuse the parts together. Some modelers prefer liquid cement for some applications because it can produce a cleaner bond. "Crazy glue" or cyanoacrylate glues are another alternative for strong, long-lasting bonds. For clear parts you can use white glue which is easier to work with and dries clear. Be aware that white glude does not actually "glue" the parts together and cannot be used on parts that need strength.
6. Try to get the glue to work the first time. Use tape, clamps or rubber bands to hold parts together while the glue is drying. Glued sections which support a lot of weight must usually dry overnight before stress is placed on them. Use tweezers to hold and move small parts and a toothpick to transfer glue.
7. Fill cracks between sections with plastic putty. It shrinks when drying, so build up a little ridge along fill lines so that it can be sanded flush with the surface later. To smooth putty when it is wet, use your finger dipped in rubbing alcohol. When thoroughly dry, sand carefully with fine sandpaper until flush, then smooth it with wet and dry paper. Allow 24 hours for drying. When the putty has set, file down the excess with sandpaper using wet or dry for the final smoothing. if any gaps or uneven spaces remain, fill them again and allow another 24 hours for drying. Then paint over the puttied area with flat gray before applying final colors.
8. Avoid getting cement on clear plastic pieces but if the become scratched or clouded, these areas can be removed by polishing them carefully with toothpaste, fine grit sandpaper or even car wax. Try attaching clear pieces with white glue which although not as strong as plastic cement will hold the parts in place and dries transparently.