Hi Folks! I just finished signing up for this site, so please bear with me as I navigate and learn the ropes. By way of introduction, I'm a retired Federal employee who's decided to "get back in the saddle" again after a 40-some year break from modeling. Growing up in the late 1950's and 1960's, I did a lot of modeling of plastic ships and aircraft ~ mostly Revell, Monogram and Aurora brands. Used Testors glue and brushed-on enamel paints back then. The last builds I did were several Tamiya armor kits back in the early 1970's. Wow ~ needless to say, things have changed a lot since then!!!

I've decided to now concentrate exclusively on armor ~ that's why I decided to join this site. I'm tryin to take a ind of "measured approach" in getting back into the hobby and have been doing a ton of research on the Internet. Right now, I'm in the process of assessing what my tool needs might be, including construction tools and airbrush set configuration. Plan on holding off on paints for a bit until I get a little further along. I'm "bottom feeding" on eBay right now trying to get a couple of relatively inexpensive kits to start with.

I know that I'll probably have a ton of questions and issues as I go along, but any suggestions of a general nature as to how to proceed from here out would be greatly appreciated. Help on navigating and posting on ths site would be welcomed, especially as I come up with more specific questions/issues on construction and painting techniques.

One thing that I would like to throw out is this. I've noticed a lot of customization resources now available (back in the day, you just build what was provided in the kit!!!). I notice a lot of caveats warning that these upgrades should only be attempted by "experienced modelers". I'm not looking to get into the level of detail that I've seen some of you folks produce (wow ~ hats off to you!!!), but I think I might be interested in some of the resources I've seen (gun barrels, tires, tracks, etc.). So my general question is this ~ how difficult is some of this stuff? Should I just stick to "out-of-the-box" builds right now or could I reasonably make some upgrades this early on (again, in the areas of gun barrels, tires, tracks and the like)? Not sure I'm ready to tackle/attempt some of the upgrades I'm seeing that involve replacing or upgrading major body portions of certain kits.

Anyway, thanks for reading this postand for any help, suggestions, recommendations, etc. you may wish to offer. In advance, I ask your pardon and indulgence because (1) remember that I'm a newcomer to this site, (2) I haven't built a kit in about 40 years, and (3) last but not least I'm no kid anymore (just turned 64 last month!).

Take care all!!!

First of all, welcome to the site. Everyone has their own techniques and opinions. And, I am sure you will develop your own. When I started back, I couldn't even dream of all the tools I would use. That was nearly ten years ago, and I am still learning and collecting. As for "experience", some people are naturals. Some photo etch is very sensitive. You are dealing with things that can't be off by more than a fraction of a millimeter. And, some doesn't allow for being bent more than once or twice. Resin can also be finicky. I think you should be safe, with wheels and the like. I dove into etch, head first. That was a regret, as I butchered an expensive model and etch set. One of my most enjoyable builds lacked all of the fancy media. It was the base kit and a small etch set. This is personal preference. I would suggest this, to start. As you progress, you will decide just how accurate you want to be. Beer is a recommended conclusion to any build session. If you enjoy the build, you are doing it right.

Many thanks for the kind and generous welcome!!! I really do appreciate your advice. Yes, some of the PE stuff I've seen on the Internet and YouTube frankly scares the beegeez out of me! I don't know that I'll ever be tempted to begin replacing engine compartments, fighting spaces, etc. But I do like the look and thought of tires vs. painted plastic wheels, and aluminum gun barrels vs. the plastic kit versions provided. I even saw one video where a fellow swapped out a metal bow machine gun with jacket detail for the plastic version that came with the kit.

Tracks are another issue. Not thinking that I'm going to try the link-by-link versions I've seen, either those that come with the kit (saw one review ofa late Tamiya Tiger I kit where he reviewer actually warned readers away from this kit because of this) or adding such an upgrade. I'm just fine with "rubber band" (I think that's the correct term) type of tracks.

I know I said that I wouldn't get into painting preferences just yet, but I am investing in a good airbrush to begin with. At some point I'll deal with the acrylic vs. enamel debate. Speaking of develoingmy own personal preferences, I know right now that I'm not fond of some of the finished paint jobs I've seen on the Internet and YouTube. Personally, I just don't care for the "right off the showroom floor" look I've seen on finished builds. To be perfectly honest, I recently found the Tamiya builds I did back in the 1970's when I cleaned out the basement. I personally perfer the look I achieved back then with hand brushing Testors enamel for the base color and camo, then dry brushing them for the weathered look. Adding some model railroad scale shrubs to enhance the camo effect, I thought they looked pretty good. Guess I lean towards "realism" vs. creating a work of art. But as you so insightfully pointed out, it is a matter of personal preference.

Thanks again!!

Welcome to the site and network John.

Tools will not have changed much from what you used when you stopped. Side cutters, tweezers, scalpel, paint brushes, sandpaper and sanding sticks will do for a basic build now as it did then. Turned metal barrels and workable tracks are usually just a case of careful construction. Photo etch is a more exacting skill set that improves with time, adding PE engine grills are an instant lift for a model that does not have them and they are usually easy to add; however a lot of PE sets are very involved and so test your patience.

As an introduction the PE perhaps try a Meng or Takom kit offering. These companies do not go mad with the amount of PE and often include a turned barrel, the instructions are usually good and easy to understand and as such should allow you to see what is possible with an out of the box build by today’s standards.

If you want to add items that you choose go for a tamiya kit and as about upgrades for it that will not be too testing for you at the start.

Welcome aboard John!




When you get the hang of it, please post some pics!

—mike

Thanks Darren! I've begun to compile a list of supplies I think I'll need and then comparison shop on the internet. All I have left over from my old days is an old Testor's hobby knife. I do have a good set of Xacto hobby tools that I got several years back when I was into die-cast model fire vehicles. I did get a tube of Testors plastic model cement, but I've since learned a lot about the liquid cements. I believe my budget is also going to play a huge role in this.

I initially wasn't going to invest in an airbrush, but then decided I'd go for it. I did extensive research on the Internet about airbrushes and compressors. What pushed me to take the plunge was a deal I recently stumbled on for a quality airbrush. I think I've decided on an appropriate compressor and am in the process of trying to get a supplier to work with me on getting an order placed.

For the time being, the kits from the "name" manufacturers that include PE are out of my price range. Guess my initial approach is to get a couple of relatively inexpensive kits and then see what's out there to upgrade that particular kit.
While in the process of cleaning out my basement a couple of weeks ago, I happened to come across an unopened Tamiya kit for a German half track I apparently purchased back in the mid-1970s. Don't believe that I paid much for it back then (especially by today's prices), so that's the first kit I'm going to start. I've made a list of kits I think I'm interested in based on my Internet research and I've scoured the Internet for reviews of them. This helps me comparison shop and to see what's out there for the individual kits in terms of upgrade parts.

Once I get a little further along, I'll deal with the painting question in terms of techniques, acrylic vs. enamel, brand, etc.

John,

I've already replied to your other post about tracks. Again, welcome back!

I would say, being in a similar position to you a few years back, that you consider the following: With respect kits, current run Tamiya armor, while pricey and perhaps not always the cutting edge in detail, will make your first attempts much easier and you will likely have a positive experience. My own experience is that the Tamiyas just go together really well, not much concern about fit of parts. The Dragon kits, which are amazing in terms of detail, are more work, but also, in my experience, fit well. The other advantage of Tamiya as the instructions are very complete and obvious. Dragon's instructions can be very dense and complex, and might be a bit more intimidating for a first go around. There are many other manufacturers with varying degrees between these two extremes.

Regarding tools, I'm glad to see that you decided on an airbrush. I have seen some spectacular examples of hand painted models here, but I do think the airbrush is the easiest way to go to get the best finish in the easiest fashion. For paints, I'd recommend any of the acrylic paints, due to the mess and smell of lacquer or enamel. And there are so many colors in the acrylic lines that you don't need to use the others. Not that acrylic can't be messy, though. And realize that acrylic does not necessarily mean 'water based', which was a misunderstanding that I had at first. I love Tamiya paints, which are acrylic, but are not water based. They are not very good for hand brushing, though.

For tools, while I went crazy and bought many at first, the ones I use the most are hobby knives (Xacto are great), a pair of high quality cutters (I would get Xuron), files (a small set of smaller sized ones, which I use ALL the time), tweezers, and sanding sticks (old fashioned emory boards work fine, but get several of varying degrees of 'fineness'). If you are like me, a moderate quality set of magnifying glasses/visor is/are critical. The old fashioned Testor's tube glue (which I'm sure you used; I know I did) has been superseded by the newer liquid glues with many kinds of applicators, brushes and needle type applicators. I'd go that route. These are the tools i use all the time. If you want to try your hand at photo etch, there are many new and different tools you can use, some of which I think are almost necessities. Let me tell you that PE can be a REAL challenge, though the realism you get is as amazing as the effort is difficult. I would probably wait a bit before getting into the PE thing heavily.

Again, best of luck to you!

Hi Curt!! Many thanks for your reply to this post. I'll check your reply to my post on tracks once I'm finished here.

Many thanks for your recommendations on tools. When I started my Internet research several weeks back, I sort of settled on two on-line sites which seem to have a good selection of both kits and supplies at competitive prices: Hobbylinc and Scale Hobbyists. The area in and around Baltimore, Maryland where I live is sadly bereft of brick-and-mortar hobby stores. The Hobby Lobby chain has a couple of stores around here; but because they are first and foremost a general hobby store, they're only slightly better in model kits and supplies than the Michael's and A.C. Moore chain stores.

As I went through the Hobbylinc and Scale Hobbyists sites, I to put together a "shopping list for each." This also helped by to do some competitive price analysis with other sites. I sort of grouped everything into 3 areas: (1) construction tools and supplies, (2) paints, and (3) kits. I'm currently fine tuning my first list based on input from kind and generous folks like yourself. Some items I've added, some things I've removed. Once I get the tools and supplies list finalized, I may check prices one last time before I place my orders.

I've decided to put paints on the back burner for the time being for two reasons: (1) I'm waiting on a price quote from Chicago Airbrush on a compressor (already have my airbrush) so I can place an order; and (2) I wanted to make a decision on acrylic vs. enamel. I believe I'm going to stock both: enamels for handbrushing and acrylics for spray painting (and yes, thanks, I now know that acrylics aren't really water-based paints like house paints). But the sheer number of acrylic paint vendors and the specialized colors they all make is sort of overwhelming; so I need more input from folks like you and I need to do a little more research of my own.

Lastly, as for kits, I've kind of settled on WWII US and German armor. I was history major in college and also had an uncle on my father's side killed during the Battle of the Bulge. Guess maybe that's the reason behind my choice. In order to be cost-conscious, I've compiled a list of specifc armor kits and grouped them by vehicle (e.g., Sherman, Tiger I, Panther, etc.). Next, I've begun surfing the Internet looking for kit reviews and opinions (which is how I ended up on Armorama). My goal is not to acquire any kit that I haven't done due-diligent research on to see what I may be getting myself into if I buy it and start building (hence my post on tracks). As far as I'm concerned, Dragon kits are on hold right now until and if I get a comfortable handle on this Magic Tracks issue. Right now, I'm only looking at Tamiya, Academy and AFV Club kits: they seem to get the best reviews. I'm doing a lot of eBay comparison shopping right now for the kits on my list. and am only bidding on those kits that I can pick up at a reasonably better price (including shpping) than the prices being asked on dealer sites )which I call my "benchmark price."

So, I believe I've got a reasonable plan mapped out, including a reasonable budget. What I now need is the patience and discipline (things that I've always found challenged by using eBay) to stay the course and not loose my way.

Hi again, John. Glad I could be of a little help. I am far from an expert on any modeling matters, but having been in a spot similar to you only a few years back, I will always be happy to answer an questions that I feel I can. There are truly experts here on this forum, though.

One thing I did research to the max is the color for modern British and Israeli Defense Force armor, so if you're ever in need of info in that arena, I feel I could pretty definitively help you there.

Like you, I had a relative who was in the Battle of the Bulge. Sadly, he recently passed, but he was a German POW as a result of that battle.

Lastly, for now, I have had good luck with Sprue Brothers. Some have issues with them, and their prices are not always the lowest, but I've bought most of my model rated things from them. I have the good fortune to have a really nice brick and mortar store, a Hobby Town, here in Las Vegas, of all places! I buy the vast majority of my things on line, but it's nice to know that a real store is only a few miles away.

You can always write me at me e-mail address, [email protected], if you ever feel like a question isn't something you want to post for the world to see, but the folks here are great, and there is no stupid question. I know that from experience!

Welcome John from a fellow Marylander (Forest Hill, Harford County). What part of the state do you call your home? About 10 years ago I was in the same position as you. Coming back into the hobby after about a 30 year or so absence. I started out building German WWII armor but have since branched out and now build whatever fancies me at time.

When I came back I listened to what the elders told me. Start off with kits like the deuce and a half, Sherman or Jeep from Tamiya, or the DUKW from Italeri. They go together easily, have no PE and a single color scheme. They can all be painted with Tamiyas spray paint on the body along with some enamels or acrylic paints for detail work.

And if you run into problems or have questions, feel free to post them in the appropriate forum. Feel free to email or PM me to, for what little help I can give.

Hi Cary! I'm down here in Pasadena, Anne Arundel County.

Hey Curt! You mentioned files. First, I see that Tamiya makes a 3-piece set and Testors makes a larger set (10 piece, I believe). Do you think the 3-piece set would be sufficient? Second, what would use files for: PE work? Wouldn't sanding sticks and sandpaper be enough for the regular styrene kit parts? Thanks!

Files are of help with PE and a must have for resin parts.

Oh, OK. Thanks Darren!!!