Greetings everyone. Could anyone help me on some basics of modeling, I have rediscovered the hobby after, well........... about 20 years, and I wish to take my skills to a new level. I recently purchased a couple of Tamiya 1/35th scale models (Sdkfz 251/1 halftrack and a Panther kampfwagon V), and to be honest I really don't even know where to start!! To narrow my questions down:

Should I start by spraying all the pieces with the appropriate primer. Should I do this while the pieces are still on the sprues?

What are the basic guidelines for primer colors for German and allied AFV's?

Any help would be MOST appreciated.
Thanks to all for your help. Happy modeling.

First of , welcome to the site. Your question is one which regularly comes up.... Most of tend to construct the model BEFORE any thoughts of undercoating. The exception is the wheels and running gear of the vehicle along with any 'fiddly' bits such as MGs, aerials, stowage etc. On the subject of what color to use as as an undercoat, ask 20 people and you will get 20 different replies... My personally choice is to spray a good matt black over the constructed model. I have started using Citadel Spray black which is nice and thin, gives good density and sprays well. Tamiya or Modelmaster sprays (enamel) give similar good results. Alternatively , acrylic grey undercoat spray (available from auto spares stores) gives a good base to paint on. It also has the advantage of being cheaper than the brands like like Tamiya or MM. My advice is to spray with patience.... Don't try to cover the entire model in one session, rather in sections..... Keep the questions coming! once again, welcome to the site.....Jim

Well first of all welcome back to the greatest hobby and the greatest modeling website.

I would recommend that you do some 'poking' around in the features section (on the left of the page). There is a lot of great material on construction, weathering, finishing, etc etc......

As for when to prime. I personally build sub assemblies first then prime and paint them then final assembly then camo painting if necessary then detail painting then wash and weather.
Sub assemblies for armor for me boil down to - wheels, suspension, lower hull, upper hull, turret.

Color - is fairly personal, for a basic vehicle Tamiya German Gray or Dark Gray is a decent start.

Here are some 251 sites
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Pit/3515/251/index.htm
http://afvinteriors.hobbyvista.com/251/251a.html

One last bit of advice - ask all your questions.

Gotta love seeing another Tar Heel or Dukie, or Wolf in the mix.......

Xavier,
Welcome back to the hobby and welcome to Armorama! Are you using an airbrush (AB)? If you aren't it may be easier to paint some of the parts while they are still on the sprues (esp the road wheels) and then cut them off and do touch up painting afterward. I still paint my road wheels while they are on the sprue. Before I started to airbrush, Testors enamel spray paint was my best friend. Really helped me get a decent finish without much effort.

Hope this helps.

Shaun

Thanks to keenan, slodder, and jimbrae for your advice. It seems to make a lot of sense to do the 'major' construction before priming and spray the sub-assemblies. I have not gotten an air brush yet, I will problably go ahead and pick up a compressor and brush at Lowes or WalMart ASAP.

So, if I have everything correct:

I should spray with a matt black or grey enamel for primer. Does this include everything I intend on painting (i.e. the figures, machine guns, wheels, etc.)?

Should I use enamel for detail (brush work) and acrylic for air brushing?

What type of glue should I be using?

Sorry for so many questions. It seems I have been spending most of my waking hours researching model building/detailing and I still have so many questions!!! I have found a considerable amount of info on washing and weathering, but less on just getting to that point.

thanks slodder for the 251 sites, heading there now!

Thanks guys for your advice and patience.

Xavier,
Welcome to the best modeling site that there is!

One thing you want to make sure you do before ANY painting at all is to wash your parts in a very mild soap solution, (dishsoap is best) and lightly scrub them with an old toothbrush. This will insure that any mold release compound left on the plastic will get washed off and your base coat will stick and be more even.

Hope this helps, and remember, ask lots of questions. Everyone here is willing to help you get the best from your modelling experience.

Xavier -
I model SciFi so stick with the recommendations from the Armor crew for the stuff that is relevant to the type of kit youre building.
Secondly - Welcome back, find a young person and see if they enjoy the hobby as much as you, so we can grow our hobby into the future...

I also like to do sub assemblies,and then paint. But on some of my smaller detail pieces I'll airbrush them while theyre on the sprues so I get that even brush-stroke-less look on the little stuff and do a little touch up after cutting them off the sprues, and placing on the kit.

As for Glue I recommend CA - CyanoAcrylate or superglue. Some Testors liquid cement and an old small paintbrush for application (dedicated to glue only) will also be nice for your bag of tricks.

As for aquiring this - if you have a local hobby shop, the proprietar will be able to help you get back in the groove, and build your tool set to help your comfort level.
If no local hobby shop - surf through the forums, and features here, and check out a mail-order specialty shop online
Military Hobbies is an Armorama sponsor, and deserves your consideration
http://www.militaryhobbies.com/
and I think Squadron.com has the best inventory - and the WORST web site for just plain browsing the inventory.
http://www.squadron.com/

Welcome back & post some pics for us

Xavier, While you're at Wally World, you might think about picking up a couple of the Motorworks 1/32(?) models to practice your modeling skills on. They're cheap (15 bucks) come semi assembled (parts screwed together or fused with a hot knife!), but can be separated into their component parts without much difficulty, cleaned up (lotsa seams & mould lines) re assembled and re painted. You can (and should) remark them, and go on to practice weathering. They even come with a couple of figures to practice ur figure painting on! They'll never see a contest table, but you won't be ruining a $30-40 model if you goof!

Xavier

Welcome aboard and welcome to the challenging world of AFV modeling. I was in the same situation as you were about 5 years ago when I got back into modeling and built my first 1/35th AFV. Most of my background was in R/C and Rockets with some work with planes and cars for plastic kits. I would recommend doing this before doing anything else. Go to Kalmbach.com and order the book by Shep Paine: Modeling Tanks and Military Vehicles. For a beginier this is a great tool and will introduce you to a lot of the basic concepts,tools and skills you will need.

As far as pianting, I assemble all of the major components as fully as I can, minus tires, headlights,tools and treads Then paint the 'body' if you will with a primer coat of flat black or Krylon Grey Primer which works great.

Glue: I use testors plastic cement, which comes is a glass jar and runs 2-3 bucks. Do not confuse this with thier plastic glue which comes in a tube or black 'ear drop' looking container. Plastic Cement is thin and when used with a decent applicator (I use a beat up old 0/1 brush) you can glue big parts together with ease and no glue residue. I also keep Loctite 'crazy glue' and testors glue around for working with not plastic parts and/or smaller plastic parts.

The biggest advice I can give you is look up posts here, Missing-Lynx and Track-Link.. Using these sites and others you most important tool becomes your computer. Get on these sites and poke around in thier articles and message boards and you'll find answers to a lot of your questions. If you don't find answers to your specific questions then ask.

Have fun and remember if you need anything don't be afraid to ask.

More great advice. Thanks to everyone!!!

Hey firemann816 you'll be happy to know I'm buildiging with my son, he's 12 yrs. old. I think I got him hooked!!! We have been working on two P-47D's from Revell (his 1st kit, my first in a long long time). He is displaying an incredible level of patience and attention. The kits were very inexpensive ($8 bucks or so). I thought it would be good practice and I can't wait to get to the air brushing. Of course from what I've heard this art takes a LOT of practice.
Without getting into a major discussion on air compressors and air brushes; is the cheap air brush kit that uses air cans even worth considering???

I purchased the two Tamiya model I mentioned at the beginning of post from the military hobbies web site. I was really pleased with there site and service. I tried doing some bidding on ebay (some paint, an airbrush kit, and a couple of models), I find the whole process a little to time consuming. I quess I would rather cut to the chase and order what I want, even if it does cost me a few extra bucks.

Thanks boatswain for the tip about the cleaning/washing the parts before I begin, this too makes a lot of sense.

I'm off to spend some more money........

Thanks again to everyone for all the help. I've got plenty more questions

As far as airbrushes go, avoid the "canned air." Wait if you have to until you can get the compressor at the same time. You will want one with a regulator so you can vary the pressure and a moisture trap. The Testors airbrushes are great starter airbrushes IMHO, so is the Paasche H single action.
Shaun

Fire away with the Q's

one thing i never understood is how can you paint tools on tanks if u glue them on it before painting it.....I find impossible to paint a tool interely!!
But i'm not a great painter...maybe that's why!
:-)

and how the hell you can paint the black rubber band found on some wheels if they are already mounted on tank?

Muca,
There are two schools of thought on that, I guess. I always paint my road wheels and the black rims before putting them on the model. I also do the pioneer tools separately. Whatever works best for you!!

Shaun

I am happy to hear it!
Time and money well spent for both of you
I second the motion about Shep Paine's book

I paint all the small stuff off the vehicle now. I used to try and paint it all on the vehicle and I think I've figured out that approach doesn't always work. As for road wheels... I take them off the spue and find a piece of dowel or square stock out of my collection of balsa or basswood I have and I stick em on for painting. I find its easier to work that way and you don't have to worry about accidental overspray on to another part on your sprue. Plus it easier to completely clean up the roadwheel prior to painting.

As far as painting road wheels I go back and forth on mehods. Sometimes I'll do a base coal all flat black/rubber and then go back and color in the hubs or sometimes I'll do the wheel the entire hub color and go back and paint in the rubber portion. And sometime I'll airbrush and sometimes hand paint the rubber part depending on if I feel I can pull it off with a hand painted effect or not. Really I haven't found a technique I'm 100 percent comfortable with yet. Trial and error.....

The Shep Paine book is a must IMHO. It ranks right up there with a good single action airbrush, x-acto knife and compressor as one of the real basic 'gotta have' items in your tool box (and of course a computer with internet access).

I have also just returned to the modeling addiction, starting with some 1/24 Cars, and now, 1/35 Armor (M901 Tow vehicle, Russian BMD-1). Cans of AB propelent will cause much heartbreak. So will Testors Model cement. I do recomend Rustolium Painters Touch spray paints i got at Home Depot. Cost only 2-4 dollars for a large can, and come in nice gloss and flat colors, work great on plastic, and dry quick. I also use only Krazy Glue(superglue/CA) for adheasion, but becareful it will fog up your clear pieces. I did just purchase a Testors Mini Blue compressor, but i havent tried it yet, more to follow. HOpe that helps.

This is the place to go for any questions you may have. I have even stopped buying model mags because this site provide all my answers and then some!

Sean

Hello again. I've spent the last few day 'accumalating' a variety of tools and supplies. Despite what I said earlier about eBay, I managed to win a bid for a 115v/2.3 amp air compressor, its Mfg by Thompson of Wisconsin, I purchased it brand new for $45(+$10 shp). I also won copies of both the "How to Build Dioramas" and "Modeling Tanks and Military Vehicles" by S. Paine.

So, with that said, I need advice on a couple more issues:

- Should I do my detail painting with enamels and air brush work with arcylics?? (I asked this question earlier).

- What do you guys consider to be the best for 'thinning" the paint for air brushing.

- What is the Tamiya equavalient for 'Panzer Grey'?? One source said XF-13 which is Metallic Blue if I'm not mistaken, this can't be right.

I found a fairly comprehensive color refernce chart at: [http://www.canit.se/~griffon/diverse/modelling/s1colref.txt]

Thanks again for all the help.

I use enamels exclusively for airbrushing, but LOTS of people like acrylics.
I thin enamels with Mineral Spirits, and you thin acrylics with water,
practice either mixture on scrap first to get a feel for it.

I use enamels on details (and abse coats as well) because it dries slow and evenly.
I rarely find brush marks in my detail painting.

Dont do armor (yet) so cant help with your color question.

Hello,

Welcome back to the hobby. If you're like me, a returning novice, youu have gotten great advice and done good things. The books you got are great. You got the compressor (read my article on air compressors). As for the airbrush... It scared me like a tablesaw did when I first started cutting wood with one. The advice I got was PRACTICE. The best advice I could give you is PRACTICE.
Expect to mess up no matter how much better you get.
You're already ahead of the game by finding this web site.

Sealhead

Thanks again firemann816 for the great advice. Thanks as well to you Sealhead. Your advice hits home, I see the kind of work guys like you all do and I think "WOW, I wish I could do that!", and I have to remind myself that I have to, as you said, "Practice". I hope to have some photos of our (my son and I) P47's soon. Just hope they are not to disastrous.

Thanks again guys.

When you get your airbrush, practice spraying on paper. Try different designs and line thicknesses. I use acrylics for everything but washes. Acrylics are easy to thin and clean up. Also, the fumes from spraying enamels can get harsh without a vented spraybooth.

Hey guys, I wanted to get some opinions on a couple of air brushes. I know they are low end, but I hoped one could do me for awhile. Give me your honest opinion, would one of this brushes be OK or should I just hold out and get a better one.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dllViewItem&item=2388417924&category=28111&sspagename=STRK%3AMEBWA%3AIT&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dllViewItem&item=2388319873&category=28111&sspagename=STRK%3AMEBWA%3AIT&rd=1

Thanks to anyone who takes the time to help me on this.

Hi

I wrote some tips a few weeks back. Nothing earth shattering but you may pick up a good point or two.

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/26242&page=1

All the best!