Are there any books or magazine articles/websites? out there that help a beginner with working on a resin armor models.

This model is monsterous. It'll probably take me a long time to finish sanding and cleaning the pieces

TIA!

I don't know of one or even two books that deal with resin armor. I think the theme will be by subject (AFV) then if ther are detail (resin) kits they will be addressed as used.

Resin will take you longer to build than simple OOTB sytrene. By the nature of sanding and adjusting fit to mate with a plastic kit you have extra steps. Go slow, take your time, it's Not a race.

I'd help if we know what kit and AM resin kits you're dealing with.

From being a member here for a while I can tell you the more specific your question, the better the answers you will get. Also note the Armorama.com area of the overall network. There are a ton of very experienced modelers there/here who can help.

Hey, neighbor, how are things in Beantown? Just watch out for the tunnels.
What kit are you working on? That may get better replies.
In general, resin is more brittle than regular plalstic but CAN provide much better detail.You'll need epoxy or superglue to assemble this. Wash the parts after removing any pour plugs. You can use any type of filler, if needed, even some pretty "hot" ones that would damage styrene.
Prime before painting, Test fit, since you're less likely to have locator pins.
Warpage is more likely, but can be straightened by clamping hte parts in really hot water. Some dealers, Olde Depot Hobby, in our neck of hte woods will replace any defective parts, even though they are not due to his handling.
See the thread elsewhere about the possible hazards, but read the like Scott gives.

Welcome to the world of resin. As my main focus for a few years was Artillery, I've built just about every resin Artillery kit I could find. The two things I find indispensible are a rotary saw for your Dremel, and a piece of glass with two grits of wet/dry paper spray mounted to it. The rotary saw, along with the cylindrical steel cutter, are the fastest way I've found to remove the larger pour plugs. For most of the pieces, you can finish them off on the wet/dry paper by CAREFULLY sanding in a circular motion.
I usually use medium viscosity CA for assembly. On rare occasions I might use Silly Putty or clay to hold two parts together, and then let a little thin CA run into the void. It'll dry up so that after painting you won;t even see it. Same method works well with thick CA for something like adding PE brush guards to a resin or plastic hull. You can replicate welds quickly this way.
Depending upon the kit, you may not have fit issues at all. Kits like Accurate Armour's and Hobby Fan's fit very well, and plugs in many cases can be snapped off with your fingers as they're so finely done.
You've probably read enough on AEF Designs that I don't even need top go there...
I find cleanup easier sometimes on resin kits than plastic. You've only got one pour plug rather than several sprue attachment points to clean up. It actually took me less time to complete AA's AS-90 than Trumpeter's.
Whichever kit you have, good luck with it.

Resin also takes alot more care in handling.

Last nite I was working on the CMK resin kit of the wardroom for my Revell Uboat Type VIIC. I used a little bit too much pressure to put the bulkheads to the deck and parts went flying. (I think I found them all, fortunately there weren't really many of them.) Now I get the experience of repairing the damage done.

I've used resin for cockpits and things like that, but never such a large amount in one kit.

Results and lessons learned: 1. Take it easy when putting it together, 2. Take a break if you are getting frustrated. 3. If something bad happens, don't worry, it's just resin and can be fixed.

Thanks for all your responses. I've worked on some resin kits in the past including some figures and conversion kits but never a full resin kit. I guess there are no shortcuts. HA.

I'm currently working on building Legends Merkava IV. Kind of appropriate with the days news.

Actually how are people cutting out extras when working on the treads? I know I'll break pieces off but I want to know if there is a technique that will help me avoid breakage.

TIA

Greetings to you, "One if by land and two if by Sea", Dave:

These gals and guys here on the big a are really sumpin' dave. Very good
advice — as I read all the posts below you initial question. With figs,
actually I prefer resin to styrene. . . but I realize you're doing an armor
piece and that is a lot more demanding. . . at least a case of beer instead
of a six pack. :-) :-) :-)

To return to serious: the only thing I would add to the previous post is
about a health issue. Unlike the heavier styrene particles that seem to,
at least most of the time, settle on to the workbench when you're sanding
them or using the motor tool, resin is a lot lighter and will stay airborne
for a much longer time period. Meaning: it is easy to deposit it in your
lungs. So I would suggest wearing a mask, kee mo sob bee to protect
your lungs, when working with resin, as to sanding it. . .

Hopefully, you can show us some "under construction" pix soon?

I've been known to do a few resin kits, they aren't much different than an injection kit once you clean up the parts, except the resin is not as strong, warps easier and some smaller thinner parts may need to be straightened.
Removing the pour plugs, I just either use a saw, knife to score and snap, or grinder, depending on the location, and how fragile the part appears. (Of course I've been known to use a power sander when doing a vacuformed kit also!!!)
Just take your time, and remember if you snap a part, 99% of the time it will snap cleanly, and a spot of CA will repair the piece.

Good luck, and I'm looking forward to seeing your progress on this project

Hi Dave,

Having built at least four plastic kits I feel ready to take on my first resin and metal kit. The AA CET. :-) :-)


Good luck mate!