1) Choose a good model airplane building station.
There is no reason you can't use an existing desk, a fold out table or even the kitchen table.
Just choose an area where you will be comfortable for the amount of time you intend to spend in this building session and be sure to prepare your area for the tasks at hand.
Plastic model airplane building requires using glue and paint. No matter how careful you are, you will end up with both glue and pain on your working surface. Be sure to prepare that surface with a removable lining for easy clean up and protection of your chosen work surface.
2) Always wash everything before you start.
Use soap and water to clean all of your parts. This is important for both gluing and painting your models. A nice clean dry surface means your model will be much stronger and have a much nicer paint job.
3) Read the directions!
Honestly. Everyone wants to jump in and just start building. Nobody thinks they need the instructions.
But I guarantee that you will have a lot more fun if you just take the time to read through all of the instructions before you start.
Also keep a yellow highlighter pen handy during this first reading. Mark anything that seems confusing at first or any important warnings.
4) Always allow the glue to dry overnight before attempting to paint your model.
This is key to a good paint job. It is natural to want to finish your model as quickly as possible.
That does NOT give the best results though. Instead, glue everything together and then let it dry overnight.
5) Use putty to fill in the gaps.
Patience is the key here too. After using putty carefully to fill in any gaps or seams, allow it to fully dry.
6) Wash your model again before painting.
Wash your assembled model again with soapy water and allow it to fully dry.
Why? Because this is your chance to remove oils from the plastic. Your paint job will look spectacular if you remove all of the oils from your hands before you start painting.
7) Always paint the interior first.
This is a common mistake for beginners. If you start with the outside, you will end up needing to touch up after you accidentally get interior paint on the exterior of your model.
If you start from the interior, you will always end up with the very best paint job.
8) Enjoy your new model.
This is the pay off. Since you were very careful and patient, you now have a model that will last for years and you can be proud to display.
Enjoy it. This is an important part of the hobby. Don't spend all of your time building new models. Take time to admire and show off your existing models.
