The most essential element for your ultimate success is patience. Take your time to acquire the basic skill and build up your confidence level and gradually proceed to more complicated model. As with other hobby and craft, you will need some basic modeling tools and materials to build your first plastic model. Here is a list of tools and materials that you can start with.
1. Hobby knife
For cutting purposes such as removing parts and trimming away access stub after cutting.
2. Sandpaper
For sanding off unwanted molded lines or sharp edges to achieve a smooth surface. The sandpaper is available in extra fine, fine and medium grits. Another alternative is to use emery boards.
3. Liquid plastic cement
This liquid plastic cement dissolves plastic surfaces to form a weld like bonding. This type of solvent cement is much neater and easier to work with as compare to those that come in a tube.
4. Plastic filler putty
This is used to fill up any gaps to achieve a smooth surface and more realistic appearance.
5. Small needle files
For sanding precise or certain areas that could not be done by using sandpaper. Small needle files are available in the form of square, round and triangle.
6. Spring clamps or rubber bands
To hold parts together during the bonding stage.
7. Toolbox
This is to keep all the small tools and materials in a handy and portable box.
8. Table
Find a table which you can use exclusively for your model building activity.
9. Cutting board
To be used as a form of protection for your table top against cement or extensive cutting by the knife.
10. Desk lamp
If the lighting in your work place is insufficient or too dim, use a desk lamp. Avoid building your models in a bad lighting that will hurt your eyes and ended up with a bad job.
Some of the items listed above are optional; you can ignore or include it at a later stage. As you begin to build more scale model planes and gain experience, the collection of tools and materials will also increase.
Plastic model airplanes kits building are an enjoyable and learning activity. When you have transformed an assortment of plastic parts into a complete and finished aircraft model, it gives you a sense of pride and satisfaction.
