Howdy, all…
After I’m through working for the day, I have found myself watching some of the online scale model channels on YouTube. This is a bonus benefit of finally having high-speed fiber optic internet service—that’s right, no more HughesNet dish in the front yard!
Some are better than others—the channels that bring good model building content (educational content as opposed to ASMR artistry) are the ones I enjoy the most. However, I see some of the channels still repeat a lot of those modeling myths and misconceptions that have been part of the hobby for many years. In an effort to dispel some of them, allow me to take a few moments and comment.
Myth #1: You need great artistic talent to build models.
If this were the case, I’d never get anything completed. All you really need is time and repetition.
What is talent, anyway? Merriam and Webster define it as “a special often athletic, creative, or artistic aptitude”, insinuating that it must be innate, part of a being’s personality. I understand that different people excel in different things, but to ascribe it completely to luck of the draw in the genetic lottery doesn’t sit well with me.
I think of it in the same vein as TV artist Bob Ross thought of it: “Talent is a pursued interest.” You are interested in something, and as you pursue that interest your skills and knowledge increase with time.
In the Spring 1982 “Test” issue of FineScale Modeler, ship modeler Les Wilkins outlined a few concepts he used to use to produce great models. They were:
- Start simple
- Work methodically
- Standardize techniques
- Display effectively
Notice that Les never said that you must be artistically inclined or a master craftsman in order to build models. Shep Paine, Bob Steinbrunn, Paul Budzik, and many other long-time modelers will tell you—time and practice is all you need.
Myth #2: In order to produce quality models, you need a workshop full of fancy machinery and precision tools.
For most of my modeling career, I have used nothing more than a #1 handle with a #11 blade, a razor saw, a set of drills and a pin vise, some tweezers, sanding sticks and files, a handful of paint brushes, and an airbrush. Oh, I own a motor tool (a Foredom flexible shaft model), but rarely use it.
This is not to say that those who do possess these tools don’t get great results from them, it just stands that they are not a requirement to building a quality model. Simple hand tools will get you to the same destination, it just might take longer.
As for the need for expensive “specialized” tools, Master leather carver Jim Linnell said this: “How much you spend on the tool in your hand doesn’t affect the work you do as much as the amount of experience the hand has using that tool.”
The next few myths have been floating around for decades, yet they still get trotted out as fact.
Myth #3: All acrylic model paints are water-based.
Myth #3a: All acrylic paints are non-toxic.
There have been volumes written about paint chemistry. The tl;dr version is this: There are water-borne acrylics, acrylic enamels, and acrylic lacquers. Some are soluble in water, alcohol, and lacquer thinner, others are not. The best bet: Use the thinner suggested by the paint manufacturer.
I still find it curious that a modeler would spend a lot of money on kits, aftermarket parts, specialized paint, and decals only to then play Home Chemist with the paint thinners.
As for the toxicity of paint, all paints, when sprayed, produce droplets. Paints contain resins, hardeners, and plasticizers that are designed to create a durable coating. When those materials enter your lungs, it is no different than when they coat a surface and cure. Protect your lungs with a respirator (NOT a simple dust mask!) with organic vapor filters and use an exhaust fan, regardless of what you’re spraying.
Myth #4: Alpha Cyanoacrylate Adhesives (aka CA, ACC, or superglue) give off toxic fumes (cyanide gas) as it cures.
Nope.
If it did, we would all be dead. Cyanide is not a cumulative poison like arsenic—exposure to cyanide creates an immediate (and usually lethal) reaction from the human body.
While it is not toxic, it can be an irritant. Work in a well-ventilated space, and use a respirator if the fumes bother you.
Myth #5: Resin dust is carcinogenic.
Sanding and grinding cured resin creates a fine dust. However, studies have shown that polyurethane or epoxy resin dust does not necessarily possess any inherent carcinogenic properties. In some studies, it is classified as a “nuisance irritant”.
However, think about this—if you inhale the dust, and it gets deep into your lungs, what problems can it cause? It is an irritant, yes, and there really haven’t been studies to see what the effect of breathing these dusts has caused over time. So whether or not it is carcinogenic is still open to debate, but as with the acrylic paint situation, it is best to protect yourself—in this case, with a properly fitted N95 or KN95 dust mask.
Myth #6: You need to smear putty over every seam and gap.
Nope. You certainly can do that, but you would be wasting time and money.
I see this often—rather than sanding the seams when the glue dries, I see folks immediately reach for the tube of putty. What I do is sand first—get everything dressed and level. Then, if you see gaps and steps, take some time to figure out what to fill them with. In some cases, a few more minutes with sandpaper will take care of things. In other cases, a small chip of Evergreen strip will fill the gap with little work.
When I need filler “putty”, my tools of choice are epoxy putty (Apoxie Clay or Apoxie Sculpt), Evergreen styrene, Vallejo plastic putty, or CA (aka superglue). I don’t use any other fillers—I have a half-used tube of the old (original formula) Squadron White Putty on the workbench that I haven’t checked on—it is probably as hard as stone by now. My tube of Perfect Plastic Putty is likewise starting to solidify.
Oh, and I’d use a dust mask if you sand these fillers dry, too.
Myth #7: You need to use a primer under all acrylic paint.
For years, I would paint on to the bare plastic with all types of acrylics and never had an issue. I never had paint peel, lift, or misbehave. I would do a good job of cleaning the surface before I painted—a good wipe with Isopropyl Alcohol is all it takes.
These days, I prime more as part of the entire finishing process and use it as much to add depth and tone the finish as I do to unify the surface.
Use of a primer is optional. One thing that is not optional is having a clean surface. Before you apply any paint, you need to make sure the surface is clean and free from oils and other contaminants that can affect paint adhesion. As I said, wipe the model down with alcohol right before you paint, and all should be good.
Myth #8: Future floor finish is garbage and shouldn’t be used.
I hear this a lot, yet over the years many modelers have used this product with no problems. I have used it for years with only one disappointment that I can ascribe more to the decals than the Future. However, this argument appears to be moot, since it appears that SC Johnson might be discontinuing the product.
Myth #9: You don’t need a clear gloss under decals.
Now, there is actually some truth to this.
All decals really need is a smooth surface, and most of the modern paints—even those labeled “Matte” or “Flat”—do a great job of laying down a smooth finish. Apply the decals with a good solvent/setting agent, and they should lie down and look like they were painted on.
Back in the day, though, flat paints yielded a very rough surface, even to the naked eye. So, you needed to take one of the following routes to a smooth surface: use gloss paint, which back in the day was rather thick or took forever to fully cure; polish the surface; or apply a coat of a clear gloss (it was reasoned that a coat of clear gloss was better than multiple coats of glossy paint). The clear gloss was the option many modelers took, and still take, to get decals to behave.
These days, one of the best arguments out there for using clear gloss over the paint concerns the finish enhancement techniques (“weathering”) modelers use. What happens when you apply decals to a painted finish, and then use an oil wash over it? I’ll tell you what happens—the oil wash will stain the paint slightly, but the paint under the decal film is protected, and therefore won’t “take” the wash, and stands out like the proverbial sore thumb. By protecting the entire surface with the clear gloss, you ensure the wash is absorbed (or repelled) from the paint surface equally.
If you want to forego the clear coat, then do your enhancements (“weathering”) before you apply the decals, and once the decals have dried overnight, go back and apply the same techniques to the decals and you’ll be set.
Myth #10: Contest judges are (your complaint here).
I find it interesting how many times a contest judge is slammed for some reason or other, especially by people who never bother to help judge a contest.
When you go to a contest, why not step up and volunteer to judge? You might find that you’ll learn a thing or two, and possibly might get more enjoyment out of the show!
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As last year seemed to be The Year of the Phantom, this year is shaping up to be The Year of the Viper…
It started when I pulled the two 1/72nd scale Hasegawa F-16’s out of the rescue pile. There are the last two of the kits my friend Rick gave me in 2006 that had been started that were still complete and could be completed. They’re nothing fancy—the same Hasegawa F-16’s we’ve all known and loved since the mid-1980’s. I scrounged some decals from the decal stash to build the F-16A as a Block 10 jet from the South Carolina Air National Guard, and the F-16C was built to depict a jet that was based at Shaw AFB and deployed for Operation Desert Storm.
I also tried a new paint. When Testors began to drop colors from the Acryl range, I started using Vallejo. Now, Vallejo is good paint, both for airbrush and hairy stick, but I have found that the shelf life isn’t all it is cracked up to be. And even though I’m no color purist, I’d at least like to start with a color that’s in the ballpark—on some of my last projects with Vallejo, I found I had to do more color tinkering than I am used to just to get the color close to the standard. I’ll still keep some colors around for the brush work, but decided to search for a new paint line to match the camouflage colors.
I’ll probably tell the story another time, but I tired the soup-to-nuts Mission Models paint line—primer, color, and clears. I have mixed feelings, but before I make a final decision I need to try it a few more times to make sure it was actually the product and not my technique. As the TV shows used to say, “Stay Tuned for More”…
The next batch of F-16’s are all F-16C’s—two in 1/48th scale (using the sublime Tamiya kit, of course!) and one 1/32nd scale kit from Hasegawa’s veteran release. Two of the three are for a friend (who also provided the 1/32nd scale kit) who worked with the Vermont ANG. His 1/48th scale model will be shown just after takeoff with the gear in transit. I have two thirds of the landing gear work complete, and it will be a cool display—if I don’t say so myself…
The other 1/48th scale model will be added to my collection, also wearing VT ANG colors. After the two smaller ones are done, I’ll finish the 1/32nd scale kit in decals my friend provided to build “Lethal Lady” (a Block 25 F-16C). The actual airframe had over 7,200 hours on the clock when it was retired as a gate guard at Burlington ANGB. Plans are for the airplane to eventually be handed to the National Air and Space Museum. Memorializing it in polystyrene is a fair tribute to the airplane, don't you think?
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That’s all I have for now. As always, be good to one another. I bid you Peace.
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