When modelling (usually an airplane) I tend to follow the instruction sheet quite closely. That means that I normally start with the cockpit, then fuselage assembly, wings ….
Somewhere along the road I have to assemble the undercarriage, weaponry (missiles, bombs …) and other small subassemblies. That is where it sometimes goes wrong and I loose interest in the subject because these small bits take a lot of work while little progress is seen.
Atb the same time, the instruction sheets usually do not seem to take into account the airbrushing stages, weathering ….
I am currently wondering if there are better approaches but following the instruction sheet from 1 to x, and then paint.
1/35 vehicles and artillery.
Assemble big pieces first, add any small parts that absolutely MUST be added, paint areas that can’t be reached later.
Add smaller parts and finally the smallest (most fragile parts).
I paint as late as possible. Using solvents to glue styrene WILL damage adjacent paint so the paint goes on as late as possible. This also saves me the work of
removing paing from the surfaces that need to be glued.
There are cases where I must “accept the challenge” and paint immediately adjacent to a glue surface. Naughty, indecent and impolite words will be used
when that sh!t happens …
Sometimes the upper and lower halves of a tank require some “convincing” to go together and that task is LOT easier if there isn’t a lot of small parts to worry about.
After building multiple kits, you start seeing sub assemblies instead of stages a-z. I work on subassembly’s and set them aside until needed. You have to think ahead about paint. Obviously the cockpit and wheel wells need to be painted early in the build. Areas that will need putty or sanding come later in the process. Landing gear, and ordinance will be at the end of the build so they don’t get in the way and you don’t knock them off.
If that’s the problem – and I empathise – I deal with those pesky sub-assemblies first. When the modelling mojo’s flashing amber I only have to look at those big juicy parts to come, and if it’s flashing red actually make a couple of the bigger steps. Incentivise.
Otherwise I’ve gone from religiously following the Instruction steps in the past, to “seeing the whole board” by making all the subs, and going as far as possible without gluing anything. That’s saved me several times from a mis-gluing/misaligning, typically due to my own error as much as a bad fit.
And yes it’s about time kit Instructions recognised the reality of painting, instead of leaving it to the final steps and a catch-all general paint guide. What a revolution it would be if, after a particular build step, there were specific notes to paint xyz before going any further.
It’s funny, but I have a real love-hate relationship with tackling the suspension on tanks; all those pesky, even boring road-wheels, the sanding, and then the painting before I actually install them. If I could sub-contract it out I would. And yet, and yet, once in place, and say, the tracks secured too, then full steam ahead!
Absolutely, the only way I get through wheels (got 24 to do for my Sturmy, each with 4 attachment points) is to enter a prolonged zen state of higher enlightenment and peace with the world – well except with Merc & BMW drivers. Or mainline some Talisker, same thing.
For me all of the different types of models have ““dead spots” that I navigate thru that you really don’t feel like you can see progress,but then I hit a point where everything starts coming together and all the work makes sense.
My current process is to review the kit via instructions. I then proceed to clean up all the parts I’m going to use, and then open any holes, vents scoops, intakes, etc., and clean those up as well. All is then stored in a baggie to prevent loss.
IF my mojo is still cooking I will move to the “added detail” stage which usually involves scratch-building of some sort. At this point references are pulled into the mix and I tumble down that rabbit hole and may end up in the land of disenchantment. If that’s the case, it all goes back into the box with the added bonus of having a totally cleaned up kit ready to be built at a later date.
IF however, I can see success coming my way, I move on to the cockpit and other areas that need to be enclosed befor major assembly begins.
Thank you for all the reactions. I see that most deviate from the instructions sheets, one way or another.
Would it make sense for kit manufacturers to better take into account the need for painting/airbrushing and design a kit bearing these finishing steps into account? or at least make the instruction sheets in a paint friendely way?
I don’t really think so. That would be too restrictive. There has to be some artistry and talent infused by the modeler to make the effort pursuable. If you take all of the mystery out of it, I think it would take some of the fun out of it.
We all build differently so the instructions would still be “wrong” for some of us.
The current method is logical in the sense that it shows how a specific area fits together. If the manufacturers changed to an assembly logic or paint logic we
might be saying naughty words when searching for where a specific part fits.
I prefer the current layout, I’ll figure out the rest myself depending on many
other considerations. The instructions by Dragon though …
Yes Robin there are many other considerations that only the modeler can deduce. Model kits are engineered to be built without paint, so introducing paint into the build process will cause fit issues even if masking, and scraping will cause worse fit issues. Painting parts on the sprue is a recipe for bad fit. Of course sometimes you DO have to paint as you go, but I try and glue as much as humanly possible before painting. Figuring out when that is, is part of the fun.
Here’s what Pirsig says about how assembly instructions are produced:
“You go out on the assembly line with a tape recorder and the foreman sends you to talk to the guy he needs least, the biggest goof-off he’s got, and whatever he tells you … that’s the instructions. The next guy might have told you something completely different and probably better, but he’s too busy.”
