Well, I’ve been away from modelling for about 28 years. I have recently returned and, like most other things in this crazy world of ours, have found the hobby has changed dramatically in some ways.
I won’t pontificate on my most recent discoveries about how things have changed (no more Humbrol paints?!?!? oh no!!!) - but, seriously, someone please tell me the story of Future floor polish?!?! What is the use of/purpose of using Future on models? I’ve read about its use in several places but the context of purpose is lost on me.
I’m pretty glad to see you and a handful of other guys with the same story. Came back to it after away for a long time. Its a different experience now, isn’t it?
Future is basically a clear acrylic finish. Never mind that its marketed for floors. I havent heard all its uses yet, but I’m seeing people clearcoat over models with it for a gloss - like display aircraft, blue angels / thunderbirds stuff, and primarily for coating canopies. Clear parts can be made a little more shiny, and thereby more glass like, by coating with it. And it does help to fill in minute imperfections that may be there.
There are many uses for Future, You can dip windshields canopies or any clear part you want to give it a much clearer and better apperance.
You can use it to gloss coat a model if you want it nice and shiny.
You can also use it to seal the model meaning after your paint and decals are on caot it with future and it will preserve your paint job you worked so hard on and you can apply washes to panel lines or whatever you want and not have to worry about ruining your paint job. and once you are done weathering you can spray it again with dulcote to get that dull finish again.
but if you really want good explanations of many uses swanny’s page has a good tutorial, i have to find the link and will post it or just look for him on this site.
Ok, thanks for the link guys! I have been educated!
I am truly amazed at how much the modelling world has changed since I last was at the workdesk in the late 70’s. What’s more appalling, though, is the PRICE of models these days! WOW! What’s that all about?!?!?!?
It is not surprising that model building has become a rarer and more arcane art, as most of the young kids today do not have the desire or perserverance to sit there and build something. Way too slow for their 2-second soundbyte world I guess.
And Monogram is gone? Revell only has a narrow range of models? Tamiya and Hasegawa (both favs when I was young) seem to have cut way back as well.
Welcome back after all these years. Being in the hobby during this time, we have seen many many changes. Times as well as the old standbys change. I grew up on Revell kits, now I hardly EVER build a Revell considering it to be “bottom shelf”. But, since I build a lot of helicopters, I have to take what is out there. That means Italari (some of them are nice), Monogram, some Revell and now the new up and comer is Trumpeter with upstart rotary manufacturers Acadamy and Dragon.
Think of it it this way. When I was a kit, the brand I can relate to in hardware stores was Black and Decker, and in chain stores, it was Craftsman. Now there are myriad brands out there that I had never heard of, offering more and more options. Over time, kit type and sub-type market saturation, interest, foriegn sales (to the US from just about every manufacturer of kits) R&D on a kit, tooling costs etc. have changed dramatically. I remember spending Saturday at this little place called Pecks’ that had a nice little selection, and riding my bike home with my new treasure. Now, to walk into a hobby shop, there are so many choices! As well, in some cases, molds have changed hands and you will have one kit reboxed by another (Hasegawa and Revell recently had this agreement, Testors teamed up with Italari, MRC paired with Acadamy, etc).This doesnt even cover any of what we called “cottage industry” back in the early 80’s, when resin came from your dental supply house and photoetch was not a term most of us had even heard.
I think we are living in the golden age of modeling NOW. Never have choices been so high, expendable income is there for the majority of us (within reason), we have more paint choices, more glue choices, the whole world of aftermarket… and still the manufacturing technology continues to improve. If you get a chance, take a look at a Bandai kit, molded very crisply with up to six colors on a single sprue. Thier parts tolerences on the new kits are very tight!
Welcome back, try some different things out, and let us know how you are doing!
I’m right there with you! Yesterday I stopped at a hobby shop I went to in high school. It’s now run by the original owners son. I picked up two kits and spent about a hour talking with the owner and several modelers about what is new in the hobby. I couldn’t believe how many glue choices there are and ways to apply them now days! I’ve got lots to learn as I go.