Sometimes I wonder how come I can’t seem to be able to fit some parts without having a huge gap. It’s frustrating when you see someone having no problem at all, with the same model you’re building. Case in point, Rvell’s 1/32 tornado Gulf War. I just don’t understand how is that possible? So how come? I’m sure the builder’s expertise is one of the main factors. Did I get a defective one? Somehow I don’t think so. My reaction was NO MORE REVELL!!! I was so mad. I just could not go on with that build. What could I have done differently? I see some builders dry fit their model almost completely before the glueing process. I’m not sure but deep down I think I learned something from this experience. fI believe it’s paying more attention to what I’m doing, taking my time, dry fitting the parts that I can. Looking at the instructions more closely. I just don’t know. Wjhat makes a build flawless to one builder and a pain to another? Anyways…
I’ve experienced this too, Trebor. On the one hand, of course, “comparison is the thief of joy.” But on the other hand, I just want to know HOW they overcame the same challenge I’m facing.
I think sometimes, especially with older kits/tooling, there could be a quality difference from one kit to another. Maybe one sat in a hot attic for a decade. Or maybe one was molded in 1988 and the other one in 2008.
Then again, there very well could be a compounding skill issue on my part. Some small step being taken early or repeatedly in the build process that prevents a stacking of errors – a stack that on my build manifests as a sudden huge mis-fit, a large gap.
I think you’re right on with your conclusion. Take the time to slow down, dry fit, read and plan ahead. I am constantly trying to remind myself that it’s not a race – which is especially hard when bench time is limited. But a slower, more thoughtful build will involve fewer errors and wasted time correcting said errors.
Oh, and lastly, in the woodworking world, it’s often said that the sign of a master woodworker isn’t that they don’t make mistakes, it’s how well they can hide their mistakes. I am sure the same is true for modelers.
[quote=“Trebor357, post:1, topic:372931, full:true”]
Sometimes I wonder how come I can’t seem to be able to fit some parts without having a huge gap. It’s frustrating when you see someone having no problem at all, with the same model you’re building. Case in point, Rvell’s 1/32 tornado Gulf War. I just don’t understand how is that possible? So how come? I’m sure the builder’s expertise is one of the main factors. Did I get a defective one? Somehow I don’t think so. My reaction was NO MORE REVELL!!! I was so mad. I just could not go on with that build. What could I have done differently? I see some builders dry fit their model almost completely before the glueing process. I’m not sure but deep down I think I learned something from this experience. fI believe it’s paying more attention to what I’m doing, taking my time, dry fitting the parts that I can. Looking at the instructions more closely. I just don’t know. Wjhat makes a build flawless to one builder and a pain to another? Anyways…
Thanks all
[/quote]Heya Trebor,
@Toimi_Tom mentioned that model building isn’t a race and he’s right and like him I’m constantly having to remind myself that it isn’t one. One thing that is a major contributor to success in modeling as you well know I’m sure is patience. Not only with the model itself but with ourselves. Like most modelers, I’m always seeking to get better at this hobby but would absolutely LOVE to have the skillsets required like…right now. lol.
One thing that will help is to post a build thread on that Gulf War Tornado and share what you’re doing with the community here. We’re all here to help out in any way we can and by you posting the build and asking questions along the way you’ll be not only getting help but also giving it as the next guy that builds the kit may have the same trouble you are having.
Hang in there brother…we all started somewhere and those that are making this look easy have their hang ups too. I know I do.
I just do it for fun, id like it to be show quality and it sucks when I mess up but I don’t do it for a living.
My moto in life is “ well I’ve been using a fork for 45 years and I still manage to fu)$ that up”
I guess it’s not so much a moto.
Hello!
Building a plastic kit can sometimes be challenging. Like with every challenge, if you come out on top it can be pretty rewarding.
So how do you come out on top? First thing would probably be the mindset towards the kit. I’d recommend to be critical and sceptical here. Expect the kit to not fit. By that I mean you should check the fit of everything and not just hope for a part to fit. Say you want to glue the fuselage halves together. Most of the time you have to fit something between them - let’s say the cockpit assembly. Before you put glue on the fuselage halves did you check if the cockpit fits? Or maybe it’s a little too wide? Sometimes there’s some flash, a knockout in mark, maybe a hole to be drilled, or just multiple layers of paint that make it not fit. If you don’t address that, you don’t have to wonder about a hole where a fuselage seam should be. And I suspect that youtube videos don’t show you that. Multiple dry fittings would be just boring. and while we’re at the cockpit - if you have a bang seat there, are you sure it’s going to fit under the canopy? Or maybe you take it for granted? Because if it doesn’t fit, it would require quite a surgery and it’s best done before closing up the fuselage. Thinking about stuff like that turns building a model into a kind of some logical puzzle - but I personally kinda like it.
This one just didn’t want to get together without gigantic seams between all parts - but I managed to convince it otherwise (Italeri, 1:72):
As stated, could be various reasons. If it’s a very old mold, there could be quite a difference in quality in a kit produced when the mold was new and one produced 20 or 30 years later. Also with these old kits you really have to pay attention to plastic that should not be there . Trim , file, and sand away stuff that gets in the way of a good fit. Always inspect mating surfaces for such issues.
I probably test fit more than others during a build, but it doesn’t bother me to do it because I remember when I didn’t do it that way and all the misery of filling and sanding and loss of detail I used to deal with. My lovely expectations were dying in the paint stage and that’s no fun
Regarding patience, I’m patient to a fault. In that, upon rediscovering the hobby just over a year ago, after a ~50 year hiatus, I find myself doing way more research and trying to learn on a multitude of topics, procuring equipment and supplies, and establishing my work spaces rather than actually building models. Seems like a 75/25 imbalance. As for the research and trying to learn, that could be read as trying to self teach myself and avoid errors before errors occur. No doubt it doesn’t work that way. It’s all quite overwhelming given the amount of information out there in this age. Time to just get building.
That’s a great point from the other side of the coin. Sometimes “analysis paralysis” can hold me up for days at a time on a project.
Maybe it’s because I’m missing some critical bit of information needed to make the next move, or sometimes it’s because I’m at a point-of-no-return on the project, like closing up a fuselage or spraying a varnish coat, and I’m afraid to close the door on the previous step. Other times it’s some simple thing like not being able to decide which livery or paint scheme to go with - do I go basic and safe, or choose the challenging one with complex masking and large decals?
Some of the time you just have to take a leap of faith. But knowing when to take that leap, vs. doing more research or planning, is a learned skill, one that I’m still learning every day.
The number of times they’ve had to deal with that similar problem and the accumulated knowledge gained from trying and failing.
Along that line.
You are correct. There is no way to avoid all errors. If we can learn to be ok with the lack of perfection and instead see our hobby as a progression it can become a very enjoyable journey.
I made it past this mental block by tackling one challenge at a time. I started by working on improving my seams. First focusing on how to glue them together better, while being accepting of the flaws that remained. Then after mastering the gluing, added improving sanding, then filling gaps/dents, and so on and so forth.
Taking each model as an opportunity to build upon what I learned before and testing out a new skill.
Seeing each model improve as I practiced and developed each skill has been very rewarding and keeps me building.
I recall Ben of The Midwest Modelshop in one of his Shop Talk videos (Episode 1, I believe) on YouTube pretty much saying the exact same thing. At the start of a new project, pick one aspect and focus on doing that well. Nothing else matters. Just do that one thing well.
Interior and engine location in particular can be difficult to get right. Even landing gear locations in multi-engine planes present opportunities for misalignments. I have problems with one of two things. Either I set the cockpit tub or engine assembly off it’s locator marks on the inside of the fuselage. OR, it tips out of position while the glue dries. Those will cause fuselage half problems, canopy fit problems and even wing fit it the plane is a low wing. I’ve even run into this locating all kinds of little detail parts in an APV or tank. Once I dry fit correcty, I glue and dry clamp the other half while the glue dries to ensure proper alignment when all other parts are glued.
The other issue I never seem to learn is that when there are mulitiple pairs; bombs, gear doors, bomb bay doors, wing halves, horizontal stabilizer halves, etc. the instructions match the halves by number. I will cut away all the parts, losing the numbering sequence because they all look the same. But lo and behold, John machined the one set on Tuesday and Jill machined the other set on Wednesday and there’s a very slight mismatch in the locator pin symmetry. Don’t do as I do. Do as I say and cut parts from the correct number sequence AS NEEDED. I should print and read my own advise, for cripes sake.
The largest problem I face is I try to make everything perfect, get frustrated then move on to another build that I got frustrated over a couple of weeks ago.
It could be in the build, the PE or resin parts, paint running under a mask, paint spray, gap filling, the dreaded broken or lost part to having to fill gaps a multiple of times. Don’t even get me started on canopies…
When work was not an issue, I would have at least one day a week to sit and relax with the hobby; only to have time against me because its now almost midnight and i still want to continue, so I rush the assembly. Oh wait, I think we all agree that patience is one of the top requirements for this hobby. In most cases, there’s no timeline on the build except our own self-imposed timeline.
I agree with all of you, patience, dry fitting and a well thought out process is needed for every build. There’s a reason stipple ceilings are considered the norm, it hides all the errors in building and mudding those ceilings!
On the topic of gaps, I am building the Tamiya Vought F4U-1A in a 1/48 scale. When attaching the first wing assembly the seam on the fuesalage leaves an enormous gap. I tried to jiggle it around and fix it. No luck.
Liam, something is definitely amiss. The main thing that troubles people with that kit is where the outer wings join to the inner wing section, and that is due to some of the internal parts in that area not fitting quite right. I suspect something is out of place in your fuselage if the fit to the wing center section is not good. Perhaps you could post some pictures of the problem area.
Patience is always hard to muster - particularly when you’re jazzed for a project & want to get on with turning out that ‘dream’ model that you’ve pictured in your head, or you’re trying to match to something you’ve seen.
But it doesn’t take too many bad experiences to realize that patience really is the way to go - and that so many frustrations can be avoided by taking a breath, taking your time…maybe test-fit that one extra time, just to avoid that cascading pileup of unwise decisions that can so quickly turn a joyful project into a painful one.
It’s a hobby, not a race…and though I’ll admit every single moment (puttying, sanding, repeat…) isn’t going to be loads of laughs, remember how pleasant the time you’re spending is, compared to the long list of unpleasant tasks life requires of all of us from time to time.
