I follow the instructions step by step. But unfortunately it is not effective. I have to clean my airbrush almost always, and I have to wait for each step to dry.
So I came up with a new approach to this: I plan to remove all the parts from the sprue, and organize them based on their sub assembly (engine parts: engine.). I then prime all the parts, then after priming, I paint all the parts required of a specific paint (35 parts need Semi Gloss Black). This way, I don’t have to clean my airbrush much more often, is faster, and more efficient than doing it step by step.
I do something similar to this, but I also think about which parts would be better to assemble and remove seams from before any primer or paint goes on them. I guess you could say I sort of treat each, individual subassembly like a model kit in itself. I do that just for build quality purposes, and don’t really mind cleaning my airbrush. I have a Paasche H, which is like the AK-47 of airbrushes. Breaks down in seconds and then I just drop the parts into my jar of MEK in an ultrasonic cleaner to get them completely clean.
You’ll just have to keep working through the frustration and mistakes because you’ll make lots of mistakes along the way. Working through those things and not giving up, you’ll improve your skills and learn what works best for you.
Depending upon the type of models you’re building, I would advise against removing all parts from the sprues and separating into sub assemblies. On more involved kits, there are often similar but different parts that need to be identified for proper assembly, so those are best left on the sprue until assembly.
My own preferred method is to build in as many sub assemblies as I can until painting is required then let those dry. Paint them up once the glue has dried, then assemble what can be assembled after the paint has dried. Depending upon the engineering and complexity of the model, this can be few or many such sequences.
Just curious but why the hurry? Rushed efforts tend to produce rushed results. Give glue and paint the time to dry and make sure that all is correct before moving forward. I don’t think anyone here is building models for CIA real world covert mission planning, so there are no lives at stake deadlines. Like many of the finer things in life, take your time to enjoy the process.
Instructions are not the holy bible, and even then following it word for word wouldn’t be a good idea…
Then again whatever you do you will have to clean up your airbrush every now and then…
I also would advise against removing parts from sprue all at once. That would make too much of a mess. But concentrating on building subassemblies like complete engines sounds perfectly good to me. Other thind we usually do differently than the instructions say would be to not add things like undercarriage or protruding parts like antennae or machine guns before painting and decalling is done.
In the end you are responsible for the end result of building your model, so you get to say what gets done when and how. This is what makes model building so cool!
One guy in another forum asked me if I wanted to do a build off with him with identical kits… He was done in well under 1 month. He kept asking me for photos of mine. I sent off subsets and he wondered how I did this or that all along the way, which he clearly had not even thought of… Finally about 2-1/2 months in I sent off the finished photos of my rushed build.It could take me 3 days to ponder the sheen for the chassis. Or longer lol. It’s ridiculous how slow I go but in this I felt pushed.
I’m afraid that summer seems to be one of the few windows of opportunity to make my models. We are halfway done with summer, and not only that, I have 2 kits waiting to be done (Corsair and P-47). I’m afraid I won’t put in as much time during the school year, especially since High School is looming around the corner. So I try to ge things done and use time effeciently, so that I can maximize my time.
Will the kits run away or something if you don’t get to them this summer ? It took me 45 years to get to one of mine !! And I still got to glue it up but it’s all painted.
I buy vintage kits off of Ebay all the time and the decals in one that had gone out of production in 1984 were still good. I believe they were a little over 30 years old at the time…and they worked just fine. If you keep them protected in the box and plastic bag they were in, they’ll last a very long time.
Dude you’re a young man. You have all the time in the world for models. There will be next summer, and many summers after that. During the school year concentrate on classes and you have a few hours maybe on weekends. Who cares if it takes more time to get to decals? Enjoy whatever part of the build that your currently working on.
One of the aspects I love about this hobby is problem solving. I like to spend time before the bags are opened and study the instructions. What parts are better left off until the end? With my current skill set what is the best approach for paint vs assemble first? What parts will be hand painted vs. airbrush? Is there a sub assembly that gives me an opportunity to try and new technique?
Your probably overwhelmed with questions. It can be a complex hobby and just know the answers and skills will come. Take your time and most of all have fun with it. You have something most of us here envy. you have youth and a lifetime of masterpieces ahead of you.
I’ll jump in on the other side, TM. I’m an old guy, too, but I don’t usually like taking a long time to make progress on a model. I don’t actively rush, but I don’t get modeling time as frequently as I’d like, so I try to be more efficient with the time I get.
I’d say that your approach of working on sub-assemblies is a good start to determine what works for you. However, I’m sure at some point you’ll go, “oops!” as you’ve gotten too far ahead of yourself. Removing all pieces from the sprues is a good example here, as stikpusher has already mentioned…don’t do that! Be careful, study the instructions, and you’ll probably be fine. And if not, you’ll definitely learn from the self-taught lesson!
In general, I agree with the, “build what you want, when you want” mantra and if you enjoy putting something together quickly knowing that you may not achieve ‘Best in Show’ quality, more power to you. When I got back to this hobby last year, I bought several 1/72 aircraft knowing that there is less detail and they’d go together faster. I also bought a 1/48 aircraft and some aftermarket bits so I could focus on detail and take my time. Do what you like, enjoy it, and learn from it. Practice makes perfect, and then when you get to my age, you can take all the time you want. [:)]
Its a hobby. Build as time alows. At this point in your life you should study and learn and build your skills so you make yourself valuable (as I have said to my sons, study data science, analytics and big data processing). When you have time, kick back and work on models. For now, get your head in the books (sorry if I’m sounding dad like…but Im a dad). To put a point on this, I’m hiring data science kids out of school at 85K a year…boom
I do this similiar to that. Doesn’t mean you should though. How many models, Completed, Painted, and Finished Have you done? The Builds have all some commonalities. But, there’s always one by another Manufacturer that might be a little different, So read those instructions like a Bible. There may be places where you have to add a part later and you got the color wrong, because it was related to another part. NEVER-take the parts off the sprue till you are ready to use them. That’s a prescription for losses.
When you buy a kit, No matter how New. Immediately take out the Decals. Slip them in a ZipLoc bag and remove the air and make sure they remain flat. Got an old heavy book you just keep because you really liked it. Is it away from bright light? If so store your Decals in the Middle. A nice cool dark Place-Get It?
Back BC (before COVID) I was working a make and take. A mom was helping her child. My spiel included how important the instructions were - and don’t remove the parts from the Sprue until needed.
Mom looked at me, nodded her head, and proceeded to pull (not cut) the parts and put them in the box.
When she finished she looked up at me. I said, “Now find part number 2”. I remember the belated look of understanding that came across her face.
There is a wrong way,unfortunately sometimes we go up that one way street, but no, there isn’t one right way to assemble a model, depends on the kit.
As far as instructions, a narrow focus on step by step can get you in trouble, you always need to get the big picture and see what the consequences of each step will have on the next.