Your own factory of models? It is worth a try
By Mario Covalski
Modeler Site’s editorials are in general very well received and read by modelers, but the one issued last month ( Go on buying... though…) seemed to bring a greater effect than the usual, because of the incredible number of emails sent by readers, making comments about it.
Moreover, this editorial influenced on the feelings of some of our contributors and friends with respect to considering how many boxes do we modelers heap, and even one of them accused me of having “killed” his illusion, well perhaps, it was already dead and he had not noticed :-)
I don’t use to return to an idea expounded on a previous issue, however this topic worth it and there’s one I’m putting into practice and would like to share with you.
Among our collection of boxes, sometimes we have two or more boxes exactly the same which should be built alike except for the decoration, decals, etc. This is the point about which I want to bring your attention this month, the mass construction of very similar models, why and what for.
I’m building six Tamiya Yamaha(s) YZR 500 motorcycles in 1/12 scale, with different decal sheets; the target: to add more models to my showcase without taking long, decreasing in this way my heap of boxes.
Building a kit means time-consuming even when carrying out simple tasks such as opening and closing a bottle of cement, preparing paint, cleaning the airbrush to paint another color…and so forth, even more on planning the construction, reading and comprehension of the instruction manual.
Preparing the mix of paint for the six kits once and for all, instead of six times along several months, will save you a lot of time and there will be hardly waste of paint. Besides, by using your imagination, you might develop new techniques to make the job easier for instance, masking with Teflon tape, less laborious weathering methods…etc.
The final aim, is to build six models to the best of your skilfulness, pouring out just a few hours and with less effort. There are significant concessions to make which should be considered, such as building straight from the box models, nothing about huge modifications…etc. Anyway, I had time to spend on drilling the brake discs and adding other details as the carbon fibre decals, etc. I have to admit that some tasks consumed just a little more time for the six than for one, this holds the original idea.
Well, if you think it’s worth a try, then start by planning what to do, taking decals nearby, the kits, etc. Don’t embark upon modifications to achieve very different models, our intention is to add new ones to our showcase and not to take part in a contest.
Prepare the parts of the first one. To save time, study very carefully which tasks you’ll achieve and which not. It’s important that the visible parts look right, try to remember the instruction manual exploring and detecting all possible troubles along the construction. Go on with the second, and then, approach two at a time, probably the last ones will be built by heart.
Once all parts are prepared, think through a way to carry out the painting stage, which colors you’ll use first, the parts that will be masked…etc. Classify and gather the parts by color, according to the way of painting. Now, let’s start with the painting and construction.
Alternating the tasks, could turn out to be funny, and you would take more pleasure in it, gluing two decals today, achieving two more tasks per instructions the day after…etc. Carrying out the same tasks will let you speed production along, and surprisingly, you’ll notice how in the couple of hours poured out for just one model, you'll have achieved the same task for the six kits.
This philosophy of construction is completely different to the detailed and meticulous one, which means searching for references, adding as many details as possible...etc, and, out of the question to take part in a contest with one of these models!, Nevertheless, you’ll see your collection increasing strikingly in a short time…and this will be an excellent excuse to go on buying.
This could be the “Henry Ford’s” solution (who devised the manufacture by mass production) to our collection of boxes!
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