Page 27 of Model Boat Kits by Model Slipway

modelling tips model slipway kits tools to build one of our models the following is the minimum required a sharp modelling knife stanley knife scalpel and spare blades a large cutting mat or hardboard sheet a jigsaw or bandsaw a steel rule or straight edge a pair of spring calipers small clamps or clothes pegs a small vice hand drill or small drill and bits 0.5mm to 10mm mini-drill with a 25mm dia tungsten cutting disk a selection of files a couple of small screwdrivers miniature spanners pliers and side cutters tweezers small artist s paint brushes with wood handles for gluing wet and dry sandpaper of various grades 100 200 and 380 and a sanding block elastic bands masking tape tape measure a 30w soldering iron solder and flux if you wish to solder styrene plastic styrene sheet or more commonly called plasticard is available in different thickness the advantage of plastic over wood is that it has a smooth finish that requires no filling other than on joints to give a non-grainy finish with many vessels in steel wood with a grain does not look right plastic does not splinter and smooth holes can be drilled before applying a primer or paint it is always best to flat off a shiny surface 800 1200 grit wet or dry works very well especially if you wet it first and work with a gentle circular motion printed plastic using a steel rule lightly score the material with several strokes place your thumbnails either side of the score and with your fingernails on the underside raise this line up towards you this will cause the plastic to fracture along the score line and then simply bend away from you and the part will snap out complex shapes can easily be chased along all pre-scored lines cut well outside the marked outline of a curved component then file or sand back to the correct profile if a raised `burr is left along the cut edge it can be removed by dragging a stanley blade along that edge die-cut plastic the die-cut parts are not fully cut through place your thumbnails either side of the score and proceed as above it is helpful to mark the numbers onto the pieces with a soft pencil and then rub them out before painting cnc-machined plastic the pieces are not fully cut through using a new blade in either a scalpel or stanley knife follow against the cut edge of the part and remove the part from the sheet if a raised `burr is left along the edge it can be removed by dragging a stanley blade along that edge it is helpful to mark the part numbers onto the pieces with a soft pencil bending plastic place the area to be bent in hot water and gently bend alternatively place the area over the edge of the bench and run it back and forth if you have to curve strips of plastic along their length hold between finger and thumb at the centre pull your hands apart bending down as you pull this will curve the strip to a gentle radius drilling holes in plastic styrene does not like heat and a power tool that runs fast generates heat it is advisable to use a hand drill or a slow power drill assembling gluing plastic assemblies of die-cut or printed parts superstructure etc can be made easy if the parts are held together and built up using 4-5mm strips of masking tape this will ensure close tight joints and most of all allow you to stand back and check for accuracy before applying the glue the best type of glue is liquid polystyrene glue of which there are several brands available this is applied either with a bottle cap brush supplied or a small paintbrush simply brush along the inside of the joint and the liquid glue will capillary along a good fitting joint keep the glue away from taped areas after a few minutes the tape is removed and the joint can be re-glued on the outside a note of caution avoid using excess adhesive it works by dissolving the plastic and too much will create deformation this glue will evaporate quickly if uncapped.

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