My first kit: Italeri UH-1D Iroquois - 1:48

[Dozent]

c/a

Mark, pardon my vocabulary, but what exactly is "c/a glue"? I m using only Tamiya Cement for now.

 

[Mark1]

Cyanoacrylate....superglue.

 

[Dozent]

Ah I see. clear now. I was hesitant to use it, worried that it might actually degrade the plastic and cause more problems

 

[Waspie]

Question for you Matteo. Did you dry fit all the bits together before applying glue?
One of the excellent pointers I was given shortly after starting my first build was dry fit the various parts together. It saved me some minor and major surgery deconstructing the plastic!!!

 

[Steve-the-Duck]

Every model you ever build has a learning curve
We've probably all built kits that don't fit together; some from our own errors, some from poor engineering. But we keep coming back

Never be put off, and never be too worried about stepping away and coming back later

And if there is ONE golden rule above all others, 'Dry Fit First'

 

[Dozent]

I've learned this rule the hard way. It's frustrating because the initial fitting seemed fine, but when I assembled everything and started gluing from the tail, this issue arose. I'm working on fixing it now, just as you suggested. I've got the cyanoacrylate (c/a) glue and Tamiya putty.

Wish me good luck!

Thank you all again, M

 

[Jim R]

It's frustrating Matteo but it's a problem we have all encountered and had to fix.
I would go along with Mark's earlier post. Clean up the area and then fill the gap as carefully and as neatly as possible with some scrap plastic - bits of sprue or unused parts. Use ordinary styrene glue. Give it plenty of time to harden and then sand back. Any small gaps left can be filled with filler. Keep filling and sanding until the join is right.
Sound advice to check the fit of the window as the space for it may now be too wide.

 

[Dozent]

It's frustrating Matteo but it's a problem we have all encountered and had to fix.
I would go along with Mark's earlier post. Clean up the area and then fill the gap as carefully and as neatly as possible with some scrap plastic - bits of sprue or unused parts. Use ordinary styrene glue. Give it plenty of time to harden and then sand back. Any small gaps left can be filled with filler. Keep filling and sanding until the join is right.
Sound advice to check the fit of the window as the space for it may now be too wide.

I'll definitely remember this, thank you. Yours advice has been incredibly helpful, couldn't have gotten this far without it..

I believe I've managed to save it. Following your suggestions, it already appears much improved. Running my fingers over it, I still detect a slight irregularity, so I reckon I can sand it down a bit more.

P.S. Don't ask why, but I decided to apply two coats of paint to see if it would mask the imperfection.

 

[Steve-the-Duck]

There's another worthwhile thing to try. Lightly paint, or spray, grey over anywhere you've joined and filled, and that will show up any pits or imperfections you might want to re-fill, sand, or whatever. Rinse and repeat until 'satisfied'

 

[Dozent]

Ah, that's exactly what I've just done! I was just about to share it. I lightly refilled it and sanded it again. Now it looks and feels much smoother. Of course pictures without the paint.

 

[Steve-the-Duck]

And there you go

 

[Dozent]

I kind of liked this challenge

 

[Ian M]

Not a kit I would have chosen for a first build but it looks like you have gotten the idea quite well.
Most kits that have an inside shell nearly always have a bit in the way when the outside shell has to go on. Sometimes just a sprue attachment point that was overlooked, a high ejector plug that is in the way (even though out of sight). Or an actual part is 0,5mm out of place and prevents complete closing.
What you have done so far looks pretty good. And not just for a first build.

 

[Waspie]

Ah, that's exactly what I've just done! I was just about to share it. I lightly refilled it and sanded it again. Now it looks and feels much smoother. Of course pictures without the paint.

View attachment 504862

Now that looks like a well used operational cab that has seen a few ‘hot’ LZ’s!!
Adapting and overcoming. Great remedial work Matteo.

 

[Jim R]

I'm glad the issue is sorted Matteo. Looks like a very neat job. You've learned something useful. Solving problems can be a very satisfying part of the hobby.

 

[Dozent]

Thanks, everyone! The next step I'm aiming to improve on is using putty. How do you typically go about letting it dry?

Oh, and I learned another important lesson yesterday: never try to catch a falling knife. I ended up accidentally stabbing my thumb. I think it went 5mm deep.

 

[Jim R]

Oh, and I learned another important lesson yesterday: never try to catch a falling knife. I ended up accidentally stabbing my thumb. I think it went 5mm deep.

Ouch!!! But not to worry, a good model isn't really complete without some of the modeller's blood on it somewhere. It's kinda like an artist signing his painting.
Putty can take a long time to really dry. Depends on the putty, the thickness of the fill and the temperature. A seemingly dry crust can form quite quickly but the putty can still be soft underneath. There's no hard and fast rule. What can help is to stick a blob of putty, about the same size as the fill, on a bit of old plastic and leave it near the model. You can prod and poke it to check if it's totally dry without ruining the fill on the model.

 

[Dozent]

Hi everyone,

I need to put this project on hold for a week because I'll be out of the city for Easter vacation. Unfortunately, I won't be able to work on it during that time, even if I wanted to!

I'll still be available around here though!

All the best,
Matteo

 

[Jakko]

A true modeller takes the models and tools along on vacation

 

[Waspie]

A true modeller takes the models and tools along on vacation

So that’s what I’m doing wrong!!! Doh!!!!