unconventional modelling materials list

Ancientmariner

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Wow some amazing ideas on here, I shall add some it's I do, apologies if these are already up.

Swan & M scalpel handles (the metal type). To make these easier to grip and a little thicker I hear one or two layers of heat shrink tube onto them.

Masking some areas I use wet kitchen towel. Apply to model wet, wait to dry, cut to shape. Then spray, very easy to remove.

For nose weights I use fishing weights or any lead or meatal I have, put in nose cone and then melt candle wax in. Leave to dry. All done.
 

Ancientmariner

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Now that's an idea I will try.

Andy.

A couple of examples I tried. This idea I did see on youtube so I can't take credit I'm afraid.
 

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Last edited:
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Noel
Scale cable or rope from wire. A dead easy method as follows!
Obtain one of those miniature plastic hand drills and place it horizontally in a vice with the turning handle uppermost. Get a paperclip and straighten it out but leaving one end in a hook shape. Put the straight part ( you may have to cut the paperclip to leave an unkinked straight length to go into the Chuck of the drill ) and tighten it well. Now get one of two lengths of copper, brass or heading wire and double them back over. Locate them over the hook in the drill chuck and grab the loose ends with a pair of pliers. Hold the wires under tension and turn the handle of the drill. As you turn the wires with the drill they will naturally start to form into a resemblance of rope or cable. Keep turning until the desired effect is achieved. As some well known meerkats would say. Simples!
 

Mike Mortimore

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Hi,
Just spent the best part of an hour going over this, I have a bobs worth to throw into the circle:
1. I had a collection, (quite a few) of bonsai trees, and a few years ago were all killed off by an unexpected cold snap...
After the foliage had died off, I left the trunks to dry out , bingo, miniature trees for miniature vehicles .
2. The seeds from a Silver Birch Tree, on the tree they are a long course looking stick on the end of a thin spindly branch.
Take them off whole and carefully nip the end off and all the seeds fall off a centre spine, use the seeds as ivy leaves, also thin fuse wire for the stems.
3. Straws cut length way to use as guttering and down pipes.

Been AWOL for a while, good to be able to have input, some brilliant ideas here.

Mike
 

GerryW

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A bit like Mike - I've just gone through this thread - some of the 'tricks' date back to when I first started & probably 'got lost' over time, but one that I didn't notice listed (not original to me):-
Instant coffee for staining wood - I usually use it very strong (a teaspoon in a milk bottle top of warm water) two applications turn pine into teak (colour-wise), also brings out any grain that's there.
 

Lee Drennen

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I save Water bottle caps to put a little paint in and also I use them to put glue in and use with a Cocktail stick to apply. I also like using Baking Soda and Super Glue mixture for filler.
 
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Deleted member 7181

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I save Water bottle caps to put a little paint in and also I use them to put glue in

I use milk bottle tops for the same reasons. We get through so much milk in our household that I've seriously considered investing in our own cow, so I'm never short of tops.

For even smaller amounts I use these things that are surplus from work. Stoppers for the disposable paint cups we use, but they are very similar to tattoo ink cups, and made out of HDPE so solvent safe and glue/paint just doesn't stick to them. I'd estimate we throw up to 100 a week, even with me helping myself, so an endless supply really.

NfRNHMO.jpg
 

wasdale32

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Self-adhesive aluminium plumber's tape - a roll about 5cm wide is about £7 has many uses

Straps: cut to width and emboss with the handle of a knife or pick

IMG_2661.JPG

Non-Skid: emboss with coarse sandpaper

IMG_2981.JPG

Even Zimmerit:

IMG_2545.JPG


And obviously natural metal finish on aircraft
 

GerryW

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......... I also like using Baking Soda and Super Glue mixture for filler.
i use talcum powder when i need a super hard filler
Thinking that I might have to try these ones for casting, as the Revell Plasto is just too soft to work with (having a 50% shatter rate) and it's so annoying to have filed to the point of 'almost there' to have the bit fall apart (top one is now in 3 bits!)
IMG_20210331_094918690~2.jpg
 

dave

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I save Water bottle caps to put a little paint in and also I use them to put glue in and use with a Cocktail stick to apply.
I keep my beer bottle caps for that purpose, and it gives me an excuse - "I need to drink a beer this evening I need another bottle cap for paint mixing"
Although despite living in Belgium for 10 years I still have quite a few beers to try.
 

Airborne01

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Something else crossed my mind: I sometimes use 'Blocking Pins' for German vehicle width indicators. They are available from suppliers of knitting accessories, again come in a range of sizes (diameter 0.45 mm to 0.65 mm, and from 38 mm in length to 52 mm in length), about 100 in a pack and cost about £5. Well worth checking out to see if they meet your needs.
 

Tim Marlow

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It’s also worth checking out Lace Making suppliers Steve. They do pins in a variety of diameters, lengths and head types.
 
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