Before I start making customs, what should I pick up and where?
help me and die a winner, plus I will share my work
help me and die a winner, plus I will share my work
Tools of the trade?
- Thread starter captinbaer1
- Start date
Brushes and acrylic paints would be the best start. Is it mainly going to be figures or will you be doing vehicles too? Get a few different sized brushes of course for different areas. Eventually you may need a dremel. It helps to grind down the joints a bit so there is not as bad of paint rub.
Paints I usually find on e bay for decent prices. Brushes I get at Michael's craft store and if you watch you can sometimes find a deal on them. That place always has some type of sale. Testors or Tamiya paints are good ones.
If you plan of adding things then grab some sculpting putty. Green Stuff is a pretty commonly used one I believe.
Here's a few links Meddatron posted up too:
http://forums.fighting118th.com/showthread.php?p=57458#post57458
Paints I usually find on e bay for decent prices. Brushes I get at Michael's craft store and if you watch you can sometimes find a deal on them. That place always has some type of sale. Testors or Tamiya paints are good ones.
If you plan of adding things then grab some sculpting putty. Green Stuff is a pretty commonly used one I believe.
Here's a few links Meddatron posted up too:
http://forums.fighting118th.com/showthread.php?p=57458#post57458
Oy, what a question. Welcome, by the way.
In addition to what Blood listed, you'll need a vise for the new Joe construction, if you're planning to pop the figures apart to swap arms. That's a tutorial in itself, and there are already ones online at other sites that probably do a better job of showing how to do it.
Of course, there's the standard sets of flat- and Phillips-head screwdrivers that you'll need in various sizes, and X-Acto blades (probably Band-Aids, too), etc.
Most importantly, the forums—here and elsewhere, and other customizers—will be as helpful, if not more so, than the physical tools and equipment you'll need.
And good luck.
In addition to what Blood listed, you'll need a vise for the new Joe construction, if you're planning to pop the figures apart to swap arms. That's a tutorial in itself, and there are already ones online at other sites that probably do a better job of showing how to do it.
Of course, there's the standard sets of flat- and Phillips-head screwdrivers that you'll need in various sizes, and X-Acto blades (probably Band-Aids, too), etc.
Most importantly, the forums—here and elsewhere, and other customizers—will be as helpful, if not more so, than the physical tools and equipment you'll need.
And good luck.
If your work space doesn't allow for a vise (something no one ever takes into account) you can crack torsos with a pair of tongue -and-groove channellock pliers and an old sock. They even make a smooth set that would probably be great and not chew up the plastic.
Good lighting. Pick up an additional lamp or whatever. I can't tell you how many times I've painted a figure, and it looked great, in low lighting only to take it outside and find I've missed spots. Or pissed rough spots in putty. Lighting, lighting, lighting.
-A strong magnifying glass...preferably one that has some sort of stand and a built-in light.
-A pin vise with various small drill bits, this is good for making small holes to pin parts together.
-Thick and thin super glue.
-A pin vise with various small drill bits, this is good for making small holes to pin parts together.
-Thick and thin super glue.
i personally need to get both these things...my eyes have been killing me lately doing small tedious things
I recently got an Optivisor with three sets of magnifying lenses and LED lights for fiddly detail painting, especially faces.
Something very similar to this:
Something very similar to this:
I have been heard a lot about styrene being used for custom vehicles (witch is what i am going to do)... what is it?
Aye, you score and cut it with an xacto, use super glue or styrene glue (which actually melts it a tiny bit).
I don't have much luck building with styrene, I don't know if it's nerves, or impatience, all my cuts come out all wonky, none of it is very pretty.
I don't have much luck building with styrene, I don't know if it's nerves, or impatience, all my cuts come out all wonky, none of it is very pretty.
Probably just as important, make sure you can take some constructive criticism, or else you'll never get better.
Gah you fuckin' old men! You pop Viagra before getting your paints out?
how in the world is that gonna help?
how in the world is that gonna help?
Haha, it'll give you the stamina you need? I was tired, leave me alone. You old men and your bad eye sight, good grief!
Probably just as important, make sure you can take some constructive criticism, or else you'll never get better.
He will if he's gonna make it here. Other places might suck him off no matter how lousy his work is.
Not us, baby.
You gotta be careful what you do use though, depending on what paint you use, it might not stick. But if you use acrylic, you're gold. Acrylic sticks and dries on just about everything.
Something else I've found that comes in handy...clothes pins, the kind that have the torsion spring in them. They are great for holding parts while you paint, and when you are done painting, you can put a wire through springs hole and hang it up to dry.
Also, small blocks of styrofoam are good for sticking various tools into as a holder, you can also use it to place parts on that have been painted using the clothespin/wire method.
Add to the list paper clips and wire cutters. The paper clips can be cut down with the wire cutters and used to pin parts together for shortening, lengthening or general re-attachment.
Something else I've found that comes in handy...clothes pins, the kind that have the torsion spring in them. They are great for holding parts while you paint, and when you are done painting, you can put a wire through springs hole and hang it up to dry.
Also, small blocks of styrofoam are good for sticking various tools into as a holder, you can also use it to place parts on that have been painted using the clothespin/wire method.
Add to the list paper clips and wire cutters. The paper clips can be cut down with the wire cutters and used to pin parts together for shortening, lengthening or general re-attachment.
Nothing beats a well stocked workbench and a stack of styrene sheets.
And yes, styrene can be used to make ANYTHING if you have the imagination and the skills(Following pics are all builds done by me with styrene).
And yes, styrene can be used to make ANYTHING if you have the imagination and the skills(Following pics are all builds done by me with styrene).
These are sick. How much time do you have on your hands? A couple other items I would add are alligator clamps (alteratively to clothespins mentioned above), super helpful and can be found at Radioshack. Also, a set of cheap jewelers tools helps for clipping, chipping, cutting from sprues, and making quick cuts on little pieces.
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Quite a lot.
My workshop and stashroom are in two spare rooms at work.
So when work is slow, i can go to the next room and build models.
And a set of reverse activated tweezers can help in this regard also.