Tips & Tricks

First things first.  I used to sent out my models with the parts still connected into the MDF or Cardboard sheets.
The benefit of this is, that you see if there is something missing in a blink of an eye.

But the disadvantages are more serious. It occurs occasionally that parts are not quite 100% throughout lasered. 

With courage and loyalty and precisely follow the instructions in the manual, components generally do get well out of the sheet. But nevertheless, not always.

Certainly not now the design of my models is becoming more detailed and with finer details.

For that reason, and for that one only, I myself  push the parts out of the sheets since the beginning of 2016.  Ensuring in this way that all the parts who make it to your workbench are 99.5% free of damages.

Of Course a buggering little part with a small defect will be able, in a rare unguarded moment, to sneak into the plastic bag.

And sometimes it happens that a small piece of MDF has become so attached to his native land that he does not want to leave and secretly slips out of the plastic bag.

If that happens with one of your orders, I sincerely apologise for that. Don´t panic and just drop me a message. I will sent the replacements or missing parts with the first possible mail to you. And of course free of any charge.

Looking at all the different items in those plastic bags might sometimes be a little bit confronting for you.
What I try to do is collect items which together make a specific part of the model in a single little plastic bag, inside the larger bags.

The instructions are designed so that they make it clear and obvious which parts should end up where.

So, that´s out of the way.

Let´s start Building 

 1. It is vital that you start your work on a FLAT surface. Like a cutting mat or something similar

             2. I use ordinary PVA wood glue. Applied with a small brush. I also use an old Blister as a container to hold the PVA.
It can be diluted in the blister, but I only do that for the use with Card Board.
MDF glues fine with undiluted PVA.

3.      If you need to cut something: use a New blade in your hobby knife

4.      Clothespins, cheap glue clips, rubber bands, etc., are useful tools in building MDF models.





5.      If something does not fit right away: do not press through, to avoid damage. In the slots (for example, in roof surfaces) that give some resistance: the slide part is in the longitudinal direction of the slot.

Do not press straight from above. If by pushing too hard something breaks, try to flatten it. And repair the broken part with PVA before you give it a new try.

6.      Make sure that you don´t wipe of the excess of glue on to the model. I always try to wipe it off the edge, away from the model.Tiny blobs of PVA can be taken of, especially on inner corners with the sharp corner of a MDF Auxiliary Tool (included in most of the model kits).

7.      Parts can pre-painted very well, or sprayed. That saves a lot of fussing afterwards.

The MDF and the 1.5mm cardboard draw practically not crooked.
The cardboard is after drying of the paint easy to bend in a straight shape.

8.      Thin (0.3mm) Ivory Cardboard will warp when you paint it. This is normal and is very easy to correct when it is dry.




9.      See for the bonding of Roof Shingles the separate Bonding Shingles Instruction.

10.  If  you experience difficulties with assembling your model, please do not hesitate and drop an message to me. I will usually reply within 1 or 2 days.