Hope you found this useful guys! If you enjoyed, feel free to check out my latest build video :) kzfaq.info/get/bejne/p7uHfNp3mcWzfY0.html

Bicarbonate of soda (baking aisle) mixed with super glue sets rock hard instantly. Good for filling slightly larger gaps & sands down well.

An articulate and comprehendible English speaker - excellent narrative skills.

Oh God, I feel old. I remember a time before blu-tack was invented! We used to put up our pop star and sci-fi posters with good old drawing pins.

If using acrylic paint, add fabric softener to your water (50/50) when washing out your brushes. The surfactants in the solution will help clean out the paint from the bristles as well as leave the bristles softer when dried. When putting hair brushes away after a painting session, lightly coat the bristles with sunflower or canola oil (ordinary kitchen variety). The oils are known to have vitamin E and other chemicals that are good for hair and will ensure longer lifespan of your brushes. Wash the brushes with soapy water before use to make the brush compatible with the water-based paint.

The netting oranges come in can make painting diamonds a lot easier. Just take it to an undercoated tank surface then overspay white. When you take it off it should leave the diamond shapes ready to be coloured in.

I keep the empty sprue parts (cut them to size; about 2-3 inches) and use for stirring the paint in the screw on type bottles. Works great. Keep them in a small plactic cup and reuse them time and time again.

Various size alligator clips and wood skewer sticks make a fantastic combination for painting and gluing small parts.

I save everything. Even the used cotton buds (Q-tips here in the US) and cut off the buds as they make great pipes or downspouts in HO scale. I also got a bundle of little black hollow coffee stirring sticks use for pipe loads. I save all used toothpicks and cut off the ends to make HO scale round poles or logs. Yep, I use nail files for sanding sticks. I also use women's eye makeup as weathering powder as it sticks so much better and only cost $1.00 at the dollar store. You can get just about any color you want and the orange makes good rust. I also make my own rust powder by putting 0000 steel wool in a quart jar, putting it in the kitchen window and wait for it to mostly dissolve. I then pour the mixture into a stainless steel 11X14 photo processing tray (a glass baking dish will work) and wait a couple of weeks for it to completely dry. I then use a single edge razor blade to pulverize it into a powder and store it in little snuff tins. Each batch comes out a different color. Use it as a wash or mix a little PVA with it to make it stick. I even gouge out pieces of plastic on the models & fill it with my rust. Works great! I acquired a whole box of communion plastic cups which work great for mixing paint & other "stuff". Of course I have my package of "Blue Tack". I also use Pledge Revive It Floor Gloss for an acrylic top coat especially when adding decals before the Dull Coat top coat. Back when I had Hep C I had to drink distilled water so we got our own water distiller and I always use distilled water for modeling. (No longer have Hep C - got cured through the VA). I also make all my own ground scatter from foam, acrylic paint and an electric coffee grinder. I also have a Nandena bush which I use for tree armatures after the little red berries fall off. Just paint them brown for reg. trees or grey for ash trees. I also have a literal ton of lichen growing on the hill back of my house. I gather it up, clean it off and spray it down with water soluble glycerin and paint it whatever color I want. I also use worn out Scotch Bright pads for hedges and bushes. I also use super glue and baking soda for filling gaps. I also have 2 airbrushes, one for acrylic paints (Badger Anthem 155) and my Harbor Freight Chinese airbrush for petroleum based paints. I make all my own ground scatter and grass from hair from wigs or worn out brushes. Floral wire comes in handy as well as twine for making trees. All the weights for my model train rolling I get from Harbor Freight - both the 1/4 & 1/2 oz. car tire weights. I also save the little moisture absorbing packs as the small balls make good oranges in HO scale and the larger ones you can paint another color to make larger fruit. If anyone has open frame (Pittman) motors in their locomotives I would suggest to change out the magnet and use neodymium (rare earth) magnets as it makes a HUGE difference in current draw and performance. I did this to all my open frame motors and now they will "creep" around the track. I think I had to use 4 or 5 of the 1/8 inch X 1/4 wide X 1/2 inch long. I could go on but I gotta get to bed as it's getting late. Hope some of these tips will help. Cheers from an old modeler in eastern TN

As a tip, the water from the condensers of tumble driers and air conditioners are also de-ionised. I found that out when I needed it for watering very fussy houseplants.

The green side from washing sponges are great for making spraying filters for marbled surfaces. Just pluck it out and strip it as think or thin as needed

I have employed household items in crafting since I was a kid. Toothpicks, paper clips, safety pins and popsicle sticks are great for working with clay. Salt, sugar, and baking soda are great for adding textures when mixed with glue or paint. Aluminum foil is another great item to keep on hand.

Not available at all supermarkets, but I find pipe cleaners useful for cleaning in awkward spots. You can also get them as craft items. If you are in the U.K.and have a branch of The Works near you it is an excellent source if budget art and craft items: for example, the pastels in their cheap sets can be ground down or rubbed on a sanding stick to produce good weathering powders. They also have selections of cheap brushes.

With the blu tack, 2 things to consider. 1, white tack exists and is less greasy and sticky than the blu tack which can sometimes leave some greasy deposits behind and I've found white tack is easier on paint. 2, black tack also exists. It is much stickier than blu or white tacks, in the model railway world it is sometimes used to hold wires or decoders in place as whilst it is very sticky it can still be removed if required and will stay in place until you need to remove it, which blu tack doesn't always do. Additionally, elbow grease is pretty good for paint stripping and it has a much nicer smell and it's cheaper than dettol. Other alternatives are isopropyl alcohol and methylated spirits, iso being very good with an air brush instead of dedicated airbrush cleaner.

Something I have found really useful making card or plastic model where I'm having trouble keeping things square is Lego. It's dead easy to knock up a jig to brace the corners, hold it together with a peg or a rubber band.

Sponges can be cut for use as internal supports for models that have thin walled components that need to be clamped while glue dries. Lightweight and helps keep the shape of the part while reducing the risk of pressure splits from the clamps if there are minor deformities in mouldings. The wife's nailboards come in handy for detail work, just dont let her catch you "acquiring" them as that can turn nasty, especially if you cut them to shape for fine working. Brushes can last longer if you clean them, then dip them in diluted hair conditioner for twenty minutes before rinsing and drying. Improves the hairs and doesn't increase your hygiene budget unless you're seriously into painting on a regular basis. Budget house repair filler and PVA glue make a decent filler thats easy to sand, shape and paint. Also useful for dioramas.

Makeup/Cosmetic organizers are some of the best for our modelling tools. Cosmetic push down liquid dispensers are also handy. In addition to model building I also do electronics repair. Many of my tools can be used in both hobbies!

Another use for sponges is to create a base for well kept hedges. In architecture modeling we use often the Scotch brite but cheaper alternatives for the kitchen (green scraping sponges) are a godsend not only for hedges but also to buff plastic or metal parts to aid paint adherence. And about the CA filler, you can also use sodium bicarbonate which sprinkled on CA will make it dry rock solid in seconds, and easy to sand. Finally thanks for the dettol trick. I will be sure to try it as soon as I need to strip paint from any train body shell. Cheers from Belgium 🇧🇪

ere is another tip. Use clear nailpolish to replicate glass on the instrumentpanel in planes and cars.Apply it with a drop on a toothpick. Works better than Clear from tamiya or other brands. Dry,s very fast and is awefull cheap at the budget stores. i buy them in spain at the chinese bazar for €1.30. And i have painted a few cars and motorbikes with nailpolish, because they got realy funky and nice colors,and you can use cheap thinner or disolvent to thin it down for the airbrush. Dry,s up very fast and give a nice shine for those who don,t like to spend a lot on clearcoat on it. And when the bottle is empty and clean, you can use it to fill it with sprue goo or tamiya extra thin, the aplicator brush is already in it.

Lab suppliers can be a source of useful (and sometimes inexpensive) supplies, such as small beakers with spouts for paint mixing, from 25ml (0.85 oz) and up, either in plastic or borosilicate glass. Other useful things: wash bottles with curved spouts, flip top bottles, funnels, pipettes, filters...

One of my favourites has identical product sheets to Tamiys Extra thin quick set. It is available from Pharmaceutical and is call Mek

Liquid masking film can be made by mixing Elmers clear glue 50% with liquid dish soap% .Spray oven cleaner can also be used to strip models , use caution and wear protective (rubber or vinyl gloves) and eye protection.

I made my living being a barber and when I quit I had several small thick towels called "steamers", use in shaving. They're nice for wiping up messes and cleaning brushes, etc.

I use small and medium wooden clothes pins as clamps. I modify them by cutting the tips to be a sharp vee, rather than the indented vee. This lets them be used closer in. I also make bespoke ends to suit a particular clamp need. They are cheap, so experiment. Learned this tip from a Car Modeling magazine circa 70’s. Where I also learned about SuperGlue and baking powder.

IKEA Tillgang grey plastic serving trays (like the ones used in supermarket cafes) make a cheap portable workstation for work in progress, painting and cutting if you add a mat; cost £1.50 each.

Fine sodium bicarb is also a good packer when using superglue as a filler. :)

kabab skewers and bamboo chopsticks are helpful too

free paint pots can be obtained from McDonalds, you can use those little paper pots that you put ketchup in to mix paint. also you don't need vinegar, micro sol or set to secure decals if you use tamiya acrylics. simply place the decal where you want it, remove excess water by tapping it with a tissue them brush over Tamiya X-20 thinner over the decal, it softens it and sets it once it is dry.

For containers that will be in contact with solvents such as acetone, lacquer thinners, high density polyethylene, polypropylene plastic containers and cups resists solvents at room temperature. PET to some extent but it will swell and turn white over time ( weeks). Low density polyethylene eg. Zip lock bags and other plastic sheets are ok but not for extended contact use. Just have a look at the plastic classification at the bottom of most plastic containers for details. I use all paints on HDPE containers and wipe it clean with 100% acetone.

The only one I'd disagree with is Dettol - I found it absolutely stinks, so I would instead recommend methylated spirits, which while a bit smelly at first will completely evaporate. Also you can reuse it. Another one I got recently is some containers with locking tops. There's many uses for these but the ones I got were quite flat and wide, and I filled these with basing materials so if I want a quick and easy base I can just cover any base up to about 150mm in PVA and simply dip it in the tray to get started.

Decal softener... Here’s what you’ll need: A container to hold your Decal Softener in glass pref 8ml of Isopropanol Alcohol (IPA) 70% to 99% [the 99% mix is very aggressive] i use both mix 2ml of Enamel Thinners. 1/8 oz top off to 1/2 oz 70% ipa For your setting solution 70% vinegar 30% water

My compliments on your clean hands and well trimmed nails. They have made your video so much nicer to watch than some others I have seen. Nice tips also.

I'd suggest changing blintac for white tac, it's got less oils in it 🙂

Love cotton buds for chalk weathering!

Cheap odorless paint thinner, it works way better than humbrol enamel thinner on enamels, 100% pure acetone for cleaning the brushes, thick nail cutter works fine when it comes to cut off parts from their sprue, sandpaper bought from painting stores, masking tapes from paint stores work also fine

On the nail files. Use a sharp blade, like an xacto knife, and a straight edge to slice the nail files into smaller strips.

A wet palette is very useful when working with acrylic paints. You can also use baking paper in place of grease proof paper. If your container has an air-tight lid, the paints can be left for several days and they will not dry out.

I need to get a big bottle of deionised water and white vinegar too. Clothes pegs are a nobrainer that I never thought of too; So much cheaper and more easily available than fancy model clamps.

I've always used this malt vinegar not only for decals but for my fish and chips.

I haven't advanced to the level of using Detol to strip models yet. So far if there was a model I wanted to strip, I picked the paint off in chunks with a toothpick steel paperclip or fingernail ; even a wire toothbrush for getting the awkward bits . Nitromors type paint stripper was used once maybe for a mini that was caked in enamel paint by its previous owner too.

those plastic shot glasses also make a good painting handle, particular for scale humans 👍👍

Great idea for a video, I use toothpicks to scrape away paint from clear parts if I get it in the wrong place, I can't paint canopies without them

Aldi here in Australia occasionally does Revell truck/car kits. Not my thing but good for others. Probably what they can get cheapest re shipping, production etc....depending where in the world you live. There is an amusing stock photo from their catalogue showing dad and son assembling a truck model with dad wielding a hot glue gun to do so! Good tips. Cheers. 🦘🦘🦘

Cracking video - I knew a fair few of those, but every day is also a school day, so I learned some new hacks too 👍✌️💜😊 There's the old trick of adding sprue to solvent to make a slow setting filler, almost for free - I'm old school ✌️😀😀

Pasted your video to my FB model train group, great hits, thanks.

One has to be careful when using DI water. Because it has lost its natural charge it is very aggressive against metals (except high grade stainless steel. That means the ferrules of your paint brushes, some components of an airbrush or the miniture's own parts can become oxidized. Distilled water is a useful substitute.

Just caught up with this video. Thanks for the shout out matey..Dettol is my friend lol

Thanks for sharing

Talcum powder can also be used to turn gloss enamel paint into matt enamel paint

Very useful information indeed. I had not thought of using disposable shot glasses for paint mixing- they certainly are a better option than the old "Aunties" microwave pudding pots that I have been using. Although I note that you are modelling aircraft, whereas I am into model railways (although previously into radio controlled aircraft), so I will suggest another item that can be obtained cheaply from supermarkets etc:- Artists acrylic paints. Very useful for scenic and building modelling. I have bought mine from "Home Bargains" and "The Range". Much cheaper than the little modellers paint pots.

Thanks so much, cheers from Uruguay.

I could not imagine what a kitchen roll was until i saw it was paper towels😄

Primark has a foundation brush for £2, massive drybrush for tanks.

I'm new to the channel. I like the vinegar trick and will give it a go.

Very handy, thank you!

Instead of shot glasses I use clean used cream and yoghurt pots.

Poundland do a big bag of make up blending sponges . Brilliant for weathering

Super informative video.. many thanks for doing it..

Hair wash conditioner makes a really good flow improver.

Dettol only works because it ALSO contains alcohol - plain alcohol is cheaper and stinks less, its also great for cleaning airbrushes and as a decal softener Greaseproof paper is also waterproof, you need un-waxed parchment paper for wet palette

shot glasses get from poundland i use the plastic lids off coffee creamers also as paint dishes and the plastic tops of gravy granuals as paint dishes

Net curtains dyed green make excellent camo nets.

same great tips cheers pal

pipettes from The Works in the uk, about a quid for a bag IIRC

Toothpicks are also good for applying CA and PVA glue

Good stuff!

A great paintbrush cleaner, especially when the paint is dried on, is DETTOL. Please note: There are other brands of disinfectants available!

Well known but polyfilla fine surface been using it for fifty years as good as any branded filler far cheaper.

I hear from some old heads in the community that the old Testors Decal Set solution was just straight up white vinegar at a markup.😅 I think some good cheap stuff from super markets are isopropyl alcohol (90% concentration and above) is great for cleaning airbrushes if you want to save your MLT for more important tasks (It can also clean regular brushes but uhh...it's not kind to natural hair bristles). Baking Soda plus Super glue also works as a great filler as well: drop the powder into a gap and get it wet with CA glue and it hardens right up.

Good to know thanks

De-Ionized (DI) water - if you have a heat pump tumble dryer, or know someone with one, you can get it for free!

Makeup "blush brushes" make excellent model dusters

Apart from Dettol which I use for anything covered in enamel, Methalated Spirit is the buiseness for anything with acrylic paint on it. As I go, Meth's first then Dettol and back to Meth's for the last clean. Plus meth's doe's not damage plastic. After which pour the Dettol through a paper coffee filter back into the bottle. And, even sometimes you find paint still on the model as I have with thirty year old white metal figures, painted with acrylic. This is a complete and utter B'stard to remove, as shown by other KZfaqr's. So industrial paint stripper and even somtimes that doesn't do the job as some 6mm WWII and 28mm, stuff I have proves the point. Wet pallets I always use De-ionised water from my local car factors. Which is also a great place to buy aerosol primers dirt cheap.

Elbow grease, never need another airbrush cleaner for tamiya

While is better than whilst, similarly use among rather than amongst.

A word of warning. When shopping for make-up brushes, nail files, clear nail varnish, or acetone free nail varnish remover? Be sure to adopt the deepest, most manly voice you can muster, or you might get some funny looks. Also be aware of friends / neighbours when shopping. Can you imagine trying to explain to a friend, when they encounter you purchasing beauty accessories,, that you are using them for modelling? "Oh yes", they may ask, "And what kind of 'modelling' do you do?" 😁 I once had a bad experience when I was asked to be Santa for a childrens party. My attempts to look the best Santa got me some funny looks in Boots.

Any good sorted bike shop should sell talcum powder, as it is still used for tubed tires.

Anybody who thinks greaseproof paper is the same as in a wet pallette has probably never used a wet pallette. Look at it and you'll probably figure out why it doesn't work properly

other supermarket sell vinegar ! though I do mainly shop at Tesco

Johnsons klear floor wax is great for a satin varnish.

I certainly wouldn't use Thinners or even acrylic paints in plastic pots, you will fine that the plastic melts or goes very soft

I've always said that MicroSol and MicroSet smelt of vinegar.

😉👍Very cool and very nicely well done and very well executed and informatively explained in every detail way shape and form on all of the subject matter and format on various products to help in building your models at very nice and reasonable price indeed!...

It's a pity that we don't get those Airfix (cheap) kits that you guys have, guess it's the price we pay, being at the arse end of the world.

👍👍👍👍

Solvaset used to smell like vinegar, so this isn't really a surprise to me.

I never buy store brand items. they are usually junk and a little higher priced product can save waste in the long run

That a Boy ❤

I wish they had Aldi kits in the US lol.

I hate smell of vinegar and decal solution based on it😖😖😖

Microsol is replaceable by 2-butoxyethanol.

HOW MUCH WATER TO VINIGAR, APPROXIMATLY??

Instead of buying the expensive Dettol, you can buy just the cheap home brand disinfectant in the laundry aisle. I don't think you can get talcum powder anymore as it causes cancer. It's all just cornstarch if you read the label which is cheaper just to buy it as corn starch. I wish you gave us the dilution rate of the white vinegar as they're all 7%. Cheers Graham

Cocktail sticks are really cheap.

Anyone have knowledge or at least a guesstimate of vinegar and water?

I only use products specifically for plastic models. Those arent expensive at all so why go all the way out to skimp that few dollar? Support the hobby brand manufacturer so that they wont go out of biz please!

You can’t be a modeler! Your hands are clean and your nails are well manicured. 😂

Noice I AM BACK PEEPS

A little tip - try addressing the audience as if it's one person. Most people watch these things alone, and it's more effective to sound like you're speaking them directly than doing all this "you guys" stuff. Just a little way you can improve

Be a little cautious when using Dettol for stripping paint from resin though. Although it’s largely safe, it can soften the finer detail on some resin parts.