KIT BUILDING GUIDE

PREPARATION OF THE CASTINGS FOR PAINTING

SPENDING TIME ON THE PREPARTION IS OFTEN THE KEY TO GETTING A GOOD PAINT
FINISH WHICH IS CRUCIAL TO THE FINAL OVERALL FINISH OF THE MODEL

HOW DO WE GO ABOUT THIS?

1. THE FIRST STEP IS TO FAMILIARISE OURSELVES WITH THE KIT, HOPEFULLY IT WILL
COME WITH A FULL INSTRUCTION SHEET INCLUDING PARTS LIST. CHECK THROUGH THE KIT
ENSURING ALL THE PARTS ARE PRESENT, OMISSIONS CAN HAPPEN EVEN WITH THE MOST
DILIGENT MANUFACTURER, IF YOU HAVE BOUGHT THE KIT FROM A SHOP IT MAY HAVE BEEN
SHOWN TO A PREVIOUS POTENTIAL CUSTOMER AND A PART DROPPED OR LOST
IDENTIFY THE PARTS AND WHERE THEY FIT.

2. DUE TO THE WAY CASTINGS ARE PRODUCED THEY WILL HAVE MOULD LINES, SOME MAY HAVE
SMALL DEFECTS, SO ALL THE PARTS NEED TO BE CLEANED UP REMOVING THE MOULD LINES
WE FIND THAT A MODELLERS NEEDLE FILE IS VERY GOOD FOR DOING THIS. DON'T ATTACK
THE CASTING BE GENTLE AND ALLOW THE FILE TO DO THE WORK.

3. WHEN YOU HAVE REMOVED ALL THE MOULD LINES YOU WILL MOST PROBABLY HAVE TO DRILL
OUT THE HOLES FOR HANDLES, LIGHTS, BUMPERS ETC TO LOCATE INTO, USE A FINE DRILL BIT
WHICH GIVES A HOLE THE PART WILL FIT INTO COMFORTABLY, BEARING IN MIND THAT
ONCE YOU COMMENCE ASSEMBLY THE PARTS WOULD HAVE BEEN PAINTED, HOLES WILL GET
SMALLLER AND THE LOCATION PINS BIGGER.

4. TEST ALL THE PARTS FIT TOGETHER COMFORTABLY, BETTER TO HAVE A LOOSE FIT
AT THIS STAGE THAN TO FIND YOU HAVE TO FILE AND DRILL WHEN BUILDING UP AND
DAMAGE PAINTWORK.

5. WHEN ALL PARTS FIT TOGETHER WELL WE RECOMMEND RUBBING THE BODY SHELL DOWN
WITH WET AND DRY PAPER, WE FIND THAT DIPPING THIS INTO A WEAK SOLUTION OF WATER
AND WASHING UP DETERGENT ASSISTS IN GETTING A GOOD FINISH. WE WOULD NORMALLY START
OFF WITH A COARSER GRADE SUCH AS 400 GRADE, BEING CAREFUL NOT TO REMOVE ANY FINE
LINES, THIS IS ESPECIALLY USEFUL IF THE SURFACE FINISH ISN'T TOO GOOD AS IT WILL
REMOVE TAKE A THIN LAYER OF METAL. ONCE YOU HAVE BEEN OVER THE BODY WITH THE
COARSE GRADE THEN GO OVER IT AGAIN WITH 1200 GRADE, THIS WILL GIVE YOU A VERY SMOOTH
SURFACE, TIME SPENT NOW WILL HELP GIVE YOU A BETTER PAINT FINISH. WASH ALL PARTS
IN WARM WATER AND ALLOW TO DRY THOROUGHLY

6. ALL PARTS SHOULD BE PAINTED PRIOR TO ASSEMBLY, PAINTING THE BODYSHELL IS COVERED
IN THE NEXT PART OF THIS GUIDE. WE USE THE TINLETS OF MODELLING PAINT AVAILABLE FROM
ANY GOOD HOBBY STORE FOR THE INTERIOR PARTS AND LIGHTS ETC. THESE PAINTS NORMALLY
DRY WITHIN A FEW HOURS BUT IT IS OFTEN BEST TO PAINT THE PARTS 24 HOURS BEFORE
YOU START ASSEMBLY TO ENSURE THEY ARE THOROUGHLY DRY.

STAGE 2 OF THE GUIDE - SPRAYING YOUR MODEL