Top 10 Model building Tips, Tricks and jigs

I demonstrate my Top 10 Model building Tips, Tricks and jigs that I use to make my model building easier and more efficient.

Non-tip glue stand
Non-tip paint holder
Handling round parts for painting
Precise glue applicator
"Allways ready" glue bottle holder
Tool for gluing walls upright and at perfect right angles
Keeping posts plumb while gluing
Using prototypes as references for weathering
Cheap source for paint mixing vessels
Handling many small parts at once, for painting

[williambrown]

It's always the experienced model builders with the great tips!

[owenauer]

I glued Dollar store Jenga blocks together to hold my bottles.

[Fryns]

55 years modelling (on off) and there still are tricks to be learned. Tanks!

[GRUMPB]

Thank you for the simple tips and explanations, these will go a long way to making my life easier.

[tonmeijer]

The "up-side-down" needle and the double side tape holder I am sure to copy! Thanks for the idea! I modelled all my life, but these were new for me! 👍🏻

[qwincyq]

Great tips, especially the needle and the paint holders. As someone prone to klutzing out due to a disability these are game changers!

[tomt]

Been using 1-2-3 blocks for a long time, but recently I picked up a set of hole less 1-2-3 blocks. I don’t know how I’ve lived for 62 years without them! They are considerably heavier than the 28 hole blocks, and one of my frequent uses for them is holding basswood panels flat while the paint dries! I lay the basswood pieces on a piece of 1/4” glass, lay waxed paper over them and put the blocks on top of them!

[coalhouse_walkerjnr]

Very many thanks for these useful tips. Much appreciated.

[orbitalair]

i reuse the little plastic trays that my contacts come in. the small depression is for paint. flip it over to get a flat spot for glue dispensing. I reuse the little coffee creamer cups to mix paint in. I took an older half empty liquid glue bottle and added several pieces of left over sprue, after a few days I had some plastic glue putty.

[stevesoutar]

genius !! The sticky sticks for spraying small parts is my favourite tip here - thank you

[richardclowes]

Good ideas. However, on the jig for the post I use the same principal but have a larger cut-out at the bottom so that glue can't get from the base of the post onto the squaring block.

[negotiableaffections]

There's only one thing better than a pair of 1-2-3 blocks and that's TWO pairs of 1-2-3 blocks - you can never have too many work holding solutions - especially WITHIN REACH at all times.

[T-DawgsModelCars]

Awesome tips! Thanks for sharing! I just subbed you!

[brbodybuilder]

Thanks for the tips they are very much appreciated!

[InfiniteCraftsman]

Great tips. You can use magnets to “clamp” to the 123 block also

[bremdillz]

Damnnn i legit just knocked over my brand new bottle of Tamiya Cement (orange cap) after one single use, and am now left with only a handful of uses. Making that square holder but x3, thanks for the idea!

[paintnamer]

Nice. My take away is the inverted bottle holder.

[thisissoeasy]

Brilliant ideas! Cheers from Outback Australia...

[BobMuir]

WOW! So many good tips in one place. I wanted an excuse to buy Forstner bits!! Thanks
Bob
England

[topsnipe]

To make removing tight-fitting bottles from your paint tray, try drilling a small hole all the way through the bottom of the well, use the forstner bit dimple as a guide. This will let air out when inserting a bottle and air in during removal.