Valid to UK only - excludes oversized items
One of the trickiest tasks when model-making can be the positioning of very small or delicate parts. In most...
The reason for test fitting before gluing is simply to make sure the piece will actually fit into place. One example...
A wagon's solebar is the outer longitudinal beam of its underframe or chassis.Solebars are an integral part of a...
Vacuum pipes can be seen on the front and rear of many older railway locomotives and rolling stock. They are usually...
There are a couple of reasons why railway signals are oriented upside down compared to road traffic lights:...
Everything you need to know to build great kits
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You can buy packs of plastic rivets in several sizes. There is also the rivet maker from Trumpeter which is able to create different sizes. If you want a DIY solution, you can make your own with PVA glue: You will need a nice piece of scrap...
Transfers, also called decals, are an excellent way to apply extra detail to your models. Whether it be signposts, platform numbers, station names, locomotive numbers, lining, military markings, or simply a gender reference on the privy doors so...
Building a Metcalfe kit is a great way to gain modelling experience. Building one should not be feared because they include instructions that are very easy to follow, and as a bonus, the completed kits look great! Metcalfe make popular card kits...
This is really dependent on what it is you plan to glue. There are several different glues for different materials. If you are planning on gluing a plastic kit, then the best glue to use is polystyrene cement. Some modellers use superglue or...
A caliper is often an essential tool, yet one that can easily be overlooked or underutilised. While you may relegate the caliper to the depths of your toolbox, only to be retrieved once in a blue moon, for others it is an indispensable instrument...
When building a plastic kit model it is normal for the parts to come out of the box arranged on a plastic frame. This frame is created by plastic flowing through a channel called a sprue. The model parts are attached to the sprues with little...
When deciding which Airfix kit to buy most people will understandably want to choose one that is relevant to their capabilities. To help guide you through this decision Airfix kits have a skill level printed on their packaging. But this is only...
Ejector pins are used in the injection moulding process of the manufacturing of plastic kits and die cast kits. They apply force to eject the part from the mould: once it has been opened, the pins extend in to the mould and push the part out. They...
After spending hours preparing and painting your models, it is quite understandable that you would want to protect your hard work by sealing the paint afterwards. The best way to seal your paint is with a model varnish, they are readily available...
Photo etched parts are a negative photo image that is placed on to a thin piece of either brass, aluminium or stainless steel and all the exposed metal is etched away. This creates very fine parts. These parts are then used to replace plastic...
The chances are that if you have ever tried to research what an epoxy resin is, you were bombarded with phrases like monomelic or oligomeric. Equally, the chances are that if you knew what monomelic or oligomeric meant, then you would know what an...
Even if officially classified as a hardwood, balsa wood is a very soft wood, so extreme care should be taken when handling and cutting. It comes in many thicknesses and can be bought in sheets or square lengths. When cutting sheets is it best to...