Ongion

@Ongion

An Enigma

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Revell Saturn V Rocket

....Saturn V is a mobile suit, right?

I got this for Christmas last year but still haven't opened it. This is the first model I've ever attempted to build. Which... May be a problem, since from what I've seen online this one is kinda difficult for first-timers? But it's the one I've got, so uh... here's hoping it goes well.

If anyone has any tips for first-time model builders, I'd really appreciate them. Even basic stuff, like painting techniquea, or specific paints to buy (are the Revell brand ones good enough?).

Ongion
@Ongion

So far I've bought sanding sticks, and Tamiya Extra Thin Cement. I've already got some wire cutters that'll probably be Good Enough for nippers.

I still need to buy paints though... Open to suggestions there! I am a complete beginner and have no idea what to look for in paints.

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twoai
@twoai

This blog post is a nice primer on model paint types. Do you plan on gluing the stages together or keeping them separable?

Wire cutters are not ideal since their outer edge is not flush, but they'll do fine. To avoid gouging the parts, cut a bit away from the parts, then sand down the remainder.

Godspeed on the kit and don't worry too much about getting it perfect ...is what if say no matter what but especially for this kit, it gets some details wrong because it literally predates the moon landing! (It originally released in 1968; this kit predates gunpla by a decade!)

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Ongion
@Ongion

Oh, that is a very good primer on model paint types... Given that this is my first build, and I'm not really sure how much I'm gonna get into this as a hobby, I think I'm probably going to stick with water-based acrylics for now.

I already have some acrylics, and it looks like I have enough pigments to get by with just the tiniest amount of mixing (mostly gloss + matte to get semi-gloss... that would work, right?).

Right now I'm planning on keeping the stages separable. It looks like the model was created in with that in mind, at least, so I don't think that should cause any problems.

Thanks for the heads up on the wire cutters. I really appreciate the tips.

I had read elsewhere that the kit was older, and a bit harder, but I didn't realize it was older than the moon landing itself!

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Ongion
@Ongion

So uh... first attempt, and the paint does not seem to want to stick to my model pieces. It seems to be acting almost hydrophobic. This is after washing them with soapy water.

Possibly a stupid question, but do I need to use some kind of primer first?

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twoai
@twoai

Ah, yes, you'll most likely need a base coat of primer for water-based acrylics1. Sanding the surface (~800-1000 grit) is also said to help with paint adhesion, though idk that it''ll be sufficient for water-based acrylics.

For brush-on water-based acrylic primer, I use Vallejo Mecha Color Primer2; I've also seen good reviews of Stynylrez.

If you plan on painting the white instead of using the bare plastic, it might be better to get a can of primer (if weather permits and you can do so safely3). Gray primer is the default, though since the base plastic is white4 you might be able to get away with "cheating" and using white primer as both your primer and white paint. (I plan to do this myself but I haven't done it yet so I can't guarantee it'll work.)

  1. Certain more aggressive paints can be ok without primer, though priming is still generally advised.

  2. Vallejo Mecha Color Primer, not Vallejo Model Color Primer; apparently Model Color Primer is quite bad but Mecha Color Primer performs better.

  3. Aerosolized paint is serious business. Always use rattlecans outside, and use a proper respirator. Make sure to use organic vapor filters if your paint uses organic solvents. I use the 3M 7502 (also sold in small/large as 7501/7503); 3M also sells starter kits with the respirator and a set of filter cartridges.

  4. Dark plastic can show through white primer since white paint has notoriously poor coverage. I've heard dark color -> gray -> white can be more effective.

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Ongion
@Ongion

Ah, ok. I did eventually get the paint to look pretty good after like, 4 coats, but I'm definitely going to try some primer for the remainder. (I've only done the insides of the F1 rockets, since I figured I could make some mistakes there and not have it be super noticeable.)

I ended up buying some Vallejo Acrylic Polyurethane Surface Primer (White) before you replied based on some other stuff I saw online. Hopefully that'll also work well 🤞.

I've seen people online have problems with airbrushing, but I also saw people say they had no problems when hand-brushing. From what I can tell, I think it's just not thin enough for airbrushing, and clogs? But to be completely honest, my standards at this point are basically underground: I think anything would be better than what I'm currently dealing with.

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