Hi, new here, and some quick q's.

Hi everybody, I'm new here on the forums, been lurking for 'bout 2 weeks finding tips for modifying my new model (a Fujimi 500SL), and I've made several models in the past, the most recent being a Tamiya Warsteiner CLK DTM. I'd post a pic of the work, but I can't seem to upload onto this forum.

I'm looking to start some real body mods with epoxy putty. I've done other things like chopping springs to lower cars, but I've never done anything major. I want to add some wheel arches to my SL, should I start with a styrene sheet as a skeleton and just mold epoxy putty over it? I've read about polyster putty on this forum too, different people swear by different types of putty, which is easiest for a beginner? I've already got the basic putty at home, which I figure I can use to smooth out any problems.

Hi there. Welcome to AF. Lots of answers can be found in the FAQ and the Tutorial & How To depository. Don't forget to read them. To answer your questions: You're correct. Use styrene to make a skeleton and then use the epoxy putty to make everything smooth and good lookin. You should probably use epoxy putty. Try to get the Tamiya stuff. It works amazingly well, and you don't need much experience to make it look OK. Just a lot of patience and a lot of sandpaper are needed :D Good luck and have a nice time on the board.

Welcome to AF !
Mike :sunglasse

welcome to AF :wave:

Welcome!
I am also pretty new to the forum; I am in the process of doing my first body kit and it is turning out pretty nice. I have learned that you want putty that dries fast, but not too fast that you can not work with it. There are many, many brands out there so look around the FAQ and How -to section as well as your local hobby shop, craft store and even wal-mart for ideas, there is a wide variety of putties out there and there is not one that is right for everything. I use a two part putty for the body kits and I use "bondo spot glazing putty" for the little stuff. Again, like I said, I am new to this as well, so a little research or trial and error prbably won't hurt. Good luck and keep us updated on the progress!

I read the how to's, and I've got a basic understanding how the process. However, I've got a few specific questions.

I'm going to make several 3mm (or so) wide styrene strips to act as the wide fenders. Do I need to superglue them or something onto the first before I model them on with styrene? How well does epoxy putty hold?

Yes, glue the styrene first. Use styrene as much as possible then shape w/ putty.

are you trying to make a widebody? if so, then use as much plastic/styrene as possible. i wish i had used a lot more on my widebody. if your making a widebody then what i did was cut out some styrene in strips(the width that i wanted to make the widebody) and glued it into the wheel arches.