What do I need to get started?

I have been thinking of starting building models i have never done any before where's a good place to start i really want to do one of the NISSAN PRIMERA would prefer a P11 kit. What kits should i buy and which ones should i stay away from. What all do i need to get started?
Thanks
Sleepy:devil:

A great place to start would be with a Tamiya kit, and as luck would have it, they do a Primera, in both Calsonic and Castrol colours.

http://www.nemodels.force9.co.uk/tamiya/1.24stat/jtcc_clc.jpg
http://us.st2.yimg.com/store1.yimg.com/I/internethobbies_1644_56280000
You need a lot to start with, as I find if I am ever caught on holiday and want to do a kit! The outlay for tools and paints will easy be more than double the price of the kit.

You MUST have.

Scalpel
Tweezers
Scissors
Brushes (Sizes 1, 0, 000)
Plastic glue (In bottle with Brush. Revell make a pretty good one)
Clear glue, such as Kristal clear (For all clear parts, and adhereing painted parts)
Various Wet & Dry papers (From car shops)

Then your paints. Get everyone mentioned in the kit if you can, and also a thinner to clean your brushes in.

Please spray the body, it is easier than brush painting it, trust me!

Tamiya do a spray for most colours, but you are best to use Automotive paints, as described in my article on the Subaru WRX.

Good luck!:)

Originally posted by Sleepy
I have been thinking of starting building models i have never done any before where's a good place to start i really want to do one of the NISSAN PRIMERA would prefer a P11 kit. What kits should i buy and which ones should i stay away from. What all do i need to get started?
Thanks
Sleepy:devil:

They dont make a P11 kit as yet.....hopefully one day.
The P10's that Dan has posted are hard to get...i think they may have stopped making the kit.
Have a look though the modeling threads...i posted up the ones i had done.

Dan pretty much covered what you need to get started. What you will need is "time" !!!

i found the calsonic primera and was wondering if you guys paint the body before you get it all put together or after and just do all the maskin and what a good small sparyer to get i have a full sized hvlp gun for painting real cars any of you guys tried that?


Thanks
Sleepy

Originally posted by Sleepy
i found the calsonic primera and was wondering if you guys paint the body before you get it all put together or after and just do all the maskin and what a good small sparyer to get i have a full sized hvlp gun for painting real cars any of you guys tried that?


Thanks
Sleepy

Paint the body of the car before building the rest of the kit.
It is always best to leave the body for a week to dry really well so the paint is hard. While it is drying you can be building and painting the rest of the kit.
If the bumpers/wing/mirrors etc are seperate....paint them by them selfs and attach them later on when you have finshed polishing the body. (LESS THINGS TO KNOCK OFF !!)

Use Tamiya masking tape for any masking you want to do....its the best.

I would not use a full size gun for painting :bloated: :bloated:
Most kits you buy will tell you what paint to get in a can and dont cost much.
Dan well help you out on what type of spray gun to get if you want one. He has one.
I dont have one.

I've got about the cheapest airbrush they make. It's made by Testors, and it's super-simple. It uses a can of propellant instead of a compressor.

I use Tamiya paints which clean up with water, and I've never had any trouble with it.

http://www.testors.com/images/Products/a2203.jpg (http://www.testors.com/Product.asp?product%5fid=A2203)
Click the picture. :D

thanks for all help i will post some pics when i get it done

Originally posted by Sleepy
thanks for all help i will post some pics when i get it done

Look forward to seeing them

Ditto that. :D

BTW, are you building it as the race car from the box, or as a "heavily modified" street car? ;)

P.S. Check here (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/t7258.html) for decal tips. Race cars have a lot of decals. :rolleyes:

its the blue calsonic race car featured on the box

Originally posted by Silver S2000
I've got about the cheapest airbrush they make. It's made by Testors, and it's super-simple. It uses a can of propellant instead of a compressor.

I use Tamiya paints which clean up with water, and I've never had any trouble with it.

http://www.testors.com/images/Products/a2203.jpg (http://www.testors.com/Product.asp?product%5fid=A2203)
Click the picture. :D

how long does the can of propellant last?

The airbrush set comes with an "introductory size" can that I think lasted me for about three cars worth of spraying. Then I got a big can, about twice the size, for $7, and it's been going strong for a couple of kits now. I've heard of folks doing ten kits or so with one.

Keep in mind I also use spray cans, too. I usually buy one can in the body color per model and use that. Sometimes I use up the whole thing, sometimes not. I use the airbrush for everything else. Suspension, undercarriage, interior, some detailing, anything that gets masked off...

The reason I asked about if you were building it as a "heavily modified" street car is because that's the only Primera kit. Same deal with Honda Accords. So, if anyone ever wanted a road-version of either one, they'd have to un-race-modify the kits. Take a look at yours and imagine how much work all that un-doing would take! :eek: So, most people take the easy way out and say it's a road car that's "heavily modified." ;)

how do you un-race modify them no decals?

Pretty much, but look at the things on your kit that would never be on the road car. The roll cage is a good example. Imagine if you wanted to build a bone-stock P10, you'd have to build a regular interior from scratch. :D

i see what you mean but im going to try do the full race car first try hope its not to much

LOL! I'm sorry, I bet I've confused you a bit. If you're just starting, it will be far easier for you to build the kit as the instructions tell you to. Far easier. ;) I just get off-topic a bit too easily, it seems. :D

The race car looks good anyway!

Have a look on the net and see if you can find race pictures!!!

http://www.geocities.co.jp/Hollywood-Studio/3071/m31/nissan/P10_cal.jpg

yeah i love the way the car looks and decide i would try to build a model of my car when i found out there no models for the p11 i decide to try it i think im going to have a hard time with all the decals the painting should be easy
silver 2000 when you say spary can you mean like spray paint or do you acutally use automotive paint?

I use model paint. I use mostly Tamiya, but I've used Testors in the past, too. I guess Guiddy uses automotive paint and I don't know what primera man uses.:confused:

:D

does the model paint work as well as the automotive?

and if i do go with model paint weres a good place to buy it in the states the dealership would screw you i think

It's different!
Automotive gives a softer, more realsitic finish, but model paint is more scale like it you use a metallic!
model paint is glossier, but a bit plasticy, where as automotive paint takes more work!
Notice the look of this EVO 6 painted using Tamiya's TS-50.
http://www.sup.ee.es.osaka-u.ac.jp/~kaname/pictures/lancer02/frontleft02.jpg

And then a similar colour on my Subaru Imprezza!

Originally posted by Silver S2000
I use model paint. I use mostly Tamiya, but I've used Testors in the past, too. I guess Guiddy uses automotive paint and I don't know what primera man uses.:confused:

:D

I mostly use Tamiya enamel's and the odd bottle of Humbrol.
I find using the enamel's far better then the water based paint.
The water based paint dries to quick for my liking. If you are painting a "larger" bit you will tend to "pull the paint off" if you brush back over it, making it look bad:eek:

Sleepy....have you seen the thread in here with the Primera's i done ???

.

primera man those are sweet i hope mine turns out half as good as yours did.

Originally posted by Sleepy
primera man those are sweet i hope mine turns out half as good as yours did.

As long as you take your time and dont rush it....the end result should look good