a question for college builders

So im going away to college in about 2 months and think its going to be very hard to build there. Im going to be staying in a dorm with 1 or 2 other people. The rooms windows don’t open enough to spray them outside the window. Now in my home, I spray outside, let it dry under my sink and then assemble in my room. Im curious how other people on this thread manage to build in there dorms. Pics of your workplace would be great too.

aibrush on the deck, or outside?

I suggest a spray booth, with a blower venting to the outside of the window. That way all you need is a 4" opening to fit a dryer pipe into.

After a few week, the smell of lacqur/enamel fumes will be the LEAST of your worries in a dorm room....

In your roommates closet. The smell of beer will overpower the odor of tamiya.

Oh yeah, check out the art department and see if the teacher will let you paint there. Offering up a demonstration or two couldn't hurt (Hey, these are art too).

Good luck. I never managed to model in school until I moved off campus, and at least had my own room. If you're going to try spraying in a dorm, airbrushing acrylics is the ONLY way to go- anything else and you'll be pissing off not just your roommate(s), but everyone else on the hall as well.

The art department idea is a terrific one. By the time I moved off campus, I had access to enough physics, optics and architecture labs that I probably could have painted (and even built) in one, if not in my apartment- and an art department would be more obvious than any of these. (Another great thing I had access to was a machine shop- that kicked ass for modeling!) :thumbsup:

i think spraying in the dorm is out of the question. im thinking i might spray behind a building or somewere that no one will be around, and then put it in a tuperware container in my room to dry. idk, ill figure it out once i ge there.

i was looking on tamiyas website for authorized dealers and one of them turns out to be exactly 1 mile from the main entrance to my school, so im gonna be stocking up!!

im in a dorm this year, and next year(school required) and i just dont build here, i just work when i go home every other weekend

im gonnabe 400 miles away with no car, so going home every weekend is not an option...

Your plan to go outside to paint, and bringing it back in is probably the best one. That's what I did for my four years of living in a dorm. I was lucky enough to live in a suite on campus, so for quick sprays (ie small perts like suspension and interior) I could go into our bathroom, open the window, and spray a couple shots right by the window, and then close the doors so my roommate and suitemates wouldn't die of fumes. You're pretty much gonna still be on the "spray outside, stick it under the sink, and assemble in your room" schedule, and it will work fine. Walking up and down stairs to spray out the back door will be annoying, and you'll have to watch dust, but it'll be ok. If I had an airbrush at the time, though, I certainly would have annoyed him by spraying acrylics in the room, for interior bits etc, so that all I would have to go outside for was the body.

I'm in college right now too, and I've only managed to spray two models (camaro and the nsx). I just go out to the open grass and spray there. The smell of paint will just fly away. Have a container next to you to stick the model in after painting to avoid dust and crap. Then I let it dry in my desk drawer for a week and polished.

Overall I don't think it's worth it. Maybe working on small body work and assembling without glue, but no more model building at college for me.

Well, to keep it from collecting dust, get an old t-shirt and set it over the container/box top so nothing can get it. Works for me and keeps the bodies clean while their drying.

idk, i think im just gonna stock up for a year, maby paint one when im at home and assemble at school...

I'm in College right now, in my second year, and don't do any modeling up here, I do none at all, all my modeling supplies are at home and I don't even have a kit up here. I learned to live with it. I rather have my models at home where I can concentrate on them there, and at school I can concretrate on school and partying.

I'm lucky. I've been able to go home alot (Even though school is 210 miles from home). I had a car my freshmen and this year.

I recommend no modeling at all. I know it sounds rough, but once you get settled and going on classes you won't have any time to build anyways

I'm in College right now, in my second year, and don't do any modeling up here, I do none at all, all my modeling supplies are at home and I don't even have a kit up here. I learned to live with it. I rather have my models at home where I can concentrate on them there, and at school I can concretrate on school and partying.

I'm lucky. I've been able to go home alot (Even though school is 210 miles from home). I had a car my freshmen and this year.

I recommend no modeling at all. I know it sounds rough, but once you get settled and going on classes you won't have any time to build anyways


i have to disagree with the lack of time for modeling. college is surprisingly open for free time (if you can manage it well!). At first it's just like first year of high school..you're overwhelmed, you're lost, no friends and everything is sooo difficult. But by the time 2nd year comes along, you've got a system down and the balance is beautiful. Relaxing, parites, ladies, friends and hobby time...you NEED to do at least 2 of the above to keep your mental health (take that as medical advice from a student doctor).

If you have some sort of open area around your dorms that is elevated (like a roof terrace), that would be ideal. Because even if you spray outside, if anyone has an open window on the 3rd or 4th floor around you...you're gonna hear it.

Be respectful of your future roomates space AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE OF YOUR SPACE TOO. Set rules you guys can all live by, write them down and tape them on the inside of the front door so no one gets confused. You don't want to inadvertently get glue on your mates' new pants and.....You don't want your exacto blade getting dulled out cause Jimmy needs to open up a Corona.

Lucky for me, I don't have any roommates, and I can spray on my patio. Unfortunately, I'm so busy with schoolwork/drawing, I don't have much time to build. I've been working on the same one since I came to college two years ago! I did get a couple of others done, but they were already close to being done.

So far, i've only had benefits from my college. Professional spraybooth and guns, huuuuuuge workshop, and readily available styrene, putty, and a vacuform machine. Which inevitably leads to huge amounts of money being spent on modeling and not having enough money to eat till the end of the month. very atkins, anyway.