Starting Off

Ok im going to start my first model, been here reading this forum for awhile posted a couple of times, i have almost 15 kits which i been collecting because i havent build them yet. The reason why i havent started building them is that i have no room to build them, i guess im going to have to do them in my kitchen. So im going to start off with fujimi's Integra type R, as you can see in my SIGNATURE. Easy one color base for a beginner.

This is what im going to order from Rainbowten to start off:

TAMIYA SURFACE PRIMER L(GRAY)
TAMIYA SURFACE PRIMER L(WHITE)
TAMIYA MASKING TAPE 6mm,
TAMIYA MASKING TAPE 10mm,
TAMIYA MASKING TAPE 18mm,
TAMIYA FINISHING ABRASIVES P400(3pcs.),
TAMIYA FINISHING ABRASIVES P600(3pcs.),
TAMIYA FINISHING ABRASIVES P800(3pcs.),
TAMIYA FINISHING ABRASIVES P1000(3pcs.),
TAMIYA FINISHING ABRASIVES P1200(3pcs.),
TAMIYA FINISHING ABRASIVES P1500(3pcs.),
TAMIYA FINISHING ABRASIVES P2000(3pcs.),

What else do i need that you think i should order from rainbowten that i wouldnt be able to find here in the states?? The rest like brushes etc. i can get in my local hobby store.

Also i dont have an airbrush and i want to make the car look like this one:
http://www.warachan.com/gallery_bymodel/honda-gallery/integra-gallery/hondatouinsan/integra1-1.jpg

Which tamiya spray can color should i get to imitate this color?

Been reading the FAQ, so any tips you guys should give me? oh yeah what type wax should i get?

I like using sanding/polishing sticks that you can purchase at department/drug stores in the nail-finishing department. Just look mean if someone looks at you funny! They really work great for removing mold lines from bodies, and preparing the surface for paint. You've covered most of the bases, now it's time to get to work.

Tamiya Yellow and Chrome Yellow are very close matches to the car you show. Regular Yellow is basically Ferrari yellow, very vivid. The Chrome Yellow has a bit more orange in it, but it's still a vivid yellow, and to me it looks like a really good match for the Integra yellow that I've seen on the real cars. Photographs are rarely perfect in showing off a color, but I think you'd be happy w/either color, they are far better than any Testors yellow. Use the white primer for the yellow paint.

Get a tube of Tamiya compound. It's great stuff. It allows you to finish off the surface of the model quite nicely after you've done a bit of sanding to remove orange peel. The Tamiya sprays sometimes don't need any polishing other than with compound. You may finish off the model after building it with Tamiya wax, but I haven't found that necessary...the compound leaves the surface very slick and you can still apply paint and decals to it. Use a really soft cloth, an old flannel shirt is the best, or a very old, very soft Tshirt.

Good luck!

Thanks zoom zoom, i just saw primera man's altezza with chrome yellow, and im going to go with that. Just need to add that and the compound to my list.

welcome aboard :wave:




don't be shy if you have a digicam :D

Originally posted by Serge2k
What else do i need that you think i should order from rainbowten that i wouldnt be able to find here in the states?? The rest like brushes etc. i can get in my local hobby store.


Cool a fellow New Yorker!!! um, i've never heard of rainbowten but i just checked their site out. i think that HLJ.com is much easier to use as is www.1999.co.jp. but since you are in the states, you can order tamiya paints, finishing papers, masking tape, compound and practically anything else tamiya makes from Tower Hobbies which is based in Illinois. the prices will obviously be higher but the shipping will be dirt cheap compared to shipping from japan. i usually buy from japan only the things that i cant find here in the states. and if you look hard enough, you'll find a place in america that sells what your looking for at a decent price.

i think the chrome yellow is a great choice. be sure to keep us up to date when you get started on it.

I wouldn't bother with all those abrasives. You should be able to get a good range of wet and dry grits from any good hardware store or car parts store. It might be worth getting the 2000 grit but the rest you should be able to pick up much cheaper and more of! I do!!!!

I would also perhaps leave out the aerosols - these cant be shipped by air as far as i know. You should be able to get those from a local model shop alot quicker than waiting for them to get shipped by boat. While your there you might as well pick up some Tamiya masking tape.:D

Dude, you don't need all those differen't types of masking tape.
I kinda edited your list, and posted it below


TAMIYA MASKING TAPE 6mm,
TAMIYA MASKING TAPE 18mm,
TAMIYA FINISHING ABRASIVES P2000(3pcs.),

Buy the rest either at your hardware store, Department store or Hobby shop. Don't worry about Tamiya primer, buy a different brand at either a department store or hardware store, cheaper and more of it.

The 18mm isn't completely nessecery, unless you plan on spraying window rubbers and want to mask off all of the roof and side panels (just a waste of time and it leaves a residue along where the masking was, I mask it off with 6mm, then brush paint with enamel paints).

Even the masking tape would be better bought at the hobby shop, save on shipping.

Don't worry about Tamiya primer, buy a different brand at either a department store or hardware store, cheaper and more of it.

I'd stick with the Tamiya primer, especially if I was a beginner, since it works so well-it goes on far thinner and smoother than any primer I've ever tried. It's basically like having an airbrushed primer finish vs. the cans of automotive primer that may be cheap and cover well, but the surface finish of that primer requires far more work to smooth out. It can be done, but it requires practice and an expert's touch, while the Tamiya product works well for even beginners. It's worth the extra money to me.

I'll second Zoom's coments on the Tamiya Primers, I recently switched from the Testors brand and I love the results.:smoker2:

Thanks guys for all the comments and tips.. most of this stuff im buying to stock up for later projects and the reason im buying it off rainbow ten is that i have previously ordered from there and while yes shipping is high, but at the end it stills comes out cheaper then if i would order it from towerhobbies or my local hobby shop. Especially all of this things are small so i can buy a bunch of stuff and pay only one shiipping price. And yes i think the cans my make shipping to be ground, i'll just have to wait for them.

And thug, yeah i think i was going overboard with the abrasives, i could probably find them cheaper here in the hardware store or like home depot.

Oh and yes i do have a digital camera. Heres some pics of my kits and others.

My cars:
http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/675551cars1.jpg

My Bikes:
http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/565787bikes.jpg

Anyone else in here like Gundams?
http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/355335gundams.jpg