"WIP" Nismo R34 GT-R (Z-Tune)

[michael lambert]

Well Peoples!

I am Michael, a 29 year old who has been ordered to find a hobby before my stress kills me!

This is my first attempt at a real Model, i have played with them 15-20 years ago but nothing like what i have been seeing on these boards! With the help of the forums thus far i have gone out and purchased what i think to be a good starter kit, and most if not too much of the supplies i need .

I have setup my workspace as shown below as well as my supplies. If anyone can think of anything i am missing please let me know, i hope to with in the next day or so have some sort of an update of the model.

Please check out pictures.

[michael lambert]

And the model,

Was kind of surprised when there really are not alot of parts for assmebly.

[tpliquid]

do you have clippers?

[935k3]

Welcome to a lifelong hobby that's hard to quit. I reccomend you go to a Hardware Store and get some 320,400 and 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper they work better than those Testor's sanding films sold at Hobby Shops. I f you are in the USA go to Wal-Mart or K-mart's Automotive section and buy some 1000,1500 and 200 grit sandpaper. If using Tamiya's Sprays buy some of their Polishes for polishing the final coat of paint when dry. You can clean brushes in Nail Polish remover or better yet keep a jar with Laquer Thinner handy for brush cleaning. Tamiya's Acrylics in the jar can be cleaned up with Ammonia. Get some toothpicks for applying glue and small dots of paint. Get some Q-Tips for clean up of small areas. Use A good liquid glue for Joining body parts, they dry faster and sometimes thicker glue can actually keep plastic soft and cause problems long after a model is finished. Thicker glue is good for things like joining engine halves together. I would avoid the glue in the orange tubes the Testor's in th black bottle is good stuff, it's thicker thsn liquid but thinner than tube glues. Test fit parts before painting anything(even more important on kits by other than Tamiya).DO NOT USE MODEL GLUES OR SUPER GLUE ON CLEAR PARTS! Always use White PVA(clear drying)type glues on clear parts, excess can be cleaned with a damp Q-Tip or tissue without harming paint or clear part.White glues can also be used for under decals that do not stick well.

[michael lambert]

No clippers yet could not find any.

I did pick up many different types of glues including the testors "Clear parts cement" and the Humbrol "Precision Poly" for body parts.

I did pick up the Surface primer, and the Yamiya clear coat for the finished product.

[CFarias]

And don't forget the sanding sticks. You can find these at your local hobby shop or beauty shop. They are sand papers with a flexible foam and plastic core. They are quite handy.

I noticed the MasterMask on your desk. I use this stuff and its great for masking oddly shaped objects that can't be masked with traditional tape. You can thin it with water. I use a wet toothpick and dip it into the stuff. The toothpick is then used to apply the mask onto the parts. It can also be used to make simple molds of raised badgework on the car.

Good Luck!

[michael lambert]

Not sure about the raised badge work or any other specialty stuff lol, I am going to be happy if i can get this done and have it still resemble a automobile

I really don't want people to have high expectations i have no idea what to expect myself.

[924_CarreraGTS]

Is that the Excel knife handle I spot on your desk? This is the same knife I use and love. I use it to chuck up drill bits, too, so that I have two pin vises.

Don't worry. I have destroyed my early models because I have advanced so much that they seem like a joke...however they weren't even painted, so you have a head start on me there! You WILL get better and better. It just takes practice, like any other hobby or talent, patience as has been emphasized, and the support and knowledge of others, which you will find here! Good luck and hope to see lots more of you as you continue this hobby. By the way congratulations on your upcoming child!

Alex

[michael lambert]

Alright,

Something going on

Well over the last hour, i have washed the kit - sanded down some imperfections and created this little paint jig for now to keep the paint contained.

Here is the shot of the jig using the good old wire hanger and a single coat of primer so far, in a few mins i will check it out and see if it needs more.

**** Question*****

This kit, Should i glue the bumper and front end onto the frame before the final coat? or just contiune painting all 3 peices seperate and then glue together?

[935k3]

I would have glued the front and rear body pieces to the main body before any priming was done. You could still do that by scraping of the paint where the pieces join and carefully apply glue. If it gets on painted areas just ley it dry overnight than sand the area and reprime. The modelwill be sturdier and there will be less chance of getting glue on a nicely painted body.

[wrexink]

Haha. Your paint booth looks like mine! a Small Cardboard box in the basement. Good work so far!

[Spike2933]

nice job so far, but shouldn't this be in the Street section

[michael lambert]

Well i hit the "Canadian Tire" here in town for more goodies, got the sandpapers people suggested found they had some wet/dry 800 / 1000 and 2000 grit papers made by 3M. Grabbed a package of Tweezers then on the way out they had this Hobby knife set on sale for $3.99 regular price $19.99 so i grabbed it 3 different sized handles and 14 different types of blades so that should come in handy

Today the wife has asked that i move my spray painting to the garage due to the fumes she fears for the child to be. So i get to spend most of the day down there cleaning nad organizing to move my spray booth down.

[michael lambert]

Well,
Its very hard to be paient And well i think i might have screwed up the body as for some reason my second coat of paint when i looked at it this morning was all full of fluff not sure where it came from but it upset me i took the wet sanding to it and cleaned it up as much as i could and then put a new coat on it. I also tried the painting of the body lines as in one of the tutorials but i guess we will see how that turned out.

Anyway's the body is drying and i got some of the front end assembled and painted and have that to share for now.

[michael lambert]

Some times i guess things should be left alone I decided instead of just paiting the interior black like i was going to i decided to try and do alittle extra detail. So i used the liquid mask and taped off the middle of the seats and then spray painted. This is the turn out, not great but i guess it could have been worse for my first time.