good morning all!

i just spotted a tamiya mini kit (1/24) in its box at mum an dad's place. apparently dad will never get around to building it. i'm considering!

but i am just AMAZED at the detail on this thing!!! im surprised you dont have to put the pistons in the friggin cylinders!!!!!

yeah. i think i might have to build this. should i paint it before i do?

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78 Leyland Mini - Prince

Paint all parts separately before assembly.
Then make sure you have a superglue that won't frost as it dries (goes white and ugly).

haha i was just leafing through the instructions and it has paint before assembly written all over it. haha

i was thinkiing of getting a bottle of that polystyrene cement, but the one with the long thin nozzle so i can use bugger-all glue. this is better for plastic yes?

i may ahve to get a few cheap models to practice my gluing and painting before i tackle this one

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78 Leyland Mini - Prince

make sure you assemble the piston rings the right way up

If you want to do it properly and use small air compressor and air brush PM me.

I dont use mine, had about 1 hours use.

Paid a few hundred for the compressor + accessories at the local Hobby shop, happy with $150 + Postage.

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No more Minis!......For now.

cheers for the offer, but ill prob just do it by hand. maybe i'll do the body with a spray can to get a smooth finish (gotta make sure its water based!!! i've made that mistake before...)

i ahvent done any modelling like this since i was a kid, and man did they turn out dismally! glue EVERYWHERE

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78 Leyland Mini - Prince

To do it right (according to the instructions) you need a squillion small cans of paint. It looks great however.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

and be as bad as me and tint the windows

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ook!
69 mini k
'Kids don't recognise a Saab from a Volvo but they always recognise a Mini,'

When I used to make kits I used to apply the polystyrene glue with a toothpick. You squirt a little glue out into a small cup (the plastic lid off a milk bottle would do) and then dip the toothpick into the glue and paint it on as needed. This way you are not squeezing a tube over the car and end up spilling a heap out at once.

Test fit all bits before applying the glue.
Don't just break the bits off the sprue, knick the them with a knife where you want them to break.

aweosme, cheers for the tips guys

anyone know a spray can paint that doesnt melt the plastic? i know i need a water based one. i also know they are dear...

i dont want to ahve to buy all the little cans, if i buy each one it will cost almost $100!!!! maybe a couple every week....

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78 Leyland Mini - Prince

Just get a spray can that's made for models and not real cars . They aren't water based , still enamel but with a thinners that doesn't eat the particular plastic the kits are made of . Any decent hobby shop should have them .

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Yeah, Hobby shop for model paint.

ahhhh. those are the ones that i thought were water based will ahve to ask the bloke in the shop

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78 Leyland Mini - Prince

are you going 2 pak or acrylic

you can buy modelling glue that is ultra thin, and comes in a bottle with a teeny tiny brush... I bought 2 tamiya models about 2 years ago, and all the bits, but haven't gotten around to building them yet

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?