If you enjoy the automotive arts and cannot house or afford the real thing, you may wish to consider models for a cheaper alternative. Or not. You may be surprised to see how much money can be blown through in a small amount of time.

Other than a kit, there are a few things you will need to make it easier and make it look better. Models come molded in one color, plus clear or red for glass and chrome (um bop a re bop…chrome).  Paint helps make it more than one color.

Don’t use cheap spray paint; it can degrade the plastic. Paint for models is not cheap, nor is quality fizz cans, which will work. You will need some tools. A cheap pair of pliers to open bottles, small set of side cutters to cut pieces off the holders and to trim toothpicks. (More Americans choke on toothpicks than anything else, just thought I would tell you that.)

You will need a razor knife to cut things other than your finger. Paint brushes (duh), and I like super glue over model glue. Model glue has a slower set up time and fails faster. Don’t forget thinner, paper towels or as I like, tissues! You might be surprised to find out what they can remove. Toothpicks are good for putting glue in hard to reach places and for adding small paint details after the point is trimmed back with the side cutters.

Tweezers are good for shooting small parts across the room so you can never see them again, only to hear the crunch when the vacuum finds them…I mean…to install small parts. I have a cheap drill and trust me, it comes in handy, along with a Dremel floating around somewhere. Another good tool is a nail file to remove paint and chrome for gluing.

You will need sandpaper because yes, you will screw up a paint job.

These things I all figured out on my own. I hope that helps you out if you are looking for a new hobby. Right now my workstation, an old desk a friend gave me, hey that works. It looks almost like the insides of some people’s garages, with parts and projects everywhere.

I am not the best at this, but I am not the worst. Just be prepared for it to try your patience. A lot of the parts are small and hard to handle. Sometimes I have to walk away no matter how bad I want to see something done, for example on those days the only thing I can seem to glue together is myself. Another tip: expect the parts to like you more than their plastic counterparts.

You can be proud of what you do, just be prepared for it to not come out exactly like you want it to. Parts get lost or don’t fit like they should. You can follow all the directions, and something comes out wrong, so I never completely follow the directions. Imagination is key!

Practice makes imperfect but it is mine.

By the way, the chrome comment came from Garfield Goes to Hawaii, which is hilarious.