You will need: Razor knife, Saw, Paint brushes, Pin vice, sand paper, wood glue, super glue, caulk, drill, and tape.

 

Work space 

Pick a spot that will not be in the way, and has good ventilation. You will also need a hard surface to cut on. I use plexiglass.

 

Depending on what it is you are going to build this will vary. I will list some basic materials I use. Balsa wood, plastic sheets, foam, cardboard, cork board, thick card, dowel rods, match sticks, straws, cardboard tubes & boxes, screen, wire, rocks, sand, flock, paint, bondo, plaster, and weedeater string. Most of which you can get from around the house or a local hardware store. Also you will need a good imagination. Now go apply it to your model.

 

 

     Whatever you build will need sound basic support. I use several things to brace up parts of a model. Balsa wood is one of the major parts I use for support & braces. It can be cut to whatever you desire, and can be purchased in many hobby shops. The shapes are flat, square, and round. Which is all you need to start building. ( Note: For I-Beam, Angle, and things of this nature you may need to find Plastruct pieces. They are in California, but some model shops have architecture pieces from them in stock.)

     The braces and support you put in your model is learned by study or trial and error. I have 20 years experience in fabrication, so I have a good idea what a structure needs. Basic structure designs are in many books. I recommend teaching yourself about structure design basics for what you are building before you start.

     When you need a certain look of material you have to use different material. ( Note: Steel is best represented by plastic, and heavy primed paper card.  Wood is best represented by balsa wood and paper card. ) I use all sorts of every day things to make models. You have to think different to come up with materials that fit the scale you are building. In time you will get good at it.

Example: Drinking straw cut a 3/8" piece off glue on a small piece of wire bent in half circle glue them togeather to make a 25mm scale water pail.