Mysticpuma Posted August 20 Share Posted August 20 A post like that deserves a reply. Excellent review and great to see the kids getting involved. Do they enjoy this or are they "just helping Dad"? Either way, great teamwork. I have to be happy nest, I have considered returning to model building and the airbrush certainly looks like the way to go. It looks like you have a vacuum stand under the model? Would you elaborate on the airbrush setup and vacuum? Great post, cheers, Mysticpuma. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trooper117 Posted August 20 Share Posted August 20 As a kid I made countless airfix models, aircraft and tanks etc, then onto Tamiya stuff... it all went west sadly after I joined the army. I gave all my lovingly constructed models to my nephew... I learned a few years later that he had taken them down to the chicken run, set them up in the sand pit and shot them to pieces with his air rifle!!! 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Serpent Posted August 21 Share Posted August 21 (edited) At least yours had a fitting end. Mine just got thrown in the garbage. By me. 😁 But then, again, I guess the miscarriages of models I built back then got the end they deserved. Edited August 21 by Sea Serpent 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZachariasX Posted August 21 Share Posted August 21 (edited) 12 hours ago, Mysticpuma said: A post like that deserves a reply. Excellent review and great to see the kids getting involved. Do they enjoy this or are they "just helping Dad"? Either way, great teamwork. I have to be happy nest, I have considered returning to model building and the airbrush certainly looks like the way to go. It looks like you have a vacuum stand under the model? Would you elaborate on the airbrush setup and vacuum? Great post, cheers, Mysticpuma. It is them building. I do just the small details that they wouldn‘t care for, antenna, stencils. Also masking birdcage canopies is beyond their enthusiasm. But using a paintbrush and then scratching excess paint with a toothpick works for them. Mostly, I am just around close enough that I can hear the cussing when things don‘t come together. That is either them doing something impractical or the kit having deficiencies (like for instance the motor assembly of the Zero). I have them do one step at the time, then they leave and maybe I touch up an obvious error or smudge, then I clear (and clean) the bench and move things aside for another day. By now, they have some idea on how to do things, yet the don‘t-follow-the-instructions way of doing things when it comes to assembling and painting is not trivial and I do suggest them what parts come next for each step. It is not trivial knowing each part on the sprue, so I have tell them what to do and how for each step. But then, they are on their own. The airbrush is a very simple kit, about the most basic there is with the pump integrated in the stand. I think it was only about 100 bucks. It has one setting for the pump and as it is a small one, it allows only for fine nozzles. With the spray hood the suction fan works reasonably well for airbrush, but I wouldn‘t do an RC body with Tamiya spray cans in it. It does have a simple turntable with suction cup stand to put the model on. My main goal is teaching them how to use different paints, brushes, airbrush, soldering iron (for RC‘s), etc. One has to teach them doing things the right way. I find it practical in life to know your tools. I had my father showing me and I am grateful for his time and seemingly endless patience. (I think most of you that know me here know what I mean by that…) Now I show my kids. Nobody will do it otherwise. Education today is filled with women. They may know how to use hot glue (and a mother learns to use YT to get it out of the kids clothes), but hand them a Dremel (how are you supposed to have a life without?), then better bring a medic as well. The iPad can‘t be the sole mean of creativity. You can build real things in the real world. It‘s amazing what you can do today. My father had to build his own RC electronics as a teenager. Had to go and teach himself how to solder. Only later, he finally could buy a Kraft, the one that actually worked. It‘s shocking how few of the people that I know actually can do stuff. And mind you, I say that after spending years at graduate school and now occasionally tutoring graduate students myself. Funny story: My godfather, back when he was a graduate student in chemistry at the Federal Institute of Technology, was asked by his Professor as oral exam for his graduation: „Build me a radio.“ That is when he hit his iceberg and it all went south. But he had a second chance. You can fail once. Originally, to answer the question, all he had to do is walk up to the blackboard and draw something as simple as an oscillator circuit. He could have passed his exam in one minute. Of course, he was quite beside himself; he was a chemist, how was he supposed to know how the most basic aspect of a radios circuit diagram? So sad. Yet it came to pass that this very professor had to undergo a surgery, and this was done by a mutual friend of my father and godfather. And this head physician told the professor having learned about his antics giving exams and that next time he would give the exam to my godfather, he would ask sensible questions, or he would receive a wrong treatment now. Although it was in jest, my godfather was asked a sensible question in his second attempt to graduate and happily did so. So, it does help if you know some things in life, or you do need really good friends. Myself, I have become rather awful to people who think they don‘t have know things while retaining the priviledge of being listened to. I think it is most instructive for people when you make them do things they couldn‘t imagine being capable of doing. Myself, I built a ton of those models as a kid but I also didn‘t put in much effort, as the growth of my airforce was more important than looks. But today, my kids are occasionally using IL2 GB (more so than I atm) so they are served in a way I wasn‘t. So I figure they might as well put in some effort with their kit planes. With the right tools and done the right way, difficult things become very easy. And they are rather proud of their model aircraft. Edited August 21 by ZachariasX 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Serpent Posted August 21 Share Posted August 21 Quote Education today is filled with women. They may know how to use hot glue (and a mother learns to use YT to get it out of the kids clothes), but hand them a Dremel (how are you supposed to have a life without?), then better bring a medic as well. @ZachariasX You would love my Dentist. 😛 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SARFlytitus Posted August 22 Share Posted August 22 On 8/21/2024 at 8:54 AM, ZachariasX said: I think it is most instructive for people when you make them do things they couldn‘t imagine being capable of doing. Myself, I built a ton of those models as a kid but I also didn‘t put in much effort, as the growth of my airforce was more important than looks. But today, my kids are occasionally using IL2 GB (more so than I atm) so they are served in a way I wasn‘t. So I figure they might as well put in some effort with their kit planes. With the right tools and done the right way, difficult things become very easy. And they are rather proud of their model aircraft. From another well known Forum... https://forum.il2sturmovik.com/topic/42650-raptorattackers-skinhouse/?do=findComment&comment=1254876 ...aaand, as the illustrious Captain Obvious would say: We can really help our children to make their dreams come true and to understand the difference between virtual life and real life. How? Simply playing with them, growing with them and, perhaps, returning to being children too. Thanx ZachariasX, once again ! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.