Model Making Guides
Free tutorials, tips, and techniques to help you master the art of model making.
Showing 25-48 of 58 guides
Gedeo Crystal Resin
This product information sheet outlines the properties and use of Gedeo Crystal Resin, a two-part, high-transparency epoxy system suitable for casting small decorative objects or creating glossy surface finishes. It provides instructions for accurately measuring, mixing, and pouring the resin, along with tips to ensure proper curing and minimise waste. Guidance is included on working times, shaping partially cured resin, safety precautions, and ideal storage conditions. The sheet serves as a practical reference for achieving clear, durable resin casts up to 150 ml per batch.
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Gelflex Moulding Compound
This information sheet introduces Gelflex, a remeltable PVC mould-making material that forms flexible, durable moulds capable of capturing deep undercuts. It explains the safe methods for melting small and large quantities, highlights the need for controlled temperatures, and provides detailed instructions for pouring, cooling, and cutting moulds. The guide also covers sealing porous masters, supporting large moulds, repairing defects, and remelting used material. Comprehensive health and safety guidance is included, emphasising ventilation, protective equipment, and safe handling of hot PVC. Gelflex is presented as a reusable, economical option for flexible mould production.
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Gluing Balsa
This guide outlines the main adhesives suitable for bonding balsa wood in modelmaking and explains how to use each effectively. It covers PVA for slower-setting, adjustable joins; superglue for fast, precise bonding with accelerator; and balsa cement (UHU Hart) for strong, clean joints on both open and enclosed surfaces. Clear, simple instructions help beginners choose the right glue for each task and apply it correctly to achieve reliable, accurate balsa assemblies.
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Gluing Card
This guide explains the basic techniques for gluing card in modelmaking, focusing on achieving clean joins and accurate right angles. It outlines the use of PVA—particularly thicker, faster-drying Hi-Tack varieties—and demonstrates how to apply glue neatly using scrap card or a brush. The guide also shows how to reinforce joints with simple formers to maintain correct angles. Aimed at beginners, it provides clear, practical steps for producing strong, tidy card assemblies.
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Gluing Finnboard
This guide explains how to glue Finnboard effectively when constructing models. It introduces suitable adhesives—particularly thicker, faster-drying Hi-Tack PVA—and demonstrates how to apply glue neatly using scrap material or a brush. Instructions are provided for forming clean, accurate joins, including the use of simple card formers to maintain right angles. Designed for beginners, the guide offers practical steps for achieving strong, precise Finnboard assemblies.
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Gluing Foamboard
This guide explains how to bond foamboard safely and effectively using the correct adhesives. It highlights the use of UHU POR—recommended because it will not dissolve the foam core—and outlines the contact-adhesive method for creating strong, instant joints. Clear steps show how to apply, separate, and rejoin glued edges, along with safety notes on avoiding standard UHU where possible. Aimed at beginners, the guide provides practical advice for producing clean, durable foamboard assemblies.
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Gluing Styrofoam
This guide outlines the key adhesives and techniques for bonding Styrofoam in modelmaking. It explains how to use UHU Por as a foam-safe contact adhesive for strong, reliable joints, and describes faster alternatives such as superglue with accelerator, as well as slower-curing PVA. Clear, simple instructions show how to apply each adhesive correctly to achieve clean, firm bonds without damaging the foam, making the guide a practical introduction for beginners working with Styrofoam.
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Guide to Polish
This guide provides an overview of three specialist polishing products—Metal Shine, Brass Restorer, and Polishing Paste—used for cleaning, restoring, and refining a variety of metal and plastic surfaces. It explains the purpose and suitable applications of each product, from removing tarnish on metals to reducing scratches on plastics and preparing surfaces for painting. The guide outlines correct preparation, application methods, and clean-up procedures, and highlights the importance of using lint-free cloths for achieving a high-quality finish.
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Guide to Using EVA Craft Foam
This guide introduces the different grades of EVA craft foam used in prop making, costume design and cosplay, outlining their properties, densities, and ideal applications. It explains how standard EVA sheets, premium CF65 foam, and high-density CF100 foam can be cut, heat-formed, sculpted, engraved, and glued using appropriate adhesives. The guide also covers complementary EVA accessories such as foam balls, rods, cones, and foam clay, along with finishing tools like Plasti Dip coatings and pyrography tools for adding texture and detail. Together, these materials provide a versatile system for creating durable, lightweight, highly detailed props and costume elements.
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Home Decal System
This guide explains how to produce and apply custom water-slide decals at home using inkjet or laser printers. It outlines the process of selecting or creating artwork, printing it onto specialist decal papers, and protecting the print with Micro Liquid Film. Step-by-step instructions describe how to soak, position, and adhere decals using Micro Set and Micro Sol for a smooth, painted-on finish. Suitable for modelmaking, props, graphics and craft applications, the system enables users to create durable, professional-quality custom decals from their own designs.
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Hotwire Cutting
This guide introduces the essential techniques for shaping Styrofoam using a hot wire cutter. It covers preparing accurate templates—either hand-drawn or printed and spray-mounted onto card—and explains how to set up the cutter correctly, including wire tension, alignment, and temperature. Step-by-step instructions outline how to achieve clean, smooth cuts by maintaining steady movement and controlling cutting speed. The guide also includes tips on finishing foam shapes with knives and sanding, providing beginners with a reliable method for producing precise Styrofoam components.
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How to Connect LEDs - Parallel Circuit
This guide provides clear, practical instructions for building a safe and reliable parallel LED circuit. It explains how to calculate appropriate resistors and choose a suitable DC power source before beginning assembly. A detailed equipment list is provided, along with a warning about the hazards of sharing a single resistor across multiple LEDs. Step-by-step instructions show how to solder individual resistors to each LED, arrange the components into a parallel configuration, attach wires, connect a switch and battery snap, and insulate exposed joints. Designed for beginners, the guide helps users construct a functioning LED strip with correct polarity, consistent brightness, and safe operation.
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How to Make a Daffodil
This guide provides step-by-step instructions for sculpting realistic daffodils using Fimo Air dough. It details how to cut petal and trumpet templates, shape and texture the dough, assemble the flower, and support it while drying. The guide also explains sealing the hardened dough with diluted PVA and painting the finished petals and stem with acrylics. Designed for beginners, it highlights simple tools and techniques for creating delicate, lifelike floral models.
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How to Make a Pumpkin
This guide explains how to sculpt a realistic pumpkin from a polystyrene sphere. It covers preparing the foam, marking and cutting the segment grooves, gluing the halves, filling and sanding joints, and sealing the surface with diluted PVA or foam coat. Step-by-step instructions detail how to paint the pumpkin with acrylics, add shading in the grooves, and finish with a stem, leaves, and tendrils. Designed for beginners, the guide provides a simple, effective method for creating seasonal props and decorations from lightweight foam.
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How to Make a Snowman
This guide provides step-by-step instructions for sculpting a snowman using polystyrene spheres, foam clay and simple craft materials. It explains how to assemble and texture the foam forms with Foamcoat, create features such as the carrot nose, eyes, buttons, arms and hat, and paint them for realistic effect. Techniques for shaping wire armatures, adding surface details, and securely joining components are included. Designed for beginners and hobbyists, the guide offers a clear method for producing a durable, characterful snowman model from lightweight foam.
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How to Make a Tombstone
This guide explains how to create a realistic foam tombstone using Styrofoam, Foamcoat and acrylic paints. It covers sketching and cutting the basic shape, distressing and carving surface details, sealing and texturing the foam with Foamcoat, and applying layered spray and brush-painted finishes to mimic aged stone. Instructions also describe how to add moss effects with green texture and PVA, and how to mount the finished tombstone on a base. Designed for beginners, the guide provides a simple method for producing convincing Halloween or theatrical props from lightweight materials.
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How to Make a Viking Shield
This guide demonstrates how to craft a detailed Viking shield using EVA foam, including marking, cutting, shaping and texturing techniques. It explains how to cut the shield base and rims, burn plank lines and wood grain with a pyrography tool, thermo-form a domed boss, and assemble strengthening ribs and decorative rivets from foam clay. Instructions also cover painting with primers and acrylics, adding faux-leather straps, and finishing the handle. Designed for cosplay and prop-making, the guide shows how EVA foam can be transformed into a lightweight, durable, wood-like shield.
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How to Make an Apple
This guide explains how to sculpt a realistic apple from an expanded polystyrene sphere. It covers shaping the form by compressing, denting, carving and sanding the foam, then refining the surface with filler and sealing it with PVA or Foamcoat. Step-by-step instructions describe how to apply layered acrylic paints to build natural colouring and how to craft a wooden stalk from a dowel, finishing it with paint and shading. Designed for beginners, the guide offers a simple, effective method for creating lightweight, lifelike fruit props from foam.
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How to Make an Asteroid with Alien
This guide provides step-by-step instructions for creating a textured asteroid prop from layered Styrofoam and for sculpting a small accompanying alien figure. It explains how to cut and laminate foam sheets using UHU Por, carve the overall shape, and apply acetone to melt and roughen the surface for a realistic rocky texture before highlighting it with dry-brushed acrylic paint. The guide also covers forming a simple wire armature, building up the alien figure with craft foam clay, refining details with sculpting tools, and painting the finished model. Designed for hobbyists and modelmakers, it demonstrates accessible techniques for producing lightweight, imaginative sci-fi props.
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How to Make Miniature Plants
This guide explains how to prepare, paint, and shape brass etched plant sheets for use in architectural models, rail layouts, dioramas, dollhouses, and miniature scenes. It covers proper handling of the brass, priming with spray primer, and applying base colours and detailed shading using acrylic paints. Instructions are provided for removing individual plants from the fret, adding raised vein textures with fast-drying PVA, and bending the etched pieces into naturalistic shapes before fixing them in place. The guide highlights the versatility and customisability of these fine-scale brass plant components.
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Landscaping - Formal Areas
This guide outlines simple, effective techniques for creating a formal miniature garden using modelmaking textures, flock, hedging materials and small-scale trees. It explains how to lay realistic grass using flock adhesive, build textured garden paths with speckled paint and ballast, and construct hedging—from tall formal borders to low box hedges—using pre-textured mats and PVA glue. Instructions are provided for making saplings and pollarded trees by extending ready-made trunks, as well as creating flower beds and small bushes using coloured flock and texture mats. Designed for architectural and landscape modelmaking, the guide offers a practical introduction to producing structured, detailed garden layouts.
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Landscaping - Rough Areas
This guide explains how to create naturalistic rough-scenic landscapes for scale models using textured materials, flock, tufts, lichen and etched trees. It covers laying base grass with flock adhesive, forming earthy pathways with PVA and scatter, and building up varied groundcover using clumped textures, teased texture mats and long grass tufts. Instructions also describe adding shrubs from lichen and planting different types of trees for height and visual interest. Designed for architectural, diorama and scenic modelmaking, the guide provides simple techniques for producing convincing wild or rural terrain.
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Landscaping - Waters Edge
This guide explains how to create a realistic riverside scene in a scale landscape model, covering ground textures, planting, and water effects. It outlines how to build a riverside path with ballast, form the riverbank with layered gravels and stones, and add rough grass, tufts, reeds and overhanging plants using texture mats, flock and sisal. Instructions also describe preparing and planting the riverbed, then pouring two-part resin to form clear water with optional colour washes and ripple effects. Designed for architectural and scenic modelling, the guide provides practical methods for producing detailed, natural-looking water-edge environments.
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Laser Cutting and Engraving Service
This information sheet outlines 4D Modelshop’s laser cutting and engraving services, detailing their cutting capacity, supported materials, and artwork requirements. It explains that the laser can cut acrylics, wood, card and fabrics up to 15 mm thick, engrave at up to 1000 dpi, and mark cylindrical objects using a rotary attachment. Artwork preparation guidelines, including accepted file formats and colour-coded line conventions for cutting, scribing and engraving, are provided. The sheet also highlights related services such as metal laser marking, stencil cutting, and acid etching, offering a versatile solution for bespoke modelmaking, prototyping, signage and decorative projects.
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