Ship model building is one of the most rewarding hobbies, although very few people adopt this hobby because it needs a lot of patience and steady hands. Many ship models are available in the market that cost from a few dollars to a couple of thousand, keeping in mind ships from Hollywood movies are also available in the market.

This hobby checks out your temper, and it is not for an impatient person out there since shipbuilding can take months, depending on how complicated the design of the ship is.

This article will be covering a few tips on how to build a better ship model for beginners.

List of things to keep in mind while building a ship model

1. Unboxing the model ship

    While building a ship model, some tips that might help you before and after unboxing the model ship are as under;

• • Read the user manual properly. By reading the user manual, you will be able to get an idea of how your build is going to be.
  • Tally all the parts mentioned in the user manual that they are available with you physically. By doing this, not only will you be able to refund your model but saving your precious time. Imagine being at the end of your build, and you find out that you are missing your key component. This tip will make sure you don’t end up in this scenario.
  • Don’t get too excited after unboxing the ship model; properly observe the marking on all components. Make a blueprint of how all the parts are interlinked with each other. or at least get an idea of how you will be building this ship.
  • Accurately cut the pieces and small components form their holders. Be sure to have a razor sharp-edged blade.

2. Stay organized

Be organized, building a ship model is a very slow process for beginners.

• • Staying organized will help you to see the big picture, and you will be able to track your time properly.
  • Divide your time according to the complexity of the parts. For instance, the deck of the ship needs detail, and it is very time-consuming doing it at first or at very least will save your mental energy rather than being reckless and doing it in the middle of your build.
  • List down all the components parts wise. Listing down components parts smart helps in keeping track of all components, and you won’t be missing small components
  • Make a small personal tool kit, always keep your toolbox updated and in order. Searching for tools in your whole house will cost you.

3. Painting the parts and components

Painting can be fun if you have a good knowledge of paints. It will be the most soothing part for you in the build. Here are some tips to remember while painting;

• • Paint the parts first then glue them together
  • Use wide brush strokes in the big parts of the model ship. Stroke in one direction to get the best results.
  • Use a fine brush for details. You can trace the details with your pencil; first, this will help a lot for those people who aren’t good with paint.
  • Always apply two to three coats of paint, let the first one dry, then apply the second and so on so forth.
  • Paint small components holding them with a pair of pincers. By doing this, you can be able to paint small parts easily and evenly
  • Use the clear coat at the end for a luster and a long-lasting paint job.

4. Gluing all the parts together

This is the final step for your build, gluing together all the parts into one ship model. Some tips are as under

• • If you are a beginner, use the fine end applicator glue. If it is not available, use a brush to apply glue. Doing this will spread the glue evenly on the surface
  • Remove the paint for the surface of the parts where the glue needs to be applied. This will help in the long-lasting bond between the two surfaces.
  • Before gluing the parts, make sure to see that the fit is proper and tight.
  • Use fine-grade sandpaper to remove the excess glue build up after drying from edges.

These small but detailed tips will be very much useful for you in building a ship model. You can raise the quality of your ship models if you really want to have a future in model building.