Beatea

Hello! This is my second model car and once again I'm shooting for a post apocalyptic theme. I picked the Fiat Topolino because, well, it's super cute guys and it comes with a dog! The other selling point for me was the open roof, because I'm gonna shove a machine gun in there. I'm trying to go in a bit more prepared, so I treated myself to a copy of the 'Underhaulin' ebook from the Model Junkyard website (here: http://shop.modeljunkyard.com/product/underhaulin-junk-model-car-ebook/) for some guidance on doing more realistic weathering. I also got some much needed tools, a little cutter, some files, a new cutting mat etc. I've also been eyeing up some reference material. I seriously love how gross these cars look. Anyway, this is end game stuff, first things first is I need to build this thing. OK - So I want to put the car into a diorama setting so I picked a 1:35 model because all the diorama bits I found online were the same size. I got a damn cold shock when I opened the box and saw how small all the parts are. Intimidatingly small, I had no idea 1:35 was so tiny (yes I'm a hopeless newbie)! Content warning ahead, this build will suck, you will cringe at how bad I am at this. Here we go: I love how the body comes in a wee little box. Oh God, everything in wonky and covered in glue... I glued 3 out of 4 wheels so they don't spin..ahhhh. The photograph is quite forgiving, the myspace angel of the model car world if you will, because from any other angle this engine is real squiff. No wait, it looks squiff from here too. Sorry not a clear picture, but I got one 'part' all glued up ready for priming. And this is where I got to so far. Despite the cold rinse of fear I feel every time I have to pick up a microscopic part, I am having a total blast. Thanks for looking in

Oh wow that's an amazing idea and it never occured to me to make my own! And no offence taken, I love these kinds of projects and an unashamedly into anything cute and tiny haha. My brother in law has a jigsaw so I can absolutely cut my own parts, although this will have to be a future project as my next car model arrived from Germany yesterday and I'm itching to do another car, this one is going to be part of a diorama so it's going to take a while

Thank you so much for your comments everyone, it's nice to know people are looking I finished the model today. First I added painted corrugated card for the roof. Then I just added the roof decorations and various fiddly bits... et voila. This kit was really fun and I hope something a little different. Once I found the youtube guide it was really easy and quick to put together, not to mention super relaxing. It's pretty simple looking and not very detailed or refined, but once all the parts are together it comes together nicely. I'm seriously tempted to see if the manufacturer ships to the UK as I would love to have a go at something else from their catalogue. Thanks for looking guys

Quick update, I had a lovely day doing fiddly things; wrapping styrofoam in paper, gluing beads onto paper, that sort of thing. All the bits stuck onto the tables and counters. I like the little poster for the Tokyo Skytree on the front of the stall. Quick story! I was on the Tokyo Skytree having lunch a few years ago when an earthquake hit, I was so scared but nobody else seemed that bothered haha. Next step is the roof and signage

Thanks all! Did a little more last night and this morning. Somewhat unhygienic looking food cabinet. And an equally unhygienic looking food table as well. Putting together the boxes, I think the card is too thick for such a dinky size and as a result they look kind of scruffy. And I'm having a go at the dango too, it's amazing how some beads and varnish end up looking so tasty! Excuse my hand, I had to liberate them from my filthy craft mat otherwise they were really hard to see!

Oh no, I didn't put the scale in the opening post so my fault really. Please don't worry. Yes, it's 1:12. I think a kit like this would be vastly improved with some anime figures thrown in the mix and all the sweet buns scattered around in a fight scene... hmm, potential future project haha! I hated the white grit that came with the kit for the pavement, and they gave me so little, so I substituted it with this plaster stuff. The masking tape came off great, I'm a dab hand with a pair of tweezers it seems. I also saw an opportunity to fix the outer wall and give it some texture. Once it's dry I can tidy up and paint the walls.

I hope this is the right place to post this project, it's a sweet little dango dumpling shop my mother in law bought me from back from Japan. The model is available here, along with a whole ton of traditional Japanese shops, if anybody fancies it. http://www.billy-doll.co.jp/?pid=52437467 It's pretty basic, nowhere near as detailed or amazing as what you all are working on, so I hope it's OK here. I thought it would make a nice stop gap model as I impatiently wait for my Christmas purchases to arrive. And the contents all in the bag. I laid out all the wood parts, but not the other bits (sorry) as my desk is so tiny and I'm scared of losing parts if I spread them out. The manual is in Japanese! I don't read Japanese so there is a huge amount of guesswork going on. I put the walls together and glued on the paper decorations. I messed up and put textured paper behind the print outs of the side walls. I have no idea why I did that, I assumed it was for texture! Turns out that paper was designed to go on the outside...opps. Added trim and tables. I had to cut the trim from this insanely hard card, and I guess I have zero upper body strength because it took me forever. That or I need a proper craft knife. Cushions are made out of card, wadding and fabric. It was at this point I found a tutorial for this model on Youtube, thank goodness! Cushions and tables are now glued in. I've glued the shop onto a stained base and am sticking on masking take to make the paving stones. All done! The brick sizes in the manual are much bigger but I thought it looked funny so I made mine smaller. That's all I got done for now. I'm super nervous about doing the bricks, I'm scared that when I pull the masking tape off it will be a huge mess. More to follow, thanks for checking in

Yes, but nothing like this! My 'main hobby' has been sewing, mostly bears. Forgive a quick non-model themed picture but these kinds of bears. I guess I got a bit fed up of sewing them, and always gave them away anyway. Time to try something new. My next car project is absolutely going to be post apocalyptic, it's much more forgiving for when I make mistakes

OK I think I'm done, just added some coverings to the windows using some left over scrim tape, and I added a smidge more weathering, but honestly I feel I've got nothing else to add, and scaring up 1:24 accessories is too much of a pain and expense for my first go/learning model. Sorry the picture quality is so awful, I'll need to get some decent lighting sorted! Thanks everyone for being so kind and looking at and commenting on my model. I really enjoyed this and have spent some Christmas money on a new car project, in 1:35 this time as I want to make a diorama too

Awesome, thanks so much Goby. It's really encouraging to get good feedback, thank you. I managed to find a guy who does resin moulded accessories, mostly naval but he does 1/24 oil barres and jerry cans at a great price so I'll be onto that after Christmas. I'm tempted to build my own rack using wire in the end, I've been looking on e ha and people are flogging basic wire racks for a song, and I refuse to pay for something so basic haha. And the blu-tac tip is just the sort of thing I'm looking for, cheers!

Wow! This is beautiful! I seriously love some of the vehicles in the SWU, they are filthy and worn out and distressed and noisy, which makes them feel so real to me. You've nailed it.

It shall be so! I'm naming my first build Furious Hedgehog, thanks Gorby The name is apt in anther way as well, by the by, as these spikes are driving me crazy! I'm getting glue everywhere and I keep knocking them off. I'm also scrapping the mesh I had prepared before and am sticking these 'bars' on the windscreen instead. I went to my first model shop today and treated myself to some plastic strips just for this. The spike needs griming up a bit more, they still look too new and fake.I need to touch them up as well, all my fiddling about with them has exposed the blue plastic underneath in places (I was too lazy to prime them, now I'm paying the price). I also added some red chalk to the underside to match the dust on the wheels, I like how it looks! And one more pic, all the add on bits are still in progress, I'm not entirely happy with how they look yet. I have some questions if I may? Is it possible to buy 1:24 sized accessories, like oil drums, roof racks and gas canisters, without buying an entire kit? If so, can anybody recommend a good online shop for this? I was also wondering, how do you glue on tiny fiddle bits, I tried using tweezers but I lose so much dexterity and the glue takes so long to dry. I'm guessing the answer is practice, but any tips would be appreciated.

Blimey, this is amazing. I would be terrified to go anywhere near a model like this. Really enjoying the build so far and will absolutely be keeping up with your progress. I also love all the weird stuff around your workbench, 'oh this, yeah it's just my basket of sharks and shark accessories'.

It's been a while! Work has been crazy and I've not had a chance to touch my model. As of today I'm on Christmas break, and I finally got to put on the back wheels and add some crud to my car. I'm already noticing some things I like and don't like. I like that I painted the bonnet because it gave me some freedom to sand back for weathering, whilst the body which is just primer feels limiting and kind of flat. Next model, paint the whole thing! More colour too, this model is starting to feel a bit too dull. I'm also not so thrilled with the back wheels but I can't put my finger on why, I don't mind the ridiculous size as I want the model to be ridiculous, but they don't feel *right* somehow. I'm now making spikes to stick on the body, which is fiddly as I'm cutting them out of a plastic lid with a scalpel and painting them a steel colour. I want loads of these things, loads! So it's going to take a while. Once those are on I'm going to use chalk dust to add some of the red 'sand' dirt that's on the tyres to the lower body. I'm also hoping the steel coloured spikes will help break up the overwhelming brown-ness. Looking forward to playing with my car over Christmas, I'm learning so much, I'm already making plans for my next one!

Wow! Having just started I am in awe at the level of detail going on in this model. How are you not dropping every fiddly little part a hundred times over? When I look at threads like these I find these pictures very inspirational.