Model kits are a great hobby for anyone who wants to be creative but many people are put off because they think it is going to be time-consuming or complicated. Here are the answers to a few of the more common questions are asked about this fascinating hobby.
What is a model kit?
Kits are made up of a number of small pieces and these have to be put together to build something. They are made from a number of different materials including a very lightweight wood which is usually balsa wood, metal or plastic. You may need to put them together using glue or even small screws or nails. Once the model is assembled some painting might be needed so that the finished item looks like it does on the top of the box!
Different model ranges come in a different range of scales and this just refers to the size of the finished product. The scale could be 1:10 or 1:2500, or anything in between. It just explains how far down the size of the item has been reduced in relation to the original. This means that a scale of 1:1 just shows that the model is the same size as the original item.
Model kits come marked with skill levels and generally, there are five levels from one to five. One is the easiest level, with very little glueing involved (the kit pieces usually snap together) and five is a level reserved for those with the most expertise, involving very detailed and precise work.
What Equipment is Needed?
To answer this question you need to consider your skill level. For simple model kits that have a skill level of one, only a knife and file would be needed. Anyone over the age of 10 could be considered able to cope with more complicated kits and you might need extras such as glue and paint.