building scissors and paper planes

[b747driver]

im just starting to build the scissors and paper planes.. and trashed 3 models cause the fuselage sections did not match up of fit... now do you score the end tabs on each end of the fuselage and make little slits,, or how to mate them up

[Rata]

I have much better luck by cutting the tabs off completely, glueing 2mm or so of the edge of it underneath, cutting 2mm spaced slits around it (only really necessary on rounded fuselages with V-cuts in the corners for square ones), and then bending the ends inward slightly will help sliding the next section over it. If you're going to use paint touching up to hide any white paper edges, doing that just before glueing sections together I find gives the neatest results.

A lot of newcomers are probably like me and most other people were when starting out on paper/card modelling- thinking it would be a breeze compared to say, plastic. I found out VERY quickly it ain't.

But stick with it. When you start lining up successful builds on your display shelf it gets in your blood and then you're hooked for life, become obsessive and will need therapy (just kidding about the last bit).

[b747driver]

thats what im gonna try .. im just so used to aircraft with formers inside,,, that i build in any order,

[Ätherwellen]

Originally Posted by Rata

I have much better luck by cutting the tabs off completely, glueing 2mm or so of the edge of it underneath, cutting 2mm spaced slits around it (only really necessary on rounded fuselages with V-cuts in the corners for square ones), and then bending the ends inward slightly will help sliding the next section over it. If you're going to use paint touching up to hide any white paper edges, doing that just before glueing sections together I find gives the neatest results.

A lot of newcomers are probably like me and most other people were when starting out on paper/card modelling- thinking it would be a breeze compared to say, plastic. I found out VERY quickly it ain't.

But stick with it. When you start lining up successful builds on your display shelf it gets in your blood and then you're hooked for life, become obsessive and will need therapy (just kidding about the last bit).

you'll need therapy? who says the papermodels cant be therapy

[Ätherwellen]

Originally Posted by b747driver

thats what im gonna try .. im just so used to aircraft with formers inside,,, that i build in any order,

yea that's the only problem for the airliners, you have to form thee shape of the fuselage yourself. its quite difficult at first:/

[Rata]

One of the things I like about 1/100 scale is it often negates the need for formers. Just gently shaping the sections by hand before gluing is usually enough to give a permanent result.

Best of luck.

[Ätherwellen]

Originally Posted by Rata

One of the things I like about 1/100 scale is it often negates the need for formers. Just gently shaping the sections by hand before gluing is usually enough to give a permanent result.

Best of luck.

its the same with 1/200 planes, the issue with airliners is the very specific shape can be hard to replicate even if at 1/300 scale


Driver what scale are you building?

[Don Boose]

Garry (Rata) is too modest. He actually has a tutorial on building these aircraft. How I Build a 1/100 Model

Also, if you buy a Scissor n Planes model from ECardmodels Shop Models - EcardModels, instructions come with the kit.

Don

[Rata]

Thanks Don for that link.
I'd actually forgotten about that thread though I'd be more likely to put that down to forgetfulness rather than modesty!

[Larry R.]

The tabs at the joints of fuselage sections, I cut out v-shaped notches to create a toothed pattern over which the next part slides on. But, yeah, I get what b747driver is saying. It sometimes takes me three or four tries to get a fuselage right.