Models Hobbies
February 4th, 2006
Models Hobbies
Question: what is the difference between a regular plastic models and resin models?
You know how the regular models you can get at hobby shops and hobby lobby, etc. are plastic? I’m looking at “Federation Models”, and their models are all resin and pretty expensive, so really whats the difference between plastic models and resin models?
Answer: Resin models are usually molded “chunks” of resin. The will be heavier than a styrene plastic model since they are solid. They are usually “pour-molded” so there will often be a fair amount of extra material to get rid of compared to a “injection-molded” styrene plastic model.
You need a few additional tools to build a good resin model:
1) A razor saw to cut off the extra resin plugs
2) Several sanding blocks to sand away the extra resin you couldn’t SAW off.
3) Micro-files to clean up the moldings.
4) Pin-vise and drill to make alignment and reinforcement holes.
5) Super-glue and or epoxy to glue it together… plastic cement does NOT join the resin together
6) Filler putty to close gaps and seams.I’ve build a few dozen resin models (figures, accessory-vehicles, or detail and modification kits for plastic kits), and LOVE them once I got used to working with the new material.
EDIT: For the manufacture, the difference is the COST… it is VERY expensive to carve the stainless steel molds for injection-molded plastic models. So they usually produce THOUSANDS of units.
RESIN can be POURED into rubber or plaster molds, making it cheaper (and it CAN be done by the home-builder), so the manufacturer can build ODD and less popular models without the large investment. This also allows SMALL companies to build “modification” or detail kits for use on the models from the “BIG” commercial companies.
My FIRST Resin kit was to modifiy an S-3B Viking Sub-hunter aircraft to an ES-3A Shadow ELINT aircraft… I also build several aircraft-carrier tractors. I NOW mold my own accessories for my N-scale railroad: barrels, tanks, pallets, cars, and building trim.
GOOD LUCK !!
Pro4mance Hobbies Radio Controlled Models in Sarver
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