Choosing A Model Kit for Beginners? 4 Tips on what to look for.

[@701duran]

I just started a month ago after watching your channel, Nightshift, and others for a year. so I went to amazon ordered a 15 buck Tamiya Panzer 2 kit the one with the Africa Corp box art, a 7 dollar basic tool kit, and a bottle of Tamiya thin cement and just gave it a go and I really liked it I am on my 4 build right now. this may work for other beginners too. Cheers

[@huwtindall7096]

You made the right choice mate! Hit up the cheap Tamiya Hanomag, Panther, Pzr IV D, and Stug IV. All screaming good value. Sure not as detailed as the latest kits but for 1/3rd the price they are no brainers for beginners.

[@roadweary5252]

I did the same thing. Now at over 60 armor models and 10 ships. I guess you could say im completely hooked

[@lpjmodels]

Congrats, keep it up there's so much to learn and explore

[@warbirdgamer]

Because of you I got my first copper state sopwith dolphin

[@lpjmodels]

Nice Martin ! The dolphin has evaded me so far. Either the wnw or the Copper State. But saying that I have way to much to do. The caudron in 32 arrived this morning :p

[@warbirdgamer]

@@lpjmodels I got mine from a store called antics

[@davidcole333]

I have recently been working on Takom's series of 1/72 scale battleship turrets. I have completed the Hood, Yamato and Missouri kits. I came to the conclusion that while unorthodox, these would make outstanding beginner kits. There are not too many parts, the instructions are simple, the tools required are basic, the quantity and amount of paints is low and the weathering is simple. These kits are a great opportunity to practice basic skills.

[@lunaticloon5638]

I'm getting back into building models after 45 years. Excellent info! Thanks, Eric

[@lpjmodels]

You're welcome Eric!

[@liamgray9805]

Cheers James, that’s a very helpful video for myself as getting back into modelling after 45-50 years. The site scale mates is fantastic and the amount of choice out in the market is very overwhelming, cheers.

[@lpjmodels]

You're welcome Liam !

[@millzi88]

Great video. Another tip I would recommend from my experience is when buying tracked vehicles maybe avoid kits with multi link tracks. U want to have fun and the excitement of getting to paint and completing the build, I find multi link tracks a real hurdle when coming to completing the build and can be a off put for sure in ur early days.

[@lpjmodels]

Good shout Millzi88, I dont mind indy links but they can be a drag !

[@arsodo2865]

My second model suddenly was Trumpeter E-25 with fully separate track links. But I can't say it was that terrible, of course it took some time to cut off and sand, and to assemble. On the other hand it was a very useful experience to understand if I'm in or out of building completely separate track links. Nowadays I prefer magic type of tracks, but I'm not afraid of separate and willing to build them if I like the kit overall. Sorry for my english, I hope you got the point.

[@Szopen715]

Brilliant and straight to the point, and on subject most "beginner tutorials" tend to omit, job well done!

[@lpjmodels]

That was the goal, glad I was on target!

[@rons5438]

Great info, I use these same criteria myself when selecting a new kit. And the best tip is make sure it is something you are interested in, otherwise you will find yourself bogged down and not wanting to work on it. Then it ends up as a new shelf queen. ; ]

[@brucegibbins3792]

I can only speak from my own experience in choosing kits, yet I can imagine that my own experience is not so different from other builders. My first build, a gift at Christmas time, was a Gruman F4F, built from a Monogram kit in 1959. After a gap of twenty years and regular insomnia from working nights, I returned for a while building two kits of Duesenburg cars. Then a big gap of nothing going on ending with the commencement of building WW2 fighters in 1/48 and latter propellor airliners in 1/72. My current building subject is Submarines of the pre-Nuclear age. My kit building is reflective of a subject I have developed an interest in. I'm just as happy buying built static commercially available models, but fortunately because I know how and can build models from plastic kits, It's always good to build these where I can. So, to the subject of your video here, what determines the subject I build is from a pre-existing interest in that subject and then I go all out finding kits and building these. But there are no duplications, all models in the same scale - uniformity in displaying the models is important to my tidy, no not tiny, mind. From previous experience I go to Tamiya kits where I can because of their consistent ease of building and authentic detail. It's Revell these days because they offer the greatest range of pre-Nuke Submarine kits in the 1/144 scale I've chosen with the one exception a Das Werk Kit of a German WW1 UBoat in 1/72, because this is an exceptionally cool model and so at my advanced age of early seventies there is probably not a lot more kit building left in me and I can now sit back and enjoy the models I've built over the years. You've produced an excellent show here my English mate, timely and thought provoking and of high personal interest. Cheers & best wishes.

[@dancook9968]

Some good advice there. The most important being build it!

[@lpjmodels]

Thanks mate !

[@andygorman858]

That was great, informative and worth watching again. I think the last 2 were the most important…..subject and just build it. I sold quite a few kits and bought a resin printer. The main reason being I couldn’t get the kits I wanted. I love Science Fiction kits and while there are some that I really want the prices are insane! So I thought, I’ll make it and print it. The build reviews are my favourite….Andy’s Hobby Headquarters is one and the other is, apart from yours, Hangar 182. The inbox reviews are nice for seeing the details but don’t really hold my attention for long. Anyway, awesome vid!

[@lpjmodels]

Thanks Andy ! Andy does some great work for the hobby, and Dawid is a awesome modeller too

[@andygorman858]

@@lpjmodels Plasmo is another that is well worth the time to watch. What he does in 72nd is nuts!

[@natalebabbo-gunplaanddioramas]

Really good advices for beginners but also not so newbie’s!

[@JohnVilla1960]

I really enjoy you channel. You mostly do high end larger kits brilliantly. I'd like to see you do a cheaper smaller 1\76 scale kit like the Airfix Matador or Bedford trucks. Most of us cannot afford the high end kits and love to see your fantastic skills on a cheaper and smaller kit.

[@rickysargulesh1053]

I am very new to this as well. I have bought myself a cheap Revell T-Fighter. With Revell I like that they put the level of difficulty on the package. At some point I want to do a tank they way you do them. Your videos are a great learning resource.

[@lpjmodels]

Thanks Ricky ! One thing to note about revell and their difficulty grades is that it's based on the number of parts more than the complexity, so bear that in mind. Some kits may have fewer parts but be a bit ragged and harder to put together !

[@rickysargulesh1053]

@@lpjmodels Thank you. This is good to know. I will keep that mind. I would like to do a WW2 tank soon. I am just uncertain which brand to choose. I saw one of your videos where the parts fitted very nicely and flush together without much cleanup. A queston on your gluing technique. You sometimes put parts together and then glue just on the outside. I would have glued on the flat surfaces that later come together. Is there a reason for that? Also is there a glue you recommend? I have Revell Contacta with a very thin needle but I think one with a brush is better to handle.

[@stephicohu]

Really good advice. Now need some help on weathering a model.

[@foreverplastickits138]

*A short video full of good advices, 👍*

[@lpjmodels]

Thanks my freind :)

[@joaquimsommaferrari7298]

Amazing video James!! Really useful for begginers ! I like the aircraft models and i really like Eduard . So... Yeah ! Excellent video!!

[@lpjmodels]

Thanks Joaquim much appreciated 🙏!

[@ModelMinutes]

Some great points right there

[@christopherscott934]

Miniart's T-55A w/interior kit is a good starting point...I jest of course. But, anything newer or new Tamiya is a good beginners point.

[@wadejustanamerican1201]

Great video as always, thanks

[@lpjmodels]

Thankyou Wade!

[@willthorson4543]

It's simple...tamiya. Lol. Cars? Tamiya. Tanks? Tamiya, air craft? Tamiya. It's crazy how a company can have kits that not only the boards fit great, less parts,but the directions are super easy to follow, and that one to me is super important. Doesn't matter how great a kid is if its hard to follow the instructions. And I also agree with what you are saying. Lol

[@lpjmodels]

I dont mind tamiya kits, they are really nice, but I prefer variety !

[@johnalecritchie8646]

Love your channel and rock on James. Hugh UK metal fan here. What club do you support? Cheers

[@simonraeside4893]

Really useful thanks!

[@nickbutler7935]

Some Sage advice.

[@lpjmodels]

Thanks Nick 🍻

[@hexo4yxa571]

Спасибо! Очень полезное видео!👍

[@johnboy384]

Sorry LPJ, totally off topic question born of curiosity due to your window lintel and thickness of the wall. How old/what period is your house?. Thanks and sorry for the strange question. John. New Zealand.

[@lpjmodels]

No problem Johnboy, I reckon early 1700s or just before. It's a mostly cob barn.

[@jlcotton19681]

Is that Chi-Ha on the bench? 😊

[@lpjmodels]

Cromwell :)

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

👍👍👍

[@nomadprod.6211]

Revell? No? Good.

[@lpjmodels]

Lol ! Some revell kits are alright tho !

[@nomadprod.6211]

@@lpjmodels some yeah, but others....

[@villewintermaul1907]

Just don't get a ship 🤣

[@lpjmodels]

I like ships !