There you were, maybe in your favorite hobby store or surfing the Internet, when you found this great model that you always wanted to build. The details shown on the model were outstanding but you noticed that it was a paper card model?
You may have built other models before or maybe this model will be your first but you thought that you would go ahead and try your hand at this type of modeling anyway.
Now that you have your treasure home, some questions that might come to your mind are what tools will I need to start working on it? What type of glue or glues should I use in assembly. Since many card models are printed outside the United States the directions included in these models are sometimes in languages other then English.
These articles are designed to help the person new to paper card modeling. The tools you will need to get started on your model are very basic and many of them you may already have around your home.
Scissors are the first and most often used tool to remove your models parts from the booklet or pages that they have been printed on but not for the detail cut out of your models parts themselves. Give yourself as much space as possible around the part you are cutting out with your scissor as you will be doing the detailed cut out with another tool.
The most common cutting tool used by paper card modelers for their detail cut out work is an x-acto style knife. Most stores that sell model kits and hobby supplies also sell blades and handles for this type knife. A common blade size is the # 11, which is a good all purpose size for most work with paper models but knife blades can be purchased in a variety of shapes, styles, and sizes.
One of the most important things to keep in mind about your cutting knife is to always use a sharp blade. A dull bladed knife can make a poor cut line on your model and possibly rip or even tear the paper part you are attempting to cut out. Be sure to replace your knife blades as needed with sharp ones. You can also re-sharpen your dull blades and use them again if you so desire.
Unless the part is very small, always use a flat metal ruler or metal cutting guide to keep your cuts as true to your models printed outline as possible. Many companies market cutting guides and rulers for the hobby and modeling communities.
Well that's it for now future articles will cover such topics as glues, cutting mats, circle cutting tools, and tool storage. If you have any questions feel free to contact me at: RWBohlman@aol.com
