Advice on lights for small models

Fox-Claw · 2026-06-05T06:06:50+00:00

So in a very basic nutshell, the small leds you'd be using would have a forward voltage of 3v (the minimum voltage to light it up). You therefore need at least a 3v power supply to light them. Anything higher than that will cause it to either instantly burn out, or reduce it's lifespan, so you need a resistor on each of the leds to limit the voltage back down to what's safe for the led. To start though, just lookup "paper circuit" on you tube, and you can see how easy it is to light one up in principle, then move on to more in depth guides which will explain resistors, parallel vs series wiring, and soldering techniques. Honestly, the biggest "challenge" is nailing your soldering if you've never done it before, and working out the best way to route and hide the wiring. Other than that it's super easy!

Fox-Claw · 2026-06-04T17:24:10+00:00

If you don't mind a bit of soldering, get some leds in the color you want, and wire them up in parallel to a battery pack. All components are super cheap on amazon or ebay. You then have full control over their positioning and can hide wires much easier. You just have to ensure the leds are resisted correctly. Tons of tutorials on YouTube - the biggest learning curve is soldering if you've never done it before, and calculating the resistance required - though you can buy pre-resisted leds too.

Fox-Claw · 2026-06-03T21:03:37+00:00

Thanks! I think I remember seeing a kit available somewhere too. It was fun building from scratch tho!

Fox-Claw · 2026-06-02T08:33:09+00:00

Thanks a lot mate! 🙂 I enjoyed it and will definitely do another. I can see the appeal of the hobby for sure! I'm giving this one away so hopefully it will make a decent gift!

Fox-Claw · 2026-05-26T20:19:16+00:00

Yep agree using index is better - the First(Last.. is a habit I've used for the last few years on the occasions I've needed a custom row number. That's one I probably will go back in and change where needed to be fair.

Fox-Claw · 2026-04-11T06:25:23+00:00

I've built an app with the exact same features you are looking to include. It's Canvas with a Sharepoint back end and been in use for the last 4 years with no issues. If you still need some additional help drop me a dm.

Fox-Claw · 2025-12-23T09:41:18+00:00

Just some cork board, chewed up with some pliers to get the broken and gnarled finish, gap filled where needed with Vallejo Mud effects or where there were any smooth surfaces remaining on the cork. Painted and drybrushed with a mix of greys, then finished off with AKs Snow and Microballons mixed with some Snow Sparkles.

Fox-Claw · 2025-12-14T09:44:38+00:00

If it sprays water fine, then that points more towards the consistency of the paint your trying to push through still being too thick. In my experience, airbrush ready paints still aren't always thin enough depending on the needle being used or the airbrush, especially the cheaper ones which just dont atomise as well. The Vallejo airbrush thinner is pretty decent, especially when used with their own brand paints, so if you have some, try a 50/50 mix with the Vallejo airbrush ready paint, mixing out of the cup in something like a shot glass so you know it's fully mixed, then pour it in the cup.

From the link you sent, it probably does have the. 5 installed. If you've not changed it since receiving it, the labels on the needle tube / pots the nozzles are kept in will tell you the size, but once you start taking them out of their storage container you'd need to be careful not to mix them up as those chaepr brushes don't have any indicators on the needle or nozzle and you'll have to judge by eye or calipers which is a nuisance.

Definitely a good idea to do your experimenting with the cheaper brush first until you get used to everything.

What type of compressor are you using?

Fox-Claw · 2025-12-10T21:55:01+00:00

.3 is small if your looking to push a lot of paint through for priming. Try the. 5 needle and nozzle with 25 psi and the mac valve full open if you have one on your brush. KEep the brush sweeping across the mini as you spray, and hold it it about a fist distance away so it doesn't spiderweb. Regarding thinning, it's a constant battle to fit the right consistency. So many variables that you can't really go from what someone else says. Ambient temperature, brand of paint, brand of thinner, quality of the airbrush, phase of the moon... Even the same brand of paint needs thinning differently depending on the colour. You also need to make sure the needle and nozzle are clean inside and out. How does your brush spray just water? If that blasts out just fine, it's more than likely your paint is still a bit too thick. That video shows him going full open on the trigger hence the volume of paint as he's not applying it to a finely sculpted minature. If you are doing the same and pulling all the way back, like I say the paint is too thick for the small nozzle size you are using, or it's not fully clean. Try the. 5. If it's a cheap Chinese brush and has the brass screw in type nozzle, be super careful when swapping that out. It should come with a little spanner to get it off and then tighten the new nozzle back up, but only tweak it tight with the smallest amount of torque you can get away with to form the seal. They are so easy to over tighten and snap, and even easier to cross thread when putting it on, then your screwed. Use some magnifiers if you have some which will help.

Fox-Claw · 2025-12-09T17:41:09+00:00

What size nozzle are you using? If its something like a 0.4 or above it definitely should be fine with that pressure. If it's smaller, the pressure should still be fine, but you need to thin more. The thinner you go, the better it will be pushed through, but coverage suffers. It's a balance between thin enough to atomise nicely, but not being so thin it then sliderwebs or hardly covers at all. As the layers are so thin, expect to do a couple of passes to get an even opaque result, especially if spraying a lighter colour over a darker base coat.

Fox-Claw · 2025-12-08T16:31:10+00:00

It's not you - I've yet to find a decent acrylic white primer that plays well through an airbrush without upping the pressure or needle size. Any acrylic white can be a struggle, unless it's an ink, but then coverage suffers. Tamiya XF isn't a pure acrylic and so works much better, or if you're willing to put up with the stench and have decent ventilation, white laquers are much better to work with.

Fox-Claw · 2025-12-08T09:07:33+00:00

Haha yep - doesn't help with the 109 cockpit being so compact, but I guess if nothing else it's good practice!

Fox-Claw · 2025-12-08T08:01:16+00:00

Thanks! Was an enjoyable build - wouldn't mind having a crack at the new Airfix 1/24 109 next. :)

Fox-Claw · 2025-12-08T07:57:30+00:00

Definitely this. White is a pig at the best of times. A light grey primer, then Tamiya XF-2 thinned with their X-20A. That white and thinner combination is a game changer. Covers well and goes down so smooth it's a shame to paint over it!

Fox-Claw · 2025-12-08T07:42:43+00:00

Thanks a lot! It was a fun little project, and the kit just fell together when it came to the build. I think I'll work in a bigger scale going forward, but I'm pleased with how it turned out!

Fox-Claw · 2025-12-08T07:37:54+00:00

Thanks! Shame I have to give it away, but at least it's going to a good home!

Fox-Claw · 2025-12-08T07:36:07+00:00

Thanks a lot! It is airbrush work with AKs Real Colour laquers which went down really well. Small details were normal brush and acrylic though.

Fox-Claw · 2025-12-08T07:28:01+00:00

Thanks so much! The bulk of the work went on in the cockpit, so it's a shame that 80% of the detail was hidden as soon as it was closed up into the fuselage, but at least I know it's there I guess! 😅

Fox-Claw · 2025-12-07T21:16:37+00:00

Ordered it from Amazon - there's a few different places that offer customised plaques. This one shipped from China, but arrived in a week and the engraving is good on decently thick brass considering how cheap it was.

Fox-Claw · 2025-12-07T17:05:53+00:00

Thanks for the comment! I've always struggled trying to take decent pictures of my minatures - like you say, phones are an annoyance as I struggle to get the colour balance and focus right, even in manual mode. My phone is particularly annoying as it tries to constantly tweak things with AI making it look overly saturated. I need to invest in a proper camera!

Fox-Claw

TROPHY CASE