If you have a great love of woodworking and want to try something new then you might consider building a wooden model truck and then adding a finish to it. While you might have built a wooden one before you might have noticed that they look great for a while but soon discolor. A finish will give your model truck a look that everyone will love. There are two main types of varnish but the only one we will be discussing is water based polyurethane varnish.
Traditional varnish is extremely difficult to work with. It is hard to clean up and very slow drying. The water based polyurethane is actually very easy to use. It cleans up well with water and dries very quickly as well. One thing to remember is that varnish has to be handled very carefully. It must be carefully brushed in. Once it is dry then it must be sanded down and then the process must be repeated. This will give you a uniform coating on your model truck.
There are a few things that you need to gather up before you start. Make sure to have your varnish on hand in the shade that you are looking for. You will also need some sandpaper that is 220 grit or finer. If you don't know how to tell the grit you can just ask a salesperson. You will also need a tack cloth to help clean the parts as well as to prevent spills. A synthetic bristle brush is also needed to apply the varnish. Just make sure that it is the right size for the truck you will be painting. You will also need a small disposable container.
One thing to think about is that varnish is like paint. It can come in a wide variety of different finishes. You can choose from high-gloss all the way to flat. What you will want just depends on what sort of look you are going for with your model. Flat will have absolutely no shine and will leave your model truck looking just that, flat. It also does not hold up well over time. On the other end of the spectrum is high-gloss. It is a very bright finish and can fair very well over time. Before you actually begin to paint you should make sure that you are doing so in an area that is extremely well ventilated and is as dust free as possible. If you have dust present it can cause your finish to be ruined as it allows the particles to show through no matter how many coats you apply.
You should pour some of you varnish into the disposable container that you have brought along. It will keep you from getting foreign materials into the bucket of varnish. It can also keep down the chance of spills. Make sure that you have stirred your varnish well. If you do not it can leave your paint job full of streaks and it will look horrible when it is finished. Also you will want to make sure that you are painting it on correctly. Paint slowly with smooth and even strokes. Do not paint against the grain either as this can cause it to look poor as well.
After each coat make sure that it has time to dry and then sand it well. Also make sure that you clean it very well to remove all sawdust. Keep doing this until you achieve the look you are wanting. Another tip to keep it looking great you can apply a paste wax which will allow it to keep a very nice shine.
For as long as can be remembered there have been wooden models. This includes model trucks as well. There have been granddads whittling pieces of wood to make model trucks for as long as trucks have been around. Little did he know that he was helping to carry on a tradition that is age old? It is not very hard to learn to whittle however it can take a good deal of practice to pick up all the special techniques that can go along with it.
If this sounds like something right up your alley then you will first need to decide the style of the truck that you would like to copy. It is possible to copy most any style of truck that you wish but you might want to consider beginning with an easy one. You will definitely want to build your skill before you attempt to try some advanced whittling techniques. These should be left to others until you are ready.
There are not many supplies that you will need to get started. The first thing you will need to get is a good knife. You will want to make sure that it is specifically a whittling knife. Another item you will need will be a good whet rock. A whet rock is used to keep your knife sharp so that you can whittle much easier. There should be instructions on how to use it included in the box that it came with. If ou do not know how to use one you should ask someone to help you the first few times. It is always better to be safe.
Next you will need to gather up some sand paper. With a project like this you should probably grab pieces of varying grit. This will allow you to remove as much material as you need to. It can be just a little bit of rounding off the edges or it can involve a good deal of material removal. Another thing to think about is a sanding block. This will allow you to hold your sandpaper to the shape you will need it. This will allow a much better sanding job.
If you will be attaching your parts with screws then you will have to pick up some other items. These include little screws (you should consider brass ones). They will give you a great look even when they oxidize. You might decide to glue it as well. If you do then you should try to use a wood grade craft glue. It is great for wood working projects and you can buy small bottles so it will stay good for quite some time.
If you will be making any small holes then you will want to use a small pick. It can get into small areas and help to do some clean up work. It will also allow you to work on some of the fine dash details and grille work. It can also help you to add detail to parts that will not be cut separate. You can scratch out the tailgate or the door details. If you would like to add finish to your model then you should get a small can in the color that you would like. You will also need to gather some rags and and a drop cloth so that you can keep everything as clean as possible.
The last thing you will need to do is to make a sketch of the model truck you wish to whittle. Make sure to keep all the details very simple until you are more comfortable with the process. Make sure to pick your wood carefully so that you will have an easy time whittling without having to worry about needing a jackhammer but it will not be like cutting butter either. Now you are ready to begin. Once you have practiced a bit you should then research some of the more advanced techniques.
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