A must-read for plastic modeling beginners! If only you have this, you'll be at ease! 10 Essential Tools for Gunpla Making + α!

First of all, let's start from the beginning! Basic tools that beginners must have

Nippers

Nippers are the most important tool for cutting out parts in model making! There are a variety of tools for cutting out parts, including inexpensive nippers sold by the 100-yen store, high-end precision nippers made for model making, lightweight and safe nippers for children, and nippers made in collaboration with characters, in various price ranges. Once you master basic cutting, model making will become much more enjoyable!
We recommend mid-priced precision nippers (around 2,000 yen) for their good cost performance. If you want to use them for a long time, you should buy at least 1,000 yen or more!

If you are buying for the first time

First of all, I think something under 1000 yen is enough. Upgrade as necessary!

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2. File

A convenient tool for scraping parts and removing surface irregularities. In addition to sponge files with excellent cost performance and sandpaper (water-resistant paper) that can be easily used like disposable paper, metal files of various sizes and shapes can make processing and surface treatment of parts much easier!

When buying for the first time

We recommend using a sponge file or stick-type waterproof paper that comes in a set of several different thicknesses, as they are easy to use! Similarly, metal files are available in sets of several different shapes, so you can buy them as needed.

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3. Separator (Parts Opener)

This is a very useful tool when a part has been mistakenly set on the wrong part. If you try to forcibly remove a part with your fingers, you risk injury or damage to the part, but with this separator, you can easily remove any part! There is no need to replace it, so you can use it all the time if you have one!

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4. Design Knife (Modeler's Knife)

This tool can be used not only for cutting, but also for carving lines, erasing parting lines, sharpening parts, and many other purposes. It can be used in the same way as a regular cutter, and can also be used as a spatula if the cutting edge becomes damaged, so it is useful to have several knives!

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5. Cutting Mat

If you lay a cutting mat on your desk, you can use your cutter to its fullest, and it is safe and secure even if you spill paint, glue, or putty on it! This is an important tool. If you buy one in a size that fits your work space, you can use it for a long time. If you use a template, it can also be used in place of a ruler, etc. Above all, it gives you the "feeling of model making," which will motivate you to keep going!

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With these, your plastic model making will go up a notch! Intermediate Tools

6. Tweezers

An indispensable tool for building precision models. They come in a variety of lengths, shapes, and weights, and some are reverse-action types that open when gripped. But, tweezers are all the same, aren't they? Don't think so. As with nippers, tweezers made by a quality manufacturer are the most comfortable to use!

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Adhesives

Although most kits these days don't use them, plastic modeling adhesives are indispensable for old Gunpla kits and scale models. Learn to use the right kind of glue, from the sloppy type and pour-in type to instant adhesives for ABS and metal!

If you are buying for the first time

It is enough if you buy one each of the sludgy type and the pour-in type for plastic models (for styrene resin). You do not need to buy instant adhesives if you do not glue metal parts!

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8. Pen for Smudging

This tool allows you to easily apply "smudging," which is to pour a dark color into the recessed areas of a part to emphasize the three-dimensional effect. While enamel paints and solvents are required for full-scale smudging with a brush, anyone can easily do it with a pen-type pen! It is nice to be able to choose from a variety of colors, as well as the shape of the pen tip, such as brush pen type or marker type.

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9. Top Coat

This is the last item to be used after the kit is completed. It protects the paint film and decals, and can be used to add a glossy or matte finish, depending on the style of the work!

When buying for the first time

We recommend water-based premium topcoat (can type), which can be easily used in a room and does not damage the paint film or decals. The bottled type requires an airbrush and is difficult to dilute, so you may want to try it sometime when you have reached a higher level of skill!

10.Painting tools

Paint is the most in-depth aspect of model making and is therefore often avoided by light modelers. There are various ways to apply paint, including canned spray, airbrush, marker, and brush paint, and there are also many types of paint, including lacquer, water-based, and enamel. Add to that the solvents, brushes, paint trays, and cleaning supplies used during the painting process, and you have a truly vast array of tools and materials in circulation. However, it is not necessary to have all of them, and painting is surprisingly easy once you learn the basics and tips! Let's enjoy painting and make your modeling life more fulfilling!

First time buyers

If you want to paint a large area, use a canned sprayer. For partial painting, we recommend Gundam Marker, which requires no solvent, or water-based paints in bottles (such as Acridion) that can be diluted with water and are nearly odorless, plus a brush (multiple sets for less than 1000 yen). Airbrushing is definitely something you should try when you get to a higher level!

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Other useful tools

Putty, surfacer, drills, threading tools, etc.

In addition to the 10 tools introduced so far, there are more modeling tools and materials developed and sold than can be mentioned, including putty, surfacers, drills, and sujibori tools used for shaping and modifying parts, pens and texture paints used for weathering, masking goods, and display cases. Some of them are for advanced users, but most of them are easy to use even for beginners! If you think it might be a good idea, just get it and give it a try!
Many modelers nowadays post "good-looking" photos on social networking sites. A "photography studio" that allows you to easily take high quality photos at home is also a useful item to have.

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Example of plastic modeling work utilizing tools

Here are some examples of plastic model works using the tools and techniques introduced up to this point. Let's check out how they are specifically utilized and produced through the article!

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Incidentally, it is recommended that you do not start out with a large amount of tools, but rather, get the minimum set you need at first, and then buy more little by little as you get used to model building. I, Kariyasu, now have more than 100 (supposedly!) kinds of tools and convenience goods. I, CARIYASU, now have more than 100 (supposedly!) different tools and useful goods, but I have bought them gradually over the years, and I have not mastered all of them. The tools you need will vary depending on the genre, level, and style of the models you make, so take your time and choose the right one!