Plastic Model Mojo

Staring at a perfectly organized workbench and still not touching plastic is a special kind of frustration. A listener writes to us after a 30 year break from scale modeling, and the problem is not motivation, it is overload: canopy masks, weathering trends, endless paint lines, 3D printing, and YouTube builds that look like museum pieces. We get it, and we map out how to start again without letting modern “best practices” crush the fun.

We dig into what has actually changed for the better in plastic model building, including why newer-tool model kits from the last 10 to 12 years can make your first comeback builds smoother and more rewarding. We talk practical choices like building out of the box first, using canopy masks to remove a major aircraft pain point, and picking an airbrush and paint system that fits your space and your health. We also hit real-world problems like CA glue fumes and sensitivities, plus how better ventilation and smarter workflow can help.

Then we tackle the mindset traps: clean models can still win, heavy weathering is not a rule, and comparing your early builds to top YouTubers is a fast path to burnout. We share simple accountability ideas like time tracking, writing down paint mixes, and keeping a project notebook in the box so nothing disappears onto the shelf of doom.

If you enjoyed this, subscribe, share the show with a modeling friend, and leave a top rating and review so more builders can find Plastic Model Mojo.

Here is Kentucky Dave's link mention for some great aircraft related items:

Scale Planes by Kevin Dittmann

Here are some links to projects utilizing image-2-STL AL processes to generate scale figures.

At LargeScalePlanes:
Me262A-2a/U2 - Works in Progress - Large Scale Planes
1/32 P.1101 at Oberammergau - Works in Progress - Large Scale Planes
1/32 Ju-87D Stuka - Works in Progress - Large Scale Planes
At LargeScaleModeller

Model Paint Solutions
Your source for Harder & Steenbeck Airbrushes, Mixing supplies, and great advice!

SQUADRON
Adding to the stash since 1968

Model Podcasts
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KitMasx
Custom Canopy Masks for the Scale Modeler

Bases By Bill
Your source for custom display bases, laser engraved airfield and carrier decks.

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Mike and Kentucky Dave thank each and everyone of you for participating on this journey with us.

We’re back from HeritageCon feeling the best kind of tired, the kind you earn after a weekend packed with great people, hobby shop stops, and a contest floor full of inspiration. We share highlights from the trip, what stood out about the quality and sheer volume of models, and why getting to an event in person can put real mojo back in your modeling.

April is upon us, and we’re looking ahead to the AMPS International Convention in South Bend, Indiana, plus teasing upcoming content: an on-site Wheel Of Accidental Wisdom shop talk recording, a listener question on restarting the hobby from scratch, and practical tips we’re gathering on attending overseas model shows and what it takes to travel well as a scale modeler. We also check in on the Dojo’s growth and why sharing contest flyers helps the whole community.

Subscribe so you don’t miss the next drops, and if you enjoy the show, share it with a modeling friend and leave a review. What contest or hobby event are you planning to attend next?
Model Paint Solutions
Your source for Harder & Steenbeck Airbrushes, Mixing supplies, and great advice!

SQUADRON
Adding to the stash since 1968

Model Podcasts
Please check out the other pods in the modelsphere!

KitMasx
Custom Canopy Masks for the Scale Modeler

Bases By Bill
Your source for custom display bases, laser engraved airfield and carrier decks.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Give us your Feedback!
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Bump Riffs Graciously Provided by Ed Baroth
Ad Reads Generously Provided by Bob "The Voice of Bob" Bair

Mike and Kentucky Dave thank each and everyone of you for participating on this journey with us.

A simple lunch-break experiment turns into a genuine “wait, what just happened?” moment: we take AI prompting seriously, generate photorealistic figure concepts for a WWII Eastern Front diorama, and push that workflow toward a printable 3D result. The speed is exciting, the pitfalls are real, and the implications for scale modeling feel closer than most people think. We talk through what worked, what broke during iteration, and why details like hands and equipment accuracy still matter if you care about believable miniatures and historical modeling. 

Before we get nerdy, we’re also in full HeritageCon mode. We share practical travel prep, the registration warning you do not want to learn the hard way, and the kind of listener meetups that make model shows the best part of the year. Listener mail and DMs bring in great topics too: Mission Models paint solutions, custom decal experiences, 1/72 SA-2 and Patriot missile system kit leads, new tools for the hobby room, and a reminder that great customer support still sets the best companies apart. 

From there, we widen the lens to inspiration and momentum. We compare the pull of books, period photos, model show tables, and conversations with other builders, then pivot into our benchtop updates, including scratch-built hardware fixes, 3D print “can’t live with it” corrections, and a quick faves-and-yawns scan of new releases and accessories. 

If you’re into plastic model kits, dioramas, 3D printing, AI-generated miniatures, and the future of the hobby, hit play and join the conversation. Subscribe, share the episode with a modeling friend, and leave us a review so more builders can find the show.
Model Paint Solutions
Your source for Harder & Steenbeck Airbrushes, Mixing supplies, and great advice!

SQUADRON
Adding to the stash since 1968

Model Podcasts
Please check out the other pods in the modelsphere!

KitMasx
Custom Canopy Masks for the Scale Modeler

Bases By Bill
Your source for custom display bases, laser engraved airfield and carrier decks.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Give us your Feedback!
Rate the Show!

Support the Show!
Patreon
Buy Me a Beer
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Bump Riffs Graciously Provided by Ed Baroth
Ad Reads Generously Provided by Bob "The Voice of Bob" Bair

Mike and Kentucky Dave thank each and everyone of you for participating on this journey with us.

April is stacked with model shows, but not all scale model contests feel the same once you walk into the room. We line up three very different events and get into the details that actually matter when you’re deciding where to spend a Saturday: when doors open, when registration closes, what judging looks like, how strong the vendor room is, and what you can do while the judges are working.

First stop is the Roscoe Turner Invitational outside Indianapolis in Lebanon, Indiana. It’s a big traditional IPMS-style one-two-three show with the familiar spread of categories, a serious vendor hall, great onsite food, and special awards that fit the region. There you can enjoy a figure painting seminar hosted by Bret Avants.  We also talk about a smart operational idea that judges love: using shared plastic bases so staff can move models without touching your build.

Then we jump time zones to CoMMiesFest in Golden, Colorado, where the vibe is relaxed but the planning is sharp. They rebuilt their judging workflow into a browser-based system that runs on your phone, added fun theme and specialty awards, and packed the day with seminars, demos, seating, and a food truck to keep people engaged instead of disappearing during judging. If you care about sci-fi modeling, Gunpla, minis, and a show that’s trying to welcome adjacent hobby communities, you’ll want to hear how they’re approaching it.

We wrap in Northern California with the Wine Country Model Expo in Petaluma, which leans into open judging and an exhibition-style layout that groups each modeler’s work together so conversations happen naturally. Add seminars, raffles, a charity silent auction, and a post-show social gathering, and you’ve got a blueprint for where “model show culture” might be headed.

If you enjoy Model Show Spotlight, subscribe, share this with a modeling buddy, and leave us a review so more builders can find it.

Brought to you by... The World of Armor
Model Paint Solutions
Your source for Harder & Steenbeck Airbrushes, Mixing supplies, and great advice!

SQUADRON
Adding to the stash since 1968

Model Podcasts
Please check out the other pods in the modelsphere!

KitMasx
Custom Canopy Masks for the Scale Modeler

Bases By Bill
Your source for custom display bases, laser engraved airfield and carrier decks.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Give us your Feedback!
Rate the Show!

Support the Show!
Patreon
Buy Me a Beer
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Bump Riffs Graciously Provided by Ed Baroth
Ad Reads Generously Provided by Bob "The Voice of Bob" Bair

Mike and Kentucky Dave thank each and everyone of you for participating on this journey with us.

An AI prompt that becomes a real scale figure you can hold in your hand sounds like science fiction, but the gap just got a lot smaller. We sit down with returning guest Jake McKee to walk through the exact, messy, real-world workflow he is using right now to create custom 3D printed figures for a diorama, starting with an AI-generated photoreal image and ending with a printable STL. We dig into what works, what breaks, and why “yes, no, and maybe” is the most honest answer when you ask whether AI can “sculpt” for the hobby.

Jake explains how tools like ChatGPT for image creation and Meshi.ai or Tripo for image-to-3D conversion fit together, why simple standing poses succeed faster than compact seated drivers, and how artifacts show up when the software has to guess hidden geometry. We also talk about the practical reality of paying for subscriptions or tokens, the difference between fast results and better meshes, and when learning Blender becomes the fastest path to cleaning and reposing a figure instead of endlessly re-rolling prompts.

After the interview, we shift back to the bench with updates on current builds, HeritageCon anticipation, and an experiment that a lot of car builders and decal junkies will appreciate: a one-off custom decal order for a Moosaroo Cup Miata. We share what the print quality looks like, how the decal film behaves, and what we would do differently next time.

See Jake's workflow and links to his favorite AI tools here!

If you are curious about AI in scale modeling, 3D printing for dioramas, custom figures, or faster ways to generate masks and patterns, this one will spark ideas. Subscribe, share the episode with a modeling friend, and leave us a five-star rating and a review so more builders can find the show.
Model Paint Solutions
Your source for Harder & Steenbeck Airbrushes, Mixing supplies, and great advice!

SQUADRON
Adding to the stash since 1968

Model Podcasts
Please check out the other pods in the modelsphere!

KitMasx
Custom Canopy Masks for the Scale Modeler

Bases By Bill
Your source for custom display bases, laser engraved airfield and carrier decks.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Give us your Feedback!
Rate the Show!

Support the Show!
Patreon
Buy Me a Beer
Paypal

Bump Riffs Graciously Provided by Ed Baroth
Ad Reads Generously Provided by Bob "The Voice of Bob" Bair

Mike and Kentucky Dave thank each and everyone of you for participating on this journey with us.