Plastic Model Mojo

Two model shows, two very different philosophies, one shared goal: make the scale modeling hobby feel bigger than your workbench. We’re in the thick of show season, and we’re shining a light on events that are actively evolving what a great model show can be for builders, vendors, and first-timers who just want to learn and meet people.

First up is SilverCon in Sacramento, California, hosted by IPMS SilverWings. We get th...

Your bench time is precious, so when something starts sabotaging it, like CA glue fumes wrecking your sinuses or a half-finished kit stalling for months, we want fixes that actually work. After two big shows in three weeks, we finally do some much-needed housekeeping and burn down a mountain of listener mail with the kind of practical advice you can put to work immediately.

We dig deep into cyanoacrylate sensitivity and re...

He beat a brutal stretch of chemo, got the all-clear, then asked the question every craftsperson quietly fears: do the hands and the mind still work the same way? Our friend Ed Bareth is back, and he’s turning that question into plastic, paint, and proof with a 1/32 Trumpeter Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless built for awards-level judging.

We dig into what “national quality” really demands in large scale model aircraft building, wh...

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 th...

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 Conv...

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...

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 I...

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 “ye...

Ready to watch text turn into tiny people you can actually paint? We kick off March with big plans, bigger shows, and a hands-on look at a workflow that converts AI prompts into resin-ready 3D figures for your next diorama. It started with a listener asking how to crowd a Union Pacific Big Boy display, and it grew into a full pipeline: prompt, generate, refine, export, print, and paint. 

Beyond the bench, we mention Herita...

When the days are short and the bench time is shorter, what keeps us building? We open the studio door on a fast, funny, and honest ride through the parts of scale modeling that actually matter: a workspace that invites you to sit down, a ritual that signals “now we create,” and a community that shows up when motivation dips. The mailbag sets the tone—digital galleries that make old builds new again, a legendary decal mishap that p...

The Model Show Spotlight is brought to you by The World of Armor!

A flying Lancaster overhead, rows of models below, and a sold‑out vendor hall buzzing with deals—HeritageCon 2026 is set to deliver a full‑throttle modeling day inside the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. We sit down with the new coordination team to share what’s changing, what’s staying great, and how to lock in your spot before entries sell out.

Ever stalled on a “dream build” because you’re afraid to mess it up? We went straight at those fear targets—perfectionism, PE jitters, bare‑metal dread, and the myth that pros are “just fast”—and came back with practical fixes that make the bench fun again. Kicked off by a wave of listener mail, we connect the dots between honest expectations and real skill barriers, then show how to shrink both: build your favorite subject twice (...

Snow may slow travel, but the calendar is heating up. We swap plans and call out standout events across the map, including BlizzCon in Columbus, AMPS Atlanta, 4M Mayhem in Michigan, Rochester’s Hope It Don’t Snow, and the Old Dominion Open in Richmond. For planning and entries, IPMSUSA.org remains the essential resource, with listings that stretch well into spring. That rhythm—research, build, show, repeat—keeps the hobby humming e...

What happens when the hobby you love starts feeling like a chore? We go straight at that question with Jim Bates, exploring how burnout creeps in, why favorite subjects can become fear targets, and what it takes to rediscover honest joy at the bench. Jim shares how a demanding year pushed modeling to the margins, why armor felt freer than aircraft, and the simple mindset shift that turned “perfect or quit” into “finish and learn.” ...

A snowbound Kentucky chat meets sunny Jacksonville plans as we sit down with Bob Tate from IPMS First Coast to explore how JaxCon reshaped the classic model show into a warm, community-first experience. Think Friday evening setup and a pizza social to slow the pace, then a crisp Saturday run with registration at 9, judging at noon, and a focused awards wrap by 5. It’s efficient, friendly, and designed so builders, vendors, and visi...

A storm with a name is bearing down on the Ohio Valley and mid-south, and that changed everything. We hit record to get a clear, direct update out fast: Winter Blitz moves to Saturday, February 28, 2026. Same venue, same plan, just smarter timing so no one risks a long drive on icy roads. Consider it a bonus window to finish your build, refine that finish, or finally try the stencil set that’s been staring at you from the bench.

A slow start, a full heart, and a clear plan. We kick off 2026 by resetting our modeling habits, sharpening the skills that matter most, and putting dates on the calendar to turn ideas into finished work. HeritageCon is pulling us forward, but it’s the day-to-day that will make the difference: tighter bench time, better canopies, and bases that finish strong instead of phoning it in.

One photo sent us down a rabbit hole—ca...

A fresh year deserves a fresh bench. We kick off 2026 by trading the “dark time” for bright, practical momentum: a clearer plan for January, two focused releases on the calendar, and an open invite to help shape what comes next. We look back at five years of recording and realize the best thing we built isn’t an episode catalog—it’s a thriving community that keeps growing and teaching each other every week.

First up, we ou...

A good year in modeling doesn’t happen by accident. It grows out of small bench wins, a few brave skill pushes, and the friends who show up at the right time. We wrap 2025 with a clear-eyed look at what worked, what changed, and how to carry that energy into 2026—plus a rich conversation with Australia’s own Paul Gloster on moving his entire modeling life across states without losing momentum.

We start with holiday check-i...