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Description
Kitbashing: Getting Started
first things first, i am nowhere near a master at this, and i don't intend on making this a professional how to. this tutorial is just gonna be about the basics, where to start,what you'll need for materials and the tools you might need. keep in mind that kitbashing is a lot about destroying stuff, experimentation, and using your imagination. so a lot of the time it will come down to your personal preferences.what works for me might not work for you. feel free to leave your tips and suggestions in the comment section.

first off what is kitbashing. its kinda of a tricky question because its kinda vague, and different to everyone. but for me it means this. taking random parts,junk,everyday items and other stuff and making something completely different. this could be making small details from other kits to making entire mechs out of random junk. what is important is using your imagination.
in the photo you can see that i have some of my boxes of junk,accessory's,parts,and tools. its good to get some sort of system to where you put everything,that way you know where the guns,or clock parts are, and a good system will help you as you amass more stuff. i find the key is to have a box just for details,small parts,etc. and a box, for details i find and want to save for later in the project.

So where the heck do i get all this stuff you might ask, the answer: everywhere! at thrift stores, yard sales, your barn or garage. buy cheap model kits and strip them for all there parts, old action figure accessory's and parts make great details.i have been know to trash old vcr's and such, but be careful,that can be dangerous. my favorite models to kit bash are gundam model kits, you can pick up a HG(high grade) for under $20us and they come with 150+ parts. but look every where,you can find a ton of stuff for cheap or even free. In no time you will have collected enough stuff to make something. and with a little effort, and paint, you can turn almost anything into something else.

Tools
this will be more of a list,but these are just some of the tools i use and the ones i think just starting out will be the most helpful. bear in mind, you don't "need"any of these tools but some are very useful and make your modeling easier.

From left to right
a tasty beverage, for me cold black coffee.
a cutting Matt or at least a table or bench you don't care to
damage.
ruler: helps measuring stuff, and sometimes better to mesure than guess
fine saw(or drummal tool) this will help cut through thick parts and plastics.sometimes there is a little detail on a large part and one of these will be the way to go to get it off.
Heavy duty wire cutters: these bad boys can be used as a hammer or a vice. it can really rip things,and bend stuff as well
Needle nosed pliers: to get into small places
Medium duty knife: all around knife,used for imprecise cuts and working with harder materials.
hobby knife with #11 blade: for use with precise cuts, delicate parts,and thin materials. you can also put super glue on the tip and get it into small areas, this is a very important tool in any modelers box.
side cutters: i could not live without these things. these side cutter are designed to take the parts off the runners,but can be used to clip,and trim parts. i have one good pair that's sharp for precision and a crappy pair for rough cuts.
hobby files: these can be used for sanding down hard to reach spots. a nail file or emery Bord might work well.
sand paper bricks: used to file down large areas or jagged part ends

glues: i use thee different kinds for three different jobs
superglue: this is an good stand by, and will provide a good fast bond. and if you use only a drop, it will tack a part in place.if you don't like the parts placement after a time, it will snap right off.
plastic cement: the "good" old orange tube. this glue is good for most model plastics and works best on large area bonds.
liquid plastic cement: this is great for small details and when working with finished parts. the brush included with the glue comes in handy when trying to get into cracks and other hard to reach spots.

that's a lot to take in i know, but probably the most important stuff you need is
a hobby knife and some #11 blades
a pair of side cutters
a bunch of parts
and glue

so get out there, and start gathering up the parts, and junk you're gonna need. while your out there think up something to make. once you have hit the town and gathered up what you think you will need , join me in Kitbashing: Construction. in part two we will begin the fun and start designing and building our very own kitbashed model
and check out World-of-Dioramas for more great tutorials,tips and feedback [link]

p.s if anyone's interested this is kinda wip for a kitbashed mech. the tank and mech are for an diorama i am working on and you can see i have started to re engineer the gundam to my will. i have my tank for scale and design reference and a pile of parts i am starting to sort through
and really sorry about all my spelling and grammar errors.

Description
Kitbashing: Getting Started
first things first, i am nowhere near a master at this, and i don't intend on making this a professional how to. this tutorial is just gonna be about the basics, where to start,what you'll need for materials and the tools you might need. keep in mind that kitbashing is a lot about destroying stuff, experimentation, and using your imagination. so a lot of the time it will come down to your personal preferences.what works for me might not work for you. feel free to leave your tips and suggestions in the comment section.

first off what is kitbashing. its kinda of a tricky question because its kinda vague, and different to everyone. but for me it means this. taking random parts,junk,everyday items and other stuff and making something completely different. this could be making small details from other kits to making entire mechs out of random junk. what is important is using your imagination.
in the photo you can see that i have some of my boxes of junk,accessory's,parts,and tools. its good to get some sort of system to where you put everything,that way you know where the guns,or clock parts are, and a good system will help you as you amass more stuff. i find the key is to have a box just for details,small parts,etc. and a box, for details i find and want to save for later in the project.

So where the heck do i get all this stuff you might ask, the answer: everywhere! at thrift stores, yard sales, your barn or garage. buy cheap model kits and strip them for all there parts, old action figure accessory's and parts make great details.i have been know to trash old vcr's and such, but be careful,that can be dangerous. my favorite models to kit bash are gundam model kits, you can pick up a HG(high grade) for under $20us and they come with 150+ parts. but look every where,you can find a ton of stuff for cheap or even free. In no time you will have collected enough stuff to make something. and with a little effort, and paint, you can turn almost anything into something else.

Tools
this will be more of a list,but these are just some of the tools i use and the ones i think just starting out will be the most helpful. bear in mind, you don't "need"any of these tools but some are very useful and make your modeling easier.

From left to right
a tasty beverage, for me cold black coffee.
a cutting Matt or at least a table or bench you don't care to
damage.
ruler: helps measuring stuff, and sometimes better to mesure than guess
fine saw(or drummal tool) this will help cut through thick parts and plastics.sometimes there is a little detail on a large part and one of these will be the way to go to get it off.
Heavy duty wire cutters: these bad boys can be used as a hammer or a vice. it can really rip things,and bend stuff as well
Needle nosed pliers: to get into small places
Medium duty knife: all around knife,used for imprecise cuts and working with harder materials.
hobby knife with #11 blade: for use with precise cuts, delicate parts,and thin materials. you can also put super glue on the tip and get it into small areas, this is a very important tool in any modelers box.
side cutters: i could not live without these things. these side cutter are designed to take the parts off the runners,but can be used to clip,and trim parts. i have one good pair that's sharp for precision and a crappy pair for rough cuts.
hobby files: these can be used for sanding down hard to reach spots. a nail file or emery Bord might work well.
sand paper bricks: used to file down large areas or jagged part ends

glues: i use thee different kinds for three different jobs
superglue: this is an good stand by, and will provide a good fast bond. and if you use only a drop, it will tack a part in place.if you don't like the parts placement after a time, it will snap right off.
plastic cement: the "good" old orange tube. this glue is good for most model plastics and works best on large area bonds.
liquid plastic cement: this is great for small details and when working with finished parts. the brush included with the glue comes in handy when trying to get into cracks and other hard to reach spots.

that's a lot to take in i know, but probably the most important stuff you need is
a hobby knife and some #11 blades
a pair of side cutters
a bunch of parts
and glue

so get out there, and start gathering up the parts, and junk you're gonna need. while your out there think up something to make. once you have hit the town and gathered up what you think you will need , join me in Kitbashing: Construction. in part two we will begin the fun and start designing and building our very own kitbashed model
and check out World-of-Dioramas for more great tutorials,tips and feedback [link]

p.s if anyone's interested this is kinda wip for a kitbashed mech. the tank and mech are for an diorama i am working on and you can see i have started to re engineer the gundam to my will. i have my tank for scale and design reference and a pile of parts i am starting to sort through
and really sorry about all my spelling and grammar errors.