Glossary

Generic name for super glues. Sometimes referred to as “CA” or “CyA.”

Liquid or gel used to dissolve super glue. Especially useful for freeing stuck fingers.

Thin, printed transfers used for lettering, markings, and national insignia. Their adhesive is activated by water, so they’re sometimes referred to as “water-slide” decals.

A miniature scene, often including vehicles and figures, in a natural setting.

Applying a small amount of paint using an almost dry paintbrush. A method used to accent raised details or simulate wear and weathering.

Test-fitting parts for alignment before cementing them together.

Printed transfers (similar to decals) that are applied without the use of water or other solvents. Dry transfers often have pressure-sensitive adhesive and are “rubbed down” into place.

A circular depression in injection-molded plastic parts. Caused by the molding process, these flaws often must be filled and removed.

Used to fill gaps between kit parts.

Extra material left on a model’s parts from the molding or casting process.

The Federal Standard color system. Adopted in the mid-1950s to standardize equipment and camouflage colors, this U.S. system uses five-digit numbers to identify paint colors.

Officially “Pledge Future Floor Shine” in the U.S., this household floor-care product is used by modelers to enhance clear parts, as a high-gloss base for decals, or for high-gloss finishes.

Using or creating detail parts for models or small models themselves from unlikely sources, such as other model kits, toys, household items, and scrap.

Inaccurate, odd parts used to fill in areas where accurate detail is not provided, making empty space look busy; common in science fiction subjects.

Self-locking plier used in the medical field to clamp a bleeding artery or vein; in modeling, it’s used to hold small objects

Thin, pointed razor held in a stylus handle for precise cutting, shaving, etc. The interchangeable, disposable razors come in various shapes and sizes; a “No. 11” is most common.

Treads for tanks and other tracked vehicles in which track runs are made up of individual links and are glued or pinned together as on the real vehicles. Usually an aftermarket purchase; recently, more kits include this type of track.

Parts produced when molten plastic is injected into molds for cooling and setting.

The International Plastic Modelers Society

Combining parts from different kits to produce a unique model.

Thin, easily shaped metal foil used to model a variety of subjects, from rifle slings to damaged fenders. Often found atop wine bottles.

Light-emitting diodes; electronic diodes that light up when current is applied.

A paintbrush with long bristles and a fine point used for detail painting.

Tracks for tanks and other tracked vehicles that are made of both individual track links and sections of of prejoined links. Usually, joined sections are longer for the top and bottom sections and the individual links are wrapped around the drive sprockets and idler wheels, joining the lengths together.

Applied with a brush, this liquid solidifies when it dries and masks parts for painting. Especially helpful for oddly shaped parts, the masks are peeled off after painting.