Serving Scale Model Hobbyists since 2004


New Items Released October 3, 2024!


What's New?

I have created a new image catalog for my white-letter tire decals. You can see them on the Tire Decal Page.



As molds wear out, I've started changing production of some parts from cast polyurethane resin to 3D-printed resin. This is a running change that does not affect the quality of the parts, but will allow me to reduce some expenses and improve production rates.

If you ordered something in the past and it was cast resin, you might get a 3D-printed resin version now. There's only one real downside to 3D-printed resin compared to cast resin, and that is strength/brittleness. A cast-resin item will generally be stronger than a 3D-printed counterpart. For example, my carburetors need to be made in cast resin because the tiny pieces that stick out from the carb bodies can break off very easily. Other designs, like wheels and hubcaps, are more resilient and can be made from 3D-resin very easily.

3D-printed resin can be stripped with isopropyl alcohol. If you try to strip paint off a cast resin part with isopropyl alcohol, the part will melt! With acrylic paint being standard in model building now, the ability to strip parts with isopropyl alcohol is important. For cast resin, it's better to use Purple Power or an equivalent lye-based degreaser. In either case, don't leave the parts immersed for days. If the paint doesn't come off within a couple of hours, rinse the parts in clean water and let them soak in the solvent a little longer.

Some of my sets are now shipping with a mix of 3D-printed parts and cast resin parts. It's easy to tell the difference: 3D-printed parts are dark blue, and cast resin parts are light gray.


My Patreon

If you haven't checked out my Patreon,
patreon.com/fireballmodelworks, I invite you to have a look. With the cost of very high quality resin 3D printers so low, now might be the time to jump into a new aspect of modelbuilding. If you're intimidated by the complexity of 3D printing, don't be! It's actually a lot easier than you would ever think. On my Patreon, I provide print-ready STL files and also expert advice.

© 2024 Fireball Modelworks