[BAracer]

The world of scratch building is completely alien to me...but it looks fun! How do I dip my toe into the water? 

Start building up the necessary equipment? What are the basics I will need?
   
Just buy a kit and buy the equipment I need for that particular one?

Are there easier ranges of kits to start on and difficult ranges of kits to avoid trying to learn on? 

Anything else...?

[woodcote]

George Turner here. His kits are great, we race them at WHO. There are also nice guides on his site and recommended running gear lists (which are WHO compatible), basic tools and painting techniques. You are in very good hands with George.

An alternative starting point is a kit from Pendles - a resin body that fits their PCS32 adjustable chassis. You can get a complete kit (including WHO compatible running gear) for a good price.

I think that is a good start and then - with the basics under your belt - you can choose to make more kits or become more adventurous with adapting existing bodies and chassis or making you own from scratch - proper scratch building.

[Nonfractal]

...but it looks fun! How do I dip my toe into the water? 

If you have only ever used RTR cars, the first step should be to buy a white kit from a major manufacturer. 
You acquire some basic assembly, paint and decal skills that way.

Second step is customising that white kit. Better motor, optimised gears, lighter axles, lightweight interior etc.

Third step maybe should be to buy parts separately for a common model to  create a car exactly to your own specification.
My first "from parts" build was an NSR Mosler. 
Pre coloured-lightweight body, one of the chassis options  one of the pod options etc.
You get to select screws, axles, motor, gears, suspension, guide, wheels, tyres etc. ( Not necessarily from the same manufacturer)  and pull the whole thing into a working racer. 
This "from parts" build extends your component selection and assembly skills. 

Maybe as a 4th step, try a generic chassis like the slot-IT HRS2.
Pick up an old cheap body from a swap meet and try to make a competitive HRS2 based racer. 

Go slowly. Pick up the skills and you'll eventually be thinking about buying your own 3d printer or heading toward that place where you'll be carving and moulding your own bodies

AlanW

[BAracer]

Thanks...when I read your post, it sort of reminded me that I have sort of been doing a bit of it already by building up a couple of DiSCA cars from various manufacturers components.

I suppose it's more a case of when I see those wonderful threads from, for example, chrisguyw...it's the skills required to paint detailed things like the drivers face, or to get that perfect body paint finish, or finding and applying transfers and not spoiling them with the wrong top coat, that's where I get way out of any small comfort zone this new hobby is giving me. That's where I was wondering what a step by step guide would be...for example, I did go to a model shop recently: do you know how many different types of hair they use in paint brushes??? 

So maybe I just buy my first white kit and go for it?

[Tamar]

Hello Jeremy

I think the best advice (and one that you are most likely are following already) is to pick an car, subject that you really really want to have, build and race for your first "scratch  build".

You would also need to define for your self what "scratch building" means to you.
My personal definition is that there's at least one item on the project that has been build from "nothing"
Can be as small as a different helmet, removing a bumper or adding a rear wing or just a livery that no one has done before, can also include a complete body or chassis.

The reason its best to pick a car you care about is because as you try and learn new stuff...scratch building will not be easy street all the time.

Second tip I can give you regards the tools you might need for your project.
As you mentioned Brushes...yes there are zillion types of hair, but for each type "penny wise pound foolish" still applies. Get the best quality you can afford.
The last thing you want for any type of brush is for a hair to come unstuck and lodge itself on your almost finished project.

with kind regards
Tamar

[chrisguyw]

The best advice I can give is to just jump in and initially try something simple,..... either assembling and painting a "kit" body shell , or building a basic chassis, and accept that your first attempt may not be incredible........I started many many years ago, and my creations were hideous at best for quite some time  . That said, there is something very satisfying in seeing one of your creations actually going around the track.

I hold seminars at our local club tracks, helping the new guys build rudimentary chassis', and to a man (person) they are delighted to see them run around.

There are lots of tips/tricks to building nicer looking , faster slot cars, and luckily, several folks who will gladly share that info......painting/detailing, chassis building, chassis dynamics/set-up, tools/materials etc. etc.

Get to it !!

Cheers
Chris Walker

Pick a project you would like to start, and the folks here will be glad to offer their help 

[BAracer]

Chris

Thank you for responding...I was hoping that by naming you in my original message, you would not take any offence!

It's primarily the painting and detailing of cars that seems like another world to me. But I think I felt the same about chassis prep a few months ago, but I have managed to 'build' my way out of that situation. 

And I think I might have a plan...I have a RTR Slot.it 'Sauber' C9, the black one with the circuit board livery, and have just found a Slot.it C9 white kit for sale. I'm thinking that I could paint/detail this up into a basic silver 'Mercedes' C9 body which I could then fit on the chassis as an alternative to the original. Possibly not the most challenging of projects, but I'm thinking it will involve a bit of spray painting for the body, some more detailed brushwork for the driver and cabin, and an application of what I hope are a basic set of transfers together with some top coat to finish it off.

Just by typing it, it almost feels doable...

[chrisguyw]

Good for you.. ....if you have snags along the way shout out !!, I am sure plenty of folks will chime in with some relevant info.

Hopefully, you will catch the chassis building bug soon. 

Cheers
Chris Walker