Hot Model Cars, Rockets & Trains How-Tos


How To: Make a Balloon-Powered Paper Plate Racer
With a little spare time and and a few items you can find around the house, you can make your own balloon-powered paper car. This is a great and easy DIY project that's perfect for competitive kids. All you'll need to get started is:

How To: Recreate Models of Christopher Columbus's Sailing Ships from 1492
Columbus Day celebrates Christopher Columbus's voyage to the Americas in 1492. In most of the New World, it's celebrated on the 12th of October, the day Columbus actually discovered the Bahamas. But in the United States, the holiday is observed on the second Monday in October.

How To: Make a simple homemade bottle rocket from household items
What's the best way to pass the time when you're bored beyond your wits? Make things explode, of course! But let's just say that you don't want your house to catch fire. The next best option that you've got is contained within this here video.

How To: Make a diet Coke and Mentos rocket
Do you want to make a diet Coke and Mentos Rocket? Well, first of all you have to buy a 2 litter bottle of Diet Coke and some Mentos. Then, go outside, because you don't want do it indoors, believe me. Wrap the paper cover off the Mentos, but leave the foil wrapper on and put the roll into the bottle. After this, you'll have to close the bottle and shake it. In the next step you'll have to open slowly the cap bottle until it starts fizzing. Throw it down with power and be sure there's no one ...

How To: Build a 2/5th scale M60 tank
This instructional video series is on how to build any type of 2/5th (40%) scale, fully functional tank. The specific model demonstrated is the M60 Patton. An MBT. A destructive force. If you have any questions about your backyard tank build, please address them to "Dave's Tank Foundry" at Scaled Tanks.

How To: Build a rocket from everyday household trash
This video tutorial will show you how you can build a rocket from trash. That's right... trash. To make the rocket, you'll need a paper towel roll (or three toilet paper rolls), a spray can cap, a model rocket engine, scrap cardboard or wood pieces, hot glue gun with glue, a straw and a paper cup.

How To: Anchor an antenna tube to a remote control car
RC Car Action Magazine Editor Paul Onorato shows you how to anchor an antenna tube to keep it from falling out. A piece of fuel tubing will solidly affix the antenna to the chassis of the remote control car. Watch this video tutorial and learn how to secure an antenna tube to the body of a remote control vehicle.

How To: Lay and ballast O-Scale 3-Rail track
In this tutorial we learn how to lay and ballast O-Scale 3-Rail track. First, lay the track down on a piece of bare plywood. Also, you will paint the wood to prevent it from absorbing liquid when you place glue on it. Put the track down onto a flex bed and then set the flex bed on the wood. From here, place the track onto the road bed and line it up. Make sure the track is centered completely. After this, take a track screw and secure the ends down. Continue to do this throughout the entire t...

How To: Make a Homemade PVC Rocket
This homemade hairspray-powered PVC rocket takes less than an hour to construct and only costs about 20 dollars to make. Check out my video below for the step-by-step instructions on building your own backyard rocket, and follow the written guide below for reference.

How To: Build a cool cardboard RC airplane
Model airplanes are cool and all, but making them out of your typical 8 1/2 X 11 printer paper isn't going to cut it for long, especially if any sort of rain or misplaced foot is involved. Make your awesome model airplanes even more awesome by crafting them out of sturdy cardboard instead.

How To: Paint a fade on your model cars
If you want to paint a fade on your model cars you should first pick colors that will work well with each other. First, you should plan out your step. Divide the car into parts of the car where you will places your colors. You should designate where you mixing and solid areas are before you begin to paint. You should carry your mixes far and blend them well. When you do this, you'll want to lift up your airbrush a little bit. For fading, go to a solid color, and as you go to a new color lift ...

How To: Install and weather flex track for model railroads
Need to secure your track to the road bed for your model railroad? Well, this video tutorial will show you how to do it, not to mention show you how to weather your flex track.

How To: Make a Simple Pop Pop Boat
This video tutorial shows you how to make a simple pop pop boat (putt putt boat) out of house hold items. Very simple and easy to do.

How To: Build a Simple High-Powered Water Rocket Launcher
There are plenty of things you can use at home to make your own rocket, like sugar, matchsticks, or even trash. They may not be as impressive as a real rocket, but they can still be a lot of fun. In this video, How To Lou shows how he made a high-flying water rocket out of some basic materials like PVC and a soda bottle. As Lou points out, the bigger your soda bottle, the further it will go. He used 1/2" PVC pipe, valves, and connectors, as well as some brass adapters. He added an air compres...

How To: Make the staging mechanism for a multi-stage water rocket
Most really powerful rockets fire their payload in multiple stages to distribute it better. To control the release of each stage, you need staging mechanisms. This video will show you how to make a staging mechanism for a multi-stage water rocket, and references written help here.

How To: Make a simple bottle rocket
There's nothing like playing outside, especially as a kid. The grass beneath your feet, the blue sky in the air, and the endless amount of possiblity that lies in such a wide open space. This tutorial takes advantage of that space and shows you how to make a simple bottle rocket. Many of the supplies needed are easil found in your home and are usually cheap and inexpensive. So sit back and enjoy! Oh, and please be careful!

How To: Make the best match rocket
In this video tutorial we learn how to make a match rocket. The author explains that match rockets are very easy to make and shoot very far. The first thing to do is to gather your materials. The material that you will need are two little pieces of aluminum fool, matches, two barbecue sticks, and to launch it you will need a paper clip and two pennies. The next step to do is to cut about 10 matches for your rocket from the packet of matches. The next step is to take your two barbecue sticks a...

How To: Build a "pop-pop" or "putt-putt" steam engine boat
This extensive video series is all about making your own simple steam engine and boat, which is known variously as the "putt-putt" or "pop-pop" boat. Science Toy Maker gives the full details on making your own homemade steam engine model boat, which is similar to the one seen in the move "Ponyo".

How To: Model railroad scenery using extruded foam
Are your hobbies building model trains? Well, I hope you are building your own model sets the way you want to, but if you're stumped in the model railroading process, check out this nine-part video tutorial to see how to model railroad scenery using extruded foam. If you aren't into miniature rail transport systems, you will be now. Your landscape has to look good for your trains, doesn't it?

How To: Paint rock faces for model trains using acrylic washes
This video demonstrates how to spray paint realistic rock faces on hills and mountains using acrylic paint washes. The process is easy and enhances model train track backgrounds.

How To: Apply reprolabels whitewall to model car tires
This quick video shows how to affix thin whitewall applications for 1/24 & 1/25 models & diecast cars. Learn how to add a vintage and authentic touch to model toy car tires.

How To: Build a Hot Wheels hopper
This video tutorial shows how to modify a Hot Wheels toy car and turn it into a "hopper." Learn how to customize a basic toy car to bounce up and down.

How To: Build a '60s Mack F Series Cabover Conversion Model Truck
A series on how to build a Mack F series cabover conversion model truck at 1/25 scale. Part 1

How To: Make fuse paper to light a rocket motor
Do you like drinking coffee? It may seem like this question has nothing to do with homemade rockets or fuse paper, but indeed coffee filters - which you should have in ample supply if you enjoy making your own cup of Joe - are the key ingredient in a kick ass construction of fuse paper.

How To: Make a silicone mold in your kitchen with common household items
You can easily make an inexpensive silicone mold in your kitchen for cheap! This is a great project to do with your kids, or just for fun! You can also use this method to easily make theatrical props and prosthetics.

How To: Use the correct tires for the temperature and improve RC performance
Optimize vehicle performance by knowing the differences between the different tires available for your RC vehicle. Each type of tire (commonly referred to by the red dot, blue dot or green dot) is optimized for a specific operating temperature range. Knowing about the different temperatures and what tires are best suited for them could be the difference between first place and second. Find out more in this instructional video.

How To: Install a ProLine universal shock kit and power stroke system in an RC car
Upgrade the shocks on your RC vehicle to new aftermarket parts with this informative video. This video details how to install the Universal Shock Mounting kit with Proline Power Strokes. Tools needed for this install are a 5.5 driver and a 2.0 hex.

How To: Strap your RC tires with duct tape to improve traction
If your RC car tires are lacking some of the rigidity you'd like them to have, check out this video to learn how to strap your tires. You'll need some duct tape and a flat surface, ad then you'll be back at the track ready to eat up the competition with better traction and stability.

How To: Install 17mm hex adapters into a short course truck
In this video, 17mm hex adapters are installed on a Short Course truck. Installing these adapters allows a greater range of wheels and tires to be used on your SC racer vehicle. Squirrel of ProLine demonstrates the installation technique.

How To: Build your own stomp rocket out of household materials
In this video, we learn how to build your own stomp rocket out of household materials. Materials you will need are: plastic bottles, bicycle inner tube, 2 feet PVC pipe, duct tape, masking tape, and file folders or card stock. Now, take your PVC pipe and roll paper around it and tape it. Then, remove the paper from the pipe and tape it more so it's completely closed. Then, make your nose cone for the rocket. Place this and the wings onto the rocket in your choice of colors. Then, make the lau...

How To: Repair a coax receiver antenna including AM, FM, 2.4ghz, airtronics and more
Working on an RC project, or really anything that involves RC, at some point there's a chance that you will end up breaking your antenna for your receiver. If you're a little lost on how to fix the antenna, have no fear. In this video you will get a tutorial on how to fix various antenna receivers and more!

How To: Paint your favorite sports team logo on a racing shell
In this video, we learn how to paint your favorite sports team logo on a racing shell. First, you will take your shell and trace out the logo on it with a Sharpie marker of your choice. Use tape to cover the areas that you don't want marked, so the lines come out cleaner and straighter. After you have done this, paint the logo onto the racing shell with small brushes and your choice of paints. Leave the tape in place until all of the paint has dried. Then, remove the tape from the shell and y...

How To: Make miniature models of Columbus's ships (Niña, Pinta & Santa Maria)
There's no better way to celebrate the discovery of the New World than by recreating Christopher Columbus's three ships from the famous voyage— the Niña, Pinta & Santa Maria. In this short ship-building how-to, you'll learn a simple activity for you and your kids, where you'll make miniature ship models of Columbus's boats with egg cups, brown paint, white paper (sails), toothpicks, clay and glue.

How To: Detect an air leak in a Nitro RC engine
In this tutorial, we learn how to detect an air leak in a Nitro RC engine. Air leaks damage your engine which will take your tuning and completely void it. Now, take some soapy water and apply it to your engine and anything that is connected in between. Block off one end of the host where you aren't going to blow into. Find where you think the leak is, then make sure you don't have a cracked tank. Next, make sure everything is sealed and apply soapy water. Blow in the other end of the valve a...

How To: Rust a model car to make it look old and beat-up
If you like making miniature models for their own sake or for use in playing Warhammer and other table top games, there may come a time when you want a shiny new model to look like an old rusty model. If you're working with plastic, you've come to the right place, because this video will show you how to give plastic models a rusty look that will blend them into your post-apocalyptic or just plain derelict scene.

How To: Splice two water bottles together to make a large water rocket
If you want to make a really powerful water rocket, one water bottle is not going to give you enough propellant. You're going to have to splice two or more bottles together and do it well enough that they don't come apart. This video will show you exactly how to do it step-by-step.

How To: Make a DIY 9mm Gardena water rocket nozzle
Most people who are really serious about rocketry prefer solid-fueled rockets, but if your passion is for water rockets, then this video should help you with your advanced eater rocket project. It will show you how to construct and troubleshoot a 9mm Gardena nozzle to control water flow that costs much less than a storebought one.

How To: Make a water thrusted rocket out of a plastic bottle and other basic materials
If you like the idea of building rockets that will soar through the air like angels but don't want to bother with operating high explosive, it's possible to build pretty darn powerful rockets out of water. This video will show you how to do so very easily out of junk that you probably already have.

How To: Glue VTR tires easily for your RC
If you're getting into the hobby of building RC vehicles, there are many different tasks that need to be done before you have a beautiful working, and looking, vehicle. Tires, engine, the body, etc. all can be built from the very start.

How To: Assemble a model rocket for launching
In this Hobbies & Toys video tutorial you will learn how to assemble a model rocket for launching. This video will show you how to do this using the Estes Alpha model rocket. For this project you will need the rocket kit, masking tape, glue, sand paper, a knife, scissors and a pencil. First you sample the engine mount, glue it up and set it aside to dry. Next you cut out the fins and sandpaper them together. Then you apply glue on the inside of the tube up to 1 1/2" and push the engine mount ...