Alignment

By: Garfield Ingram

Once upon a time, I hadn’t a clue that the parts of my model should be even and aligned.  My blissful ignorance suddenly ended when our club guru informed me that they chuck out models at first glance at the US Nationals if anything is crooked.  Now checking the alignment is as essential a step as gluing and painting. 

When you assemble parts, major and minor, place them on a flat surface; align your eye with the centerline and compare.  Look left, look right, look up, look down, noting angles, visible area and the negative spaces created.  Use a ruler to compare heights left and right, hold a set square next to a component and place the model on a mirror.  The mirror will quickly accentuate odd angles.  Once you are sure about the alignment from one side, turn the model 180° and test it again.  Look at it from above and when you are sure it is set, tape it into position in some kind of jig set squarely on the table.  Remember, curing glue and filler can easily throw a model out of a plumb so be prepared to crack a seam and re-set it if need be.