Many times, I’ll buy a kit that doesn’t have quite the level of detail I want. Or maybe there’s a modification I’d like to make. With the wide variety of resin and photo-etched parts on the market, modelers can find just about anything they want.

But sometimes you may not want to break the bank for a few parts. Or maybe you’re looking for a challenge to stretch your modeling skills. That’s where scratch building comes in.

Though it can seem a bit intimidating, it’s actually something that can be accomplished quite simply with just a few simple tools. And seeing how someone else does it can really help.

Mark Buchler is doing an amazing job turning an old Lindberg F11C-2 from a ho-hum kit into a stunning show piece. And he’s been good enough to post the method behind his madness in several posts on Fine Scale Modelers Forums. Take a look here at his multi-part “series” and enjoy his amazing work.

Thanks to Mark for sharing his work, and for his great looking website, ModelNerd’s ModelShack.