Plastic Model Mojo

Texas decided January should belong to scale modelers, and we’re not arguing. We map out two can’t‑miss events—Model Fiesta in New Braunfels and Winter Blitz in College Station—so you can plan builds, book time, and show up ready. From streamlined online registration to judging formats that respect your effort and schedule, this is a practical guide wrapped in pure hobby energy. We start with Model Fiesta on January 3, hosted by the Alamo Chapter, where clear rules, posted scoring sheets, an...

A surprising theme ran through the last part of our year: when modelers stop chasing perfect and start building what they truly love, everything clicks. Your letters proved it. We heard from builders paring down stashes, organizing tools, and finally tackling “someday” subjects with less guilt and more momentum. That energy shaped our own workbenches too—methodical planning, smarter jigs, and reliable materials turned tricky steps into repeatable wins. Think KV-85 intake screens built with a ...

Show sponsor KitMasx has big news—they solved their US shipping headache so hobbyists can actually get the product they want. To sweeten the return, there’s a December-only Mojo30 code for 30% off. Please support Kevin and Janelle at KitMasx. From there we zoom out to a trade stories from the Murfreesboro show, celebrate friends old and new, and tentatively circle Chattanooga in January, weather willing. The plan for December is intentionally lighter but richer: a shop-talk year in rev...

Big news for modelers who’ve been waiting on cross-border orders: Kit Mask is shipping to the United States again, and the process is finally simple, transparent, and predictable. We sit down with Kevin to unpack how tariffs forced a pause, why Canada Post’s suggested “solutions” came up short, and how Janelle engineered a multi-service workflow that calculates duties at checkout so there are no surprise bills after delivery. We walk through the hard lessons of cross-border ecommerce: why un...

What if the fastest way to level up your modeling wasn’t waiting to “get better,” but picking a fear and building straight through it? That’s the heart of this episode, where we sit down with Seattle modeler Tim Nelson to explore an intentional, cross-genre approach that turned anxiety into momentum. From smart starter ships and museum deadlines to vacform methods and CAD-assisted conversions, we share practical systems that help you finish more models and have more fun doing it. We open wit...