The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word PLASTICINE
P
L
A
S
T
I
C
I
N
E
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "(something that can be) the making of models" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case (something that can be) the making of models = plasticine.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does PLASTICINE mean?
PLASTICINE noun- Modeling clay.