Your best quick tip/technique/diy

[spud]

ft that is Dead handy i use them cups also they be handy even more so now

 

[Glorfindel]

I sometimes collect the plastic shavings from when I finish sanding off my cutting mat and place it into a tupperware container. Later if I have a seam or heavy scratch caused by my feeble skills I'll sometimes lay the plastic dust into the seam/gap then brush on a little Ambroid to melt it into place. When it dries and hardens I'll sand it smooth and collect yet more pixie dust!

 

[spud]

lol that is handy

 

[NecronautDrummer]

We need to mask aircraft canopies, often with masking tape. Make yourself a little holding tab for the smaller canopies with a little extra masking tape folded back on itself and stuck to a masked area! Works like a charm!

 

[TiM]

Keep a tidy work space so you don't lose / forget where stuff is ... ;D

Also, get dark, monochrome, short pile carpet !

 

[Quaralane]

That last is definitely good advice, Tim

 

[spud]

lol wich part the carpet or teh Tidy Desk. ;D knowing well that yours has a mountian on it Q ;D

 

[Quaralane]

Was talking about the carpet, Spud.
And the mountain does change occasionally.

 

[spud]

lol taught as much ;D

 

[FlipFlop]

While masking/working on canopy put some blu-tack inside to prevent it from snapping...

 

[FlipFlop]

I've got another one - if you are using glue with needle like Revell Contacta Professional or similar and if the needle gets clogged just take a lighter and heat the needle for a few (6-7 max) seconds...

 

[spud]

ok now thats bloomin handy, I have a humbroll one of them thats cloged and i like to use i somthimes to give me a little bit of working time.

will try that , TY FF

 

[Chris S]

I've got another one - if you are using glue with needle like Revell Contacta Professional or similar and if the needle gets clogged just take a lighter and heat the needle for a few (6-7 max) seconds...

BE SURE TO TAKE THE NEEDLE OFF THE BOTTLE FIRST !!!!!

Chris.

 

[Peppylepugh]

First posting. Good Day all. Thought for sure this one would have filled up quick. A tip I use quite often, is to use a silver "Sharpie" to outline both sides of a parting line or spot super glue, I am sanding, to see how much work will be involved with it. It is faster than opening and closing paint bottles and you don't have to clean the brush out. Downside with this technique is that the ink in Sharpies is thicker than most brush paint and needs complete removal before any other color coats go on. Use regular old "dry gas" to remove this. This stuff is very bad for you, in more ways than one. Use with extreme caution.

 

[Quaralane]

Nice one, Peppy.
Grendels does something similar using silver paint

 

[ShutterAce]

When I get ready to lay down a coat of paint and after blowing off/wiping down the model I spray it first with a coat of 91% ISO as a final degreaser. The ISO evaporates quickly so I can lay down a color coat as soon as I get it thinned and in the cup. probably unnecessary but it's cheap, easy and fast.

 

[Grendels]

When I get ready to lay down a coat of paint and after blowing off/wiping down the model I spray it first with a coat of 91% ISO as a final degreaser. The ISO evaporates quickly so I can lay down a color coat as soon as I get it thinned and in the cup. probably unnecessary but it's cheap, easy and fast.

I would not do this between color coats of certain paints. This will loosen the paint and cause a mess. Right now I am using 91% ISO to strip off Alclad Lacquer paint.

Great idea on a unpainted model, which I suspect ShutterAce meant.

Yes I will lay down a strip of silver paint to see the seam with. I am afraid of sharpies on models, I have seen too many where someone does pre-shading with a sharpie and it bleeds through the paint.

 

[Black Sheep 1]

Mr, Surfacer 1200 as a primer.
No, not the rattle can, but the bottle of Mr. Surfacer 1200.
Dilute 1:1 (or 50/50) with lacquer thinner and spray (airbrush) on.
After it dries, use the finest wet sandpaper you can get and sand smooth.
Since it's a lacquer based product, it will "bite" into the plastic and will not chip off.
It's also a great filler if you have some sanding scratched that you forgot to polish off.

 

[ShutterAce]

When I get ready to lay down a coat of paint and after blowing off/wiping down the model I spray it first with a coat of 91% ISO as a final degreaser. The ISO evaporates quickly so I can lay down a color coat as soon as I get it thinned and in the cup. probably unnecessary but it's cheap, easy and fast.

I would not do this between color coats of certain paints. This will loosen the paint and cause a mess. Right now I am using 91% ISO to strip off Alclad Lacquer paint.

Great idea on a unpainted model, which I suspect ShutterAce meant.

Yep, that's what I meant. 8)

 

[schweinhund227]

Mr, Surfacer 1200 as a primer.
No, not the rattle can, but the bottle of Mr. Surfacer 1200.
Dilute 1:1 (or 50/50) with lacquer thinner and spray (airbrush) on.
After it dries, use the finest wet sandpaper you can get and sand smooth.
Since it's a lacquer based product, it will "bite" into the plastic and will not chip off.
It's also a great filler if you have some sanding scratched that you forgot to polish off.

How do you keep the A.B. clean ??? that must be a Dirty job to clean that stuff off ??? Really ! you spray that stuff out of your A.B. ? wow !

You are a lot more courageous that me ! but sounds like an interesting option Next to USING Rattle-Cans !

hummm food for thoughts !