Starship Modeler Discussion Forums

I fill my air tanks with a small Interdynamics PowerAir compressor so I can airbrush in silence. You'll want a water trap on the compressor or water will collect in your tank. I have a nice Amflow regulator and quick-release connectors so I can switch tanks and hoses easily.

Mike

MEK and Methylene chloride are different chemicals.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butanone

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dichloromethane

CA will work. Epoxy will give you a stronger bond.

Try soaking the part in rubbing alcohol, window cleaner or an ammonia and water solution. You might need to scrub it out of seams with a soft toothbrush. I've never diluted future for dunk coating. Depending on the part, sometimes you can blot drops away as they form while the Future is wet. HTH Mike

Here's Futch's rivet tool.

http://futchfactor.com/rivettool/prog1.html

HTH

Mike

Hi modelnutz,

A layer or two of Parafilm should work. You could add a drop or two of vegetable oil on the Parafilm but you'll need to wash it out.

If the tenon isn't wedge shaped in all directions already, rounding the corners and giving the tenon more relief angle will help too.

Mike

Hi, I've painted a mech in a camouflage pattern with Gunze Aqueous Hobby Colors H422 Light Green and H79 Sandy Yellow / Desert Yellow. If you're not familiar with Gunze, the green looks like a medium green and the yellow is more of a dark taupe to light khaki. Does anyone with artistic color sense h...

I've airbrushed Plasti-kote's Scratch Color Automotive Sanding Primer "Grey Primer 3702". This came in a one-ounce glass jar with an applicator brush but I think it's similar to their spray primer. Dupli-Color made gray and red oxide sanding primers that came in half-ounce metal tubes with...

Thanks everybody,

I'd like to avoid sanding down to the plastic so I'll try more Mr. Surfacer.

Thanks again,

Mike

Hi, Months ago I used permanent markers on the bare plastic of a model to indicate areas that needed sanding or cutting. Now I've primed the parts and the markers bled through the primer and the marks are still visible. Has any one else had this happen? Is there any way to fix this? I'm thinking abo...

Hi,

With a heat source and some plywood , you can blow-mold sheet plastic into domes.

Here's how Darryl Starbird does it in 1/1 scale

http://aeclassic.com/bubbletop/index.html

HTH

Mike

Hi Devin, It sounds like you're most of the way to a solution. Apply the Mr. Surfacer and let it dry. If you see any new pinholes, fill them with more Mr. Surfacer. Let it dry. Sanding opens more pinholes and might leave your part out of shape. Remove the Mr. Surfacer by wiping it with 91 % or 99% i...

If it's not too far gone, you can revive it with Testors liquid cement.

HTH

Mike

I haven't tried it. However, in Brick Price's Model-Building Handbook he uses a single piece mold to cast a rocket nozzle. He tears the mold apart at the base of the nozzle producing separate molds for the inside and outside of the part with a jagged edge to key them. This puts the parting line on t...

If the files aren't too bad, you can clean them with a copper bristled suede brush. You can find suede brushes in the shoe departments of large retailers or at shoe stores. Unfortunately, copper bristles are being replaced by plastic. A good local hardware store should sell real file brushes. If you...

Hi,

Can you get to the inside of the model and back the seam with epoxy?

Mike

A good start would be hunting down a copy of Building and Improving Vacuum-Formed Model Aircraft written by E. Richard Staszak and published by Kalmbach in 1984. ISBN 0-89024-047-7. It's only 52 pages long but it's packed with good information. I didn't realize it's 22-years old until I looked at my...