Starship Modeler Discussion Forums

I'm a big propenent of using rubbing alcohol for all sorts of modeling tasks, and I use it to clean plastic all the time, but it's not ideal for resin. Alcohol just can't seem to cut it cleaning resin, and dishwashing fluid doesn't do it either. I usually use stronger cleaners like Castrol Super Cle...

I used to collect shot glasses... and using the heavy glass bar shot glasses makes mixing up a relatively small batch SUPER easy. Clean up is really easy on glass as well. And if for some reason it isn't, I've got 10 more just like it. I've picked up many glass shot glasses for the same reason. I t...

I had to Google to see what Aves is, never having heard of it before. Once I got to the manufacturer's page, I see that these cats make Apoxie Sculpt. Now that, I'm familiar with that and have some in the cabinet. I've never used it much, mainly for gaming scale figure bases and bits, but I've got f...

You're welcome. And I missed the last part of your question. No, there is no need to thin it. It's pretty thin as is. You can brush it straight from the bottle or airbrush it straight from the bottle. I do know a couple of guys who like to thin it with rubbing alcohol for airbrushing, but they are n...

Look at your local grocery or drug store where the floor polish is stocked. We all call it Future because that's what it was called for decades, but nowadays it's called "Pledge Premium Floor Finish with Future Shine". Here's a pic: http://www.ninfinger.org/models/vault2007/FutureFloorPoli...

I would suggest using Future first, because it will wick under the decal and makes a great top coat as well. You end up "sandwiching" the decal between two thin layers. You can't do that with white glue, Elmers or otherwise.

Well, you can, but it would look mighty awful.

I use an X-acto knife, a cheap dental tool, a combination of Dymo tape and scraps of photoetch for ruling, but I do most of the actual scribing work, especially detail work, with a sewing needle chucked into a pin vise. Simple, cheap, effective.

For this sort of job, I do like everyone else and use generic BluTak, the poster putty. Most guys prefer the original, but I actually have gotten used to the generic white stuff I can pick up at Office Depot or Office Max. The generic yellow I avoid - it's like putting gum on a model. The white is m...

It's normal. Regular Vallejo paints are designed for brush painting, but can be thinned for airbrush. I recommend however, that you don't. They offer a line called Vallejo ModelAir that is designed and pre-thinned for airbrushing. If you want to try thinning them for airbrush, use distilled water. M...

I only wash resin and short run Eastern European kits. Few mainstream or western kits come with mold release on them, and that's what a sink wash is good for. Years ago I washed before building, but finally after some experimentation realized it was unnecessary. I do clean my kits before I commence ...

Yes, but... If you are going to mask, it's going to come off again. Testor's Metalizers don't take masking at all - any brand, any level, and any any. You cannot mask it, not even if you've sealed it. Testor's Metalizers shouldn't be sprayed until all other painting and masking is done. The only met...