Starship Modeler Discussion Forums

I have a small Delta 9" bandsaw, which doos a great job on plastics, and can also cut a pretty tight radius. I'd worry that the scroll saw might not have enough power or stroke to cut through 1 cm plexiglas, but I'll defer to Erin- Ask the man who owns one! I like having the bandsaw around beca...

You can also use a piece of brass or steel tubing as a punch, which could save you a trip to the craft store.
Andrew

Dry transfers are going the way of the Dodo, but can still show up at big or out-of the-way art supply stores, or university bookstores. There are some generic white USAF/USN letters that could work, but I don't know who currently makes them or what they are called. I have a few sheets from the sale...

MPC made a styrene Titan IIIc and maybe an R-7 that could also fly, if that's any help. Put a carboard or wood layer between hot gasses and plastic and anything is possible!
Andrew

I'm partial to epoxy gas tank patch myself, but plumbers epoxy should be more or less the same thing. Cheap, available at any wide spot in the road, even in Redneckistan, and easy to work if you lick your fingers first. It does set rock hard, so shape it as best you can during the 5 minutes it's wor...

The Elmers glue won't stick to plastic, even without the vaseline. And the vaseline alone would act as a mask, but a little hard to trim and place! I'd just try a thickish blob of Elmers and lever out the plug of dried glue once you've painted.
Andrew

PM received, and a copy will be winging it's way to you tomorrow! The article is in the May, 1990 issue of Scale Modeler. My copy came from a box of old magazines at the local hobby shop.
Andrew

There is no link- it's a hard copy from a 1990's Finescale Modeler. BUT I'd be happy to snail mail a copy. Just let me know your address! The article doesn't go into a lo of detail on the process, but there's enough there to get me thinking.
Andrew

I ran across a good David Merriman article on scratchbuilding a Lost in Space Jupiter II that goes into some detail on making a female mold out of portland cement- the vacuum reaches the mold cavity by way of channels made by sticking greased wires into the master. I'm really intrigued by the idea. ...

Since this discussion has turned into one about different glues, here are the ones I usually end up using: 1) The above mentioned "paint and glue kit" tube stuff. Thick, cap filling, and sets like iron overnight. It seems to give a much better bond than Testors in the orange tube, and sets...

Foer the sizes you want, check out craft, bead, and dollar stores. And the jewelry rack at the thrift shop. Look for clunky plastic beads, hair ties, and stuff like that.
Hope this helps,
Andrew

Testors is pretty nasty- my favorite tube glue is the stuff that comes in Airfix and Heller "Paints and glue" kits. It's awesome- fills gaps, gives you a reasonable amount of working time, but still sets up quickly. I blame the mustard oil that Mothers Against Everything forced Testors inc...

Sometimes you can find cheap HO or N scale brick buildings- I got a bunch from Model Expo a couple of years ago for 2 or 3 dollars each. For making a stamp, maybe start with a photo-etch fence or grid panel from the model railroad store, cut out every other horizontal grid line, and then mont the sh...

The clay back up can work, but it lulls me into a false sense of security. I cover the area with masking tape,work slowly, and start with a small hole. It can be done!
Andrew

Maybe you could make a stamp- raised areas where you want impressions. Apply some of your screeding compound, or something a little tougher like auto body putty or filler, and press the stamp or mold into it. Here's a link to what I'm talking about: http://www.infinitystamps.com/ Potters use stamps ...

A Q-tip/cotton bud dipped in ammonia will take it right off!
Andrew

By way of the what-if modeler's forum, here's a link to a dynamite tutorial on sculpting your own creature: http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=18287 Lots of illustrations and demonstrations of techniques that could apply to any number of projects! And a pretty neat looking critter to boot...

Hi folks. I needed two of a particular bomb shape, but only had three halves... I think the other half ended up as a fairing of some kind, or it might be in a motel carpet somewhere. So rather than tryining to remember what kit from Big Lots the bomb came from, I tried molding a copy in epoxy glue w...

I have never done this myself, but several craft books have recommended sealing plaster with shellac. It can be thinned down as much as you want, and besides, they squeeze it out of bugs!
Andrew

thanks ! :D looks like no hope for the clear piece since its fogged on both sides, dullcoated and permanately in place :? Piffle. If it is superglued in place you should be able to pry the part off for access, and then fix the problem. Once you can get to it, sand it down to remove the fog and dull...

ACK! "Contour Putty"! That horrible stuff really made me doubt my 12 year-old abilities. I don't think it ever stuck to anything. And then came Squadron Green, which was a revelation then. I think it's a useless abomination now, since I found out about automotive putties. I'm still churnin...

It should work just fine in a light coat- If you really want to goober it on, try it on the traditional "inconspicuous area" first. I buy all of my primers at the auto parts store.
Andrew

Tape your sandpaper down to a sheet of glass with duble-stick tape. This will keep you on the straight and narrow.
Andrew

I am getting better at pinning joints, and have learned two things: 1. Make a "doweling pin" - Drill the hole on one part, and make a short, pointed pin that just breaks the surface. Line the parts up where you want them, check everything, take another look and check it again. If it looks ...

RE: Mildew I just used some decals that were stored face-up in a dark corner of my Mom's garage for 10 years or more, and were encrusted with dirt and dust- looked like a black carrier! I just cut the decals out and cleaned up the face with a damp Q-tip/cotton bud. This took off the dirt without get...

Where can you buy Micro Sol? JUst about any hobby shop or model train store should have it. I've heard that a home-made brew of 30% acetic acid and water will work just as well, but I haven't tried it. I just used some of the store-bought with some success to lift and move a crusty old decal that h...

I still haven't got the hang of this stuff! I seem to get orange peel, runs, or worse yet BOTH! I don't have a pressure gauge on my airbrush compressor (yet), so I have been trying to use low air pressure and full product flow. This gives a smooth wet coat, but when it dries it still seems a little ...

Try a lacquer wash! It will be a learning experience. You'll see....
The problem is that lacquer thinner will attack most plastics and paint with effects ranging from crazing to dissolving them outright. Could be interesting in some cases, but a total unmitigated disaster in most.
Andrew

I just used Micro Sol for the first time ever. It is grand and glorious stuff! I had a couple of difficult areas to decal-one shallow dome (actually a PVC pipe cap) and one ridged cylinder. My first test with a Micro Scale decal snuggled down fine with one application, but the real things (a Blue Ri...