Starship Modeler Discussion Forums

Some great ideas guys. Thank you. I only need to make two of these. One for my dad, and one for me. I will now make it a family rule that no one EVER buys a whit vehicle. Period. :roll: The good news is that, all the other vehicles my dad has owned/owns, none are white. But three are metallic. But, ...

Blotchy colours. Well, I mean, there are areas that are more white than others, some less. And it's pulling away from the high points -- Fender ridge, wheel well lip, and the like. The car is currently stripped, I should have taken pics. Oops! The problem may be my base coat. I started with a flat w...

Yeah, white. Ugh! The kit body is molded in white, and at one point was contemplating just polishing it. But that never looks right either. I am using rattle cans for the moment. Been meaning to get my spray booth up and running. Another project on the to-do list. :) I am using Tamiya TS-26. As for ...

OK. I hate white. Well, not the colour, but the paint. I can never get a good white paint job. I have a car that I am doing (for my dad), and it just HAD to be a damn white car. UGH!! I have painted and stripped it now three times. :oops: So, how the hell do I get a good clean white paint job?? :roll:

Here is what you do: Make your master as you would any other master for casting. Keeping in mind that you can have NO under cuts at all (not totally true, but it's too complicated to get into under cuts for now). Make a silicone open face mold. Then, apply mold release to that silicone mold (as if y...

It's like working with maple syrup. I want to fill in fine seams, not make a total mess. Any tip-a-Roos are welcome! But... Maple syrup is good! Just use a small flat tool (I use a scrap piece of plastic) like a spatula. Squeeze out some putty on a scrap of plastic, and use the spatula to apply it ...

What Stu said. I would check with the manufacturer. I know this happens to some of my parts once in a while. The mix was off just a tad, and the resin will never set, and that's what's weeping. It will stop, most likely. But I would check for a replacement part.

I was wondering, when designing a master for a resin kit, is it necessary to build the original slightly larger than the ship should be in order to counteract resin shrinkage? No, it is not necessary to build the master over-sized. UNLESS, you are looking to cast it in metal. Whole different ball g...

They will adhere just fine to both surfaces. If you are going to give it a coat of Future, do so after you apply the decals. That will seal them, and prevent them from lifting or rubbing off due to handling.

Not at all. Decals, if stored properly, should still be fine. Check them for cracking. If they look cracked, give them a spray of clear while still on the paper. This will hold them together, and help reduce the chance of them shattering. If the clear bit of the decal around the colour bits has yell...

I have yet to find a source for metric tubing. Your best bet is to get the imperial size that is closest to your needs. Then you can wrap a thin piece of sheet around it to bring it up to the size you need.

What exact sizes in mm do you need??

As I stated over in that "Round 2 Enterprise C vs. Ertl Enterprise C 1/1400 scale" thread... To stop the paint from bleeding under the tape... After masking is all done, lay down a mist coat of clear. This will seal the edge of the tape to the surface, and the next layer of paint won't ble...

Chas is a little off base posting that info. If you look at it closely, the "deadly" effects are for breathing in the fumes. That really only happens when the isocyanate is in vapour form. If you look at the list of products, all of those need the isocyanate to be "aerated", as i...

I cast with no respirator, no venting. The stuff you get like Smooth-On and such is LOW in the toxicity area. They are designed to be used at home. The resin does off gas for about a week. But what it gives off, is nothing to worry about. This goes for polyurethane resins only. Polyester based stuff...

Experts please weigh in. Depends on what you are trying to cast. But a good RTV would be the Mold Max 30. It's stiff enough to hold it's shape without external supports, but soft enough to allow significant under cuts. This is a Tin based condensation cure rubber. Stay away from the Platinum based ...

raypalmer wrote:Any ideas?

Just one; Pay the shipping. It's the price one has to pay to get the right stuff.

The grit rating on sand paper refers to the number of grains of "sand" per inch. So, the higher the number, the more grit, and the finer it is. Wet/Dry means it can be used with or without water. Dry means it can ONLY be used dry. Sanding wet is best way to go, regardless of the grit. I us...

It feels like I'm talking myself into a two-part... :roll: You are WAY over-thinking this. Just glue it down to a flat piece of plastic, make your mold box, pour RTV. Wait till cured, demold master. Mix and pout in resin, and slap something flat on top that won't stick. Wait till cured. Demold perf...

I would try a clear coat paint. It's clear, and still provides the release needed to get the part out of the mold.

Of course the first inclination is to create an open-face mold... And that would be the best way to do it. And, to get the flat surface you need, use a "squish plate". Basically, you slightly over fill the open face mold, and then put something flat on top of it. I use the flat surface of...

No can do. Nothing really sticks to silicone. That's what makes it so useful for molding. :) I too need to reenforce molds on occasion. I just use rubber bands to hold the board or plastic stiffener to the mold sides. This allows to mold to still have it's full flexibility when it comes time to demo...

OdysseySlipways wrote:out of a tube or out of my bucket?

Yes.

Silicone. You should have some of that stuff about.

Automotive Bondo Glazing and Spot Putty. It's cheap, and you get WAY more than you will need. (at least at the rate I build these days). Now, this stuff is best on small areas, as it will shrink. Best for seams, injector sink marks and the like. Also, it is "hot". It will mare the surface ...

The clay idea would work if I actually had any. Then make some. Just do a google search for "homemade play dough", and you will endless recipes. Just pick the one you have the ingredients for. If you don';t have what there are asking for... Take some bread (without the crusts), mix with a...

MillenniumFalsehood wrote:I'm at a loss as to what to mount it in, though. Any ideas as to how to mount this thing in order to drill it?

A large lump of clay (or plasticine).

Yes. But test it first. It's very hot, and some of the thinner parts, and softer plastics will melt.

Elmer's glue is correct. Johnny, tell him what he's won!! He's won the best way to re-stick those decals!! :D Just dilute is a fair bit (with plain water), and use a fine tip brush to get it under the decal. Then dab it down into place with a wet Q-Tip, and wipe off the excess glue right away. Oh, f...

Both ways are correct, or wrong. Depending on where you live. I say Deck-ull.

Over fill the mold just a little bit. Then cap.