Starship Modeler Discussion Forums

I haven't personally used the Tamiya primer, but what the guy said is true from what I hear...Kylwell uses it.

Why don't you want to push Mr. Surfacer through your airbrush? I do, and have no problems with it. They also make the Mr. Surfacer series in a can. I've used the 1200, and love it...

Dan

starmanmm wrote:Do you put a drop in the gravity feed well or do you have to take the needle out and wipe it down???

Take the needle out and wipe it down.

Dan

I've been using Super Lube since I got my airbrush. Just a thin layer between sessions works well. I've had to put 1 drop on the trigger assembly when that got sticky. Tom Grossman suggested it to me, and I've been happy. I look at it as cheap insurance, and it helps cleanup. I notice if I don't use...

Norhterner, an oil-free compressor will generally be noisier than an oil-filled compressor. It's also usually cheaper, and maintenance-free. It'll also wear out a bit faster.

Dan

Interesting...would some kevlar thread work better? It's pretty abrasive, and tough...

Dan

Multiple methods--just like anything. In no particular order: Those PE saws are pretty sweet. Back of an X-acto knifeblade in a pinch. Scribing tool if you don't mind a kerf. Pin in a knifehandle is slow. Dremel works, but can be pretty hard to control. A knifeblade can leave a ridge. Me, I'd choose...

That's still acetone, 'noosh. 5%, but still.

I've also seen people take matches to their files. Personally, that releases a bit too many toxins for my taste. I just use a file card.

Dan

There's an excellent article in this month's FSM on hand-painting a heavily weathered Corsair. Check it out.

Dan

I picked up some sticks at a beauty supply store that had grit glued onto the end of 'em. No idea what the original purpose was, but it was basically like above: A dowel with 2 45 degree angles cut into the end.

Worked pretty well, until I hit something hard and the grit came off the stick.

Dan

LindaSmile wrote:If you're having trouble with alcohol or whatever, try their safety solvent.

Anyone questioned as to why it's called Safety Solvent?

Read the MSDS on it...it scared me.

Dan

The Tamiya and Gunze thinners also have some of the same properties as slow-dri. Especially Gunze leveling thinner.

Dan

Oh, pine...use a good-quality sanding sealer--available at a home improvement store. Stir it real well, apply a coat, let it dry, sand. Repeat ad nauseum. Pine can fuzz and swell just a bit, so it'll take multiple cycles to get it right.

Dan

Depends on the noise factor mostly...I'd suggest an industrial compressor, but they are pretty noisy. Built to last however. Someone around here showed a compressor a couple of years ago at WF that was for a framing nailer (I think the brand was Senco) that was amazingly quiet...not airbrush compres...

I've been doing post shading stuff (mostly washes), but I've started pre-shading a couple of things.

Depends on the mood so far, so my vote was 'either'.

Dan

I've filled nosecones and such with Great Stuff...the only problem I've had is sometimes it doesn't cure if it can't get air...

I've started using a two-part foaming epoxy. Last time I got some, I purchased it from www.publicmissiles.com , but I've seen it elsewhere too.

Dan

In my experience, cobwebbing with Mr. Surfacer is due to it either not being thinned enough, too much pressure, or too far away from the model. That said, I've also heard that if you use Mr. Hobby Leveling thinner, you don't have this issue...but I haven't tried it yet. Smells like acetone though. Dan

Well, it's nothing that can't be salvaged...there are plenty of other threads here on getting paint removed. Keep us posted on your progress, and I'm sorry to hear what's happened. If it makes you feel any better, I did something similar when I was first painting a house. Took a new gallon of latex ...

I've also heard of the 'clown' technique for eyes, but I'm not sure if it works at that scale--it seems to be mostly referred to in the gaming scales. Anyway, the idea is to swipe white paint across the eyes--don't worry about width--go from temple to temple in one swath. Then do the iris color perp...

Oh, I know it happens--and I want to stress I'm not upset in the least little bit. It just surprised me with how well it disguised itself, and I was just in the middle of posting this when Mr. Badwrench walked in the door, so I wasn't able to check for tone. It's such a little bit, I'll probably eve...

I'm working on my first resin kit at the moment (Black Sun's Galactic Enemy), and going through the cleanup process right now. There were only a couple of pinholes on it (less than 5), and they took Mr. Surfacer with no trouble. My frustration came when I was cleaning up the points on the end. Right...

You'll also have problems with impedance matching...I think an electret is pretty high impedance, audio outputs are low.

Dan

You can try brushes at most art stores--they have cups of water and some paper... But, like kylwell said, it's more important to me to have a brush that feels right vs. a particular brand/style...I've got brushes all over the map. Also, those brushes with just a few hairs (like 10/0, 15/0, etc), the...

I've got a pair of channellocks that I put the lid in. If that doesn't get it, I put the jar in a bench vise, and rotate with the lid. Yeah, I might break the jar. But I wouldn't get the thing open anyway, so my theory is no big loss (I can handle the paint spill). Like kylwell said, those Gunze bot...

Ambroid EZ-mask...seems to work well, easy to take off (make sure you go with multiple layers--that helps its shear strength!), and stays pliable for a long time.

Dan

Angle grinder.

I think Mr. Badwrench used a toothbrush on his Slave 1 that's in the gallery.

Dan

I've used lacquer thinner, as well as Gunze's own alcohol smelling thinner...

I prefer the lacquer, but they both seem to work well.

Dan

Don't know about the Tamiya stuff, never used it.

Mr. Surfacer will stick to resin (make sure you clean it!), but they also make a special resin primer (Mr. Resin Surfacer), it's a touch hotter than the Mr. Surfacer. I've used it a bit, seemed to work well. It's the same color--a neutral gray.

Dan

The warm water helps the paint to flow better. Get a pan of water, microwave it for a minute or so, put the can in it, and let it sit for 30 seconds or so... Also, make sure you shake it well...shake it till your arm falls off, glue your arm back on, and shake some more. Especially with metallics--a...

What he said. I've used a can of Krylon Chrome...looked more silver, but at the time I didn't know about the dangers of not having a black basecoat. So, without an airbrush, I'd try a couple different chromes on a piece of scrap first. With a black gloss undercoat too. Also, make sure you put the ca...

Karim, use an eraser--I've got a clicky eraser I've kept for years, and I couldn't believe it took that stuff off...

Dan