Starship Modeler Discussion Forums

As a result of several testimonials, I went to an office store to get some Dymo tape. Had no idea people were talking about 'labelmaker' tape. But Dymo makes both 'plastic' tape and something that's not labeled as plastic or paper. Can anyone tell me the difference and which they are using for model...

I think I'll save the Envirotex for larger windows, an earlier stage of construction, and more fortitude. I'll try the Future trick.

That's some clean work. I may try it next time but I've sealed up the fuselage this time. Your article says you sealed up the windscreen with clear epoxy resin. Could you elaborate? Did you brush it around the frame and insert the transparency? Is it easy to wipe off any smears?

Appreciate the confidence and encouragement. This is actually a pretty simple kit. Part of the difficulty of these windows is just hanging on to them in the sanding process. I spent 15 minutes crawling around the carpet in one episode. This was best solved before I sealed up the fuselage. The diffic...

Thanks all. My project is a 1/72 X-20, which has 3 cockpit windows. The fuselage is closed now, so I can only access the windows from the outside. The foreward windscreen worked well enough with some sanding. The side windows didn't really fit that well. I should have left the 'fuzz' in there as fil...

I have no idea what I'm talking about, but I'm looking for an alternative to using Crystal Clear or white glue to span a window perhaps 1/4 inch corner to corner, that can be dabbed/dropped into an opening, dries flat and then perhaps can be sanded to smoothness. Is there such a product or do you ha...

If you found it in the auto body section of a store, I've been using it for years. It's the typical hobby product - cheap in its original form, much more expensive repackaged in smaller quantitities for the hobby market. It works just fine.

Good tip at a better price than Gunze. Thanks.

I'd like to hear what other people have filled the lines with, although sanding would be a partial solution. I haven't started until I finish six resin Trek ships now on the bench.

What they said - using more grits, washing frequently, dip in Future - but also, try 400 first and work toward the coarser grits if that doesn't work. Lots of scratches can be removed with the finer grits. You can buy kits or even try out the harware stores for 1000/1200/1400/1600, etc. grits. I thi...

Thanks. It dried well enough as it turned out. I may do some light sanding and rewash before going back over with a fresh can of surfacer. I thought I thoroughly cleaned the model with 409 and scrubbed it with a toothbrush and rinsed with hot water. If there's mold release, it's heavy duty. On the o...

Pebbly, puddley, I was surprised. Perhaps you're right. Perhaps not enough surfacer left. It seemed thin enough. I pre-heated the can in hot water to juice it up a bit.

Thanks much. What would cause the surfacer to hit the model in splotches? I was in the garage. Outside it was raining. The can of surfacer had more in it but it was close to empty. I hadn't used it in a couple of months. I had washed the resin parts with 409 and scrubbed them. Any ideas?

I need to remove Mr. Resin Primer Surfacer from a resin model. What can I use?

Salt thrown. Nuggets sacrificed. Refinishing complete. Porthole decals scheduled for this afternoon. Final clear coat for tonight. Stay tuned.

Thanks. That stinks. But thanks. ;-) You may be forcing me to do something very stupid.

I've got a contest coming up Saturday. At 5:30 tonight (Thursday), I sanded down some schmutz in my clearcoat and repainted a 50/50 mix of Floquil/thinner on selected small spots. When is it safe for me to re-spray with Future? Then when is it safe for me to decal over it? I'd like to spray the glos...

Thanks, Kenny. Just what I needed. I painted with Testors MM enamels. Can't believe windex would crack that. I may try to probe gently with the q tip method you suggest and then make a first try with the tape lifting idea. It's all pretty tight and the penants cross a panel decal, but that's tolerab...

Wanted: Experience or tips on selectively removing, in order, a small area of Microscale satin cote, Future, and shattered ship's registry/pennants on the nacelles of a 1/2500 Defiant? I don't know how it happened or why I missed it, but the decals on both sides are mostly gone. I am hoping to repla...

Should I post this in the Star Trek forum? What is the best filler for all those bogus panel lines on the AMT Refit Enterprise? Squadron Green? Red? Aves? ALSO: Given the elbow grease required, is this filling best done on individual parts before assembly? Or as major subassemblies - saucer, seconda...

No idea. Tried Squadron? Tried googling it? Even my local hobby shop has 2-3 flavors on the shelf now.

Thanks, yep, I'm going to do it as lightly as I can. In the end, I know it's a suicide mission.

Thanks. I never dreamed good ol' water soluable Future could withstand Floquil thinner.

I plan to paint a basecoat of Floquil railroad color, then gloss, then apply panel decals, then seal the decals in some clear coat, then shoot a second lighter weathering layer of Floquil paint over the decals. What will preserve my decals? That Floquil thinner's pretty nasty stuff. Yes, I know I'm ...

Thanks much. My only concern is some stated thoughts that Dupli or Plasti might hide smaller detail that perhaps the finer grain Gunze would not. In any event, I have 1 more can of Gunze, which should see me through my current project, the Stargazer Orion III.

Great. Now all I have to do is figure out which expensive, out-of-production resin kit I want to serve as the test case for Dupli or Plasti. Hmmm, could be that Lunar Models Discovery. Thanks. Assume both Dupli and Plasti are compatible with resin? You weren't explicit.

Apologies for what must be an old topic. Is there some cheaper alternative to the spray can of Mr. Resin Surfacer? It's amazing stuff, but 10 bucks for a few ounces is just outrageous. Are Duplicolor or Plasticote sandable primers the same stuff? I'd like it to preserve detail and go down as smooth ...

Good warnings and ideas. I didn't figure Aves would serve as a glue. I figured to join the pieces with Tenax. Will that work on vac sheets?

You guys have some good ideas, even if you're setting me up for a lot of work. It's probably a foot and a half by 8-9 inches and in 2 pieces, one of which has to be cut where the pieces mate so they can overlap. I've made my own base before from paper mache, and it did ok. But I didn't have anything...

Anyone built this or have any ideas for assembling and filling the vacuform base so that it's a little sturdier? Plaster paris? Aves? Not sure if I'm looking to mount it on a plaque or get a length of frame material and glue it all the way around. Of course, that requires me to mitre the sides.