Starship Modeler Discussion Forums

Yeah, but acrylic cement/solvent doesn't work on ABS. I need MEK and no one will ship it over state lines either, at least not direct through a company. It is "flammable", but I think the safest time of year would be to ship it during winter months so long as it is kept from any kind of ig...

Yeah, I know about the solvent used on ABS. I've just never really worked with ABS beyond priming and painting a sheet of it. Anyone have any MEK they want to sell to me? I can't get real MEK here on the west coast. The EPA did away with that solvent like 15 or 20 years ago here. There's only "...

So,(sort of a new topic). I have this 3d printed kit I bought that just arrived after 4-5 months and the parts are printed(I believe) in ABS(not styrene).Its big,when assembled it should stand about 24-26 inches in height. I've never really worked with much ABS plastic.It has some similarities to st...

That's why I turned to EVIL :evil: BAY. You pay anywhere between two and three times the original retail price, some sellers were wanting ten times more, but you just pass them by. One guy was trying to get $50.00 for a 1/2 oz. of a M.M color. Most I'd shell out for a "rare/hard to find color w...

Look into ARCHIVE X.They are all resurrected Floquil R.R colors.Its an enamel,and I think also "very thick" in the bottle, but it is an amazing paint as I have heard from others.Airbrushes beautifully. Thin with mineral spirits.

I'd say thin the paint until it "looks right". Just thin it and continue to thin it until it has the correct "consistency". Maybe check out some Youtube videos? If its "old" don't forget to run your thinned paint through a strainer. If it seems dodgey, I'd spray some on...

Not many alternatives to soldering....there's a couple in here I didn't know about. You can intertwine/twist the wire ends together(strip the ends about 1/8 to 1/4 inch, make sure they are super clean), like a "physical bond" but it may not be as strong as soldering or using a metal/electr...

Speaking of air compressors...I may need to get another one. I never really was able to get my Binks compressor to work.

Not many out there working on scratch building projects, or at least they aren't posting about them. It was a 'thing" a while ago when the RPF was "new" or at least newer. There were some guys who basically re-built just about every star wars subject and often re-posted in here at lea...

NICE!Is that based on the Weta Workshop kit? Well, it was started 2 years ago. I just couldn't see any pictures before.

Can't see pictures

Yeah,I probably don't have a use for those,Not sure how they would work on an ABS printed kit?All in all,I'm looking for maybe a better primer with filler capabilities, but not something too heavy like "spraying bondo out of a can".All I've ever used were mainly "finishing primers&quo...

I am not familiar with XTC-3d...what is it? The 3d kit is "pretty bug", but has allot of small parts to it also. Many of the pats have little to know surface detail, other parts(large and small do).I don't want to use anything too heavy and am not sure if something like Mr. Surfacer 500 wo...

So, in other words just stay away from a primer with heavy filler in it? I was always curious about the Mr. Surfacer 500, but...it just dint sound like a good idea/choice to use on anything unless it had no surface detail. Like I said, I'm not a big fan/user of body putty/bondo (or super gules) for ...

Does anyone have any good suggestions for a good "filling primer"? I've seen the Mr. Surfacer 500 and it was described to me as "spraying bondo out of a can". Is it really that heavy and thick, or would someone suggest a different or better primer to use? I've not used Mr. Surfac...

Speaking of "old paints",I have a pretty big project that I need some NOS Model Master Metalizer lacquers for.I don't have enough(or all the right colors). I'd be into buying or trading for them as I have some back stock of some m.m enamels I am not sure I will ever use. I need either the ...

Yeah,I uncovered a time capsule myself a few months back.An old,unlabeled box of mine filled with NOS Floquil enamels,model master enamels and Testors 1/4 enamel bottles and about 5-7 30z. aerosol cans. I'd be into selling or trading for other colors if others were interested?

I might also look at "some" of the taxidermy paints. They have lacquers as well as acrylics, but I think their color range and pallet are "locked in" and there's not allot of variety.

I'm going to see what information and recommendations i might get from an auto paint retailer when working with enamels.

Okay, thanks for the input. Golden airbrush acrylics, Liquitex, and FW acrylic inks it is.

Thanks for the input. I know Tamiya makes a flattening additive for its acrylics, but I supposed they don't for their enamels because I might attempt to use that on one of my model master enamels I have a surplus of. I may investigate and research this a little further and find out what an automotiv...

I was curious to know,if using enamels and thinning them out using "lacquer thinner", does that make them act/behave more like a lacquer paint?I know that they dry pretty quick using lacquer thinner. I'm only asking(and I feel kinda dumb asking) is that I have a few vinyl kits.Not many, bu...

I know that the typical answer to this would be, "use a flat or semi-gloss clear coat" or even to, "sand the painted surface after it cures to dull it down",but has anyone attempted using a flattening powder or "base" with a flattening agent in it to completely flatten ...

I've got a few model master and testor enamles that are a good 25 years old. Yeah...Humbrol. They don't make them like that anymore.

You gotta shake up those old enamels like Floquil and Areomaster. Even if the pigment has settled to the bottom of the jar and its all solvent&resin binder on top, the paint(believe it or not) is still good. You have to shake the hell out of it. I would not open the jars and "break the seal...

I have some Floquil enamels that are 30 to ...close to 40 years old that are still good in the bottle. They need to be shaken up periodically, but are as good as the day when new on the shelf.

You might be able to get the same result using acrylic. Its much harder than styrene and might tool better? You need to use acrylic solvent. I'd probably use the thick one that has acrylic in it and maybe some of the solvent to adjust consistency, but you still want to keep it "thick". MEK...

I recommend MEK. It melts styrene like crazy,you barely need a drop to weld plastic parts together like styrene and ABS. You usually get a "good squeeze" that will come out of a seam when you press or are holding parts together with(after sanding) makes a seamless welded joint. MEK won't w...

I didn't have that problem using the 5 min. steel epoxy, but I wasn't using it to fill in large areas. The spots were relatively shallow and I started working on it right away after the 5 min. were up and the epoxy "set". It sanded smoothly, the scribing tool I made from K&S brass at t...

Just depends what you are trying to do? Photo-etch is a bit different to work with and requires different prep work if you want to do it right? If you want to retain the natural brass finish(I've never done that),you would need to give it a lite sanding on its surfaces, bend it to shape(if required)...