Starship Modeler Discussion Forums

Here's a few step-by-step shots of how I built my plastic tub spray booth: http://www.devinjpoore.com/models/booth.htm I've been tweaking this design for the past 15 years or so, I made the first one out of a 20mm Phalanx ammo box while in the Navy; a little small, but I was only doing D&D figur...

I actually walk within a few blocks of B&H Photo 4 or 5 days a week. I'll give that a look. The canned air idea works sometimes, the only problem I've had with that is you have to make sure it doesn't have TOO much pressure if you're cleaning something delicate: I sent the bridge railings on a W...

Does anyone have a recommendation for tack cloths? I've been using the no-name brands from ACE and Home Depot without much luck. They have so much adhesive on them that it's akin to wiping with a syrup-soaked pancake: fingerprints, splotches of adhesive, discoloration. It ain't good. I've been using...

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have a bit of free time this weekend so I'm going to make up some mock deck sections, drill them out, and try the epoxy idea, and I think I also have some Envirotex around here somewhere. If I have the Envirotex I'll probably do that, I have a gaming miniature I did...

I could use Aves but that would defeat the purpose of doing it in clear. I need to paint the bottom of the holes silver, with a green clear over that, and then bring the holes up to a few millimeters below the deck height with the clear resin. The holes are channels for deadlights that brought some ...

This is a non-scifi project, but construction related none the less. I have some 1/8" holes in the deck of a Civil War ironclad that need to be filled with clear resin or epoxy. The holes aren't much more than 1/8 to 1/4" deep . If I go with resin, is it going to creep up on the sides and ...

I'm in need of a wire wrapping tool, and maybe some resistors and LED's just to round out an online order. What's the recommendation for a quick shipping online source? I just visited three local Radio Shacks and asked about wire wrapping tools and they looked at me like I was speaking Latin. Thanks...

I tried that years ago, maybe even far back enough that I was still in the Navy. The vac has a lot of suction but it doesn't seem to move enough air volume for venting. My fan currently vents 100cfm (cubic feet per minute) and it keeps up well enough with light airbrushing, but if I go for heavy coa...

I did that exact thing! I still need a higher capacity fan, but I cut the board to 1/4" wider than the window opening. I can slide it into the window tracks, close it down (also used the foam tape to seal the board) and it's airtight.

Ah, nice. Thanks for all the info guys.

Mike, that's exactly it. Thanks. Those flush rivets are perfect for the 1/96th scale Civil War ironclad I'm working on.

Erin, what is this beading tool of which you speak?

Thanks, guys.

Several months ago, maybe even longer than that, someone posted a tool they had made for making flush rivets in styrene and resin. I believe it was fashioned out of a tube, nail, or maybe even a crocheting needle. You twist it on a flat surface and it removed material, leaving the impression of a co...

Thanks for the info. Yes, the fan is the thing: the one I have works decently in the small booth I have, but it won't pull near what I want for this. I'm going to have to find something with real cajones to pull through all that filter material.

I have a working spray booth solution that I'm quite happy with. My problem is that it vents outside, and during the winter I can't as easily pop open the window and use it. Does anyone know of a system that I could buy, or preferably build, so that I could filter the air inside? I'm just curious ho...

So the 1000 stuff can be airbrushed if thined 50%/50% with Mr. Surfacer thinner? Yes. I use more like 70% thinner though. I've found recently that if I go more than 50/50 thinner to surfacer that it goes on translucent and is a good sealer, but it isn't a very good filler. If I'm filling pin holes,...

Kylwell wrote:This would probably work for model applications

Dude! Those are perfect! (well, assuming they work like the Waldron set they look like, that is). Thanks.

I'll also check out some Fiskars when I get a chance.

Thanks guys.

-Devin

I have the Waldron set of small punches; the sub-minature ones to be precise. A great set that works wonderfully. I need something to do larger punches, though, up to 3/8th of an inch. I picked up this and this . Neither of them really cuts it, pardon the pun. Thin or thick sheet styrene I get disto...

That's what I figured out for myself over the weekend: spray it on, sand it smooth as possible with a wet fine grade, repeat MULTIPLE times. I've got it looking pretty good now. Thanks everyone for the ideas.

-Devin

Mike, Thanks for the suggestions. I've been doing a little of what you suggested, and a little of just building up the coats. It's at the point of saturation now so that even if the Mr. Surfacer shows pock marks where the holes are, a little surface sanding smooths it all out. I didn't know the coff...

Thanks. That's actually what I've been using. Spot filling big gaps with 500, then brushing and airbrushing the 1000 overall. Some of the holes just defy being filled, though. I'm starting to think they have mold release agent inside of them that the initial cleaning with Bleech White and lacquer th...

I've got a model that has tons of tiny pin holes. Tons of them. Every time I prime and sand an area it doesn't totally fill in everything, and then the sanding reveals more of them. Any recommendations? This is a long and featureless piece of resin (a 23" long ironclad monitor deck) that I coul...

I did all of the masking on this ship a few years back using Silly Putty. It's a learning curve, but for complex masks and shapes, it's very useful.

-Devin

I haven't done a natural metal finish in years. Actually the last time I did one was on a Monogram B-29 using the old Floquil lacquers. Anyway, what does everyone recommend for natural metal, the Alcad II paints, or Testors Metallizers? I'm doing the Fantastic Plastic new Cylon Raider. I'm leaning t...

I have a resin kit that I need to fill some voids, pin holes, broken seams, etc. I'm going to be scribing the resin and these repaired areas. What is going to better take a scribed line most like the surrounding resin, Aves or the black CA that the SM Store sells? I have both, and just want to make ...

Interesting thread. I'm in the process of working up a diorama of a WWII ship in 1/350 burning heavily. I never would have considered the expanding foam. Very effective in that Shadow diorama.

-Devin

I use tea bag paper for canvas railing covers on my 1/350th scale ship models. Flexible, responds well to water, and you can paint it a little to keep the fiber showing, or more coats to make it smoother. Check this link, scroll about halfway down to the section titled "Bridge": http://www...

Pick up some Wesley's Bleech White, it's a white wall tire cleaner. Use gloves! Spray it on, let set for a minute, then scrub off with an old tooth brush and rinse. I build a lot of resin ships, and always had problems even with 'hot' primers peeling from time to time. Started washing with this stuf...

Does this require special paint? Yes. Typically it is applied in powdered form, and melts/fuses into a paintlike finish when baked. Actually the powder form is called Powder Coat, a different process. I know it can be done with liquid enamel paint, because I've seen it done by guys who paint motorc...

I know that when pro's paint metal items, they bake them in an oven to get them super tough. Has anyone ever tried this with a model piece (cast metal, of course). I'm getting ready to re-paint some diecast metal tow trucks for a customer, and I'd really like to be able to bake it in the home over i...