Starship Modeler Discussion Forums

Hey gang, when you hand brush the tamiya transparent paints, do you do them straight out of the bottle or do you thin them first?

DX-SFX wrote:Microset does indeed smell like vinegar

I blow acrylics, with future over them and the only time I used microet it actually ate through my future and the paint underneath, both of which had weeks to cure. Did I do something wrong is is microset/solvaset not the way to go for acrylics?

Thanks, kylwell! The only acrylic that's easily available around here is Model Master's Acryl. There are plenty of enamels available too. I'll try everything once. My next thing is to try spraying Future. I brought all my old models from high school home (to the delight of my parents) this weekend....

Just wondering.. I have a hard time finding an easy to navigate model supply website.

superjedi wrote:Thanks! I'll give that a try.

Go to federationmodels.com . I am sure there is a contact link there for him. Look under "Decals".

Hi, I searched for different "Blade Runner" topics and couldn't find anything. Does anyone know of a source for good water slide decals for the Medicom "Future Car" (Spinner)? I got one recently and am wanting to do a conversion into a police spinner, and decals are hard to come...

The big problem with most CA glues are the bottles which are gas permiable. Air (& moisture) get in, glue goes funky. Hmmm... I wonder if placing it in an air tight freezer bag would help at all? I know glue is cheap, that isn't the issue. I am about an hour away from my LHS, so I have to go wa...

I ask because I have some that has had the lid on it, ctored in a cool, dry, dark place for a while now. When I go to use it, it acts like it is trying to come out, but doesn't move a whole lot.

TER-OR wrote:A rinse aid for the dishwasher reportedly works well, too.

Hey Ter, do you or does anyone else know the name of the dishwasher agent?

I love working with pastels. It's has got to be the easiest way I have ever ran arcoss for weathering. Get a soft fluffy brush, called a mop. Dab it in some white pastel dush, tap the worst off in your hand and run the brush lightly across the top of you model to get very soft hilights or go harder...

"Cherish the Aves, storeth it in a cool, dry place. Sealeth it in its tubs, placed in zipper bags. Know ye this day, though Aves love for thee and thy models is unconditional, it needs help from the fold. It will endureth forever and ever. Call upon Aves in your darkest hour, and it will answe...

The weird grease like substance is normal. Aves is just like wonder puty that I bought 4 years ago. It's still good. As long as you keep the lids on and keep ii in a cool dry place like a storage cabinet or drawer it should last a good long time. Here's a sign that it doesn't work anymore. When you...

Does it go bad? I just unpacked it after being in its sealed container for a year, and there is a weird grease like substance on top of the "B" putty.

If you have a Michael's or Hobby Lobby, check there. Try and find something other than the Badger brand though. I'm sure it works fine, it is just incredibly expensive. Or check an art supply store as well. Something that carries airbrushing supplies. Good Luck. Mike I asked the people at my michae...

I have yet to see real frisket paper in my LHS. Is there an online place that handles it? Is it the same as parafin paper?

Hold on tight! ZING - we slide to the finishing forum. I've heard some people have switched from Frisket to Glad Press-n-Seal. As far as transferring - you can use an airbrush and paint it onto the fresh frisket, then cut out what you don't want. You can put your pattern under a piece of glass, and...

I got a kit from my local hobby store and have made several decals in the last year, on my Cannon inkjet. My printer puts out really nice photographs, but the printing on my decals is a little 'grainy' which might be the decal paper itself. After spraying the decals and applying, they look fine, th...

I have a decent Dell printer at home, but I didn't know how hard it was and what all was involved.

I am getting ready to move, and for the first time in a LOOONG time i will have a "craft room" just for me, to do my models, draw, and play music in. The only down side is there are no windows in it. :( Before, with the spray booth I built, I could venilate it out a window. So does anyone ...

Yes, you should always topcoat your decals with clear to protect them. And that way you can also apply washes over them. Depending on the model I will either airbrush the whole thing with Future or just the panel which has the decal. BUT BE WARNED. The Future will not prevent the decal from being l...

If you never try it, you would never learn it... I did my very first lighted model (and the first one for 8 years) one month ago. If you want to have a look, please follow the link: http://www.sosmatic.net/~marcal/done.html (click on the picture) the page is under construction, but this section is ...

JTGraphics wrote:The primer is acting weird so I guess it's a bad batch. It actually kind of oozes a sticky clear substance from the nozzel. I've thrown it out.

Good idea. I've never seen it do that before. Good luck with your next batch, my friend.

I'm trying to finish up a kit for release at Wonderfest but I'm having trouble. The primer seems to be crap. It's as if it's permanently tacky. I even tried to remove it with Easy Off and it didn't quite do the job. Any suggestions on the primer removal? (Duplicolor sandable primer) I'm going to sw...

It will not paint a clean, contained line. You'll get fuzzier edges than normal and you'll get some spatter. Really, the best thing to do is buy a replacement and look at both. Then you'll get an idea about how quickly or slowly the tip wears. The needle jams into it, so it's going to go bad over t...

Jagdson wrote:Most plastics are readily flammable.

For someone with no experience or understanding of electrical work? Better off to avoid it?

Do you guys do 2-3 major sub-assemblies, glue, prime, and paint them, ebfore joining them together? Or do you build it all as one, then prine, paint, etc? and why?

Get a new tip. Buy a couple while you're doing so. The tip will wear down over time, and you may not notice until you try to do precision work. A worn tip may be OK for area coverage, but not fine control. A cracked tip - is garbage. You wil have no control. hey Ter, how can you tell when your tip ...

Why not rest the model on a stand made from acrylic rods? Something like this display stand No drilling required, and you can play... err... examine the model at will. This one. requires drilling - or at least some glue, but looks cool. Frank How much is the non drulling one run? BTW, to the OP, un...

I'm finally done with my first resin kit, Starcraft's TOS Romulan Bird-of-prey. For once I'm actually proud of the job I did, and I'm eager to display it properly. I made a rookie mistake, though. I didn't make any preperations for displaying the kit. I don't have a stand, there's no hole on the bo...