How best to clean parts.

Grouncontrol · Post by **Grouncontrol** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 9:36 pm

Okay, this is probably the dumbest question on here, but here goes: I've seen in several threads that you have to clean off parts before painting, due to handling the parts, oil from your skin getting on them. Is there a certain cleaner for this, or is something like windex good enough?
Feeling dumb

but asking anyway![/list]

AbsoluteSciFi · Post by **AbsoluteSciFi** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 8:11 pm

I run the entire spru tree under warm water and Dawn. It takes grease out of your way. After that, let dry or towel off. To keep your hands dry and or free from oiling the surface of your model, dust them often with talc or baking soda. This will help to keep them from sticking when you use CA too.

Do this and you won't have to clean it very much before painting. I never do- but I also sand using at least 600 grit before painting, too. The paint prep is to "brush" the model free of dust.

Glorfindel · Post by **Glorfindel** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 10:23 pm

I agree with AbsoluteSciFi. A good warm bath in a mild dish washing detergent works great at removing mold release off both styrene and resin. And then for good measure put your parts in. Uh, put your sprue trees in with your...Oh, forget it. Just wash the model.

Harry Joy · Post by **Harry Joy** » Sun May 01, 2011 1:19 am

I only wash resin and short run Eastern European kits. Few mainstream or western kits come with mold release on them, and that's what a sink wash is good for. Years ago I washed before building, but finally after some experimentation realized it was unnecessary.

I do clean my kits before I commence the final painting stage, though. That's to remove any dust or oil from my fingers. For that, I usually just give them a spritz and rinse with Windex or a quick wipe with rubbing alcohol. It depends entirely on which is close at hand. If I'm planning on using a primer coat, the final cleaning is really nothing more than habit, because the primer will cover and kill any oils from your hand. The alcohol/Windex wash is essential for most of my builds though, because I don't use primers very often any more. And since I paint with acrylics, they can come off if the surface isn't clean.

Ace Airspeed · Post by **Ace Airspeed** » Mon May 02, 2011 9:26 am

I wash the parts in water and dish detergent - and clean the parts again with 90% isopropyl alcohol immediately prior to painting.

Stu Pidasso · Post by **Stu Pidasso** » Mon May 02, 2011 10:08 am

Fire?

Grouncontrol · Post by **Grouncontrol** » Mon May 09, 2011 10:00 am

Thanks all for the advice! It's been a long time since I actually finished a model - and I barely painted that one! (it was a model of the helicopter from Blue Thunder)

USS Atlantis · Post by **USS Atlantis** » Mon May 09, 2011 3:59 pm

I use 91% or 99% isopropyl alcohol - keep some in a spray bottle

Couple spritzes and a wipe with some lint-free wipes (photo wipes) and she's clean enough for anything you want to do

AbsoluteSciFi · Post by **AbsoluteSciFi** » Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:43 am

Alcohol is great for prepping a model for paint, but out of the box, the model will have some type of release agent on it. Getting that off is a matter of detergent. Alcohol might not encapsulate the release agent the way a detergent will, and thereby some will be left behind on the model.

Two things that a detergent has are: encapsulating effects, and reduced surface tension of water. A detergent diode looks like a ball with two arrow or hooks stemming off of it. One hook loves water, and one does not. The hydrophobic hook wants to get away or out of the water, and thereby reduces the surface tension and allows the water to get into areas of things that it would normally not, it actually can "hook" soil and grease. The water loving end keeps the diode anchored in the water, allowing it to pull against things it has speared with the hydrophobic end.

As the diodes pull things into the water, more and more diodes surround the particle, and this process ins known as "encapsulation". After the encapsulation of a particle, it will travel with the water, and not be left behind on the model; um er, or your dishes.

Alcohol does not do this, but what alcohol does do is pull things out of the surface, and strip the surface of ions, leaving it "wanting" to attach to something, like paint.

EXPERIMENT FOR ENCAPSULATION:

Get two small bowls. Put 1/4 cup of water in each. dissolve one heaping tablespoon of baking soda into first bowl, leave the second alone. Mix. Squeeze a generous amount of Elmer's white glue into both, and stir.

Ziz · Post by **Ziz** » Sun Jun 05, 2011 9:11 am

I never bothered much with formal washing of parts because I wet sand all my putty work so I figure the model is naturally getting washed in that process anyway.

Rocketeer · Post by **Rocketeer** » Sun Jun 05, 2011 9:44 am

Stu Pidasso wrote:Fire?

Nuke it from orbit?

Ziz · Post by **Ziz** » Sun Jun 05, 2011 10:19 am

Rocketeer wrote:
Stu Pidasso wrote:Fire?
Nuke it from orbit?

Only way to be sure.

Tankmodeler · Post by **Tankmodeler** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 10:15 pm

I like a quick dunk in water with TSP. That'll clean just about anything. It's harsh on your hands, though. Wear rubber cloves.

If the model is to large to dunk, then I brush the watery mix on with a really soft brush and then rinse.

Paul

Captain Riker · Post by **Captain Riker** » Tue Aug 16, 2011 5:29 pm

Do you all use Bruges and actually scrub the models or just let them soak? I had a model that I soaked and did a quick pass with a soft brush but paint wouldn't stick. I had to scrape the pains and scrub it down and it was still a bit hit or miss.

Tankmodeler · Post by **Tankmodeler** » Tue Aug 16, 2011 10:44 pm

Crikerat wrote:Do you all use Bruges and actually scrub the models or just let them soak? I had a model that I soaked and did a quick pass with a soft brush but paint wouldn't stick. I had to scrape the pains and scrub it down and it was still a bit hit or miss.

I soak it in TSP solution and gently swab it with a very, very soft brush. Then I rinse it very thoroughly, again using the brush to gently swab the surface. I never "scrub". It doesn't sit in the solution very long.

And if an area looks especially fragile (like small PE bits, etc. ) I don't swab it at all.

It is critical that you rinse with clean water & get all the TSP off as it will prevent paint sticking if it remains.

I've never had any problems with my paint sticking, whether I use acrylic, enamel or lacquer paints.

Paul