Cleaning Models Prior to Painting

i use lukewarm water and a squirt of liquid. i leave it in for a few hours, rinse-dunk three times and air dry. works fine.

Squander putty is waterproof and should stay stuck to the model especially if you mixed it 50/50 with liquid glue to assist adhesion.

There's a lot of different ways people wash their models, you should get plenty of advice. When you're talking plastic, I soak in a container of hot water and cheap (the few additives the better) dishwashing fluid. Then use an old toothbrush to work up a nice foam, hot water rinse and you can air dry or use your airbrush at high pressure and no paint to dry it. Water shouldn't be much hotter than your hands can stand it.

If you're washing resin you'll need Westley s Bleche white and that toothbrush. hth

The Keeper (of too much crap)

O.K. I use a cotton ball soaked in Poly-S's "Plasti-Prep". It's a pink liquid, probably basically alcohol, that removes skin oils and mold release and such. If you want to use a solution of warm water and dish washing liquid, be sure you don't use one of the dishwashing products that contains (and leaves behind) a coating of hand cream. It may make Milady's hands softer but it raises hell with paint adhesion.

Bill Shuey

I just wipe mine down with a clean rag dampened with mineral spirits.

I rarely soak a model that's about to be painted. I can't recall the last time I did. I use a soft toothbrush, Ivory soap and tepid water. Gently swish the brush back and forth on the model after rubbing the brush across the soap bar. Rinse and let dry. That's all I do.

Bill Banaszak, MFE

Load up the ole Airbrush with a dose of that Plastic Prep and blast away. When you run out of liquid, just keep blasting. The air will evaporate the left over Plastic Prep quickly and you can go right to paint.

Norm

Are you a CO2 salesman? ;)

I've found methylated spirits can soften some softer styrenes. I generally go for the soap and water in the sink job followed with a water rinse. Then blow it dry with the compressor. I did recently have a problem with a Klingon Bird of Prey and s***ty enamel paint though - so it does appear that maybe something like a weakened metho, water, and detergent might've been worth a try.

We have an ammonia based cleaning product called "Nifti" which even cleaned castor oil off my RC planes without dulling the paint - maybe one day I'll test try that as well.

I've also found that it depends what your painting with... gloss enamels being the most affected by a uncleaned greasy fingerprint but a flat undercoat - no sweat.

Mitch

Thanks for the replies, everyone. This is a cool newsgroup.

We try. There is a real loser or two in the woodwork, but the rest are a real good bunch, always willing to help, even with what you might think is a stupid question. Speaking of which, there is a FAQ board you can go to, which may help get your question answered much more quickly--I only wish I could find it, sorry. Hey guys, somebody help me out here?

When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return. --Leonardo Da Vinci

Just what the doctor ordered..

Mitch