Painting problems with model kitts

Hi,

Last time I built a model kit was when I was a teenager, 15 years ago. I have a few Kitts lying around that I never got around to building. I recently decided to attempt to build some of those kits.

The problem is my experience in painting them. 15 years ago I was more interested in assembling them, leaving the model primaraly in its original plastic colour with minimal detail painting.

I am working on an 18 Inch AMT Model of the Starship Enterprise that I had bought back in 2001 while on Holidays in America. To protect my furniture I am working on top of layers of old Newspaper. The problem is when the paint drys the edges of the Model parts end up sticking to the paper, some of the paint seeps underneath so when the parts have dryed and I go to move them, bits of newspaper remain stuck to the model.

My query is what do others us as more suitable surface to allow their models to dry?

Patrick

Reply to
pmaguire
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You don't say how you are painting the model or with what kind of paints.

If the model has a stand, painting it first and THEN attaching the model to the stand helps a lot in the case of something like the Enterprise.

If you aren't used to painting it, spraying it white overall with a spray can (model enamel or acrylic preferred) would be a good start, followed by touch-up and detail painting with a brush.

You will need to get a gloss coat on the model in order to put the decals on and have them "blend" into the finish (as well as not chip off). They make spray cans of Testors Glosscoat and Dullcoat (which is a flat lacquer to protect the model once done).

There are a number of books out there on painting with an airbrush, which is the only really good way to go. You may want to pick one up and see how it is done. Also if there is a model club around pay them a visit -- most modelers are cheerful about helping the "newbies" out.

Cookie Sewell

Reply to
AMPSOne

Welcome back. The local hobby store owner likes to say we lose modelers from time to time, but we always seem to get them back at least once.

Cardboard with newspaper or craft paper taped around it is my preference for large parts resting on a large surface. I've had loose newspaper edges and plastic sheet "kick up" from the blast from the airbrush. Sticking is not a problem as the majority of my coats are light dusty dry coats. Something like a car body that has to have repeated heavy wet coats of paint is best suspended and fixtured from the unpainted side by wire or brackets on a dedicated hobby fixture or homemade block of wood type assembly. Small parts are either sticking to two sided tape or locked in a vise or gator clip.

I haven't watched this so I cannot attest to the soundness of any advice given, I just Googled it to see what was out there. The modeler appears have uploaded several small vids on his build. You might want to have a look:

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As Mr Monk might say, having the resources of the internet at your disposal is a blessing... and a curse.

WmB

Reply to
WmB

I prepaint most of my models by brush as I have a compromised respiratory system. My fume filter mask does not work with Tamiya acrylic thinners for some reason so the airbrush is reserved for large single colour areas with the window open. In general I use Humbrol enamel for small parts. To hold parts and models whilst painting and/or drying I have several simple jigs made from left over sprue with supports from more sprue and the thin foam used to pack computer components. For very small parts, I attached them to sticks of sprue with Blutak and, once painted, the sprue stick is poked into a block of styrene foam or the edge of the corrogated cardboard carton I use a s aspray booth. Welcome back, I am another plastic returnee after many years of defection to R/C and real Cessnas. For those who can view attached pix, I have attached a small yEnc of my setup.

Tony Carr Chch, NZ

Reply to
Stadia

on 9/9/2009 4:11 PM (ET) pmaguire wrote the following:

Waxed paper. You know, the stuff that your Mom used to wrap your lunch sandwich in before plastic wrap and bags came along. I keep a taped piece on my workbench at all times just in case of spillage, or to put a drop of CA or plastic glue on it in order to pick up with a toothpick for intricate gluing.

Reply to
willshak

Thank you for this responce, I have 3 different size regulare brushes (I dont have the budget for an airbrush) and Humbrol Enamels

Are you suggesting I glue the model first then paint, rather than what I am aready doing which is Painting the individual parts first then gluing?

Being from Ireland the only model kit paints, glues, gloss coats etc are either Humbrol or Revell. I have noticed Humbrol do a "Decal Fix" Liquid will this do the same job as a Glosscoat?

I Colleague in work scratch builds models of Irish Busses, I when talking to him he seems to prefare regulare brushes instead if Airbrushes, Although his skill is so good he prefares to hand paint details instead of using decals.

Patrick

Reply to
pmaguire

Newspaper is the worst possible choice, IMO - not only do things stick to it, but the newsprint rubbing off usually ends up spoiling an otherwise nice paint job.

I have work surfaces dedicated to model building/painting now (simple 6 foot lengths of kitchen counter top, one supported on each end by a couple moving boxes; the other just placed on top of a cheap desk), but when I was a teen I used to work on a square of 1/2" plywood on top of my bed. When I was done for the session, I could simply slide everything out of the way under my bed.

Scrap squares of cardboard work too...I collect those from scrapped packing/shipping materials where I work. I just dispose of them when they get too over-sprayed. Bent wire coat hangers also make great painting/drying armatures.

...and about nothing will stick to wax paper. You can roll out some wax paper and tape or pin it right over your instructions and work right on top of them.

Reply to
Rufus

An airbrush makes things much smoother and dry faster, but as noted they do cost.

If most of the model is assembled (e.g big parts together and seams filled/sanded) painting it then makes better sense, as you get a better finish.

Revell makes both enamels and acrylics (for sales outside the US, as we can't find any here) and I believe so does Humbrol.

The "Decal Fix" is a setting agent -- it helps the decal "snug down" to the model. BUT it is used on top of gloss-coated models. (Most of the comments here for those with airbrushes revolve around using Johnson's Klear which is the equivalent of Future floor wax in the US as it is an acrylic base which gives a good gloss coating for the decals to adhere to.)

Some guys are just really good!

Cookie Sewell

Reply to
AMPSOne

If there are any openings for parts that are to be glued on later, I stick a dowel or piece of piano wire as far as I can into the opening. I have a couple of holes drilled in my workbench that I can stick the end of dowel or wire into.

The solution varies from model to model. There is USUALLY an opening. If not, however, I then find a natural seam and paint up to that seam first, then paint the rest after the first area dries.

A variant is the stand that has two wires that can be squeezed together to go into a small hole, but then expand to hold the model. I believe there are commercial stands like that sold by hobby dealers, but a number of modelers build their own.

Reply to
Don Stauffer

Toothpicks, foam blocks, spare sprue bits ...

Glue the part to the toothpick or spare sprue bit - hopefully somewhere that is covered when the model is glued together.

paint away. holding the stick. stick it in the foam block until it drys.

If you have to glue to a visible surface, you can touch the small area up after removing the toothpick/sprue bit.

All sorts of things can be used in place of the toothpicks/spare sprue bits.

I have a bunch of popsicle sticks with various small plastic and metal clips glued to them.

Heck, you can even use masking tape to tape an object to a toothpick or popscile stick in a pinch.

Reply to
John McGrail

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