General Model Kit Building Thread

I'll never forget applying the decals on the Castro Toms Supra. PITA, but more enjoyable than the WRC Peugeot 206 that left me in tears.

Any finished pics?
 
The hobby store near me has some pretty cool stuff. Here's some of them.

17800057_10155256996209974_8232266737620820730_n.jpg
 
Those stores are evil. The boxes look so enticing stacked like that.

As a side-effect a part of my room now looks like a store, but instead of being enticing they just make me feel guilty. :lol:
 
Does anyone happen to know how I could strip spray enamel paint off of a plastic body without damaging the body itself?
 
I've heard people swear by brake fluid for stripping paint. Supposedly it doesn't damage styrene (the type of plastic that pretty much all mass produced kits are made of), but I've never tried it myself so I advise caution.

I recall some people using various types of industrial strength cleaners/degreasers, but again it's all second hand knowledge
 
No build pics but I finished this today. It needed some minor detailing to bring up the realism, such as painting the window net.



Apok
I've heard people swear by brake fluid for stripping paint. Supposedly it doesn't damage styrene (the type of plastic that pretty much all mass produced kits are made of), but I've never tried it myself so I advise caution.

I recall some people using various types of industrial strength cleaners/degreasers, but again it's all second hand knowledge
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I actually happen to have a spare painted body laying around that I'm 99.9% sure won't ever go with the remaining car or another project, so I'll try those ideas out on it. Do you happen to know if its a specific type of brake fluid or will any old brake fluid work?
 
Johnny1996
No build pics but I finished this today. It needed some minor detailing to bring up the realism, such as painting the window net.




I actually happen to have a spare painted body laying around that I'm 99.9% sure won't ever go with the remaining car or another project, so I'll try those ideas out on it. Do you happen to know if its a specific type of brake fluid or will any old brake fluid work?
Click to expand...


A quick google search and some forums later would suggest that, while any type would probably work, DOT 3 is what people report works well.
 
Apok
A quick google search and some forums later would suggest that, while any type would probably work, DOT 3 is what people report works well.
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I did a bit of research myself and turned up the same thing, which works perfectly since I already have plenty of it. I'll try it out on that spare body I mentioned last post and see how it works out. Thanks for the help!
 
Johnny1996
I did a bit of research myself and turned up the same thing, which works perfectly since I already have plenty of it. I'll try it out on that spare body I mentioned last post and see how it works out. Thanks for the help!
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Make sure to post about the results, I'm curious.
 
Apok
Make sure to post about the results, I'm curious.
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It was a partial failure. It only worked on the primer but not the color coat. I tried three different bodies and it was the same result for all of them.
DG_Silva
We've always known that the best way to exact revenge on someone you don't like is to pour brake fluid over their car. This article suggests Dettol as well, but a longer wait is needed:

http://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Paint-from-Metal-and-Plastic-Models-with-Dettol
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I found that article myself but didn't have anything readily available that I could use but I'm hoping to try it soon.

EDIT: And as if things couldn't get worse, they did. I sprayed some clearcoat down on another project. The label on the can said it was clearcoat. It wasn't. So add another body to the list that needs stripped.
 
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Apok
How long did you leave it soaked?
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Probably not long enough (I don't know an exact timeframe) and possibly not enough fluid itself. I was trying to save what I could for my three wheeler since I need it for that.
 
Simple Green, Purple Power, and 91% Rubbing alcohol are also used for stripping. The alcohol has to be 91%. DOT3 brake fluid seems to work on most everything, but care should be used as if left in for too long it could make the plastic brittle. I've left things in it for a week or so with no negative effects.
 
Yep. 1st gen v10 with tubular headers and custom made metal intake trumpets for a le-mans racing viper styled intake. I also made rings for the diecast viper wheels to give some dish. The interior is what I haven't planned or mapped out yet. I want to keep it as a 2seater as well. I chopped up the standard gearbox to make a custom one that will fit in such a small space..... lol. I'm tring to keep it as legit as possible without being to imaginative. Dodge/chrysler actually made real mid engined viper back in the mid 90's, but it is hella ugly! Before I started with the model, I drew out blue prints of what my final result is that I am aiming for. This build is very special for me.

I do have other projects too, like tring to convert a revell 99 mitsubishi eclipse gst awd turbo into a 98 eagle talon tsi awd turbo. Also rebuilding a broken s2000 as a ratchet ride (fender delete, bumper delete, cambered, ect.)!
 
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Just encountered some problems while working on my model.

As I was cutting off excess plastic on the sprue marks of the body cowl of my MP4/4, I decided to try and use some sandpaper to sand off the plastic, to see if I could achieve a smoother finish. However, after a bit of sanding, it left a brownish grey patch on my body cowl, as well as some scratch marks. So I'd like to ask: what is the next step that I should take? Do I need to apply primer in order to achieve the original glossy finish, or is it okay to just start spray painting with a colour coat? If it helps, I have some Tamiya polishing compound.

Here's a pic of what I'm talking about:

IMG_7713.JPG


A quick reply would be appreciated, as I am going to spray paint it within a couple of hours if there's no problem.

Edit: I've got another question: Am I supposed to get this if I want my models to have that glossy appearance without having to buy an airbrush system? Have any of you tried Mr Hobby's gloss top coat? If so, any advice, and can it be applied over Tamiya paints? I don't want to waste money on it only to realize that it can't be used on my models.
 

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GT HP Nut
Just encountered some problems while working on my model.

As I was cutting off excess plastic on the sprue marks of the body cowl of my MP4/4, I decided to try and use some sandpaper to sand off the plastic, to see if I could achieve a smoother finish. However, after a bit of sanding, it left a brownish grey patch on my body cowl, as well as some scratch marks. So I'd like to ask: what is the next step that I should take? Do I need to apply primer in order to achieve the original glossy finish, or is it okay to just start spray painting with a colour coat? If it helps, I have some Tamiya polishing compound.

Here's a pic of what I'm talking about:

View attachment 664302

A quick reply would be appreciated, as I am going to spray paint it within a couple of hours if there's no problem.

Edit: I've got another question: Am I supposed to get this if I want my models to have that glossy appearance without having to buy an airbrush system? Have any of you tried Mr Hobby's gloss top coat? If so, any advice, and can it be applied over Tamiya paints? I don't want to waste money on it only to realize that it can't be used on my models.
Click to expand...

I'm a little confused at what I am looking at. That is a bare unpainted piece of plastic? Or did you apply primer and then accidentally sand off a little patch of it?
Anyway, you don't need a glossy looking piece to achieve a glossy finish at all, however those scratches look relatively deep. Hard to tell from the picture, but maybe sanding with some finer sandpaper first would be a good idea.
It's probably fine though.
Another reason you might want to apply primer is that if you're painting with a very bright colour, you have to know that the colour isn't totally opaque, it's a little bit transparent. This is important because if you had, say, a red piece of plastic and wanted to paint it white, if you don't use primer (which IS opaque) you'd get a pinkish colour. Same principle if you have a darker patch somewhere. It'll show through white paint. The colour difference doesn't look too bad on your picture, so perhaps it's fine, but I'd err on the side of caution and just use primer. Goes without saying that if you want white paint, you use white primer.
(All of the above might be dependant on the brand of paint, but that's the experience I have with the ones I've tried.)

You can get any glossy clear coat if you want a nice shiny finish, that mostly comes down to polish/wax. I don't think there's anything special about Mr. Hobby's gloss clear coat, it's just another brand you can use. All comes down to preference in the end.
I've never used Mr Hobby clear coat and can't say for sure if you can use it on Tamiya paint. If I had to guess I'd say you probably can.





One of these days I need to start building again and put money where my mouth is. :lol:
 
Apok
I'm a little confused at what I am looking at. That is a bare unpainted piece of plastic? Or did you apply primer and then accidentally sand off a little patch of it?
Anyway, you don't need a glossy looking piece to achieve a glossy finish at all, however those scratches look relatively deep. Hard to tell from the picture, but maybe sanding with some finer sandpaper first would be a good idea.
It's probably fine though.
Another reason you might want to apply primer is that if you're painting with a very bright colour, you have to know that the colour isn't totally opaque, it's a little bit transparent. This is important because if you had, say, a red piece of plastic and wanted to paint it white, if you don't use primer (which IS opaque) you'd get a pinkish colour. Same principle if you have a darker patch somewhere. It'll show through white paint. The colour difference doesn't look too bad on your picture, so perhaps it's fine, but I'd err on the side of caution and just use primer. Goes without saying that if you want white paint, you use white primer.
(All of the above might be dependant on the brand of paint, but that's the experience I have with the ones I've tried.)

You can get any glossy clear coat if you want a nice shiny finish, that mostly comes down to polish/wax. I don't think there's anything special about Mr. Hobby's gloss clear coat, it's just another brand you can use. All comes down to preference in the end.
I've never used Mr Hobby clear coat and can't say for sure if you can use it on Tamiya paint. If I had to guess I'd say you probably can.





One of these days I need to start building again and put money where my mouth is. :lol:
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It's an unpainted piece of plastic with nothing done to it other than washing it with soap. The surface doesn't feel very rough, but the reflection is gone if you shine some light on it. I think I'll have to spray a layer of primer on it then.

Also, the only reason I'm asking about Mr. Hobby's gloss clear is that I believe it's the only brand I can find at my local modelling store that doesn't require an airbrush system. Other canned gloss clear are also fine, but I can't find them at my nearest store.

Thanks for the answer. 👍
 
GT HP Nut
It's an unpainted piece of plastic with nothing done to it other than washing it with soap. The surface doesn't feel very rough, but the reflection is gone if you shine some light on it. I think I'll have to spray a layer of primer on it then.

Also, the only reason I'm asking about Mr. Hobby's gloss clear is that I believe it's the only brand I can find at my local modelling store that doesn't require an airbrush system. Other canned gloss clear are also fine, but I can't find them at my nearest store.

Thanks for the answer. 👍
Click to expand...

I think trying out Mr. Hobby is your best bet then. Make sure to try it out on a test piece first. And you can apply a lighter coat or two first to increase the chance of success.
 
Some more problems encountered.

Yesterday I sprayed a layer of primer onto the body cowl, but somehow after drying, the particles seemed too large. So large, in fact, you can scratch most of the layer of primer away with your fingernails and reveal the plastic underneath. That got me thinking: did I buy the wrong primer? The primer that I bought is the gray surface primer made by Tamiya. But as I searched on the Internet, I found that Tamiya also produces a fine surface primer in white. So I guess I bought the wrong primer. :ouch:

Is it possible to still achieve that smooth and glossy surface that was once possible with the bare body after applying such a coarse layer of primer? If not, does any modelling company manufacture a substance that was specifically designed to strip paint, including primers? If not, are there any readily available household cleaning agents that can do the same while not eroding the plastic? I don't think brake fluid is readily available in where I live.
 
GT HP Nut
Some more problems encountered.

Yesterday I sprayed a layer of primer onto the body cowl, but somehow after drying, the particles seemed too large. So large, in fact, you can scratch most of the layer of primer away with your fingernails and reveal the plastic underneath. That got me thinking: did I buy the wrong primer? The primer that I bought is the gray surface primer made by Tamiya. But as I searched on the Internet, I found that Tamiya also produces a fine surface primer in white. So I guess I bought the wrong primer. :ouch:

Is it possible to still achieve that smooth and glossy surface that was once possible with the bare body after applying such a coarse layer of primer? If not, does any modelling company manufacture a substance that was specifically designed to strip paint, including primers? If not, are there any readily available household cleaning agents that can do the same while not eroding the plastic? I don't think brake fluid is readily available in where I live.
Click to expand...

I haven't heard of a product specifically meant for stripping model paint sadly. I think your best bet might be to give the whole body a light sanding. Might even be able to paint the body with no additional primer afterwards, depending on how coarse it is and assuming you don't sand through the primer anywhere. A light sand might even help the paint adhere to the primer better, though that is rarely a problem.
 
Apok
I haven't heard of a product specifically meant for stripping model paint sadly. I think your best bet might be to give the whole body a light sanding. Might even be able to paint the body with no additional primer afterwards, depending on how coarse it is and assuming you don't sand through the primer anywhere. A light sand might even help the paint adhere to the primer better, though that is rarely a problem.
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Do you know if Tamiya spray paints and primers are lacquer-based? My guess is they are lacquer-based, but I want to be more certain before I try out something on the body cowl.

Thanks for the answer, again.
 
Tamiya is acrylic lacquer. If you can scratch it off, the body was most likely not clean, or the primer was sprayed too far away. I wasn't aware of the "surface"primer, all I've seen and used was "fine" surface primer. Sanding what you have now won't help much other than as a method of removing it because it hasn't bonded to the body.

Strip it with 91% Isopropyl Alcohol. It has to be 91% and it is available in many drug stores. Put it in a tub or something, and let the body soak. Remove the primer with a stiff brush, like a denture brush. Respray the primer as wet as you feel comfortable. It should have a nice smooth satin finish. Sand with 1000-2000 grit wet or dry and you should be good to go.
 
Maybe someone here would know, but I have a problem with a paint brush. My only detailing brush is fine when dry, but after dipping it in paint the bristles fan out and make using it for detailing next to impossible. I was wondering if anyone knew why and how to fix it?
 

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