thinking about ordering my first resin ANYTHING

[conor1148]

So this will be the first time ive got any sort of resin model. All ive done is regular box kits and minor customs.

now to my question. What differences are there that i should know about? Do the parts take some sort of prep or are they ready to go as is? if there is anything else i need to go about my transition by all means tell me. id hate for my first experience in resin to be frustrating...

thanks

[Aaronw]

Good timing, I literally just finished posting a resin how to on another site.

Plastic and resin share most techniques, but there are a few differences.

#1 is glue, you will need to use a CA glue (super glue) or an epoxy. Regular plastic model glue will not attach resin parts, luckily CA glue and most epoxies do work on plastic.

#2 is paint, resin often has an oily mold release left over from the casting process. Even if the resin caster does not use a mold release, unprepared resin will frequently repel paint. On the plus side "hot" automotive paints that can damage plastic will not usually hurt resin.

#3 resin is much more brittle than plastic. You can often trim plastic very closely with a sharp knife. When working with resin it is better to use a razor saw or sanding stick as cutting with a knife may cause it to shatter.

#4 resin dust is an irritant, it is best to do major sanding outside while using a dust mask.

Other than these three issues, there is not much difference between resin and plastic.

Recommended tools and materials

A plastic container large enough to hold your resin parts and enough liquid to submerge them.

Westley's Blech Wite, this is a tire cleaner you can find at most auto parts stores. This is my choice for prepping resin parts, but there are others. TSP, rubbing alchohol and prepsol are other popular cleaning supplies.

Sanding sticks, sand paper, razor saw, epoxy and / or CA glue, model putty, paint.

I'll be going though step by step with an RMR Jeep pickup.

Step 1

Seperate the parts, clean up flash

Step 2

Place parts into cleaning solution. Most of these solutions are very harsh on bare skin, so gloves are highly recommended. I prefer a container with a liquid proof lid to help avoid spills. Times very, I usually leave the parts overnight but usually a couple hours will be long enough.

Step 3

Rinse parts with warm water. I like to use a clean container filled with warm water to rinse the smaller parts as it makes losing parts down the rain less likely. A soft stiff brush like a toothbrush also helps clean the surface. I give the parts a final wash in warm soapy water, then rinse let the parts dry. You can check the surface with masking tape, if tape sticks paint should as well, if the tape won't stick to an area you might want to go back and clean the area more.

Step 4

Hunt down and fill any bubbles or other imperfections. I prefer to open bubbles from the inside and fill them with putty.

Step 5

Do any additional sanding or filling. I find emery boards work well on resin.

Step 6

Based on your preferences, you may choose to do some assembly before painting. With this particular kit, I chose to prime before doing any assembly.

Prime your parts, any primer should work, I personally have found Krylon and Plasticote seem to work better on resin than other brands I've tried. All resin is not the same though so a primer that works well with one brand may not work as well on another. Once the parts have primer on them, there is little difference between working with plastic and resin except for the glue you will be using. Just like plastic if you have painted the parts prior to assembly you should scrape the paint away from areas you will be gluing.

From this point on there is little difference from building a plastic kit.

[conor1148]

thank you! bookmarked!

on #2 on paint does that mean it should work fine with automotive primer and regular paint? and are ross gibson engines pretty high quality stuff?

[Aaronw]

Any paint you use on plastic should be fine on resin.

Resin is more tolerant of hot paints, so those that use actual automotive paints don't have to worry as much about the resin crazing like plastic will.

I haven't used any resin parts from Ross Gibson, so I don't know much about them.

[conor1148]

Any paint you use on plastic should be fine on resin.

Resin is more tolerant of hot paints, so those that use actual automotive paints don't have to worry as much about the resin crazing like plastic will.

I haven't used any resin parts from Ross Gibson, so I don't know much about them.

alright thanks, i dont want to have to buy an expensive engine (in my book) and screw it up due to my lack of experience

[MADmodelDOCTOR]

Ross Gibson Engines are great. More parts than a kit engine. When you sand, to square and flush parts, go easy. Just enough to get a good fit. Later, Kenny

[conor1148]

alright, thanks everyone

[evilone]

now my questions are what do i use to clean the mold release agent off and will a 2 part glue work

its first is the glue part and the 2nd one is the accelerator will this work

[Brendan]

now my questions are what do i use to clean the mold release agent off and will a 2 part glue work

its first is the glue part and the 2nd one is the accelerator will this work

Most resin manufacturers don't use a mold release since they use silicone molds. The oily residue is actually from the resin itself since it is a form of plastic. For removing the oil, use a mild detergent or hand soap and scrub clean with a brush. The product I use is called Awesome, usually sold in Dollar Stores. It's one of the best oil strippers that I have used. It's a citrus based cleaner. I spray it on and let it sit for about 10 minutes and then scrub away. Wash with lukewarm water and then I usually spray it with denatured alcohol so it dries quicker. (air dry) And then it's ready for primer.

As for glues, any two part epoxy or super glue will work fine on resin. If you use super glue, get a bottle of setting solution as it will prevent fogging of the super glue.

[evilone]

Most resin manufacturers don't use a mold release since they use silicone molds. The oily residue is actually from the resin itself since it is a form of plastic. For removing the oil, use a mild detergent or hand soap and scrub clean with a brush. The product I use is called Awesome, usually sold in Dollar Stores. It's one of the best oil strippers that I have used. It's a citrus based cleaner. I spray it on and let it sit for about 10 minutes and then scrub away. Wash with lukewarm water and then I usually spray it with denatured alcohol so it dries quicker. (air dry) And then it's ready for primer.

As for glues, any two part epoxy or super glue will work fine on resin. If you use super glue, get a bottle of setting solution as it will prevent fogging of the super glue.

i was told to use a tire cleaner called bleach white

it cleans white walls on the tires

do you personally know anything about how it works on resin

i mean it dose wonders for my 1:1 cadillac's white walls

and all the road crud is oil based so would it work for resins as well

[Brendan]

i was told to use a tire cleaner called bleach white

it cleans white walls on the tires

do you personally know anything about how it works on resin

i mean it dose wonders for my 1:1 cadillac's white walls

and all the road crud is oil based so would it work for resins as well

I have never used this stuff. But I do know of some people who have had some problems with some resins. It made the resin soft. I find it easier to use a citrus based cleaner (organic). It seems to do a good job for me. Most of the kits I've been doing as of late have been resins and I haven't been running into any real big issues. The big key is to use a good primer and to do multiple light coats of primer.

[evilone]

I have never used this stuff. But I do know of some people who have had some problems with some resins. It made the resin soft. I find it easier to use a citrus based cleaner (organic). It seems to do a good job for me. Most of the kits I've been doing as of late have been resins and I haven't been running into any real big issues. The big key is to use a good primer and to do multiple light coats of primer.

will automotive primer and paints work on resin

how about enamels and acrilics

[Brendan]

will automotive primer and paints work on resin

how about enamels and acrilics

yes and yes

[evilone]

cool thanks for then info bro youve helped me out alot

well after i get an ecto im sure that the builders block will dissapear when i se the box

so the ambulance will be under the workbench section soon enough