Rick L

These velocity stacks were made from plexiglass and spray painted directly with Molotow. This was my fist experiment spraying plastic without primer. They’re holding up fine.

Also works well for mixing bondo or any other polyester resin.

3D models are printed by FDM (fused deposition modeling) or SLA (stereo lithography). Most FDM parts are printed with styrene and are fairly stable. All SLA parts are formed by a UV sensitive resin, are hygroscopic and expand over time. Don’t confuse the SLA resin parts with your cast resin body parts that are molded with a two part polymer. These are also fairly stable but can warp if not properly stored over time. Like sitting in a box jammed with other parts.

CA and cotton don’t mix. Your cotton swab had an exothermic reaction to the glue and got hot creating that bad vapor. As a warning to all modelers, be careful with cleaning a large spill of CA with a cotton rag. The reaction will get nasty and possibly catch on fire.

There are many excellent techniques of painting wood grain already on this site. Your only problem is to decide which one you want to use.

This is not a good method. An open container of CA is pretty nasty stuff on your sinuses in large volume. Be careful to use ventilation if you choose to go that route.

No one true answer without knowing more info. If the paint is coming out of the gun like that, the paint may not be thin enough or the airflow could be too high. Is the paint old? Old Testors paint does not thin well with enamel thinner. You could try using lacquer thinner instead. To avoid this problem, most modelers experiment by spraying paint samples on plastic spoons or scrap styrene before attempting to paint their work.

If they are the issued bottles they will accommodate lacquer. Test them with lacquer. If it melts, they’re useless anyway. You can write to Paasche for glass replacements.

I’ve used this on a few projects with no issues. It does run a little wet but if you’re used to working with lacquer you should have no problem.

You are correct.

If you must use a lubricant, glycerin wiped on with a cloth works best. It leaves no residue. You can purchase it at any pharmacy.

Breaking the sharp leading edge of the drill on a sharpening stone will prevent the drill from grabbing and breaking through the plastic. But keep in mind this will also make the drill useless for steel. Working with plastics all of my life, I now have a full drill index of backed off drills. ? Whenever I need a sharp drill, I resharpen with a Drill Doctor.

As a general rule, don’t spray rattle cans if the dew point is within 20 degrees of the ambient temperature. If you’re mixing paint you can add retarder.

That nail has been hit on the head.

The quality assurance inspector at G.M. would be proud.?

Lacquer shrinks. That’s the nature of the beast. Heat the can up for 15 minutes in a hot tap water bath and shake occasionally. This increases the pressure in the can. The paint will come out smoother and create less orange peel. The first coat should be light but even and dry to touch within 5-10 minutes. The second coat should cover completely with as little paint as possible and dry to touch within 15-20 minutes. Put enough paint on the third coat to get the full gloss effect. Don’t add more it won’t get glossier. Don’t sand between coats. It’s a waste of time unless you have an imperfection. If you see an imperfection like dust or hair appear while painting, STOP, let the paint dry, sand it out with 800 grit and continue. Don’t add more paint thinking it will cover. It won’t.

I’ve worked with plenty of people with different “styles” of organization. Some were considered neat freaks and others were considered slobs. The end result was always the same. I came to the conclusion that some people have organized benches and others have organized minds.

Interesting article. I started model making as a hobby when I was 10 years old and began a professional model making career at 25 building engineering models and prototypes. In the beginning the profession was fun and exciting. Always something new and challenging but the hobbyist in me began to wane. Eventually quitting the hobby end for fun. After 40 years, earning a living building to high tolerances and meeting deadlines caused my blood pressure to rise. 65 couldn’t come quick enough. ? Now, I’m finally retired, back to the hobby and off the BP meds. The article is spot on. Thanks for sharing.

I don’t doubt 180 grit is recommended for 1:1 harsh environment but do you really think it applies to scale models?

If concerned about cost, you can Google many videos on building your own. You’ll find multiple heat and vacuum sources that would fit your budget. If you don’t have the resources to build a simple box, a handy man could easily put one together for you for a reasonable price.

It would be easier to label the short list of things that don’t cause cancer in California.

Hi Len PETG is fairly hygroscopic. Meaning it will absorb moisture if not properly stored. If your plastic is old, My guess is that steam is forming between the plastic and buck. Again I will say this is only a guess. I’ve never experienced this problem because I’ve always been supplied with fresh plastic. Good luck my friend and please keep me posted on your results if you find the culprit.

Shake it to get the heavier sediment from the bottom. If you don’t you’ll wind up with just the solvent.

Go outside, shake the can, empty the air, place a nail to the bottom of can and cover with a rag. While holding the rag over the nail, puncture side of can at the bottom, repeat at side top of the can. The leakage is minimal. Drain vented can into glass jar.

The quality of BMF depends on the underlying paint finish. The smoother your paint finish the smoother the BMF will appear. Mig chrome sheets are slightly thicker and look better than BMF (IMO), on straight and subtle curved surfaces only. If you’re looking to get down into ultra fine detail, BMF is the only way to go. There is plenty of debate on this subject and I’m sure you’ll get all of those opinions following this so you’ll have to judge for yourself.