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What's Your Best Modeling Tips?


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Hey everyone, we're looking to collect some great modeling tips to share with our customers. We'd love to hear from you! Let us know some modeling tips that have helped you create some of your best projects, and include pictures if you have. We'll post them on our social media pages over the upcoming months!

Thanks guys!

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Not my idea. But its been one of the best tips I ever received.  Thanks to Steve Guthmiller ,aka the Master of the old annuals.

 

On emblems and small name plates. I do the bare metal foil on them 1st, before any paint of primer goes on.

Then once painted and before clear ( if I even need to clear it ) take a small Tamiya pointed Q tip dipped in lacquer thinner and very carefully wipe the pain off the raised emblems . Depending on the emblem a toothpick dipped in same lacquer thinner works nice as well

A few examples Ive done with it.

 

20170329_113112.jpg

20170109_123646.jpg

emblem1.jpg

emblems3.jpg

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Not my idea. But its been one of the best tips I ever received.  Thanks to Steve Guthmiller ,aka the Master of the old annuals.

 

On emblems and small name plates. I do the bare metal foil on them 1st, before any paint of primer goes on.

Then once painted and before clear ( if I even need to clear it ) take a small Tamiya pointed Q tip dipped in lacquer thinner and very carefully wipe the pain off the raised emblems . Depending on the emblem a toothpick dipped in same lacquer thinner works nice as well

A few examples Ive done with it.

 

20170329_113112.jpg

20170109_123646.jpg

emblem1.jpg

emblems3.jpg

That's a good one! I'm going to be trying that on some AMT '65-66 Corvette rebuilds very soon.

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That's a good one! I'm going to be trying that on some AMT '65-66 Corvette rebuilds very soon.

Ya got to. Thats easily the best trick Ive learned since spray paint. The more pronounce the emblem is in bare plastic the better it looks once completed . If its real faint make sure you go light on the paint. I'll  put a piece of tape over the emblem leaving it bare plastic till my last coat of primer . Then do the BMF, and one final light primer coat before paint.  Clean the emblems off exposing the chrome then clear it . Its takes a little practice but its super easy to pick up . Make sure you trim it as close to the emblem as possible or else it leaves and edge around the emblem you can see .

 

Look close you can tell I didnt trim this one close enough. This one was my first time doing it that way.

20150324_105034.jpg

Edited by gtx6970
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Ya got to. Thats easily the best trick Ive learned since spray paint. The more pronounce the emblem is in bare plastic the better it looks once completed . If its real faint make sure you go light on the paint. I'll  put a piece of tape over the emblem leaving it bare plastic till my last coat of primer . Then do the BMF, and one final light primer coat before paint.  Clean the emblems off exposing the chrome then clear it . Its takes a little practice but its super easy to pick up . Make sure you trim it as close to the emblem as possible or else it leaves and edge around the emblem you can see .

 

Look close you can tell I didnt trim this one close enough. This one was my first time doing it that way.

 

In the case of a larger emblem (such as the fuel filler), I'm gonna mask the foil off with liquid mask before painting. The finer Corvette scripts, I'm counting on the paint polish-out exposing them. Gonna make that "polishing through sharp edges" thing work FOR me for a change. :lol:

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In the case of a larger emblem (such as the fuel filler), I'm gonna mask the foil off with liquid mask before painting. The finer Corvette scripts, I'm counting on the paint polish-out exposing them. Gonna make that "polishing through sharp edges" thing work FOR me for a change. :lol:

Be a little careful with that, Snake. It is possible to polish right thru the BMF, said the voice of experience.;)

Edited by Kit Basher
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Consider using small strips of balsa instead of Qtips...much more control. The balsa is porous and will hold lacquer thinner, unlike most wood products.

That's a great suggestion! Sort of like a "liquid sanding block." Sweet!

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Not my idea. But its been one of the best tips I ever received.  Thanks to Steve Guthmiller ,aka the Master of the old annuals.

 

On emblems and small name plates. I do the bare metal foil on them 1st, before any paint of primer goes on.

Then once painted and before clear ( if I even need to clear it ) take a small Tamiya pointed Q tip dipped in lacquer thinner and very carefully wipe the pain off the raised emblems . Depending on the emblem a toothpick dipped in same lacquer thinner works nice as well

A few examples Ive done with it.

One of my absolute favorite tips as well Bill!

But I can't take credit for it.

I picked it up from someone else a long time ago.

So long ago that I don't remember who! ;)

 

Steve

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