I need some suggestions

[MrBuick]

This seat is for a '67 Vette that I'm working on. I still need to paint the trim on the seat, and after looking at it, I really think I should have done it before I glued the seat halves together, as I don't know that I've developed a steady enough hand to paint the trim across the top of the seat without smearing. Before I just pry it apart, I wanted so get some suggestions. Is there anything that will dissolve the glue, or make it easier to "break" without damaging the seat? I use Testor Red bottle liquid cement. I don't care if it takes the paint off too...I'm banking on the fact that I'm probably going to end up needing to strip the paint and start completely over. Also, what are some suggestions for favorite paint strippers? I've read some of the paint stripping thread, and right now I'm planning on either using brake fluid (I already have some and it's pretty cheap to get in bulk), or I thought about trying Mineral Spirits. Thoughts or suggestions?

What I'm working with:

Idea of what the trim should look like:

Glue I use, for reference (in case it matters):

[MrObsessive]

I wouldn't break apart the seat-----I would Bare Metal Foil that area. Looks much better than paint and you won't run the risk of breaking (damaging) the seat if you try to pry it apart.

[Ace-Garageguy]

That's a SOLVENT type glue you have there, and it literally welds the parts together by dissolving the plastic, and allowing the molten edges to fuse.

There's no way to "dissolve" the bond.

You CAN, however, try tracing the bond-line multiple times with a sharp X-acto knife, going a little deeper each time. I frequently use that method very successfully to disassemble old nasty models.

Bill Geary (MrObsessive) has an excellent point too. 

[MrObsessive]

I just uploaded pics of the very model that you're doing Colby. You can see where I just used BMF to "chrome" that area instead of paint. I did this after the seat was glued together and painted. I built this many years ago BTW (1997?).

Hope this helps! BMF does take some practice, but it's much more realistic looking than paint.

[MrBuick]

Thanks for the suggestions...I may get some BMF, find a tutorial, and try my hand at it. It'll be another first for me, but this seems like maybe an easier place to start than window trim. Thanks for the pictures btw...looks great!

[StevenGuthmiller]

Thanks for the suggestions...I may get some BMF, find a tutorial, and try my hand at it. It'll be another first for me, but this seems like maybe an easier place to start than window trim. Thanks for the pictures btw...looks great!

BMF is a lot easier to use than people may lead you to believe.

Especially on something as simple as the seat trim you're talking about.

Painting that trim & keeping it straight would be much more difficult than BMF in my opinion.

Nice thing about foil is, if you don't like how it looks the first time, pull it off & try again!

Much more forgiving than paint.

 

Steve

[Tom Geiger]

I agree that I'd BMF it.  But if you aren't up to that, get a silver paint marker. You can do this with much more control than a brush.

[disabled modeler]

Colby...another trick is to make your own painting point tool.  Just heat up some scrap parts tree till soft and pull it till its thin then while holding it blow on it till its cool again.  Then just cut it to the desired tip.  I do this and use very little paint on the tip...it takes a steady hand but works if you want to use paint for the trim.

[MrBuick]

That's a really good idea...I'll have to try that sometime.

[BigTallDad]

A couple of suggestions...

You can use a product called liquid mask if you still want to paint the trim. It's water based, so clean up (of the brush) is a breeze. Simply paint it on, use a sharp Xacto to scribe the edges, and pull away the film where the paint will be applied.

If you're new to using BMF, this might help

http://www.italianhorses.net/Tutorials/BareMetalFoil/bmf.htm

 

[disabled modeler]

That's a really good idea...I'll have to try that sometime.

I have learned to be very creative on my budget...LOL.. there free tools and you always have a supply of plastic to make them from...I have used them for many years...you just want them to be a bit stiff and not too flexible so you can control using them...