Let's Ramble on for no reason! LOL!

[FujimiLover]

Is'nt it fun to see your model progress? You start seeing less and less parts on the spruce, or tree whatever it's called. Eventually, you look at a spruce and think it's completely free of parts and you toss it away. Only to find out later when your 99.99% finished with your model, that you threw away one crucial part! Clear parts are worse!

Edited May 12, 2009 by FujimiLover

[Harry P.]

Ummm... it's not the "spruce", that's a type of Christmas tree!

What you mean is the SPRUE...

[FujimiLover]

Ummm... it's not the "spruce", that's a type of Christmas tree!

What you mean is the SPRUE...

eh, close enough! Yea, sprue, true to sprue. Sprue true. I knew it was something like that!

[torinobradley]

Considering most of my parts are off the sprues long before the build is done, due to detailing and such, I usually don't miss any parts. Once the model is completed, I clean the sprues of any remaining parts, keep or discard the sprues, set the box and instructions aside and sort the remaining parts.

I am pretty thorough as I HATE loosing or missing parts!

Oh, and once a part is off the sprue, I put it in one of those clear plastic snap shut boxes. That way, I don't loose any of the little bits along the way.

Edited May 12, 2009 by torinobradley

[Chuck Most]

Oh, and once a part is off the sprue, I put it in one of those clear plastic snap shut boxes. That way, I don't loose any of the little bits along the way.

Wish I was you! The second I get a part of the sprue, it instantly vaporizes, and/or teleports itself off into The Great Beyond. Even if it's a 1/8 scale dragster body! My clear snap boxes may never see a single kit part!

Funny thing, though... whenever I finish a build, after I spent hours scouring other kits for the part(s) I lost or scratching up a replacement, I set the finished model on the shelf, turn around, and - THERE'S THE FORMERLY LOST PART, LAYING RIGHT THERE IN PLAIN SIGHT. MOCKING ME!!!!

[Harold]

Some sprue I like to save and use for scratchbuilding- for example, 'T' sections make great spindles, and those flat pieces with the manufacturer's logo have many uses.

[FujimiLover]

Hardest parts for me are those tiny little gear-shifters and windshield wippers. Either the wippers brake in half, or three, and/or the gear shifter fly's away into never never land especially when you use the clippers.

As I said, clear parts are the worse to drop on the floor. Especially those tiny little turn-signal peices!

Is it best to use a hobby knife to cut it off the sprue, or the clippers? Instructions always says clippers. I often wonder if instructions, like most anything we have to assemble, is made by people who build themeselves, or those darn pesky engineers who dont' even know how to build a model.

It seems alot of engineers, dont' design the stuff they make for the users to use'em cause the engineers dont' use'em themeselves! LOL!

Kind of like a sales man not knowing the product he is selling!

[FujimiLover]

Some sprue I like to save and use for scratchbuilding- for example, 'T' sections make great spindles, and those flat pieces with the manufacturer's logo have many uses.

Clear ones can be used for neon tubes maybe?

Some companies like Tamiya, require you to cut a peice out of the sprue, heat and strech it, and make antenna's out of it. I learned that trick from when I was building their WRC Focus. Or was it their Pug 206?

[FujimiLover]

First time is a mistake

Second time is dumb

Third time is stupid

Fourth time your an idiot

Fifth time, you deserved it

After that, there's no hope!

Edited May 12, 2009 by FujimiLover

[Foxer]

When cutting parts off the sprue I always use clippers ... they offer much more control than a knife. I also cut the part off first by clipping the sprue and then get close and clip the part away. Hold the part and not the sprue to keep it from flying, And yes, my carpet still DOES eat parts frequently.

When I start a new kit I grab a ziplok bag and all the parts go in there as soon as they're off the sprue. This has worked well in keeping the weight of my carpet monster down!

I'm paranoid with throwing "empty" sprue out, I usually check 5 times for missed parts and then still save it in the sprue bag for later scratch building.

[FujimiLover]

It's usually the inside mirror, or exaust pipes that accidently get tossed out. Especially when the exuast tips are those that are part of the wheel/tire kit as is frequently the case with Fujimi models.

Is it best to paint parts on or off the sprue? If all parts are same color, I usually leave'em on the sprue and spray as one part, then take'em off and touch-up the paint where the part was cut off. The sprue makes a great holder for parts when painting tiny items!

[torinobradley]

I usually remove the parts I am working on so that I can clean up the mold lines and do any detailing needed, drill holes, reshape, etc... Mold lines are a big thing for me. I don't want anyone to see any mold lines anywhere on my models. Hard to clean mold lines while they are still on the sprue.

There have been whole threads on using the sprue for different projects. Exhaust, antennas, roll cages, etc... My faves from my buildings are engine pulleys (chuck it in a drill and use files and sandpaper to shape), a fuel level indicator (stretch clear sprue like your making an antenna, put on the outside of a fuel tank with a couple of brass fittings-plastic squares- and paint it thinned amber part the way up) and all sorts of other things.

Happy fun to be sure.

Edited May 12, 2009 by torinobradley

[diymirage]

last time i used it was

for the distributer stem on a ford flat head

the intake tube on my RSX and the scratchbuild engine mounts on said RSX

(intake tube)

and motormounts

[Harry P.]

I like to use the sprues as holders for painting parts. I usually remove the parts from the sprues and clean them up off the sprue (remove mold lines, etc.). Then I'll take a long piece of "empty" sprue and use a tiny dot of superglue or regular old tube glue to glue the parts back on to the sprue piece (in a spot where the glue area won't show on the finished part, like the underside of a seat, for example.) Now I can use the sprue as a holder while I either spray or brush paint the part(s). When they're dry I just snap them off the sprue.

[James W]

I bought one of those Pre-Painted AMT Edsel kits. No sprue just little plastic bags.

When it came time to finish the build, I had two right marker lights and no left.

So for all eternity I will have to cannibalize the next Edsel kit for the one I am building at the time!

[Foxer]

Harry's comment about using sprue to hold paints for painting reminds me that IS my biggest use of the stuff eheh!! I have numerous hangers made using a long straight piece maybe 6 or 8 inches long with a 90 degree turn at the end and another small turn on that so it forms a hook to hang from the wire I have strung along my basement/workshop floor joists. All just snipped from a sprue. Some have alligator clips clamped and taped on the end while other have toothpicks taped on.

These hold almost all the small parts I need to paint though, occasionally I need to use a circle of masking tape, sticky side out stuck to the end of a tongue depressor to hold a part that defies the ally clip, toothpick hold.. say AHHHHHH!!

[FujimiLover]

Thank's guy's. As I build more and more models, I learn tricks from each one. I generally spray-paint all the parts while on the sprue, and then clean-up, touch-up after I take each part I require for the build.

I'm thinking of useing the four corners of a sprue from a small scale kit to help build my engine mount for my Smartuki, or Smonda as it maybe. But the thickness of the sprue has to be right for the size of the model I'm working on. I think useing 1/24 scale sprue might be too thick for my Smartuki's engine cage.

I've also noticed some people use the clear sprues as headlight lenses?

Anyway, we dont' have to stick on the sprue thing in here. As the title sais, just rambling on for fun of it!

Clever trick of useing the sprue as custom hangers for painting! I'll have to try that on next project. I hate excess molding's on parts and sometimes they can be an itch to clean off properly especially on those tiny parts.