build/painting order

[Guest]

The thing about washing sprues or not is a bit like priming - it takes just a little while & isn't it better to not take the chance of a poor paint job after building an expensive kit?

All this talk of filling & sanding is moot with most armour kits. I only ever needed filler when I started building aircraft!

The same applies to rubbing down. That's fine on the large smooth areas of a plane, but nigh-on impossible on an armour kit with its lumps, bumps & protruding bits!

[stona]

Almost always the parts are attached to the sprues at a point that would be visible on the model so if you paint on the sprue then you will need to touch up afterwards and that is never 100% perfect. If you paint when assembled there will always be 'shadows', or bits you can't get to.You have to think your processes through and work out how you are going to achieve the result you are after.

This really is what modelling is all about, thinking through how best to paint everything to give you the neatest finished job you can achieve.

I could not have put it better myself.

As an aircraft builder I tend to build sub assemblies before painting (including primer) because that is the only way to get the parts to stick together properly. Sub-assemblies are usually large enough to enable scraping paint off any mating surfaces. Some small parts (in my case pitots, aerials etc ) can be added, pre-painted, at the end using a non-solvent type of glue.

As Richard says, you have to plan ahead.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Have a go with GritColin (birdgrit) Patrick on the armour bits. Small container for the tiddly bits. Large container for the larger.

Laurie

[Guest]

I've never had any need to try Colin's birdgrit idea Laurie. As I use enamels or acrylic with lacquer thinner, providing a key for the paint is less of an issue than with water-based acrylics.

[Guest]

I've never had any need to try Colin's birdgrit idea Laurie. As I use enamels or acrylic with lacquer thinner, providing a key for the paint is less of an issue than with water-based acrylics.

Interesting. Does that mean I would be better off with an acrylic lacquer primer than a water based Vallejo ?

Laurie

[Guest]

My vote would always go for Tamiya Fine Surface Primer or Mr Surfacer 1200, thinned with lacquer / cellulose.

The reason is that water based acrylic 'sits' atop the plastic. The 'hotter' chemical formulation of the lacquer / cellulose option bonds to the plastic.

In addition, I've always found the latter goes on much smoother than anything else I've tried.

The big downside is the smell!

[monica]

i tend to do alot of painting before the build starts then touch-up painting as i go along,

and what i can leave till last paint before hand and place on ,then once ,all done

do the weathering ,and dirtyong up,

[BBdave]

It seems everyone has their little ways so no hard and fast rule which means i can't break any.

Dave

[Gern]

It seems everyone has their little ways so no hard and fast rule which means i can't break any.Dave

"Rules? We don't need no stinkin' rules!"

If you gave the same kit to a dozen modellers they'd come up with fifteen different ways to build and paint it. It's what you feel most comfortable doing.

Gern