How to wash model kits?

[slupanter]

This maybe a silly question but when you wash a model kit do you scrub it with a tooth brush or just swill it in hot soapy water

[Guest]

I use an old toothbrush, (one of my wee fella's as kiddie ones are typically not as coarse) and warm water with ordinary washing up liquid then rinse them thoroughly. Using a sponge really should be fine though as all you're doing is ensuring that all mould release agent and greases, (including the ones from your own fingers is removed so the paint sticks better.

If it's something like an aeroplane I give them a quick wipe over with IPA before spraying as you have to handle them to assemble them., (As well as washing the sprues first that is)

[stona]

I do exactly that ^^^^^^^^.

In the interests of balanced reporting I have to add that I have a colleague who thinks I'm mad and swears blind that he has never washed a model in his life. His certainly look alright so.........

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

It's one of many endless debates isn't it, I know people who've never washed one and just assemble and paint just as plenty of people don't prime believing it's unecessary.

The way i approach the thought it, it takes little time and effort to wash the sprues and it won't hurt.

[Guest]

I give mine a light wiping with alcohol

[Guest]

I never bother.

Do those who wash their kits do it before or after building?

[Guest]

I wash everything on the sprue before building, if I need to assemble before painting, (an aeroplane body and wing), i then wipe the panels over to make sure i've not left any grease.

I prefer to wash and save the alcohol for the glass of wine I have while building, (Hang on, I think I can see a correlation between the model bild starting well and then getting sloppier, hmmmmmmmmm)

[Ian M]

Looking at the kit I am doing at the moment, I think I should of washed my hands. Bloody fingerprints all over the place. Good thing I've not painted it yet!

Most of the time the kit gets a wash before I start, once in a while I say sod it and just get on with it. As for the paint holding better on a washed kit? The jury is still out on that one. I have had it happen on both washed and unwashed kits. I think the big promlem is in the handeling of the kit whilst building it. You just have to watch what you are doing and give it a wipe with some form of spirit befor the paint goes down.

Ian M

[Guest]

I started washing all my sprues before I did anything. I am too lazy though and I gave up doing it some time ago. So far I have got away with it but if it goes wrong, no one to blame but myself.

[Guest]

To this day I still wash my models with 50:50 water ISO, but I only wash the complete model before primer.

[Guest]

If I'm going to wash anything it's usually a large gloss surface when I'm after the best possible finish. Then I wash it just before painting. I can't see the point in washing it then handling it long before it gets painted so to me if you're going to do it then do it as close to painting as possible.

[takeslousyphotos]

I guess putting them in the washing machine is a bad idea then ????? :damn:

Peter

[Guest]

Two things first all the large parts are wet & dried so any junk on them from manufacture will be removed.

For small parts I use Colin CDW's idea of swishing them around in brid grit. They then get rinsed to get rid of the small particles in the grit. This gives a great finsih on the small parts for immediate painting.

For large parts before air brushing I wipe with B & Q's decorators wipes to get rid of finger prints etc Have to admit forgetting to do this but it has not made any difference, YET.

Not used ISO but must try. Does ISO take out all the skin's chemicals etc ? Just wonder as I suffer from Psoriasis which can be aggravated by some chemicals.

Laurie

[john i am]

I always wipe my hands on my jeans as this seems to work just fine then carry on lol but having read a lot of posts as I am trying to improve on my modelling I have taken a lot on board and now before painting I rub down with soapy water which also keeps the laundry down

[Guest]

Apologies for being a pedant but think John that a lot of soaps & washing up liquids have hand conditioners & all sorts in them. These may give you exactly that which you do not want & wish to exclude.

Laurie