Handrail help!

[Gern]

I recently bought the Revell Schaufelradbagger which I've been wanting for a few years now. It's a recent re-release of an old kit so you'll appreciate there are issues with flash.

Generally this isn't a major problem but ....

There are four sprues containing sections of handrail. Once cut from the sprue, sorting out the flash on the top of the rail is no problem. But there are about 4000 sections of rail between the uprights. Each section has the underside of the top rail and the top and bottom of the middle rail to be filed clean. That's over 12000 separate bits of filing to do - not including any bits of the uprights which may need cleaning up.

[ATTACH]70032.IPB[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]70033.IPB[/ATTACH]


Now that's a lot of filing so I asked John to sort some prices for me to replace the kit railings with either plastic or PE parts. My best estimate is that either alternative would cost well over £200. I haven't got that sort of money to spend on a kit which only cost about £90, so does anyone have any suggestions?

Gern

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

Hire some Chinese workers

Adrian

[eddiesolo]

Plenty of cuppas and time by the looks of it.

Si

[Guest]

What about pushing a bit of wire through each then laying them down and running over it with a stiff brush to see if that reomoves some of the flash

[Gern]

Plenty of cuppas and time by the looks of it.Si

I don't think I got that much time left to live Si!

Gern

[Gern]

What about pushing a bit of wire through each then laying them down and running over it with a stiff brush to see if that reomoves some of the flash

That's a thought Terry. I'll keep it in mind but I'm thinking I'm probably too ham-fisted and I'd end up breaking them.

Gern

[Guest]

Do you know anyone with a sand blaster, on the softest setting it would blow away the flash and leave the main plastic ... You'd get a nice patina on the remaining bars too.

Failing that there's got to be some fine metal square mesh that you could cut your own from. Or even plastic garden mesh would do.

Failing that find some square section ladies tights and stretch them to size ... Then soak them in PVA .. Leave to dry and cut to shape.

Failing that ... Spend the 200 quid and make a bloody good job of it

[downscale model art]

Do you know anyone with a sand blaster, on the softest setting it would blow away the flash and leave the main plastic ... You'd get a nice patina on the remaining bars too.Failing that there's got to be some fine metal square mesh that you could cut your own from. Or even plastic garden mesh would do.

Failing that find some square section ladies tights and stretch them to size ... Then soak them in PVA .. Leave to dry and cut to shape.

Failing that ... Spend the 200 quid and make a bloody good job of it

try looking at a roll of plasterers scrim tape from a diy shop. ive used it for ships scramble nets but i bet you could adapt it for handrails once stiffened with pva

[Gern]

I don't know anyone with a shotblaster, but I like the idea of finding some suitable mesh. I'll do some measuring and see what's out there.

Thanks guys.

Gern

Col - I wish I had the £200!

[Ian M]

I seam to recall seeing a Japanese video in which he removed/softened flash and mould lines by running a brush with cellulose thinners on it. But I would try it out on some scrap first. We all know what cellulose does to plastic if there is to much of it...

I fear its like tank tracks. Bite the sour apple and get on with it.

How big are they. they look tiny.

Ian M

[Andy2035]

Not sure what scale or size you need, would car body repair mesh do...: -

This is the stuff I am on about...

Size...

Close up...

Hope that helps...

[yak face]

I'm firmly with colin (CDW) , I reckon a sand blaster with very fine grit would remove the flash and hopefully leave the handrails fairly intact. Something like this one Dave http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HS-178-Fine-Spray-Mini-Sandblaster-Air-Eraser-/110835382330?pt=UK_ToysGames_ModelKits_ModelKits_J N&hash=item19ce4db83a It would just connect to the compressor instead of the airbrush , maybe best to do it outside with a mask too , and try and catch as much grit as you can for re-use . cheers tony

[Gern]

Andy, that mesh looks useful but alas not for this. It's diamond shaped and the handrails are rectangular - the vertical posts are 4mm apart and there is a 2mm gap between the rails. They're rather obvious on the model so I need to be accurate if I choose some sort of alternative.

Tony, that's a lot of money for me to spend just for this one use. I also suspect that by the time I've had enough practice with it to get it right, I could have done the job with a file.

Gern