Gluing transparent bits

[Guest]

Just purchased some, I need all the help I can get with canopies, i'm never happy with the results.

[stona]

Gaz,I always try to avoid the canopy having a "stuck on" look to it.

My method,which is by no means standard,is to attach the masked canopy to the model at the end of construction and before painting. This means I can sort out any gaps or other nasties. The masking stays on the canopy throughout the entire painting and varnishing process,only being removed at the very end. It's a bit of a nail biting moment removing it! It's usually okay though sometimes minor blemishes have to be rectified.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Gaz,I always try to avoid the canopy having a "stuck on" look to it.My method,which is by no means standard,is to attach the masked canopy to the model at the end of construction and before painting.

Steve

Yes I have adopted that procedure. Difficult enough to get this looking right with some models rather than my original method of sticking it on at the end. This gave exactly that impression "stuck on at the end".

Just one thing about any body using Gaytor Glue. It is a great piece in the armoury but if using for the first time watch out. Be frugal when applying it expands (foams) as it dries so make sure canopies are battened down as to much Gaytor glue will rise inside the canopy or raise the canopy. Get it on your fingers & it is a real pain.

Laurie

[Guest]

Gaz,I always try to avoid the canopy having a "stuck on" look to it.My method,which is by no means standard,is to attach the masked canopy to the model at the end of construction and before painting. This means I can sort out any gaps or other nasties. The masking stays on the canopy throughout the entire painting and varnishing process,only being removed at the very end. It's a bit of a nail biting moment removing it! It's usually okay though sometimes minor blemishes have to be rectified.

Cheers

Steve

Thanks for the tip Steve, I have done this on a couple of occasions, but then when removing the masking it removed the paint from the canopy too. (i think the varnish had formed a skin over both the masking and the canopy) - I turned the air blue for several hours and have since returned to putting them on at the end and touching up... I now seem to have developed some strange canopy aversion disorder and start to tremble at the mere sight of a clear part...but truth is I reckon you are right and I need to try it again, once i'm feeling braver.

(I'm building the Graf Spee at the moment - no clear parts - it's like therapy.)

[stona]

I now seem to have developed some strange canopy aversion disorder and start to tremble at the mere sight of a clear part..

You are not the only one!

I wash my clear parts (ooooh errr) and then dip them in Klear (Way Heh!) before masking. The first paint is usually the internal colour so no primer. I've not had much trouble with the paint lifting with the masking with acrylic (Xtracrylix) or enamel (Humbrol,WEM) paints. I did have some Vallejo lift once but that was probably just bad luck or bad preparation on my part.

Steve

[Guest]

i too hate clear parts,why oh why are the silly windows that are glued inside a fuselage the ones that always fall off when removing the masking and then just rattle around inside the plane because you cannot get em out.