discussion resin cockpits

[Guest]

Has anyone used a resin cockpit set and what is it like as Im thinking of getting one and is it easy to paint?

 

[stona]

Hi Graham,I've used resin detail sets for cockpits and wheel wells in the past. Painting is probably the one thing that you don't need to worry about. You can paint resin just as you would plastic.

Before you do anything check your parts for any dodgy moldings. Even the best castings sometimes include little bubbles which will need filling. It's quick and easy to sort now,before you cut all the parts out.

The major difference with resin parts is removing the parts from the casting. They are not attached like plastic to sprues. I suggest you get a razor saw,resin is hard and it's the best way to keep all your fingers. It is also brittle and you don't want to break anything. After that it's just a matter of filing and sanding. The dust is quite unpleasant so use a mask and wet sand.

The final stage is fitting the resin parts into your model. Some will slot in like the original plastic but not always. Very often you will have to thin the cockpit walls or wing surfaces from the inside to make the castings fit. This is best done with a Dremel or similar,although you could do it manually with plenty of elbow grease.

I don't want to put you off,these after market parts can make a massive improvement to a model. Some newer models come with some impressive and correct detail out of the box but there are still plenty which will benefit from an aftermarket enhancement.

You should be aware that very often you will need to put in a bit of work to achieve the result you are after. I found it a very good way to improve my skills and problem solving ability. Don't expect the resin parts to just drop in as often they won't.

Best of luck with it,I'm sure it will look great.

Cheers

Steve