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Available May 2002

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Available al hobby shops.
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$15.01-$30.00 $5.s0 Spaceships at the How to Use an Airbrush Building and Painting
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 BEST OF

0uestlons&Answers
Solutions to help you build better models
Editoriol Coordinotors: Poul Boyer ond Mork Hembree
FineScole Modeler Editor: Terry Thompson
FineScole Modeler Monoging Editor: Dick McNolly
Contributing Editors: Lowrence Honsen ond Elizobeth Lomb
Art Coordinotor: Michoel Solidoy
Artist: Kellie Joeger
Production Coordinotor: Cindy Border
Cover photo by Jim Forbes

@2002, Kalmbach Pubtishing Co. All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced in part or in whole without written permission from the
publisher, except in the case of brief quotations used in reviews. Published by Kalmbach Publishing Co.,21027 Crossroads Circle, P.O. Box 7612,
Waukesha, WI 53187-161,2. Printed in U.S.A.

rrnrnl-finescale.corn Best of Q&A 3


Airbrush odvontoges
What are the advantages of airbrushes
over spray cans?
- Paul Stefanski
Although the airbrush may seem like a
tool for experts, it is easy to use once you
get used to it. The advantages far out-
shine those ofspray cans.
First, you have morc control. Spray
cans always go ful1 blast - but with an air-
brush you can control the volume of
paint, air pressure (with a regulator), and
the area of coverage. Say you just need to
spray a nose cone.With a spray can you
may have to mask off the rest of the
model to prevent overspray from ruining
your paint job. If you're careful with an
airbrush, you'll only have to mask off the
forward end of the fuselage.
Another advantage is that you can use
almost any brand or color of paint,
including colors you mix yourself (per-
haps unavailable in a spray can).Just thin
the bottled paint and spray it, but take
time to determine the proper thinning
ratios. Airbrushed paint reaches the sur-
face almost dry, which helps prevent paint
from seeping beneath masking tape.
Airbrush problems
My airbrush is anything but precise,
and I am experiencing obvious overspray.
Is the tip bent? Is the nozzle broken?
- MattJar
Here's a troubleshooting list:
' Have you cleaned the airbrush regu-
larly?
'Is the tip of the needle bent? Remove
the needle from the airbrush and lightly
drag it across your fingertip. Rotate thc
needle and do it again. You'll be able to
feel a little "hook" on one side ifthe nee-
d1e is bent. You can straighten it bylighdy
dragging the tip over fine sandpaper until
the "hook'is gone.
'Is the opening inthe nozzle perfect-
1y round or is it lopsided? Is it cracked?
'Are you thinning the paint properly?
' Is this fresh paint? Old paint can
separate and clump, clogging the air-
brush.
Air first
I'm interested in a CO2 tank for air-
brushing. I priced one about the size ofa
fire extinguisher and wondered how long
such a container can sustain airbrushing
4 EineScale Modeler's Best of Q&A.
at 30 psi. Also, what kind of regulators
and connectors will I need?
-nd Wills
A 20-pound tank can spray 10 - 20 brush after each coat, or is it enough to
modcls at 10 to 15 psi. A single-stage spray fresh thinner and back-flush the
regulator works fine. The reguiator lets airbrush, then clean it completely after
you adjust line pressure to the airbrush. A the painting session?
two-stage regulator has the advantage of
a tank pressure gauge. (A single-stage
setup wont warn you -"vhen you're run-
ning low.) Take your airbrush hose
coupling to a weil-stocked hardware
store; they should be able to match con-
nectors for you.
Bosic oirbrush set
I want to get into painting with an air-
brush and air compressor. What do you
recommend?
- Dattid Quigley
Ifyou have no prior experience, try a a paint session, then break the airbrush
single-action external-mlx airbrush and a down and clean it after the session.
simple diaphragm compressor. Check the
January 2001 and March 2002 issues of
FSNI for more airbrush and compressor
information.
Sproying chunks
I'm still getting used to my Badger air-
brush, but there's one problem I havent
solved. I'11 be spraying along when sud-
denly I'11 get little spots of another color
marring what would othenvise be a nice
paint job. What's wrong with my air-
brush?
-Tin Fischer
It doesn't sound like the problem is
with the airbrush. What you're getting is
little chunks of dried paint from a previ-
ous painting session. They're loosened
from the inside of the needle housing or
the paint siphon by fresh paint. Simply
blowing thinner through the airbrush
after every color sometimes isnt enough
to thoroughly clean it. IfI'm spraying one
color after another in a single sitting, I'11
take the airbrush apart and clean it after
every three colors.
Take the needle housing (the tip)
apart and inspect the inside. If there is
hard, crusty buildup, soak the parts (tips
up) in a small jar of lacquer thinner for an
hour. Clean the rear portion of the tip
with a cotton swab and pipe cleaner
soaked in lacquer thinner. The front por-
tion should be cleaned carefully with a
thin pipe cleaner. Also clean out the
siphon in the paint jar or cup. Nowyou're
ready to reassembie the airbrush and
move on to the next color.
Cleqn or not?
When a model requires several thin
coats of the same color just a few minutes
apart, should I thoroughly clean the air-
- Chuck Martin
You won't have to ciean befween coats
of the same color, but back-flushing the
paint into the reservoir is a good idea (for
single-action airbrushes only). The paint
may separate between applications and
need to be "stirred" - open the nozzle
halfivay and place your fingertip on the
nozzle.Instcad of blowing out, air blows
back into the paint nozzle andbubbles up
into the cup or bottle and stirs the paint.
You should blow lacquer thinner
through the brush between colors during
CO2 with wqter trop?
Do I need to attach a water trap to my
airbrush rig if I use aCO2cylinder as my
"air" source?
_ Eric Zak
No, because CO2 in a cylinder is liq-
uefied and anhydrous (without water).
The gas cools as you release it from the
cylinder, but because there is no water or
water vapor in the cylinder, no droplets
will form in your airbrush line.
Covering dork with light
What's the best way to keep the color
of the plastic from showing through
lighter Paints?
- Michaer scheel
Start by spraying a light- or mediurn-
gray primer. Usually one coat will do it.
The primer covers the dark plastic and
has the added advantage of making it eas-
ier to spot flaws in construction. Once the
primer is dry, paint over it with your final
color coats.
Frosty flot sproy
What causes flat finishes, such as
Testor Dul1cote, to turn my model finish-
es frosrY white?
- Rabert Martinez
There are two probable causes. First,
make sure you stir bottled Dullcote com-
pletely to mix the flattening agent (which
settles to the bottom of the bottle) with
the vehicle. If you're using a spray can,
shake it vigorously bcfore spraying. Ifyou Point yellow, then
get too much flattening agent, it will ruin opply liquid mosking Peel owoy mosk
exceol trom rrno z'.."
the finish.
The other cause is trapped water
"
/i4
vapor. This happens most often on humid
days. The compressed air (from a spray
can or compressor) cools as it is released.
This condenses water vapor in the air,
which mlres with the paint droplets and
settles on the model to create an opales-
cent appearance. Try to avoid spray
painting on humid days. If you must
spray on humid days, build up light coats
to limit thc amount of moisture trapped.
Sorov entire bomb
' Jliu" drob
Mosking smoll circles
I'm trying to paint a 1.5rnm-wide cir-
cular outline of a helicopter landing pad
on a ship. Masking tape will not produce
an even outline, and a fine brush in a
steady hand does not appear to be the METHOD 2
answer' what do y"" ruggj'';;
artr sarhs . Bomb pointed
olive drob

The best way to mask a circle is to use

frisket paper, sometimes called frisket
film. This is a thin, paper-backed, self-
adhesive material uscd by artists to mask
airbrush illustrations. Look for it at art-
suppiy stores.
You can use a draftsman's compass
with a cutting blade in placc of the pen-
ci1. First, cut the mask for thc outside of
the circle. Then cut another circle 1.5mm
smaller in radius. Apply the frisket out-
linc on the part to bc paintcd, then place
thc smaller circle lvithin that mask, mak-
ing sure it's centcred. When you're
satisfied with the position of the masks,
burnish their edges with your fingernail.
Now yor-irc ready to paint, preferably
with an airbrush. If you hand brush, take
care to kecp the paint from creeping
under the frisket.
Mosking wheels
I've been using an artist's template to
cut masks for wheels, but this doesnt
alrvays work wel1, especially with small
whecls. Is there a better way to mask and
paint wheels?
- Shishin K. Phanselkar
Instead of using a circle templatc to
cut masks, use the template as a mask.
Paint the tire black or dark gray and let it
dry. Now prepare the rvheel paint for air-
brushing. Find the circle on thc template
that is closest to the corrcct diametcr and
hold the whecl bchind thc template.
Spray through the templatc; you may
ha."'e to cover adjacent holes in the tem-
plate.
Pointinq bombs
withouf decols
Is there an easy way to paint bombs?
should I use decal tttt'"*-
*r, ,aniekan
Thc problem with painting rings on
bomb noses is masking a sharp line on a
compound curved surface (one that
curves in more than one direction).
Masking with tape or applying solid-
color decal film doesn't work well because
you're trying to apply a flat material to the
cun'ed surface. Above are a couple of
methods that should work.
First, paint the front end of the bomb
gloss yellow and allow it to dry. Apply a
liquid masking agent over the yellow and
iet it dry. Next, carefu1ly chuck the bomb
in a variable-speed electric drill. (Don't
turn the chuck too tight or you'll crush
the plastic.) With the drill operating at
low speed, bring the edge of a sharp mod-
eling knife or a razor blade to the front
and rear edges of the area to remain ye1-
low; cutting through the masking agent.
Peel away the masking agent at the nose
tip and from behind the yeilow ring.
Paint the entire bomb olive drab, then
remove the masking agent from thc yel-
low ring.
Although not as precise, method ftvo is
easier: Paint the entire bomb olive drab
and 1et it dry. Open a bottle of yellow paint
(wel1 stirred) and dip the bomb into the
paint far enough to create the rear edge of
the ring. Allow the yellow paint to dry
thoroughly, then dip the nosc tip in olive
drab paint. lVhen dipping, bc sure to hold
the bomb as close as possible to vertical to
produce an even ring. When you remove
the bomb, excess paint will flow douni to
the tip and, if left therc, dry into an ugly
blob. Before it dries, touch a cotton swab
to the tip to blot away cxcess paint.
Mixing point
What's the best way to mix paint and
thinners for airbrushing?
- Dan Heath
You can use plastic 35mm film canis-
ters for mlring paint. For measuring, use
an eyedropper and record the amounts of
paint and thinner used. If a certain com-
bination is too thick or too thin you can

r,rnrmr-finescale.com Best of Q&A 5

avoid rcpeating the mistake.
For custom colors, record amounts of
each color used. For exampie, you might
use ten eyedroppersful of F'loquil primer
and add frve drops of reefcr yelbw to
come up with light gull gr.ry If it's too
yclbw, add two rnore eyedroppersful of
the primer.If you're mi-xing a ner,v colot,
always use thc same brands of paint to
e nsure compatibility and consistent
rcsults.
When thc color is right, thin nvo parts
paint to onc part thinncr. This is just a
starting point; experimcnt to find thc
right ratios. Then transfer t1're paint into
an airbrush pirint cup or bottle.
Kecping leftover thinned paint is
risky; putting it back in a paint bottle
somctimes contaminates thc remirining
paint and shortens its life. If you liaven't
made enough paint, iust refcr to 1'our
notes and r,vhip up l ner'v batch.
Stotic cling
How do I kccp dust lrorn settling or.t
my models as I paint thcm?
- Horolrl Williants
To cut dorvn on static, tryrvashing the
modcl r.vith soap).watcr rnlxed -"vith alco-
hol bcfore yru paint it. A dry climate also
can contribute to yollr problem; trl'paint-
ing on days r.vhcn the relativc humidity is
40-70 percent. When it'.s n-rorc humid
you run the risk of the paint "blushing"
(condensation underneath thc print cre-
ating a frosty look).
Sproying. without on
' 'oiibrush
I
can't afford an airbrush. Is thcrc is a
method I crn use with spray c'.tns to gct
feathered edges)
- Robet.t Milrer
Since spral' cans produce a r'vidc spray
pattern, r'otill need to cover portions of
the model with a mask. Nlasking tape,
artist's frisket film, ner'vspaper with tape
at thc edges, and manl'other means can
bc r.rsed. To gct that featl.rcrcd edge, bur-
nish the tape dor'vn on the color
demarcation linc, then lifi the edgc
slightly This allows a little ovcrspray onto
thc line. Of coursc, this mcthod 1'ras lim-
its - itt impractical on small models rvith
multicoiored camouflage over une\ren
surfaces. That's rvhere '.rn airbrush comes
in handy.
Woter problems
N{y airbrush spra).s sma1l r'vater
droplets after a fcr,v minutes of use, and
6 fineScale Modeler's Be.r ot Q.\{
this ruins the paintjob. Is therc a product
available in Puerto Rico that r'vould solve
my problem?
- Fernando Del Toro
Your problem is not with the airbrush,
compressor, pirir-rt, or thinner, but with
the constant humidity in Plrerto Rico. Air
under compression heats up; ns your
humid Puerto Ricirn air cools on its way
from thc cornpressor to the airbrush,
wrlter vapor condenses on the inside of
the air hose. The fr>rcc of the air pushes
the finc water droplets into the airbrush,
and they spurt ollt with the paint.
The solution is a dcvice callcd a rvater
trilp or moisrr-tre trap. It is inscrted in the
irir line much likc thc ftrel fi1tcr of a car.
In a hr"rmid atmosphcrc, it's bcst to
install the rvatcr trap as fir dorvn the line
from the compressor irs possible. 1\4ost
airbrush rnanufaclurers bavc \\'i1ter traps
in tl.reir catalogs; irlso, a-.k thc dealcr who
sold you the airbrush.
Conopy cleoner
\Vhat's thc bcst \v.lv t() rctnovc print
from r clear plastic cilnop\I so I can
rcPaint it?
- Kotit Michoels
l*. \ After painting, lightly score the cdges
Painting over thc framcs rvould bc thc
easiest fur. But if 1'r>u need to m:rkc a cleirn
sweep, you should be able to remove the
paint and polis1-r the plastic rvith Nol'us 2
or Barc-I4etal Foil plastic polish. Clear
plastic is brittlc, so fill the canopl' -"vith
modeling clay to reinforce it as 1'ou po1-
ish. Put a dab of polish on a clear-r cloth
and rub the canop]'until the paint is r,vorn
off. This m'.ry takc sever:rl applications,
and certainly some time, but it pays ofT.
Rub with a clean cloth to rernovc all the
dried polish, then dip the canopy in
Future floor polish for thc ultirnatc sl'rine.
Conopy mosking
How can I get better results masking
and painting canopies?
- Brinn Clayton
Adhesive-backed foil (such as Barc-
Metal Foil) is thin and works well. Aftcr
masking I spray the interior color of the
canopy frame on the outside and follor.v
rvith the exterior frame color. This is cas-
ier than trying to paint the canopy inside
and out. Rcmove adhesive residue with
alcohol on a cotton swab.
Or 1'ou could paint canopy framing on
clear decal sheet, using the same order of
color to get interior and exterior frame
colors. Apply slightly oversized decal
strips, iet them dry in place, then trim
them r.vith a sharp knife. Lift the small
trimmings ar,vay with a bit of Scotch tape;
if you mess up, lift the mistake r.vith tape
and try it again.
One more tip: Dont forget to mask
the inside of thc canopy to block over-
spra)'.
Conopy p.osking
troubles
I use Parafilm "M" to mask frames on
aircraft canopies, then paint the interior
color of the frame, followcd by the extcri-
or color. Ilorvever, when I remove the
mask it lear.es jagged cdges. What am I
doing wrong?
- Greg Williams
of the mask r.vith a sharp blade. This will
separate the paint on the frames from the
mask. A1so, dont wait too long to remove
the masks; take them off as soon as you
can. Thc trick is to find a place to grip the
freshly painted canopy while you work.
Conopy replocements
Hor,v can I make a new canopy for an
aircraft model r.vithout a vacuum-forming
machine?
- Dennis Brennan
You could make a new canopy by
stretch-forming heated (therefore soft-
ened) clear plastic. PtrTG (available from
plastic suppliers) is the clearest and most
distortion-free. Mount the canopy form
on a stick. Heat the clear sheet over a
kitchen stove burner, then thrust the form
into the heated sheet. You need at least
three hands for this, so recruit a pxrtner to
hold the hot sheet (with oven mitts). It
may take a few attempts, but you'l1 get
your canop)'.
 Repoiring cleqr plostic
qqmoge
I have a car window with a blemish
caused by plastic cement. Is there any way
to eliminate it and still keep the canopy
clear?
- Ro.rauro Ona
Sand the blemished area with wct
400-grit sandpaper, moving the sandpa-
per in litt1e circies. It may take a while,
but you should be able to smooth out the
flaw.
Repeat this with wet 600-grit sandpa-
per, sanding in tiny circles and pressing
hard at first, then gradualiy easing up.
Then use plastic polish, rubbing com-
pound, or toothpaste (not the gel
qpe) to polish the area smooth. Keep
polishing (it takes a while) until the flaw
is invisible. Finish with a coat of Future
acrylic floor polish applied with a soft
brush.
Tinting blue
How do I tint the rear portion of my
A-1tr Slq'raider canopy.blue?
- Paul Kopczynski
To color the canopy yet leave it clear,
use clear blue paint. To avoid fogging the
canopy, airbrush water-based clear tint
such as Tamiya (X23) or Gunze Sangyo
(H93), available at hobby shops. The
trick with tints is to apply several light
coats to get evcn coveragc without runs.
Then follow with a wet coat, and every-
thing will smooth out and become clear.
It takes practice.
Vocuum-formed conoPy
cutting
I like to buy aftermarket vacuum-
formed canopies. What's the best way to
cut them out without crumpling them?
- Thomas Lore
Use a smal1 scissors, such as for trim-
ming cuticles (the little curved ones).
Rough-cut them from the sheet, thcn use
a coarse sanding stick to fine-rune the
edges to fit the model. Test fit often and
adjust with further sanding.
Antenno ottochments
What's the best way to attach fine
stretched sprue or nylon monofiiament
on aircraft?
- S. Brez.in
You can use super glue or white glue.
Mount a horizontal strand first, from the
fin to the antenna mast. Now glue one
end of the short vertical strand to the
fuselage and cut it long enough to inter-
sect the horizontal antenna.
Trim the excess from the vertical sec-
tion. Using a toothpick, place a dab of
glue where you want it on the horizontal
antenna, then move the vertical piece over
until it touches the glue.
Bross ports
Is there a correct way to bend pho-
toetched-brass and stainless-steel detail
parts that require shaping or folding?
- Rich Sarbacher
Pin one side of the part down on the
work surface with a metal sftaightedge,
with the edge right on the recessed fold
line of the part. Slide a hobby knife under
the other side and ro11 the knife so the
blade forces that side up. Keep pushing
until the part is bent to the desired angle.
This requires practice, but is certainly
easier than doing it without tools.
Bulkheod contours
I hate bulkheads. I struggle to get the
proper internal contours of aircraft, ships
and other complex shapes. Is there an
easy way to do this?
- GeoffGroube
Look in any hardware store for a con-
tour gauge, group of fine wires held in a
a
brace. You press the ends of the wires
against the shape you need to duplicate
and the wires slide in the brace.
Trace thc outline from the gauge onto
the material you're using to make the
Another way is to press solder or some
other soft wire into the cavity. Solder will
hold any bend you put into it. Lay the
solder on the bulkhead material, trace the
outline with a pencil, then cut it out.
Fobric-covered oircroft
How can I simulate the fabric covering
on the control surfaces of many biplanes
and World War II aircraft? I want these
areas to have a texture different from the
metal-covered parts.
- Coy Johnson
Fabric-covered surfaces on early air-
craft and WWII airplanes are just as
smooth as metal surfaces. A fine, strong
linen was impregnated with a pigmented
dope which caused the fabric to shrink
tight over the internal structure.
However, these areas should look a lit-
rprrnrv-Errescale-com Best of Q&{ Z
tle different. Try tinting the paint slightly
or giving these areas slightly more gloss or
flat clear overcoat to suggest a different
material without producing an out-of-
scale texture.
Decking it out
How can I model deck planking for
1/350 scale shiPs?
- Bab Morris
Depict cracks between planks by graz-
ing the raised surfacc plank detail with
the side ofa soft lead pencil (see photo).
Although it looks shiny after it is applied,
it will look just right after a coat of clear
flat such as Testor Dullcote, which also
seals the pcncil on the paint.
Filling seoms
What's the best method for mating
parts without any seam lines?
-
Joio Anononue'uo
Filling seams is one of the fundamen-
tal skills a good modeler must master.
Lightly sand all the mating surfaces and
try to get the parts to {it well before glu-
ing. Hold the parts together and apply
liqr-rid cement to the seam line with a
brush. The liquid runs along the seam,
softening the plastic. When the parts are
pressed together, they chemically bond.
After allowing the glue to set for a day,
sand the scams with a mcdium-grit sand-
ing stick and inspect them. Fill gaps or
pits with gap-filling super glue, set it with
super-glue accelerator, thcn sand imme-
diately.
Gap-filling super glue is easy to sand
right aftcr it sets - if you wait more than
an houq the glue will become too hard. It
can be sanded and polished until it's as
smooth as plastic.
Fuseloge fits
I'm an intermediate modeler but still
often have a hard time getting seams to
fit properly. I get "steps" on fuselage
halvcs, r.vhere one side sits highcr than the
other.
I've tried running a big bead of putty
or super glue down the seam, but even
8 fineScale lVlodeler's Bestof Q&A.
after sanding it still looks bad. How can I parts together and apply a drop of cement
beat this problem?
- Rabert E. Thomason Jr.
Plop each fuselage half onto 400-grit
sandpaper and lightly sand away align-
ment pins. (Take carc to not erase smal1
dctails such as antenna mounts at the
edgcs.) The sanding smooths imperfec-
tions along the mating surfaccs.
Now dry-fit the halves and note any
mismatches. Sometimes you can glue one
side first, let it dr1', then cajole the other
side into place as 1'ou glue it. Hold thc
halves together with rubber bands as the
glue sets.
Make sure you dont compromise thg
fit of wings, nose cones, or canopies.
Again, dry-fit cverything before gluing
the parts.
Geor doors closed
I want to build a series of aircraft with
thc gear up. But most kits havc gear doors
that don't really fit in the closed position.
How can I fr-r this?
- Bi// Prentis
The best way is to scratchbuild them
from sheet styrene. Draw the shape you
need on paper, cut it out, then trausfcr
that shape to the styrene. It may take a
few tries, but the doors r,vill look better.
The glue for you
I built a collection of 7/72 scale air-
craft so long ago that the glue on thcm
has become brittle and the models are
falling apart. What can I do to prevent
this from happening to a ne\'v collection?
- l4I Ross Loflin
It sounds as though you used tubc glue
on your original collection. Tirbe glue is a
plastic solvent with a polymer addcd to
thicken it and slorv evaporation.
Beginners tend to use too much glue,
bridging gaps with it and generally mak-
ing a mess. If the parts are not making
contact, the glue has no chance to weld
the parts togcther. When the solvent
dries, only the hardened polymer is left.
After a while, thc polymer bccomes brit-
tle and flakes of{ espccially if the model is
put under strcss - not unusual whcn
they'rc or,vned by young modelers.
No.'v that you're older, try liquid
cements -
solvents that mclt the plastic.
As you prcss the parts togetheS the
molten plastic of each part mkes togeth-
er to form a welded bond. Apply liquid
cements with a brush, a hypodermic nee-
dle, or an applicator bottle. Hold the
to the.joint. Let the cement run down thc
seam, then gently squeeze the parts
togethcr. Repeat the process until the
entire seam is cemented, then rvrap rr,rb-
ber bands around the parts and wait a few
hours for the molten plastic to sct. If
applied properll', the joints shouid last as
iong as the plastic.
Gluing resin ports
Can resin parts be attached with epory
adhesive insterd of super Slur?
_ Krn Ri*
Yes, but I prefer super giue because it
fills gaps well as bonds. Epoxy also can
as
fill gaps, but it's rubbery and doesn't sand
rvell. Two-part epory is a little better in
this respect, but doesnt bond as r'vell as
sr-rper glue. With either adhesive, wash
and lightly sand the bonding surfaces for
best results.
Gluing wood to sfyrene
Wlrat. thc bcst adhesive to llsc to
bond bassrvood to styrcne?
- wan.ett l(iel
The best adhesive for bonding wood
to styrene is cyanoacrylate (super glue).
The thicker, gel-typc versions tend to stay
where you put thcrn more easily than
thinner, runnier super glue . An accelera-
tor sets the bond more quickly.
[ens replocement
I've misplaced the clear plastic ler-rses
for a set of Nlavcrick missiles. Without
buying another kit, how can I replacc
them?
- Corey Ransont
Ifyou'rc careful, you can build up new
lenses with 5-n-rinute epory. After mlring
a gob of glLle, transfer the epory to thc
nose of the missile. Hoid the missile
upside dor,vn so the glue forms into a
hemisphere as it sets. Epory dries ncar11'
clear, so it should look just abor"rt right.
[iquid-glue dispenser
I'm having trouble finding the right
applicator for liquid glues such as Teua-r
or Weld-On. I don't like brushcs because
the glue rllns oLlt too tast. Bottles -'vith
needle applicators either clog up or satu-
rate thc model rvith *Iu"
- Dooi, Morob*
An old paintbrush (sizc 0) should do
it. You can reduce the irmount on thc
brush by touching the iip of thc bottle
and letting some of thc glue run back in.
Merely touching the brush to the seam
will let glue florv in without further
brushing. Residue can be removed with
light sanding.
Mosking moteriol
What kind of tape works best for
masking? I have a lot of trouble with
masking and transparent tape.
-Julia Crauford
Remove the tape as soon as possible.
Masking and transparent tape bccome
more difficult to rcmovc with time,
pulling up underlying paint or leaving
adhesive residue. Try drafting tape, avail-
able at art-supply stores. It's similar to
masking tape, but the adhesive is lcss
sticly.
Mending fobric
I have an old biplane kit with ejector-
pin marks smack in the middle of fabric
details on the wings. How can I erase
these marks and make the work blend in?
- Bruce Ross
Your frustration r'vitl-r the marks is
understtrndable. Horvcver, the fabric
wing dctail is probablf inaccurate, too.
Fabric-covered arcas of aircraft are just
as smooth as thc mctal. Only the charac-
teristic tightening over the ribs gives t1-re
fabric alvay. So the area should not be
textured.
Fill ejector-pir.r marks r'vith your
favorite fille1 and sand them smooth.
Sand awal.the "fabric" detail, too.
Oleo struts
How do you depict chromed oleo por-
tions on the landing t
fr \t$tl,runrUrr,
There are rwo ways: one is to replace
the plastic oleo section with a piece of
stainless-steel tubing. The easier way is to
glue a piece of aluminum foil to the sec-
tion and trim away the excess. usc I rotor, you'll have to avoid bending near
Bare-Metal Foil because it already has an
adhesivc on it. I burnish the foil down
'w.ith a cotton swab stick. The eflect is
most noticeable if the remainder of the
strut is painted flat aluminum, whitc, or
any dark color.
Phofoetched philosophies
I'm just getting back into the hobby
and am not surc horv to handle, paint,
and attach photoetched parts. Do you
ha-"e any pointers?
- Richartr Kohli
Handling photoetched parts can be
triclqr Buy a good set of rweezers to han-
dle the parts. They can be painted with
enamels or acrylics, but adhesion is some-
times a problem. Wash the parts with
lacqucr thinner to remove oils and chem-
icals that may interfere with paint.
Photoetched parts can be attached with
supcr glue or cpoxy, but somc modelers
use a dab of Future floor polish or other
fypes ofclear coats.
Rotor blode droop
At rcst, main rotor blades on real
choppcrs exhibit a distinct droop that I
have been unable to induce in kit blades
with hot water. Ho.!v can I get them to
droop?
-J.F Roche III
,;
You can make rotor blades droop by
sirnpll'bending them. Dont hold each
end and borv it, though - that could be
disastrousl Apply stress along the length
of the rotor, starting near the hub and
rvorking outward every t/t" or so (see
photo). Avoid the outer quarter of the
blade, and make just a littlc bend in each
spot. You can always go back and give it
more. If you do break one, repair it with
liquid glue. After you have repaircd the
the break.
Resin ports
I've never worked with resin conver-
sion parts or kits. Do they requirc special
glue or paints? Should I prime the parts?
- DickJones
What we call resin parts are made
from one of several polyrrethane resins
that are impervious to solvent cements
such as tube glue or liquid cement such as
Tenax or Weld-On. You need either
super glue or epoly to attach resin parts.
Since a mold-release agent is used in resin
casting, wash parts with soapy water
before gluing or painting.
Priming resin parts will reveal pin-
holes or other surface imperfections. Fill
pinholes with super glue. You should be
able to use lacquer, enamel, or water-
based acrylics for priming and color coats.
If an area of resin repels paint, there may
still be rnold-release agent on it (or the
resin may have been improperly mlred).
Try sanding the surface s1ight1y, and spray
paint or primer in light, dry coats.
Restoring vintoge kits
Irecently acquired a built-up Aurora
King Kong, and I would likc to disassem-
ble it and repaint and rebuild it. Some of
the small parts come off easilli but many
of thc larger parts are glued on solid. Is
there some way to dissolve the glue and
start over?
- Stezte Grassi
I recommend scoring around each
gluc joint with a sharp blade until thc
joint gives way. Assuming the original
buiider used tube glue, the bond probably
isn't strong. I dont knor'v of any chemical
that will dissolve the hardened polymer
used in tube glue, but once you gct the
pieces apart you may find the cxccss glue
will flake olTor that you can cut and sand
it off
Sonding it smooth
I have a kit with raised rivets that look
way too big. What's the best way to
remove and smooth these inaccurate
details?
- Brett Rhei,
You can get rid of the rivets with 400-
grit sandpaper, followed by 600-grit
sandpaper. Prime the model with a light
gray paint to check for hear'y sanding
marks. If there are any, sand and prime
again. After you've fixed them you're
ready to paint.
Ship roilings
What material do you use for ship
railings? I'm having trouble finding
s omething thin enough .
] ;:; r:;l;; r,.,
There are many aiternatives, including
aftermarket photoetchcd sets, but if you
want to make them yourself try HO scale
detailing wire and clear stretched sprue.
You also can use clear stretched sprue for
mast rigging.
Best of Q&A 9
 Ship-roili4g removol
ond replocement
I want to replace the railings on a
Revell USS Arizona. How do I remove
the kit railing without damaging the
parts?
-Jim Andersan
To remove the railings, score along the
bottom edge with a sharp hobby knife.
Repeated passes with the blade will even-
nrally weaken the plastic so you can easily
bend thcm off. You also can replacc them
with an aftermarket photoetched brass
railing kit from Gold Medal Models.
Stretched sprue
I've read a lot about using stretched
sprue for rigging and antenna wires, but
have no idea how it is made. How about
a quick course?
- Mark Pfahl
Stretching sprue is sometimes consid-
ered an advanced technique, but it is quite
simplc. Every injection-molded kit has
attachcd to runncrs or sDrues.
Light a candle and cut a segmcnt of
straight sprue (4"-6" long). Hoid the cen-
ter of the segment about 1" over the flame
and ro11 the sprue benveen your fingers so
thc flame heats it cvcnly.
Continue until the sprue turns glossy
and soft, remove it from the flame, and
pull the ends apart. The quicker you pul1,
the thinner the diameter of the stretched
sprue, but if you pull too fast, the sprue
will break.
Pulling slowly produces thick sections
that can be used for boarding ladders and
other stmclures. A quick, steady pu1l can
give you nearly 3' of thin, constant-diamc-
tcr stock for antcnna and rigging wires.
Some styrene stretches better than
others, so experiment with different
1O ElneScale lYlodeler's Best oiQ&A
brands. Clear sprue can givc the bcst
results if you're looking for ultra-thin
stock. Be careful not to ignite the sprue;
styrene fumes are toxic and you'll get iit-
tle black ashes floating all over the room.
Stretched sprue can be attached with
r.vhite glue, super g1ue, or epory. Dont use
plastic cements; they'1l dissolve the thin,
fragile plastic.
Sprue sog
I have tried using stretched sprue to
simulate vchicle antennas, but the picces
always seem to sag or bend. What can I
use to "straighten out" my problcm?
- Stephen Hilliard
I'11 assume you mcan rvhip antennas,
which are anchored at only one end.
Stretched sprue is fragilc and it kinks eas-
ily, but this is offset by its cost - it comes
free in every injection-molded kit.
If you break or bend stretched sprue,
just snip it off and replace it. Or you can
entirely avoid the hassle b1'using spring
steel or stainless-steel rvire. An ideal
source is old guitar strings. The high tr
string is thc fincst gauge, good for small
scales.
Super glue etiquette
I have trouble using super eluc cffi-
ciently. The tips clog and thc caps get
gummy and dont fit. I tried thin applica-
tor tips and they clog, too. Horv can I
clean this mess up?
-Jones R. Statmton
First, wipe excess from the tip every
timc you use the glue. The cap rvill fit if
the tip stays clean.
Instead of struggling with a frner tip,
put a drop or two ofglue on a scrap sur-
face and use a toothpick to applv it from
thcre. Apply a little accelerator rvith an
old brush.
Aftcrwards, throw ar,vay the toothpick
and cap the bottle. Refrigerate super glue
to make it last longer.
Super glue, not putty
I always have trouble fi11ing gaps and
making my models look seamless. I find
body putry difficult to use. Is there any-
thing better?
- Steven T, Lineban
Body putties arc easy to sand, but their
tendcncy to shrink is annoying. They also
may pit and are not as smooth as the sur-
rounding plastic or metal.
Instead, use gap-fil1ing super glue and
an accelerator. The syrupy glue flows
slowly into seams, and you can control it
by tilting the model to 1et graviq' pull the
glr-re where you need it.
Once you've fi1led the gap or seam,
apply super-glue accelerator. Use the bot-
tlc's sprayer, an old brush, or a
Microbrush to apply a few drops.
The glue will set in seconds; inspect
thc scam to see ifyou need morc. Slightly
overfill thc scam before sanding.
Sand the glue after it's set but before it
cures completcly - it's much tougher to
sand later. IJse various grits of sandpaper
or sanding fiIes to smooth the fi1led area.
You'll find super glue is faster and looks
better as a filler.
Super glue technique
I'm having difficulty attachingsmall
parts such as nose probes with supcr g1ue.
It's not sticly enough to hold the part in
place, and it doesnt give you much of a
chancc to position parts before it sets. I
tried using tube glue to position the part,
follorved by super glue, but that's not as
strong a bond as super glue alone.
- Bradley Jones
Rcst the model so you don't have to
hold it in your hand - you're going to
need both hands to do the following. Put
a little gap-filling super glue on the base
of the nosc probe (to use your example).
Hold the probe in one hand, then dip a
Microbrush into super-glue accelerator
(both are availablc in hobby shops).
R>sition thc probe, check it, then
quickly touch the Microbrush to the
joint. The accelerator will flow from the
little ball of fiber onto the super glue and
set in a second or two. Then set the model
aside - although super glue sets in sec-
onds, it takes an hour or so to fully curc.
Super-glue trouble
I build injection-molded and vacuum-
formed plastic kits with super glue, but
some of the seams open later. Does using
an accelerator make a difference? What
am I doing wrong)
-J. Patron
I havent found that accelerator weak-
ens joints. However, super glue is
susceptible to contamination. It's impor-
tant that the areas to be glued are free
from mold-release agents and fingerprint
oils. Wash the parts thoroughly and light-
ly sand the joints before gluing.
Super glues have great tensile strength
but weak shear; in other words, it's di{n-
cult to part a joint with perpendicular
force, but force parallel to the joint may
break the bond. Reinforcing vacuum-
formed fuselage joints with internal strips
of styrene reinforces a joint by adding
surface area to take advantage ofthe ten-
sile strength.
Super-glue ugly
I like using super glue but dislike hav-
ing to repaint the white crud left on my
models by the curing glue. How can I
avoid this?
- Bruce Beamish
You might find thick, slow-curing
super glues produce less "crud," or chioro-
sis, a precipitate of cured super gluc. A
coat ofFuture floor polish retards the for-
mation of chlorosis on clear parts.
To keep the precipitate from settling
on your model, position a fan to blow past
your work area. Fine-grit sandpaper or
polishing compound can remove this
deposit from your model.
Thermoforming plostic
I want to try thermoforming a small
canopy, pushing a reinforced kit canopy
into the heated sheet. Is clear sfyrene the
best material for this?
- Brent Fardham
You want to look for PETG (polyeth-
ylene terephalate glycol copolymer, also
known as copolyester or Vivac). Check
with plastic supplier and see if they have
a notch. The tubing rvill break with oniy a
scraps of.020" around. Ifyou need a lot
you can get it in 4'x 8' sheets, too.
The problem is chrome
I'm having trouble getting the dual
tandem wheels on my L/25 scale Ertl and
AMT trucks to stick together. I use tube-
type plastic cement. Is the glue the
probiem?
- Skip Arnold
Assuming your problem is getting the
outer wheel rims to stick to the inner
wheel rims, first make sure you scrape
away the chrome plating on the surfaces
to be glued. Plastic cements cannot pene-
trate this plating and a bond is never
achieved.
Tube-type plastic cements may not be
giving you a strong enough bond; use liq-
uid plastic cement. Put the inner and
outer rims together, then brush on the
glue and let it flow between the parts.
Wait a day before mounting the tires. You
also can use super glue - but do so care-
fully or you'll reaily get attached to your
hobby!
Tire technique
What does the term "weighted tires"
mean?
- Boris Bozic
Some kits provide tires with a flat side
and bulges to look as iftheyie under a load.
Some modelers get this effect with a hot
knife; other rnodelers think the effect
overdone. Ho',vever, done correcth this can
make thc model look more realistic and
sometimes helps the model sit properly.
Trimming tubing
I'vc scen hypodermic needles or stain-
less-steel rubing used for pitot tubes and
gun barrels on models. I've tried to use
thern, but I can't find a way to cut the
tubes without crimping the ends. How
can I get nicc, clean, round cnds?
-John Bozuery
If you have a motor too1, use an abra-
sive cutoff rvheel to cut the tubing. The
end will probably be a little rough; clean
it by twisting the tubing while lightly
pressing the rough edge against the spin-
ning cutoffrvheel.
Make sure you wear safety glasses
cutoff wheels can fly apartl Finish with
600-grit sandpaper.
If you don't have a motor tool, score
the tubing with the edge of a fine-tooth
file and bend thc tubing toward the scored
little crimping. Clean the end by inserting
the tip of a sharp No. 11 hobby-knife
blade in the opening and twisting. Final
cleanup can be done with sandpaper.
Vocuum-formed cut-up
I want to try my hand at a vacuum-
formed plastic model. Thc guys at the
hobby shop say to cut out the parts with
a scissors, but the plastic looks too thick
for that. Should I use a jigsaw?
- FredJape
No, the best way is to score along the
edge of each part with a sharp knife at
about a 45-degree angle. Then you can
snap the plastic along the scored line.
Next, sand away excess plastic. After
that, glue parts as you would with an
injection-molded kit.
Worped fuseloge
How can I straighten out warped fuse-
lage halves?
- Tert staidler
Soak the picces in hot water, then gen-
tly straighten them. Another rvay is to
glue them in stages. For example, let's say
the fuselage halves are fine at the front
end but diverge at the other end, causing
a 1" gap at the tail. First, glue the forward
fuselage and 1et it set for at least a day.
Make sure it is a strong joint (you may
want to reinforce it with a bead of gap-
filling super glue if you can gct to the
inside of the fuselage).
is Repeat the procedure for the tail sec-
tion, forcing the halves together. Wrap
rubber bands, pipe cleaners, or strong
tape around the rear fuselage after the
glue has been applied and let it set for 24
hours. This can work for warped wings as
well.
Worped outo body
I have a 1967 Plymonth GTX with a
slightly twisted body which makes the
back and the front uneven. Hou. can I fi-x
this?
-Joe Camarda
Soak the body in hot water for a few
minutes, then twist it gcntly beyond
straight in the other direction. Then set it
on a flat surface and hold it straight until
the plastic cools.
-
Worped wings
I recentlybuilt a vacuum-formed
model of a World War I aircraft and ran
into a serious problem - after gluing the
wing halve s together, the wing warpcd into
a had case of anhedral. n
*_rff)til;Ir::
The cause of your problem may be too
much glue. Split the wing open and reat-
tach it with a little liquid cement.
If it appears that this rvould ruin the
wing, makc several cuts in the underside
of the wing and glue in small strips of
plastic. These wedges force the wing into
the proper shape.
It's hard to predict how many cuts
you'll need to make - just add a few at a
time until you overcome the warping.
Cover the cuts and strips with filler putty
and sand them smooth.
You also could immerse the wing in
hot water and reshape it. After you cor-
rect the shape, tape the wing to a flat
surface and let it coo1.
w.finescale-com BestofQ&{ 11
 Wet sonding
Could you explain wet sanding? I tried
wetting sandpaper and it was a real messl
- S onny A ugus tin adino c e n tuis
First of all, you can't use just any sand-
paper to wet sand. Ask for "wet-or-dry''
sandpaper at the hardware store. This is a
special sandpaper that can be wet with
water and not come apart. \ryet-or-dry
sandpaper is available in many brands and
grits and is usually dark gray. Use 220-,
320-,400- and 600- grit papers for mod-
eling. The higher the number, the finer
the grit.
The advantage of wet sanding is that
water keeps the grit from clogging. With
cleaner grit, the sandpaper works faster.
Sand at a utility sink, occasionally passing
the sandpaper through a stream ofwater
from the faucet. Pass the model under the
stream to wash away the slurry (the
muddy mlx of sanding dust and water).
Blue Angels blues
I build a lot of Blue Angels models
and I
aiways have the same problem: No
matter what I use, the blue paint always
shows through the yellow decals. What
am I doing wrong?
'Vintent Maddtrx
Light-colored decals may not be opaque
enough to hide the underlying color. My
solution is to double the decals - lay
another set over the first. Yes, this means
you may havc to buy two sets of aftermar-
ket decals. But the results are worth it.
Be careful not to stretch decals or they
won't match up. After the bottom decal
dries, carcfuily position the top decal with
a water-soakcd brush. When the decal is
placed, biot up excess water u,ith a cotton
swab. Dont press the decal down or you
could knock it out of alignment. Use a
decal-setting solution only after both
decals are dry.
Crinkled decols
I recently covered a model with a clear
12 fineScale lYlodeler's Bcst of QcLA
coat from a can. It scems the clear coat
reacted with the decais and they crinkled
badlv. What went wrong?
- Darcy Abbott
That can happen, espccially if
you
apply a healy coat ofclear. Solvents in the
spray can dissoive decal inks and carrier
{ilm as well as paint and plastic. Apply
light coats of spray and don't let the
model get "wet" with clear paint.
Domoge control
NIy first modcl rvas the Rcvell/
Monogram 1/48 scale "Big Beautiful
Doll" P-51 Mustang with the checkered
nose. I tore most of the decals! What am
I doing wrong?
-Jim Holtz
Big decals are difficult. Thc larger the
deca1,the more it drags on the surface of
the model as you try to position it. If you
keep the undcrside of thc decal rvet it will
slide more easily, so flood the area with
water (1ots of water on the curved nose of
a Mustang). Do not touch the decal with
your fingcrs; use a small, flat brush and
tweezers to move the decal around.
Once the decal is placed, drain the
water from underneath by placing a cot-
ton swab or the edge of a paper torvcl to
the cdge of the decal and let thc rvater
wick away. You can carefully blot or ro11 a
cotton swab on top of the decal to gently
press it into place.
After more experience you'Il r'vant to
experiment with decal-setting solutions,
which soften the decal and allolv it to
"melt" into the surface.
Decols on decqls
I build airliner models and many of
the available decals involve layering one
decal over another. Should I lay the first
decal down, apply solvent, wait for it to
dry, and spray on an overcoat before
applying the next layer? Would it be bet-
ter to put on both decals, then solvent and
overcoat?
- Tim Malone
Actually, your first method is a little
overkill. Apply thc first decal using only
as much solvent as is necessary to get the
decals to snuggle down over the detail.
Wait for the decal to dry, then lay on
the second layer. (If too much solvent is
used, you risk stretching the decal, mak-
ing it nearly impossible to line up the
second layer in register - you would have
to stretch the second decal in exactly the
same places to get perfect rcgister.)
Apply thc second decal as you did the
first. Let it dry, then overcoat the decal
sandwich.
Disintegrofing decols
I ve had problems with decals disinte-
grating when they come off the paper.
What am I doing wrong? How can I pre-
vent this?
- Ton! Partlor,u
Disintegrating decals afe usually
caused by insufficient clcar carrier applied
to thc papcr under the color inks. Other
causes are aging and temperature and
humidiry extremes. This clear, somewhat
flexible coat holds the decal together -
without it, the inks just float off in tiny
particles.
You can fi-x the decals you have. Apply
a new clear coat to the decals by brushing
on Microscale Liquid Decal Film, or
spraying on a coat of clear enamel or lac-
quer - I prefer Floquil Crystal-Cotc.
It's difficult to teli which decal sheets
will fracrurc, so test by cutting an unim-
portant decal from the sheet and dipping
it in water. If it fractures, appiy the clear
coat to the cntire sheet. You'll have to
trim away the cxcess clear film from each
decal, but you'll save a few dollars on the
dccals -and pcrhaps markings that can't
be replaced.
Flot decols, shiny model
I'm building an aircraft with a natural-
metal finish and I don't want the decals to
be shiny. Horv can I make them flat with-
out spraying a flat clear overcoat that will
spoil the metal finish?
-Tont Wilson
Before applying the decals, lightly air-
brush them with a flat clear. However,
you'll have to cut out each decal to rclcase
it from the sheet.
Lighdy score around each image as
closely as possible, then dip the image in
water; the excess film will disengage as it
releascs from the paper. Soak up excess
water to avoid ruining your metal finish
with spots.
Missile stripes
Is there an easy rvay to paint stripes on
missiles?
- Shang Lee
Instead of trying to paint a perfect
line, cut a thin strip from solid-coior
decals. Wet it, wrap it around the missile,
add a drop ofsetting solution, and let the
decal dry tight on thc missile.

Removing decols
I ruined my decals and I want to replace
them. How do you get decals offa model?
- Gavin MacPherson
First, try very sticly tape such as
Scotch (clear or frosty). Burnish it down
on the decal, then rip it off It should
rcmove most if not all the dccal.
If this docsnt work, try alcohol and a
cotton swab, or perhaps ammonia. Make
sure you have good ventilation when
using these liquids.
Silverino decols
on flot iurfoces
My problem is getting decals to stick
to models painted with flat paints. Even
after applying setting solution, the decals
look pasted on and glossy.
I dont have problems with them on
gloss paints, but most of the colors I use
are {Iat. What can I do?
- H. Smulders
Decals dont stick to flat paints because
there is litde surface contact. Ifyou could
see your model under a microscope, it
would appear as coarse sandpaper and the
decal as a sheet ofglass.
The decal makes contact with the
paint only at the peaks of its bumpy tex-
ture, trapping air in the valleys beiow.
Light reflects and refracts through the air
and decal, producing a silvery appearance
in the clear fi1m areas.
Gloss paints, on the other hand, have
a smooth surface and allow maximum
surface contact with the decal. You can
spray on a coat of clear gloss, let it dry,
apply the decals, let them dry, then over-
coat with a clear flat.
Solvents ond solutions
What's the difference between a set-
ting solution and a decal solvent? Is it
necessary to use both? Why dont manu-
facturers provide both?
- R.J. Brandt
Setting solutions are acetic-acid-based
formulas and usually have the word "set"
on their labels. Solvent formulas are alco-
hol-based and usually have the word "sol"
in their names.
You don't necessarily need both, but
setting solution provides a "friendlier"
surface for the decal, while the solvents
soften the decals as they dry so they
conform more closely to the surface.
One drawback is that certain formulas
can destroy decals; test a spare decal
from the same sheet to avoid this risk.
I
Yellow decqls
As time passes, many of my older kits'
decal sheets are yellowing. I recently
packed all ofthem in an airtight box fi1led
with silica gel (the stuff packed with cam-
eras and electronic equipment to absorb
moisture). Will this keep the decals from
yellowing further?
- Andl Chong
No, moisture is not the problem here.
Decals yellow due to the acid in the paper.
Over time, the acid creates a chemical reac-
tion within the paper and turns the paper
and often the clear carrier film ye1low.
To cure the problem, tape the yellowed
decais into a south-facing window and let
the sun bleach out the yeliow it takes a
- acrylic floor polish. I ve had great success
few weeks, but it worl<sl Make sure the
-
windo-"v doesnt collect moisture a bath-
-
room windorv is a bad choice since this
could wet the decal and activate the water-
based adhesive. Better yet, build those kits
before the decals get old and yellowl
Acrylic thinner
I've heard windshield wiper fluid can
be used for acrylic-paint thinner. But isnt
it poisonous?
- Ken Millard
Dont drink it! lt has alcohol and
maybe glycerin or other
surfactants.
However, other acrylic thinners also are
poisonous, though less hazardous than
enamel and lacquer thinners.
The safest acrylic thinner is distilled
water (and it works), but you should
check the paint labels to determine the
manufacturer's recommended thinner.
Blqsted bubbles!
How can I prevent bubbles when I'm
painting with a brush?
- NanYang
Air bubbles can form when you're shak-
ing the bottle before painting. This occurs
most often with water-based acrylics.
Also, vigorous brushing can introduce
air bubbles. When you mix paint for
a brushing, stir it with a Popsicle stick.
Brush gently in one direction, using only
one or two strokes.
Cleor coqts
What is a good technique for air-
brushing clear top coats over a completed
model? I use a single-action Paasche and
I always get an orange-peel bumpiness in
the finish. I use one part thinner with nvo
parts Model Master Clear Gloss.
- Robert Hersch
One variable you didnt mention may
be the trouble. If the air pressure is too
high, you may be blasting the clear with
enough air that it's drying too fast.
Ifyou dont have a regulatoq adjust the
knurled knob below the air button on
your Paasche to reduce the amount of air.
Also, lightly wet sand with worn 600-grit
paper after each coat (let each coat dry
first) and mix the final coat at least 50-50
with thinner.
Or you could finish with Future
by airbrushing it at low pressure and
gradually buiiding up coats to let the
Future flow evenly.
Dry-brushing
I've often seen a technique called dry-
brushing in articles in FSM. Just what is
dry-brushing?
- Nathan Higa
Dry-brushing is a weathering tech-
nique to simulate worn and faded paint.
After the painted model is dry, lighten
the base color with white and paint a
small swatch on a piece of cardboard with
a soft brush. Continue to work the brush
until it's nearly dry. Next, lightly brush
this color on raised details of the modcl.
To enhance the effect, scrub the brush a
little harder on the model (see photo).
Dry-brushing highlights the raised
details; the goal is a smooth gradation of
color. If your paint is too wet, you'll only
produce a spot of color that wont look
right. If it's too dry, nothing will happen.
Practice dry-brushing on an old model
before working on a prizcwinncr.
Fume qvoidonce
I'm reluctant to take my painting
inside during the winter because of the
fumes. What can I do?
- DelJack
First, use water-based acrylic paints;
the fumes are less noxious. Second, turn
w.finescale.con llestofQ&A 13
 down the pressure on your airbrush; you
Humbrol point numbers need only 10-15 psi. Ifyou see clouds of
If you have built an Airfix or Heller kit recently, you've noticed that paint refer- ovcrsPray, you're wasting paint.
ences comprise only numbers. Wel1, it's time to put names on the numbers. Try to airbrush on dry days. You can
This information was taken from a color-chip chart that Humbrol made sever- spced the drying with a hair dryer. In any
al years ago. You'll notice that there are numbers missing in the sequence, but that's cvent, consider buying or building a spray
the way the paint line is. So, modelers, keep this reference near your workbench- booth to pump overspray and fumes out
- Paul Boyer ofthe house.
Point Point Poinl Pcint Poinl Poinl
l{o. l{ome No. Nome No. ]lome Woshes qre for detoils
The term "wash" is used often in
Emerold (glos) 80 Motl gross green 147 Moil light grey FSM. Just exactly what is a wash?
Brunswirk green (glos) 8l Moil pole yellow 148 Moil rodome lon
Dork od grey (glos) 82 Motl oronge lining 149 Moil dork green - Wi// Deutolfe
Light buff tglos) 83 Motl orhre 150 Moil fore$ green
Ton {glos) 84 Moil mid stone I 5i lnlerior green {moll}
l0 Service brown (glos) 85 (ool blork {sotin) 153 lnsignio red (moll)
ll Silver {metollk} 86 Mort lighl olive 154 lnsignio yellow (moll)
l2 (opper(metollir) 8l Mott sleel grey I 55 Mott olive drob
14 henrh blue (glos) 88 Mo$ detk green 156 Moil durk grey
15 Midnight blue (glos) 89 Mott middle blue 157 Azure blue {mott)

16 Gold (metollic) 90 Mofi beige green I 58 lnterior green (motl)

l8 0ronge (glos) 9l Mott blork green 159 Khoki drob (motl)
l9 Bright red (glos) 92 Moll iron grey 160 Ger como. red brown (molt)
20 (rimson (glos) 93 Mott desert yellow l6l U.5. Morine (orps green (molt)
2l Blork (glos) 94 Mott brown yellow 162 Surfore grey (mott)
22 White (gloss) 95 Molt ronrrete I 63 Dork green (solin)

23 Durk egg blue (molt) 96 Mott blue RAF 164 Dork seo grey (solin)
24 Troiner yellow 97 Molt eggshell 165 Seo grey medium (sotin)
25 Mo$blue 98 Mott chorolole 166 Light rirtroft grey (sotin)
26 Mott khoki 99 Moff lemon 167 RAF borley grey (solin)
27 Motl seo grey 100 Mott red brown 168 Hemp {soiin)
28 (omoufloge grey (motl) l0l Moil mid green 169 Yellow focings (molt) A wash is a highly diiuted paint used
29 Mofi dork eodh 102 Motl Army green '170 Brown Bes (moll) to add a visual illusion of depth. For
30 Moil dork green 103
'104
Motl (reom l7l Anlique bronze (malt) instance, thinned black paint brushed
3l Molt dole grey Mott 0xford blue 172 Green kolin) onto an aircraft wing will settle in panel
32 Molt dork grey 105 Molt Morine green I 73 lrock colour (molt)

33 Moil blork 106 Molt oceon grey 174 Signol red (molt) lines and hinge lines. Washes can be
34 Moil while 107 MoltWWl purple 175 Hellgrou 76 (moll) brushed on figures to add natural shad-
35 (leorpoly(glos) 108 Molt WWI green 176 Neutrol grey/ight grey {mott) owlng.
38 lime (glos) 109 Molt WWI blue 177 Hull red (moil) Use a paint and thinner that wont
40 Pole grey (glos) I 0 IMott nolurol wood 178 Britishxorlo(motl) harm underlying coats ofpaint. Ifyou use
4l lvory (glos) lll Motl uniform grey 179 French ortillery green (molt)
47 Seo blue (glos) I l2 Motl lormot 180 leother (motl)
Red
lacquer color coats, you can safely use an
48 Meditenoneon blue (glos) ll3 Mollrust l8l Glosy seo blue enamel wash over them. Don't use lac-
49 Moll vornish II4 Motl Rusion green 182 Blork grey (sotin) quer over enamels, though, because
50 Green misl (melolli() ll5 Mott Rusion blue I 83 Grey (sotin) lacquers will eat through enamels quickly.
5l Sunset red {metollk} I 16 Mott U.S. dork green 184 Freight stork grey (sotin) IJse an acrylic r.vash ovcr cnamels.
52 Boltk blue (metollir) l17 Mott U.5. ligh green 186 Brown (molt)
53 Gunmetol (metollir) I l8 Molt U.5. lon 187 Sond {mott)
54 Bros (metollk) II9 Mor light eorth 188 (hrome yellow (glos) Gloss-white coveroge
55 Bronze (melollir) I 20 Mofi lighl green 189 lnsignio blue (molt) I'm painting with Tamiya gloss white
56 Aluminum (metollic) I 2l Mott pole slone 190 Blue Angel blue (glos) (X-2) but I'm having trouble getting it to
60 Scorlet (molt) 122 Moil pole blue I9l (hrome silver (metollic) cover. It leaves brush marks and it wont
6l Mottflesh I 23 Sotin dork seo grey 192 Bloze motl (fluorevent)
62 Moil lesther 124 Sotin petrol blue 193 Bloze glos (fluorescent) stick in some areas no matter how many
63 Moll sond 125 Solin U.5. dork grey I 94 Solurn yellow glos (fluorescenl) coats I apply. I tried washing the model in
64 Moil light grey 126 Sotin U.S. medium grey 195 Dork green {sotin} warm, soapy water, but it didnt help.
65 127 Sotin U.5. ghost grey (light) I 96 light grey (solin)
Mott oircroft blue - MarA Schicker
66 Moil olive drob I 28 Sotin U.5. compos grey (dork) 197 lufthonso yellow (sotin]
67 Molt lonk grey 129 Sotin U.5. gull grey (light) I 98 Lufthonso blue (solin)
130 Solin white 200 Pink (gloss) This paint seems particularly sensitive
68 Purple (glos)
69 Yellow (glos) I 3l Sotin green 201 Metollk block tooi1 on thc plastic surface. Tiy wiping
70 Mott brkk red 132 Sotin red 202 Fluorexenl ouroro pink mineral spirits or rubber cement thinner
7l Sotin ook I 33 Sotin brown 203 Fluorestenl signol green over the trouble spots after washing them
72 Mott khoki drill 134 Solin blue 204 Fluoresrent mott Solutn yellow with soapy water. These solvents will
73 Motl wine I 35 Sotin vornish 205 Fluorexent molt fire oronge loosen oils without affecting the plastic.
74 Moil linen 140 Mott gull grey {dork) 206 white (glos)
Bose

75 Moll bronze green l4l Lighl ses grey (motl) 207 Auroro pink (fluorexent glos) My favorite white paint is Floquil's
76 Moll uniform green 142 Moil field drob 208 Signol green (fluorestent) Reefer White, but this should be air-
77 Molt novy blue 144 lnlermediole blue (motl) 209 Fire oronge (fluorescenl) brushed. For hand brushing, I like Polly
78 Molt rockpil green 145 Molt medium grey Scale White. Both of these colors dry flat
79 Mott blue grey 146 Glos oirrrofi grey but will accept a clear gloss overcoat.
/
14 flneScale lYlodeler's Bcst of Q&{
 Pqint before or ofter
ossembly?
I wonder why the models I see in
FSM are built before being painted. I
dont see how you can paint after the
thing is built.
- Mike Devine
A combination of painting interior
detail before assembly and exterior finish-
es after assembly is the best way. Painting
after assembly allows you to cover filled
seams and gaps.
For an airplane, build and paint the
interior (cockpit) first, then paint the
interior wa1ls of the fuselage halves.
\,Vhen the paint is dry glue the cockpit in
place and glue the fuselage together.
Fill seams with super glue, add a touch
of accelerator to harden the glue, then
sand it smooth. Then glue on the wings
and stabilizers, filling seams along the
way if needed.
Now you're ready to paint the outside
of the model. You can siick a brass tube
up the tailpipe or into a hoie for a pro-
peller to hold the model while you paint.
Find a way to mount the brass tubc (with
the model on it) to keep from touching
the paint before it dries.
Art-suppiy stores usually.,carry finer
brushes such as a 10-0.There )rent many
bristles, but they're expensive. \
No brush will keep forever, but a good
brush will keep its point with proper cale.
Clean it immediately after every use with
a thinner that will dissolve the paint. Dip
the brush in the thinner, but never let the
bristles rest on the bottom ofthe contain-
er; that bends them. Pull the brush along
a clean rag. Dont scrub it or jam it into
the rag; that bends and even breaks bris-
tles. You may need to dip and wipe several
times before the brush comes clean.
To restore the brush's point, put a drop
of saliva on your fingertips and draw the
brush through. This will hold the bristies
in place. Put a plastic-tube cap on the
brush and store it upright.
Sproy mqtters
I'm worried about using Testor clear
coats over enamels and water-based
acrylics. Can I brush the bottled versions
POPULAR MODELING SCALES
Srule l" I srole I srole
equolt lool fqot "(dec.l nelel
of these clears onto color coats? What
about spray cans?
- Tbr! Simian
Testor Glosscote and Dullcote are lac-
quers which, properly applied, can go
over enamels and acrylics with no prob-
lem. However, dont hand brush them.
The application will be too thick and the
wet lacquer may eat through the underly-
ing paint. You must be careful with spray
cans as well.
Make sure the underlying paint is
completely dry - wait a couple of days for
flat enamels and acrylics, a week for gloss
paints. Spray light coats of clear and wait
a halfhour before applying another coat.
Ifyou build up the overcoat too fast it can
soften and ruin the colors below.
Airbrush these clear coats from the
bottle with about25 percent lacquer thin-
ner. Dust on several light coats and never
allow the overcoat to puddle.
FSM
I scole (ommenls

Rough finish t/4 4" 3" 3.0' 250.0 mm Flying models, live-steom lroins
How can I simulate crude, fieid-applied t/8 8" lvi 1.5' 125.0 mm (ors, molorcydes, live-sleom lroins
paint (such as temporary white winter or t/12 I'1" 1.0" 83.3 mm (ors, molorcycles, dollhouses
sand-colored desert carnouflage) without 1 /16 l'4' vi .7s', 62.5 mm (ors, molorcydes, ormor
the model simply looking badly painted? l'8" 50.0 mm
t/20 ,'At" .6" (ors
Should a model like this be placed in a t/22.5 I'l0f' 17/,'t"
.53" 44.4 mm G scole fioins
diorama or can it stand by itsel0 t/24 2' Yi .5" 41./ mm (ors, lrucks, dollhouses
- Bryan Prima 1/2s 2'l' ,%r"
.48' 40.0 mm (ors, lrucks, ormor
1/32 2'8" '4" .3/5" 31.25 mm Aircrofi, cors, No.l scole toins
28.5/ mm
Build the model and paint the base
t/3s 2'l l" r'/n" .343', Armor
colors as bcst you can. To simulate the
1/43 3'i' '/u" .279 23.25 mm (ors, lrucks
field-applied camouflage, try thinning
t/48 4' Yi .25" 20.83 mm %'-scole oircrofi, 0 scole troins
the paint and applying it with a brush or
t/64 5'4" Y,i' .l 8/" 15.62 mm Airrrofi, S srole fioins
an eye-shadow applicator - a small,
1fi2 6' "/*" .167', 13.88 mm Airaufl, ormor, R( ships
round, spongc-covered tool that, with
practice, can produce the rough hand-
t/76 6',4" %;', .r 58" 13.16 mm Armot

applied paint look you want.

t/87 7',3', .r 38 I 1.49mm Armor, H0 scole roins
1/96 8' ,/;',
.t 25" 10.42 mm %" xole ships, oircroft
The model wouldnt need to be in a
r/r00 8'4" .l 20' I0.00 mm Airrrofl
diorama if properly labeled, which is not
t/tzs r0'5" .096" 8.00 mm Airrrofl
a bad idea - not everyone who sees your
work is going to know what it is. It | /144 t2' .083" 6.94 mm Airsoft
wouldn't hurt to let your audience know 1/160 l3'4" .075' 6.25 mm N srole foins
the paint job is supposed to look the way 1/192 16' 1/,i'
.062" 5.21 mm Zo" srole ships

it does. The qualiry of your construction 1/200 l6'8" .06' 5.0 mm Aircroft, ships

and underpainting will show that you 1/220 t8'4" .054" 4.54 mm Z scule *oins
aren't ham-fisted. t/285 23'9" .042', 3.5 mm Worgome pieces
t/3s0 29',2', .034" 2.86 mm Ships

Pointing tiny detoils 1fi00 58'4" .017' 1.43 mm Ships

I
have problems painting details. Is 1/720 60' .016" 1.38 mm Ships

there a brush smaller than "0"? Also, how t/1200 r 00' .01' .83 mm Worgome ships
do I keep a good point on tn 1/2400 200' .005" .42 mm Worgome ships
_O;::nlrr*
w-fnescale.corn BestofQ&A. 15
 li Get the answers to all of
o your nrodeling questions!

o
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oo
IU
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Ig
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lii<e to mcdel, FineScole
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