Common Techniques

("No points for originality." US Navy cliché)

Tools 'n' Tips Article by Richard J Tucker in  2201

Here are a few tips that I have picked-up over the years; some have been published in magazines and "How-to" books. Some were revealed to me by past masters during my wanderings, and some I just stumbled onto in a fit of profanity laced frustration. None are original and they are so common as to defy giving credit to their inventor! Most veterans know of these suggestions, but we at ARC want the beginners and those returning to the hobby to avoid a few of those "fits of profanity laced frustration"! 

Here they are:
* Preventing white paint from yellowing: Add dark or very bright blue paint to a bottle of white paint one drop at a time until the white paint becomes noticeable but very light blue. Clearly label this bottle of former white paint "bluing". (Don't mix brands.) When you mix white for airbrushing first put the bluing in the mixing jar one drop at a time until the bottom of the jar is covered. Add the white and the thinner as you normally would for airbrushing. Stir completely. The white may appear a bit stark when you first apply it, but as it dries it will darken just a bit and will not yellow-ever!

* Speaking of yellowing: Avoid lacquer and enamel clear overcoats; they turn yellow in days! Use the new water based gloss and flat clear.

* Applying infinitesimally small parts: Ever glue your fingers or tweezers to the model while that small detail part fell to the carpet never to be seen again? Fold a piece of masking tape length-wise sticky side out and wrap it around a toothpick. Use the sticky toothpick to pick up the small part. Dip the part's glue surface in a drop of super-glue and stick it where you want it. As the glue dries it will become stronger than the tape; pull the toothpick away. 

* Paint be-gone: Use plain household bleach to remove paint from plastic parts. Just soak the parts you want to strip in a covered container of undiluted bleach for 2-3 days. Bleach won't attack or craze the plastic and the paint will come off with a light scrubbing of a toothbrush in warm dishwater. WARNING: I've never tried this with resin or metal; do that at your own risk.

* Make that decal get down: Everyone knows about diluted white glue to make stubborn decals stick... right? What a gloppy, thick mess. Next time the decal refuses to sit down, try this: dip the decal and its backing paper in Future floor polish. Blot off the excess and place it the model. The Future will pull the decal down and will dry rock hard in a thin layer with no silvering. 

* Razor sharp lines: Trouble getting a sharp line where the tire meets the rim on that landing gear wheel? Instead of using that 000000000 brush with two hairs try a razor point black pen. The pen gives you perfect control for sharp lines and precise placement of color on knobs, stripes, demarcation lines, etc. For cockpit detailing, red and green razor point pens are useful, too.

* More razor pen: To paint the yellow and black face-curtain and ejection seat handles, paint them yellow. When the paint dries, draw in the black stripes with a sharp tip permanent black marker. The line width will be much more narrow and uniform than you can get with black paint and a brush.

* Mounting pins: Many times when kit bashing or fixing small broken parts the gluing surface will not provide enough surface to make a strong joint. Make locating pins. Put a small drop of black paint on the part where you want the pin location then firmly hold the part where you want to attach it. The paint will leave a spot on the parts at the place you want to attach them. Drill holes at the paint dots on the parts; the holes will now line up for the pin placement when you glue the parts together. Straight pins make great mounting pins; they're strong and are easily cut with wire cutters. Drill bit size #71 in X-Acto pin vice drill stand is the same diameter as moat straight pins.

* Molted camouflage: A sponge make-up applier is a great tool for painting molted camouflage. For single guys: You can find them in the women's toiletries section at Wal-Mart: good luck and good hunting! 

* Trouble precisely applying small amounts of super-glue accelerator? Take a long, straight piece of a spruce tree and file a chisel point on the end. Notch an acute angle "V" in the chisel point. Dip the spruce in the accelerator and place the point where you want it; the accelerator will flow out just like a pen! 

* Nose Cones: To paint a nose cone of a plane, mask the nose; then cut the corner out of a plastic sandwich bag. Hold the model in the bag and push the nose through the hole until the plastic stretches over the masking tape. Now, the whole model is covered. When you're finished painting, just cut the bag away. 

Richard J Tucker

Photos and text © by Richard J Tucker