Painting parts

[Guest]

It's been 20 years since I assembled a mmodel so I have a "newbie" question. Is it best to paint parts while still on the tree or after assembly?

[Guest]

I only paint them off the sprue Tod.


FIrst you have a cut mark or marks where they come from the sprue which has to be tidied up.


Secondly the part has to be tidied up ie all odd bits of unwanted plastic. Not easy when on the sprue with a lot of other pieces.


Third it is best to fit dry before painting. Any modifications can then be made prior to the paint finish being applied. Handling will also on such a small piece tend to rub off the paint finish.


Fourth even small pieces I airbrush which is not possible on the sprue.


A number of pieces such as antennae I will paint when fitted when fitted at the more or less completion of the model.


Laurie

[Alan 45]

There's no right or wrong if it's easier for you do it I used to do it but now I paint it when it's on the model

[Guest]

I go along with what Alan as said, & at the end of the day do which ever way you are happy with .


John.

[stona]

I agree with finding what works for you but there are other factors to consider.


Laurie has already mentioned problems that might be associated with removing painted parts from the sprues.


Perhaps most importantly is that assembling pre-painted plastic parts is going to be a challenge. Most plastic cements work by dissolving the surface of the plastic, producing a chemical weld. Superglues or acrylic cements only stick paint to paint (in fact superglue will make a mess of the painted surfaces if both surfaces have been painted


Sometimes you will have to assemble already painted parts. The best way is to remove paint from the areas to be glued, and be prepared to touch up.


A compromise generally works best, at least for me. Build up sub-assemblies of unpainted parts and then paint them. I usually build aircraft and will do this, finishing detail painting with fine brushes.


Cheers


Steve

[dave]

I agree with Steve and work in a similar way.


What you can do with small parts is remove them from the spruce, clean up and the temporarily glue or blu-tack them to a cocktail stick for painting. This can be done in an area that won't be seen, such as the backside of a seated pilot.

[monica]

i tend to paint a lot o the sprue,base coats,and if its kit,gear,just about all with,the higts and lows,


then once fitted do the touch-up and washer all in one go,


with me removing from the sprue,small parts i tend to miss place or they go off with the cats,stuck,on there fur,or they chew them up,

[Guest]

clean up and the temporarily glue

Nice idea Dave. Blue tack is great but so many times I find things stuck in blue tack fallen over.


Laurie

[stona]

Blu-Tac and cocktail sticks are a good combination for painting those small parts. Once dry, if not immediately needed, I stick them onto another blob of Blu-Tac in a plastic box. If necessary I will add a little label with the part number or other information like a P or S (port or starboard) for undercarriage legs, for example.


Cheers


Steve

[Guest]

I stick a bit of blue tack between the lips of electrical crocodile clips. Makes a good slipless holder and stops the teeth making marks.


Also clipped from finished with sprue 3" length bits and stuck them in the leg of the crocodile clip. Great for painting small bits.


Laurie

[dave]

To keep the cocktail sticks tidy and the pieces off the bench etc while drying I have built a rack from Lego.

[Guest]

I only paint them off the sprue Tod.
FIrst you have a cut mark or marks where they come from the sprue which has to be tidied up.


Secondly the part has to be tidied up ie all odd bits of unwanted plastic. Not easy when on the sprue with a lot of other pieces.


Third it is best to fit dry before painting. Any modifications can then be made prior to the paint finish being applied. Handling will also on such a small piece tend to rub off the paint finish.


Fourth even small pieces I airbrush which is not possible on the sprue.


A number of pieces such as antennae I will paint when fitted when fitted at the more or less completion of the model.


Laurie

Thanks Laurie. I kinda figured that but my main concern is how I can secure the larger parts such as the engine while the paint dries.

[Guest]

Thanks Laurie. I kinda figured that but my main concern is how I can secure the larger parts such as the engine while the paint dries.

I find Tod that there is normally a bit sticking out I can get a crocodile clip on. Or where the prop comes away form the engine there is a hole. If a part of the engine cannot be seen then a pug of blue tack or as some one has mentioned a temp bit of sprue glued on


Painting 8 figures at the moment and I am using 8 crocodiles on a sprue stick with the croc. clipped to a boot. Some times you may have to paint one side leave to dry then the other.


A little hole drilled in an obscure place for a cocktail stick.


Laurie

[monica]

they sound a very useful thing to have Laurie,


have been meaning to get some as well,see them on evilbay 20 for $8.00

[Ian M]

I drill holes where they will not be seen. Then either stick a cocktail stick in the hole, or a bit of stretched sprue. All the bits as they get treated are the stabbed into a block of expanded poly.


I build sub assemblies up as much as I can and paint after.