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Questions&AnswersSolutions to help you build better models

B E S T O F


S U P P L E M E N T

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www.finescale.com Best of Q&A 3

Editorial Coordinators: Paul Boyer and Mark HembreeFineScale Modeler Editor: Terry ThompsonFineScale Modeler Managing Editor: Dick McNallyContributing Editors: Lawrence Hansen and Elizabeth LambArt Coordinator: Michael SolidayArtist: Kellie JaegerProduction Coordinator: Cindy BarderCover photo by Jim Forbes

©2002, Kalmbach Publishing Co. All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced in part or in whole without written permission from thepublisher, except in the case of brief quotations used in reviews. Published by Kalmbach Publishing Co., 21027 Crossroads Circle, P.O. Box 1612,Waukesha, WI 53187-1612. Printed in U.S.A.

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4 FineScale Modeler’s Best of Q&A

Airbrush advantages What are the advantages of airbrushes

over spray cans? – Paul Stefanski

Although the airbrush may seem like atool for experts, it is easy to use once youget used to it. The advantages far out-shine those of spray cans.

First, you have more control. Spraycans always go full blast – but with an air-brush you can control the volume ofpaint, air pressure (with a regulator), andthe area of coverage. Say you just need tospray a nose cone. With a spray can youmay have to mask off the rest of themodel to prevent overspray from ruiningyour paint job. If you’re careful with anairbrush, you’ll only have to mask off theforward end of the fuselage.

Another advantage is that you can usealmost any brand or color of paint,including colors you mix yourself (per-haps unavailable in a spray can). Just thinthe bottled paint and spray it, but taketime to determine the proper thinningratios. Airbrushed paint reaches the sur-face almost dry, which helps prevent paintfrom seeping beneath masking tape.

Airbrush problemsMy airbrush is anything but precise,

and I am experiencing obvious overspray.Is the tip bent? Is the nozzle broken?

– Matt Jar

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 lightlydrag it across your fingertip. Rotate theneedle and do it again. You’ll be able tofeel a little “hook” on one side if the nee-dle is bent. You can straighten it by lightlydragging the tip over fine sandpaper untilthe “hook” is gone.

• Is the opening in the nozzle perfect-ly 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 firstI’m interested in a CO2 tank for air-

brushing. I priced one about the size of afire extinguisher and wondered how longsuch a container can sustain airbrushing

at 30 psi. Also, what kind of regulatorsand connectors will I need?

– Ted Wills

A 20-pound tank can spray 10 - 20models at 10 to 15 psi. A single-stageregulator works fine. The regulator letsyou adjust line pressure to the airbrush. Atwo-stage regulator has the advantage ofa tank pressure gauge. (A single-stagesetup won’t warn you when you’re run-ning low.) Take your airbrush hosecoupling to a well-stocked hardwarestore; they should be able to match con-nectors for you.

Basic airbrush setI want to get into painting with an air-

brush and air compressor. What do yourecommend?

– David Quigley

If you have no prior experience, try asingle-action external-mix airbrush and asimple diaphragm compressor. Check theJanuary 2001 and March 2002 issues ofFSM for more airbrush and compressorinformation.

Spraying chunksI’m still getting used to my Badger air-

brush, but there’s one problem I haven’tsolved. I’ll be spraying along when sud-denly I’ll get little spots of another colormarring what would otherwise be a nicepaint job. What’s wrong with my air-brush?

– Tim Fischer

It doesn’t sound like the problem iswith the airbrush. What you’re getting islittle chunks of dried paint from a previ-ous painting session. They’re loosenedfrom the inside of the needle housing orthe paint siphon by fresh paint. Simplyblowing thinner through the airbrushafter every color sometimes isn’t enoughto thoroughly clean it. If I’m spraying onecolor after another in a single sitting, I’lltake the airbrush apart and clean it afterevery three colors.

Take the needle housing (the tip)apart and inspect the inside. If there ishard, crusty buildup, soak the parts (tipsup) in a small jar of lacquer thinner for anhour. Clean the rear portion of the tipwith a cotton swab and pipe cleanersoaked in lacquer thinner. The front por-tion should be cleaned carefully with athin pipe cleaner. Also clean out thesiphon in the paint jar or cup. Now you’reready to reassemble the airbrush andmove on to the next color.

Clean or not? When a model requires several thin

coats of the same color just a few minutesapart, should I thoroughly clean the air-brush after each coat, or is it enough tospray fresh thinner and back-flush theairbrush, then clean it completely afterthe painting session?

– Chuck Martin

You won’t have to clean between coatsof the same color, but back-flushing thepaint into the reservoir is a good idea (forsingle-action airbrushes only). The paintmay separate between applications andneed to be “stirred” – open the nozzlehalfway and place your fingertip on thenozzle. Instead of blowing out, air blowsback into the paint nozzle and bubbles upinto the cup or bottle and stirs the paint.

You should blow lacquer thinnerthrough the brush between colors duringa paint session, then break the airbrushdown and clean it after the session.

CO2 with water trap? Do I need to attach a water trap to my

airbrush rig if I use a CO2 cylinder 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 thecylinder, but because there is no water orwater vapor in the cylinder, no dropletswill form in your airbrush line.

Covering dark with lightWhat’s the best way to keep the color

of the plastic from showing throughlighter paints?

– Michael Scheel

Start by spraying a light- or medium-gray primer. Usually one coat will do it.The primer covers the dark plastic andhas the added advantage of making it eas-ier to spot flaws in construction. Once theprimer is dry, paint over it with your finalcolor coats.

Frosty flat sprayWhat causes flat finishes, such as

Testor Dullcote, to turn my model finish-es frosty white?

– Robert Martinez

There are two probable causes. First,make sure you stir bottled Dullcote com-pletely to mix the flattening agent (whichsettles to the bottom of the bottle) withthe vehicle. If you’re using a spray can,

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shake it vigorously before spraying. If youget too much flattening agent, it will ruinthe finish.

The other cause is trapped watervapor.This happens most often on humiddays. The compressed air (from a spraycan or compressor) cools as it is released.This condenses water vapor in the air,which mixes with the paint droplets andsettles on the model to create an opales-cent appearance. Try to avoid spraypainting on humid days. If you mustspray on humid days, build up light coatsto limit the amount of moisture trapped.

Masking small circlesI’m trying to paint a 1.5mm-wide cir-

cular outline of a helicopter landing padon a ship. Masking tape will not producean even outline, and a fine brush in asteady hand does not appear to be theanswer. What do you suggest?

– Edward Sachs

The best way to mask a circle is to usefrisket paper, sometimes called frisketfilm. This is a thin, paper-backed, self-adhesive material used by artists to maskairbrush illustrations. Look for it at art-supply stores.

You can use a draftsman’s compasswith a cutting blade in place of the pen-cil. First, cut the mask for the outside ofthe circle. Then cut another circle 1.5mmsmaller in radius. Apply the frisket out-line on the part to be painted, then placethe smaller circle within that mask, mak-ing sure it’s centered. When you’resatisfied with the position of the masks,burnish their edges with your fingernail.Now you’re ready to paint, preferablywith an airbrush. If you hand brush, takecare to keep the paint from creepingunder the frisket.

Masking wheelsI’ve been using an artist’s template to

cut masks for wheels, but this doesn’talways work well, especially with smallwheels. Is there a better way to mask andpaint wheels?

– Shishin K. Phanselkar

Instead of using a circle template tocut masks, use the template as a mask.Paint the tire black or dark gray and let itdry. Now prepare the wheel paint for air-brushing. Find the circle on the templatethat is closest to the correct diameter andhold the wheel behind the template.Spray through the template; you mayhave to cover adjacent holes in the tem-plate.

Painting bombswithout decals

Is there an easy way to paint bombs?Should I use decal stripes?

– Mel Danielson

The problem with painting rings onbomb noses is masking a sharp line on acompound curved surface (one thatcurves in more than one direction).Masking with tape or applying solid-color decal film doesn’t work well becauseyou’re trying to apply a flat material to thecurved surface. Above are a couple ofmethods that should work.

First, paint the front end of the bombgloss yellow and allow it to dry. Apply aliquid masking agent over the yellow andlet it dry. Next, carefully chuck the bombin a variable-speed electric drill. (Don’tturn the chuck too tight or you’ll crushthe plastic.) With the drill operating atlow speed, bring the edge of a sharp mod-eling knife or a razor blade to the frontand rear edges of the area to remain yel-low, cutting through the masking agent.Peel away the masking agent at the nosetip and from behind the yellow ring.

Paint the entire bomb olive drab, thenremove the masking agent from the yel-low ring.

Although not as precise, method two iseasier: Paint the entire bomb olive draband let it dry. Open a bottle of yellow paint(well stirred) and dip the bomb into thepaint far enough to create the rear edge ofthe ring. Allow the yellow paint to drythoroughly, then dip the nose tip in olivedrab paint. When dipping, be sure to holdthe bomb as close as possible to vertical toproduce an even ring. When you removethe bomb, excess paint will flow down tothe tip and, if left there, dry into an uglyblob. Before it dries, touch a cotton swabto the tip to blot away excess paint.

Mixing paint What’s the best way to mix paint and

thinners for airbrushing?– Dan Heath

You can use plastic 35mm film canis-ters for mixing paint. For measuring, usean eyedropper and record the amounts ofpaint and thinner used. If a certain com-bination is too thick or too thin you can

Paint yellow, thenapply liquid masking

agent

Cut edges of ring withsharp blade

Peel away maskexcept from ring

Spray entire bombolive drab

Bomb paintedolive drab Dip into yellow paint

Remove excess paintwith cotton swab

Dip into olivedrab paint

Peel mask from ring

METHOD 1

METHOD 2


avoid repeating the mistake.For custom colors, record amounts of

each color used. For example, you mightuse ten eyedroppersful of Floquil primerand add five drops of reefer yellow tocome up with light gull gray. If it’s tooyellow, add two more eyedroppersful ofthe primer. If you’re mixing a new color,always use the same brands of paint toensure compatibility and consistentresults.

When the color is right, thin two partspaint to one part thinner. This is just astarting point; experiment to find theright ratios. Then transfer the paint intoan airbrush paint cup or bottle.

Keeping leftover thinned paint isrisky; putting it back in a paint bottlesometimes contaminates the remainingpaint and shortens its life. If you haven’tmade enough paint, just refer to yournotes and whip up a new batch.

Static clingHow do I keep dust from settling on

my models as I paint them?– Harold Williams

To cut down on static, try washing themodel with soapy water mixed with alco-hol before you paint it. A dry climate alsocan contribute to your problem; try paint-ing on days when the relative humidity is40-70 percent. When it’s more humidyou run the risk of the paint “blushing”(condensation underneath the paint cre-ating a frosty look).

Spraying without anairbrush

I can’t afford an airbrush. Is there is amethod I can use with spray cans to getfeathered edges?

– Robert Miller

Since spray cans produce a wide spraypattern, you’ll need to cover portions ofthe model with a mask. Masking tape,artist’s frisket film, newspaper with tapeat the edges, and many other means canbe used. To get that feathered edge, bur-nish the tape down on the colordemarcation line, then lift the edgeslightly. This allows a little overspray ontothe line. Of course, this method has lim-its – it’s impractical on small models withmulticolored camouflage over unevensurfaces. That’s where an airbrush comesin handy.

Water problemsMy airbrush sprays small water

droplets after a few minutes of use, and

this ruins the paint job. Is there a productavailable in Puerto Rico that would solvemy problem?

– Fernando Del Toro

Your problem is not with the airbrush,compressor, paint, or thinner, but withthe constant humidity in Puerto Rico. Airunder compression heats up; as yourhumid Puerto Rican air cools on its wayfrom the compressor to the airbrush,water vapor condenses on the inside ofthe air hose. The force of the air pushesthe fine water droplets into the airbrush,and they spurt out with the paint.

The solution is a device called a watertrap or moisture trap. It is inserted in theair line much like the fuel filter of a car.

In a humid atmosphere, it’s best toinstall the water trap as far down the linefrom the compressor as possible. Mostairbrush manufacturers have water trapsin their catalogs; also, ask the dealer whosold you the airbrush.

Canopy cleanerWhat’s the best way to remove paint

from a clear plastic canopy so I canrepaint it?

– Katie Michaels

Painting over the frames would be theeasiest fix. But if you need to make a cleansweep, you should be able to remove thepaint and polish the plastic with Novus 2or Bare-Metal Foil plastic polish. Clearplastic is brittle, so fill the canopy withmodeling clay to reinforce it as you pol-ish. Put a dab of polish on a clean clothand rub the canopy until the paint is wornoff. This may take several applications,and certainly some time, but it pays off.Rub with a clean cloth to remove all thedried polish, then dip the canopy inFuture floor polish for the ultimate shine.

Canopy maskingHow can I get better results masking

and painting canopies?– Brinn Clayton

Adhesive-backed foil (such as Bare-Metal Foil) is thin and works well. Aftermasking I spray the interior color of thecanopy frame on the outside and followwith the exterior frame color. This is eas-ier than trying to paint the canopy insideand out. Remove adhesive residue withalcohol on a cotton swab.

Or you could paint canopy framing onclear decal sheet, using the same order ofcolor to get interior and exterior framecolors. Apply slightly oversized decalstrips, let them dry in place, then trimthem with a sharp knife. Lift the smalltrimmings away with a bit of Scotch tape;if you mess up, lift the mistake with tapeand try it again.

One more tip: Don’t forget to maskthe inside of the canopy to block over-spray.

Canopy masking troubles

I use Parafilm “M” to mask frames onaircraft canopies, then paint the interiorcolor of the frame, followed by the exteri-or color. However, when I remove themask it leaves jagged edges. What am Idoing wrong?

– Greg Williams

After painting, lightly score the edgesof the mask with a sharp blade. This willseparate the paint on the frames from themask. Also, don’t wait too long to removethe masks; take them off as soon as youcan. The trick is to find a place to grip thefreshly painted canopy while you work.

Canopy replacementsHow can I make a new canopy for an

aircraft model without a vacuum-formingmachine?

– Dennis Brennan

You could make a new canopy bystretch-forming heated (therefore soft-ened) clear plastic. PETG (available fromplastic suppliers) is the clearest and mostdistortion-free. Mount the canopy formon a stick. Heat the clear sheet over akitchen stove burner, then thrust the forminto the heated sheet. You need at leastthree hands for this, so recruit a partner tohold the hot sheet (with oven mitts). Itmay take a few attempts, but you’ll getyour canopy.

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Repairing clear plasticdamage

I have a car window with a blemishcaused by plastic cement. Is there any wayto eliminate it and still keep the canopyclear?

– Rosauro Ona

Sand the blemished area with wet400-grit sandpaper, moving the sandpa-per in little circles. It may take a while,but you should be able to smooth out theflaw.

Repeat this with wet 600-grit sandpa-per, sanding in tiny circles and pressinghard at first, then gradually easing up.Then use plastic polish, rubbing com-pound, or toothpaste (not the gel

type) to polish the area smooth. Keeppolishing (it takes a while) until the flawis invisible. Finish with a coat of Futureacrylic floor polish applied with a softbrush.

Tinting blueHow do I tint the rear portion of my

A-1E Skyraider canopy blue?– Paul Kopczynski

To color the canopy yet leave it clear,use clear blue paint. To avoid fogging thecanopy, airbrush water-based clear tintsuch as Tamiya (X23) or Gunze Sangyo(H93), available at hobby shops. Thetrick with tints is to apply several lightcoats to get even coverage without runs.Then follow with a wet coat, and every-thing will smooth out and become clear.It takes practice.

Vacuum-formed canopycutting

I like to buy aftermarket vacuum-formed canopies. What’s the best way tocut them out without crumpling them?

– Thomas Lore

Use a small scissors, such as for trim-ming cuticles (the little curved ones).Rough-cut them from the sheet, then usea coarse sanding stick to fine-tune theedges to fit the model. Test fit often andadjust with further sanding.

Antenna attachmentsWhat’s the best way to attach fine

stretched sprue or nylon monofilamenton aircraft?

– S. Brezin

You can use super glue or white glue.Mount a horizontal strand first, from thefin to the antenna mast. Now glue oneend of the short vertical strand to thefuselage 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 ofglue where you want it on the horizontalantenna, then move the vertical piece overuntil it touches the glue.

Brass partsIs there a correct way to bend pho-

toetched-brass and stainless-steel detailparts that require shaping or folding?

– Rich Sarbacher

Pin one side of the part down on thework surface with a metal straightedge,with the edge right on the recessed fold

line of the part. Slide a hobby knife underthe other side and roll the knife so theblade forces that side up. Keep pushinguntil the part is bent to the desired angle.

This requires practice, but is certainlyeasier than doing it without tools.

Bulkhead contoursI hate bulkheads. I struggle to get the

proper internal contours of aircraft, shipsand other complex shapes. Is there aneasy way to do this?

– Geoff Groube

Look in any hardware store for a con-tour gauge, a group of fine wires held in abrace. You press the ends of the wiresagainst the shape you need to duplicateand the wires slide in the brace.

Trace the outline from the gauge ontothe material you’re using to make thebulkheads. This will give you the roughoutlines; you’ll need to refine it as you cut.

Another way is to press solder or someother soft wire into the cavity. Solder willhold any bend you put into it. Lay thesolder on the bulkhead material, trace theoutline with a pencil, then cut it out.

Fabric-covered aircraftHow can I simulate the fabric covering

on the control surfaces of many biplanesand World War II aircraft? I want theseareas to have a texture different from themetal-covered parts.

– Coy Johnson

Fabric-covered surfaces on early air-craft and WWII airplanes are just assmooth as metal surfaces. A fine, stronglinen was impregnated with a pigmenteddope which caused the fabric to shrinktight over the internal structure.

However, these areas should look a lit-

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tle different. Try tinting the paint slightlyor giving these areas slightly more gloss orflat clear overcoat to suggest a differentmaterial without producing an out-of-scale texture.

Decking it outHow can I model deck planking for

1/350 scale ships?– Bob Morris

Depict cracks between planks by graz-ing the raised surface plank detail withthe side of a soft lead pencil (see photo).Although it looks shiny after it is applied,it will look just right after a coat of clearflat such as Testor Dullcote, which alsoseals the pencil on the paint.

Filling seamsWhat’s the best method for mating

parts without any seam lines?– Jojo Anononuevo

Filling seams is one of the fundamen-tal skills a good modeler must master.Lightly sand all the mating surfaces andtry to get the parts to fit well before glu-ing. Hold the parts together and applyliquid cement to the seam line with abrush. The liquid runs along the seam,softening the plastic. When the parts arepressed together, they chemically bond.

After allowing the glue to set for a day,sand the seams with a medium-grit sand-ing stick and inspect them. Fill gaps orpits with gap-filling super glue, set it withsuper-glue accelerator, then sand imme-diately.

Gap-filling super glue is easy to sandright after it sets – if you wait more thanan hour, the glue will become too hard. Itcan be sanded and polished until it’s assmooth as plastic.

Fuselage fitsI’m an intermediate modeler but still

often have a hard time getting seams tofit properly. I get “steps” on fuselagehalves, where one side sits higher than theother.

I’ve tried running a big bead of puttyor super glue down the seam, but even

after sanding it still looks bad. How can Ibeat this problem?

– Robert E. Thomason Jr.

Plop each fuselage half onto 400-gritsandpaper and lightly sand away align-ment pins. (Take care to not erase smalldetails such as antenna mounts at theedges.) The sanding smooths imperfec-tions along the mating surfaces.

Now dry-fit the halves and note anymismatches. Sometimes you can glue oneside first, let it dry, then cajole the otherside into place as you glue it. Hold thehalves together with rubber bands as theglue sets.

Make sure you don’t compromise thefit of wings, nose cones, or canopies.Again, dry-fit everything before gluingthe parts.

Gear doors closedI want to build a series of aircraft with

the gear up. But most kits have gear doorsthat don’t really fit in the closed position.How can I fix this?

– Bill Prentis

The best way is to scratchbuild themfrom sheet styrene. Draw the shape youneed on paper, cut it out, then transferthat shape to the styrene. It may take afew tries, but the doors will look better.

The glue for youI built a collection of 1/72 scale air-

craft so long ago that the glue on themhas become brittle and the models arefalling apart. What can I do to preventthis from happening to a new collection?

– W. Ross Loflin

It sounds as though you used tube glueon your original collection. Tube glue is aplastic solvent with a polymer added tothicken it and slow evaporation.Beginners tend to use too much glue,bridging gaps with it and generally mak-ing a mess. If the parts are not makingcontact, the glue has no chance to weldthe parts together. When the solventdries, only the hardened polymer is left.After a while, the polymer becomes brit-tle and flakes off, especially if the model isput under stress – not unusual whenthey’re owned by young modelers.

Now that you’re older, try liquidcements – solvents that melt the plastic.As you press the parts together, themolten plastic of each part mixes togeth-er to form a welded bond. Apply liquidcements with a brush, a hypodermic nee-dle, or an applicator bottle. Hold the

parts together and apply a drop of cementto the joint. Let the cement run down theseam, then gently squeeze the partstogether. Repeat the process until theentire seam is cemented, then wrap rub-ber bands around the parts and wait a fewhours for the molten plastic to set. Ifapplied properly, the joints should last aslong as the plastic.

Gluing resin partsCan resin parts be attached with epoxy

adhesive instead of super glue?– Ken Rice

Yes, but I prefer super glue because itfills gaps as well as bonds. Epoxy also canfill gaps, but it’s rubbery and doesn’t sandwell. Two-part epoxy is a little better inthis respect, but doesn’t bond as well assuper glue. With either adhesive, washand lightly sand the bonding surfaces forbest results.

Gluing wood to styreneWhat’s the best adhesive to use to

bond basswood to styrene?– Warren Kiel

The best adhesive for bonding woodto styrene is cyanoacrylate (super glue).The thicker, gel-type versions tend to staywhere you put them more easily thanthinner, runnier super glue. An accelera-tor sets the bond more quickly.

Lens replacementI’ve misplaced the clear plastic lenses

for a set of Maverick missiles. Withoutbuying another kit, how can I replacethem?

– Corey Ransom

If you’re careful, you can build up newlenses with 5-minute epoxy. After mixinga gob of glue, transfer the epoxy to thenose of the missile. Hold the missileupside down so the glue forms into ahemisphere as it sets. Epoxy dries nearlyclear, so it should look just about right.

Liquid-glue dispenserI’m having trouble finding the right

applicator for liquid glues such as Tenaxor Weld-On. I don’t like brushes becausethe glue runs out too fast. Bottles withneedle applicators either clog up or satu-rate the model with glue.

– David Mocabee

An old paintbrush (size 0) should doit. You can reduce the amount on thebrush by touching the lip of the bottle


and letting some of the glue run back in.Merely touching the brush to the seamwill let glue flow in without furtherbrushing. Residue can be removed withlight sanding.

Masking materialWhat kind of tape works best for

masking? I have a lot of trouble withmasking and transparent tape.

– Julia Crawford

Remove the tape as soon as possible.Masking and transparent tape becomemore difficult to remove with time,pulling up underlying paint or leavingadhesive residue. Try drafting tape, avail-able at art-supply stores. It’s similar tomasking tape, but the adhesive is lesssticky.

Mending fabricI have an old biplane kit with ejector-

pin marks smack in the middle of fabricdetails on the wings. How can I erasethese marks and make the work blend in?

– Bruce Ross

Your frustration with the marks isunderstandable. However, the fabricwing detail is probably inaccurate, too.Fabric-covered areas of aircraft are justas smooth as the metal. Only the charac-teristic tightening over the ribs gives thefabric away. So the area should not betextured.

Fill ejector-pin marks with yourfavorite filler and sand them smooth.Sand away the “fabric” detail, too.

Oleo strutsHow do you depict chromed oleo por-

tions on the landing gear struts?– Bill Humbert

There are two ways: one is to replacethe plastic oleo section with a piece ofstainless-steel tubing. The easier way is toglue a piece of aluminum foil to the sec-tion and trim away the excess. I useBare-Metal Foil because it already has anadhesive on it. I burnish the foil downwith a cotton swab stick. The effect ismost noticeable if the remainder of thestrut is painted flat aluminum, white, orany dark color.

Photoetched philosophiesI’m just getting back into the hobby

and am not sure how to handle, paint,and attach photoetched parts. Do youhave any pointers?

– Richard Kohli

Handling photoetched parts can betricky. Buy a good set of tweezers to han-dle the parts. They can be painted withenamels or acrylics, but adhesion is some-times a problem. Wash the parts withlacquer thinner to remove oils and chem-icals that may interfere with paint.Photoetched parts can be attached withsuper glue or epoxy, but some modelersuse a dab of Future floor polish or othertypes of clear coats.

Rotor blade droopAt rest, main rotor blades on real

choppers exhibit a distinct droop that Ihave been unable to induce in kit bladeswith hot water. How can I get them todroop?

– J.F. Roche III

You can make rotor blades droop bysimply bending them. Don’t hold eachend and bow it, though – that could bedisastrous! Apply stress along the lengthof the rotor, starting near the hub andworking outward every 1⁄2" or so (seephoto). Avoid the outer quarter of theblade, and make just a little bend in eachspot. You can always go back and give itmore. If you do break one, repair it withliquid glue. After you have repaired therotor, you’ll have to avoid bending nearthe break.

Resin partsI’ve never worked with resin conver-

sion parts or kits. Do they require specialglue or paints? Should I prime the parts?

– Dick Jones

What we call resin parts are madefrom one of several polyurethane resinsthat are impervious to solvent cementssuch as tube glue or liquid cement such asTenax or Weld-On. You need either

super glue or epoxy to attach resin parts.Since a mold-release agent is used in resincasting, wash parts with soapy waterbefore gluing or painting.

Priming resin parts will reveal pin-holes or other surface imperfections. Fillpinholes with super glue. You should beable to use lacquer, enamel, or water-based acrylics for priming and color coats.If an area of resin repels paint, there maystill be mold-release agent on it (or theresin may have been improperly mixed).Try sanding the surface slightly, and spraypaint or primer in light, dry coats.

Restoring vintage kitsI recently acquired a built-up Aurora

King Kong, and I would like to disassem-ble it and repaint and rebuild it. Some ofthe small parts come off easily, but manyof the larger parts are glued on solid. Isthere some way to dissolve the glue andstart over?

– Steve Grossi

I recommend scoring around eachglue joint with a sharp blade until thejoint gives way. Assuming the originalbuilder used tube glue, the bond probablyisn’t strong. I don’t know of any chemicalthat will dissolve the hardened polymerused in tube glue, but once you get thepieces apart you may find the excess gluewill flake off or that you can cut and sandit off.

Sanding it smoothI have a kit with raised rivets that look

way too big. What’s the best way toremove and smooth these inaccuratedetails?

– Brett Rhein

You can get rid of the rivets with 400-grit sandpaper, followed by 600-gritsandpaper. Prime the model with a lightgray paint to check for heavy sandingmarks. If there are any, sand and primeagain. After you’ve fixed them you’reready to paint.

Ship railingsWhat material do you use for ship

railings? I’m having trouble findingsomething thin enough to be in scale.

– Robert Munro

There are many alternatives, includingaftermarket photoetched sets, but if youwant to make them yourself try HO scaledetailing wire and clear stretched sprue.You also can use clear stretched sprue formast rigging.


Ship-railing removaland replacement

I want to replace the railings on aRevell USS Arizona. How do I removethe kit railing without damaging theparts?

– Jim Anderson

To remove the railings, score along thebottom edge with a sharp hobby knife.Repeated passes with the blade will even-tually weaken the plastic so you can easilybend them off. You also can replace themwith an aftermarket photoetched brassrailing kit from Gold Medal Models.

Stretched sprueI’ve read a lot about using stretched

sprue for rigging and antenna wires, buthave no idea how it is made. How abouta quick course?

– Mark Pfohl

Stretching sprue is sometimes consid-ered an advanced technique, but it is quitesimple. Every injection-molded kit hasparts attached to runners or sprues.

Light a candle and cut a segment ofstraight sprue (4"-6" long). Hold the cen-ter of the segment about 1" over the flameand roll the sprue between your fingers sothe flame heats it evenly.

Continue until the sprue turns glossyand soft, remove it from the flame, andpull the ends apart. The quicker you pull,the thinner the diameter of the stretchedsprue, but if you pull too fast, the spruewill break.

Pulling slowly produces thick sectionsthat can be used for boarding ladders andother structures. A quick, steady pull cangive you nearly 3' of thin, constant-diame-ter stock for antenna and rigging wires.

Some styrene stretches better thanothers, so experiment with different

brands. Clear sprue can give the bestresults if you’re looking for ultra-thinstock. Be careful not to ignite the sprue;styrene fumes are toxic and you’ll get lit-tle black ashes floating all over the room.

Stretched sprue can be attached withwhite glue, super glue, or epoxy. Don’t useplastic cements; they’ll dissolve the thin,fragile plastic.

Sprue sagI have tried using stretched sprue to

simulate vehicle antennas, but the piecesalways seem to sag or bend. What can Iuse to “straighten out” my problem?

– Stephen Hilliard

I’ll assume you mean whip antennas,which are anchored at only one end.Stretched sprue is fragile and it kinks eas-ily, but this is offset by its cost – it comesfree in every injection-molded kit.

If you break or bend stretched sprue,just snip it off and replace it. Or you canentirely avoid the hassle by using springsteel or stainless-steel wire. An idealsource is old guitar strings. The high Estring is the finest gauge, good for smallscales.

Super glue etiquetteI have trouble using super glue effi-

ciently. The tips clog and the caps getgummy and don’t fit. I tried thin applica-tor tips and they clog, too. How can Iclean this mess up?

– James R. Staunton

First, wipe excess from the tip everytime you use the glue. The cap will fit ifthe tip stays clean.

Instead of struggling with a finer tip,put a drop or two of glue on a scrap sur-face and use a toothpick to apply it fromthere. Apply a little accelerator with anold brush.

Afterwards, throw away the toothpickand cap the bottle. Refrigerate super glueto make it last longer.

Super glue, not puttyI always have trouble filling gaps and

making my models look seamless. I findbody putty difficult to use. Is there any-thing better?

– Steven T. Linehan

Body putties are easy to sand, but theirtendency to shrink is annoying. They alsomay pit and are not as smooth as the sur-rounding plastic or metal.

Instead, use gap-filling super glue andan accelerator. The syrupy glue flows

slowly into seams, and you can control itby tilting the model to let gravity pull theglue where you need it.

Once you’ve filled the gap or seam,apply super-glue accelerator. Use the bot-tle’s sprayer, an old brush, or aMicrobrush to apply a few drops.

The glue will set in seconds; inspectthe seam to see if you need more. Slightlyoverfill the seam before sanding.

Sand the glue after it’s set but before itcures completely – it’s much tougher tosand later. Use various grits of sandpaperor sanding files to smooth the filled area.You’ll find super glue is faster and looksbetter as a filler.

Super glue techniqueI’m having difficulty attaching small

parts such as nose probes with super glue.It’s not sticky enough to hold the part inplace, and it doesn’t give you much of achance to position parts before it sets. Itried using tube glue to position the part,followed by super glue, but that’s not asstrong a bond as super glue alone.

– Bradley Jones

Rest the model so you don’t have tohold it in your hand – you’re going toneed both hands to do the following. Puta little gap-filling super glue on the baseof the nose probe (to use your example).Hold the probe in one hand, then dip aMicrobrush into super-glue accelerator(both are available in hobby shops).

Position the probe, check it, thenquickly touch the Microbrush to thejoint. The accelerator will flow from thelittle ball of fiber onto the super glue andset in a second or two.Then set the modelaside – although super glue sets in sec-onds, it takes an hour or so to fully cure.

Super-glue troubleI build injection-molded and vacuum-

formed plastic kits with super glue, butsome of the seams open later. Does usingan accelerator make a difference? Whatam I doing wrong?

– J. Patron

I haven’t found that accelerator weak-ens joints. However, super glue issusceptible to contamination. It’s impor-


tant that the areas to be glued are freefrom mold-release agents and fingerprintoils. Wash the parts thoroughly and light-ly sand the joints before gluing.

Super glues have great tensile strengthbut weak shear; in other words, it’s diffi-cult to part a joint with perpendicularforce, but force parallel to the joint maybreak the bond. Reinforcing vacuum-formed fuselage joints with internal stripsof styrene reinforces a joint by addingsurface area to take advantage of the ten-sile strength.

Super-glue uglyI like using super glue but dislike hav-

ing to repaint the white crud left on mymodels by the curing glue. How can Iavoid this?

– Bruce Beamish

You might find thick, slow-curingsuper glues produce less “crud,” or chloro-sis, a precipitate of cured super glue. Acoat of Future floor polish retards the for-mation of chlorosis on clear parts.

To keep the precipitate from settlingon your model, position a fan to blow pastyour work area. Fine-grit sandpaper orpolishing compound can remove thisdeposit from your model.

Thermoforming plasticI want to try thermoforming a small

canopy, pushing a reinforced kit canopyinto the heated sheet. Is clear styrene thebest material for this?

– Brent Fordham

You want to look for PETG (polyeth-ylene terephalate glycol copolymer, alsoknown as copolyester or Vivac). Checkwith a plastic supplier and see if they havescraps of .020" around. If you need a lotyou can get it in 4' x 8' sheets, too.

The problem is chromeI’m having trouble getting the dual

tandem wheels on my 1/25 scale Ertl andAMT trucks to stick together. I use tube-type plastic cement. Is the glue theproblem?

– Skip Arnold

Assuming your problem is getting theouter wheel rims to stick to the innerwheel rims, first make sure you scrapeaway the chrome plating on the surfacesto be glued. Plastic cements cannot pene-trate this plating and a bond is neverachieved.

Tube-type plastic cements may not begiving you a strong enough bond; use liq-

uid plastic cement. Put the inner andouter rims together, then brush on theglue and let it flow between the parts.Wait a day before mounting the tires. Youalso can use super glue – but do so care-fully or you’ll really get attached to yourhobby!

Tire techniqueWhat does the term “weighted tires”

mean?– Boris Bozic

Some kits provide tires with a flat sideand bulges to look as if they’re under a load.Some modelers get this effect with a hotknife; other modelers think the effect isoverdone. However, done correctly, this canmake the model look more realistic andsometimes helps the model sit properly.

Trimming tubingI’ve seen hypodermic needles or stain-

less-steel tubing used for pitot tubes andgun barrels on models. I’ve tried to usethem, but I can’t find a way to cut thetubes without crimping the ends. Howcan I get nice, clean, round ends?

– John Bowery

If you have a motor tool, use an abra-sive cutoff wheel to cut the tubing. Theend will probably be a little rough; cleanit by twisting the tubing while lightlypressing the rough edge against the spin-ning cutoff wheel.

Make sure you wear safety glasses –cutoff wheels can fly apart! Finish with600-grit sandpaper.

If you don’t have a motor tool, scorethe tubing with the edge of a fine-toothfile and bend the tubing toward the scorednotch. The tubing will break with only alittle crimping. Clean the end by insertingthe tip of a sharp No. 11 hobby-knifeblade in the opening and twisting. Finalcleanup can be done with sandpaper.

Vacuum-formed cut-upI want to try my hand at a vacuum-

formed plastic model. The guys at thehobby shop say to cut out the parts witha scissors, but the plastic looks too thickfor that. Should I use a jigsaw?

– Fred Jope

No, the best way is to score along theedge of each part with a sharp knife atabout a 45-degree angle. Then you cansnap the plastic along the scored line.

Next, sand away excess plastic. Afterthat, glue parts as you would with aninjection-molded kit.

Warped fuselageHow can I straighten out warped fuse-

lage halves?– Ted Swidler

Soak the pieces in hot water, then gen-tly straighten them. Another way is toglue them in stages. For example, let’s saythe fuselage halves are fine at the frontend but diverge at the other end, causinga 1" gap at the tail. First, glue the forwardfuselage and let it set for at least a day.Make sure it is a strong joint (you maywant to reinforce it with a bead of gap-filling super glue if you can get to theinside of the fuselage).

Repeat the procedure for the tail sec-tion, forcing the halves together. Wraprubber bands, pipe cleaners, or strongtape around the rear fuselage after theglue has been applied and let it set for 24hours. This can work for warped wings aswell.

Warped auto bodyI have a 1967 Plymouth GTX with a

slightly twisted body which makes theback and the front uneven. How can I fixthis?

– Joe Camarda

Soak the body in hot water for a fewminutes, then twist it gently beyondstraight in the other direction. Then set iton a flat surface and hold it straight untilthe plastic cools.

Warped wingsI recently built a vacuum-formed

model of a World War I aircraft and raninto a serious problem – after gluing thewing halves together, the wing warped intoa bad case of anhedral. How can I fix this?

– Tom Leamon

The cause of your problem may be toomuch glue. Split the wing open and reat-tach it with a little liquid cement.

If it appears that this would ruin thewing, make several cuts in the undersideof the wing and glue in small strips ofplastic. These wedges force the wing intothe proper shape.

It’s hard to predict how many cutsyou’ll need to make – just add a few at atime until you overcome the warping.Cover the cuts and strips with filler puttyand sand them smooth.

You also could immerse the wing inhot water and reshape it. After you cor-rect the shape, tape the wing to a flatsurface and let it cool.


Wet sandingCould you explain wet sanding? I tried

wetting sandpaper and it was a real mess!– Sonny Augustinadinocentuis

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 aspecial sandpaper that can be wet withwater and not come apart. Wet-or-drysandpaper is available in many brands andgrits and is usually dark gray. Use 220-,320-, 400- and 600- grit papers for mod-eling. The higher the number, the finerthe grit.

The advantage of wet sanding is thatwater keeps the grit from clogging. Withcleaner grit, the sandpaper works faster.Sand at a utility sink, occasionally passingthe sandpaper through a stream of waterfrom the faucet. Pass the model under thestream to wash away the slurry (themuddy mix of sanding dust and water).

Blue Angels bluesI build a lot of Blue Angels models

and I always have the same problem: Nomatter what I use, the blue paint alwaysshows through the yellow decals. Whatam I doing wrong?

– Vincent Maddux

Light-colored decals may not be opaqueenough to hide the underlying color. Mysolution is to double the decals – layanother set over the first. Yes, this meansyou may have to buy two sets of aftermar-ket decals. But the results are worth it.

Be careful not to stretch decals or theywon’t match up. After the bottom decaldries, carefully position the top decal witha water-soaked brush. When the decal isplaced, blot up excess water with a cottonswab. Don’t press the decal down or youcould knock it out of alignment. Use adecal-setting solution only after bothdecals are dry.

Crinkled decalsI recently covered a model with a clear

coat from a can. It seems the clear coatreacted with the decals and they crinkledbadly. What went wrong?

– Darcy Abbott

That can happen, especially if youapply a heavy coat of clear. Solvents in thespray can dissolve decal inks and carrierfilm as well as paint and plastic. Applylight coats of spray and don’t let themodel get “wet” with clear paint.

Damage controlMy first model was the Revell/

Monogram 1/48 scale “Big BeautifulDoll” P-51 Mustang with the checkerednose. I tore most of the decals! What amI doing wrong?

– Jim Holtz

Big decals are difficult. The larger thedecal, the more it drags on the surface ofthe model as you try to position it. If youkeep the underside of the decal wet it willslide more easily, so flood the area withwater (lots of water on the curved nose ofa Mustang). Do not touch the decal withyour fingers; use a small, flat brush andtweezers to move the decal around.

Once the decal is placed, drain thewater from underneath by placing a cot-ton swab or the edge of a paper towel tothe edge of the decal and let the waterwick away. You can carefully blot or roll acotton swab on top of the decal to gentlypress it into place.

After more experience you’ll want toexperiment with decal-setting solutions,which soften the decal and allow it to“melt” into the surface.

Decals on decalsI build airliner models and many of

the available decals involve layering onedecal over another. Should I lay the firstdecal down, apply solvent, wait for it todry, and spray on an overcoat beforeapplying the next layer? Would it be bet-ter to put on both decals, then solvent andovercoat?

– Tim Malone

Actually, your first method is a littleoverkill. Apply the first decal using onlyas much solvent as is necessary to get thedecals to snuggle down over the detail.

Wait for the decal to dry, then lay onthe second layer. (If too much solvent isused, you risk stretching the decal, mak-ing it nearly impossible to line up thesecond layer in register – you would haveto stretch the second decal in exactly thesame places to get perfect register.)

Apply the second decal as you did thefirst. Let it dry, then overcoat the decalsandwich.

Disintegrating decalsI’ve had problems with decals disinte-

grating when they come off the paper.What am I doing wrong? How can I pre-vent this?

– Tony Partlow

Disintegrating decals are usuallycaused by insufficient clear carrier appliedto the paper under the color inks. Othercauses are aging and temperature andhumidity extremes. This clear, somewhatflexible coat holds the decal together –without it, the inks just float off in tinyparticles.

You can fix the decals you have. Applya new clear coat to the decals by brushingon Microscale Liquid Decal Film, orspraying on a coat of clear enamel or lac-quer – I prefer Floquil Crystal-Cote.

It’s difficult to tell which decal sheetswill fracture, so test by cutting an unim-portant decal from the sheet and dippingit in water. If it fractures, apply the clearcoat to the entire sheet. You’ll have totrim away the excess clear film from eachdecal, but you’ll save a few dollars on thedecals – and perhaps markings that can’tbe replaced.

Flat decals, shiny modelI’m building an aircraft with a natural-

metal finish and I don’t want the decals tobe shiny. How can I make them flat with-out spraying a flat clear overcoat that willspoil the metal finish?

– Tom Wilson

Before applying the decals, lightly air-brush them with a flat clear. However,you’ll have to cut out each decal to releaseit from the sheet.

Lightly score around each image asclosely as possible, then dip the image inwater; the excess film will disengage as itreleases from the paper. Soak up excesswater to avoid ruining your metal finishwith spots.

Missile stripesIs there an easy way to paint stripes on

missiles?– Shang Lee

Instead of trying to paint a perfectline, cut a thin strip from solid-colordecals. Wet it, wrap it around the missile,add a drop of setting solution, and let thedecal dry tight on the missile.

D E C A L S


Removing decalsI ruined my decals and I want to replace

them. How do you get decals off a model?– Gavin MacPherson

First, try very sticky tape such asScotch (clear or frosty). Burnish it downon the decal, then rip it off. It shouldremove most if not all the decal.

If this doesn’t work, try alcohol and acotton swab, or perhaps ammonia. Makesure you have good ventilation whenusing these liquids.

Silvering decalson flat surfaces

My problem is getting decals to stickto models painted with flat paints. Evenafter applying setting solution, the decalslook pasted on and glossy.

I don’t have problems with them ongloss paints, but most of the colors I useare flat. What can I do?

– H. Smulders

Decals don’t stick to flat paints becausethere is little surface contact. If you couldsee your model under a microscope, itwould appear as coarse sandpaper and thedecal as a sheet of glass.

The decal makes contact with thepaint only at the peaks of its bumpy tex-ture, trapping air in the valleys below.Light reflects and refracts through the airand decal, producing a silvery appearancein the clear film areas.

Gloss paints, on the other hand, havea smooth surface and allow maximumsurface contact with the decal. You canspray on a coat of clear gloss, let it dry,apply the decals, let them dry, then over-coat with a clear flat.

Solvents and solutionsWhat’s the difference between a set-

ting solution and a decal solvent? Is itnecessary to use both? Why don’t manu-facturers provide both?

– R. J. Brandt

Setting solutions are acetic-acid-basedformulas 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 asetting solution provides a “friendlier”surface for the decal, while the solventssoften the decals as they dry so theyconform more closely to the surface.One drawback is that certain formulascan destroy decals; test a spare decalfrom the same sheet to avoid this risk.

Yellow decalsAs time passes, many of my older kits’

decal sheets are yellowing. I recentlypacked all of them in an airtight box filledwith silica gel (the stuff packed with cam-eras and electronic equipment to absorbmoisture). Will this keep the decals fromyellowing further?

– Andy 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 paperand often the clear carrier film yellow.

To cure the problem, tape the yelloweddecals into a south-facing window and letthe sun bleach out the yellow – it takes afew weeks, but it works! Make sure thewindow doesn’t collect moisture – a bath-room window is a bad choice – since thiscould wet the decal and activate the water-based adhesive. Better yet, build those kitsbefore the decals get old and yellow!

Acrylic thinnerI’ve heard windshield wiper fluid can

be used for acrylic-paint thinner. But isn’tit poisonous?

– Ken Millard

Don’t drink it! It has alcohol andmaybe glycerin or other surfactants.However, other acrylic thinners also arepoisonous, though less hazardous thanenamel and lacquer thinners.

The safest acrylic thinner is distilledwater (and it works), but you shouldcheck the paint labels to determine themanufacturer’s recommended thinner.

Blasted bubbles!How can I prevent bubbles when I’m

painting with a brush?– Nan Yang

Air bubbles can form when you’re shak-ing the bottle before painting. This occursmost often with water-based acrylics.

Also, vigorous brushing can introduceair bubbles. When you mix paint forbrushing, stir it with a Popsicle stick.Brush gently in one direction, using onlyone or two strokes.

Clear coatsWhat is a good technique for air-

brushing clear top coats over a completedmodel? I use a single-action Paasche and

I always get an orange-peel bumpiness inthe finish. I use one part thinner with twoparts Model Master Clear Gloss.

– Robert Hersch

One variable you didn’t mention maybe the trouble. If the air pressure is toohigh, you may be blasting the clear withenough air that it’s drying too fast.

If you don’t have a regulator, adjust theknurled knob below the air button onyour Paasche to reduce the amount of air.Also, lightly wet sand with worn 600-gritpaper after each coat (let each coat dryfirst) and mix the final coat at least 50-50with thinner.

Or you could finish with Futureacrylic floor polish. I’ve had great successby airbrushing it at low pressure andgradually building up coats to let theFuture flow evenly.

Dry-brushingI’ve often seen a technique called dry-

brushing in articles in FSM. Just what isdry-brushing?

– Nathan Higa

Dry-brushing is a weathering tech-nique to simulate worn and faded paint.After the painted model is dry, lightenthe base color with white and paint asmall swatch on a piece of cardboard witha soft brush. Continue to work the brushuntil it’s nearly dry. Next, lightly brushthis color on raised details of the model.To enhance the effect, scrub the brush alittle harder on the model (see photo).

Dry-brushing highlights the raiseddetails; the goal is a smooth gradation ofcolor. If your paint is too wet, you’ll onlyproduce a spot of color that won’t lookright. If it’s too dry, nothing will happen.Practice dry-brushing on an old modelbefore working on a prizewinner.

Fume avoidanceI’m reluctant to take my painting

inside during the winter because of thefumes. What can I do?

– Del Jack

First, use water-based acrylic paints;the fumes are less noxious. Second, turn

F I N I S H I N G


down the pressure on your airbrush; youneed only 10-15 psi. If you see clouds ofoverspray, you’re wasting paint.

Try to airbrush on dry days. You canspeed the drying with a hair dryer. In anyevent, consider buying or building a spraybooth to pump overspray and fumes outof the house.

Washes are for detailsThe term “wash” is used often in

FSM. Just exactly what is a wash?– Will Dewolfe

A wash is a highly diluted paint usedto add a visual illusion of depth. Forinstance, thinned black paint brushedonto an aircraft wing will settle in panellines and hinge lines. Washes can bebrushed on figures to add natural shad-owing.

Use a paint and thinner that won’tharm underlying coats of paint. If you uselacquer color coats, you can safely use anenamel wash over them. Don’t use lac-quer over enamels, though, becauselacquers will eat through enamels quickly.Use an acrylic wash over enamels.

Gloss-white coverageI’m painting with Tamiya gloss white

(X-2) but I’m having trouble getting it tocover. It leaves brush marks and it won’tstick in some areas no matter how manycoats I apply. I tried washing the model inwarm, soapy water, but it didn’t help.

– Mark Schicker

This paint seems particularly sensitiveto oil on the plastic surface. Try wipingmineral spirits or rubber cement thinnerover the trouble spots after washing themwith soapy water. These solvents willloosen oils without affecting the plastic.

My favorite white paint is Floquil’sReefer White, but this should be air-brushed. For hand brushing, I like PollyScale White. Both of these colors dry flatbut will accept a clear gloss overcoat.

Humbrol paint numbers If you have built an Airfix or Heller kit recently, you’ve noticed that paint refer-

ences comprise only numbers. Well, it’s time to put names on the numbers.This information was taken from a color-chip chart that Humbrol made sever-

al years ago. You’ll notice that there are numbers missing in the sequence, but that’sthe way the paint line is. So, modelers, keep this reference near your workbench.

– Paul Boyer

PaintNo.

PaintName

PaintNo.

PaintName

PaintNo.

PaintName

2 Emerald (gloss)3 Brunswick green (gloss)5 Dark ad grey (gloss)7 Light buff (gloss)9 Tan (gloss)

10 Service brown (gloss)11 Silver (metallic)12 Copper (metallic)14 French blue (gloss)15 Midnight blue (gloss)16 Gold (metallic)18 Orange (gloss)19 Bright red (gloss)20 Crimson (gloss)21 Black (gloss)22 White (gloss)23 Duck egg blue (matt)24 Trainer yellow25 Matt blue26 Matt khaki27 Matt sea grey28 Camouflage grey (matt)29 Matt dark earth30 Matt dark green31 Matt slate grey32 Matt dark grey33 Matt black34 Matt white35 Clear poly (gloss)38 Lime (gloss)40 Pale grey (gloss)41 Ivory (gloss)47 Sea blue (gloss)48 Mediterranean blue (gloss)49 Matt varnish50 Green mist (metallic)51 Sunset red (metallic)52 Baltic blue (metallic)53 Gunmetal (metallic)54 Brass (metallic)55 Bronze (metallic)56 Aluminum (metallic)60 Scarlet (matt)61 Matt flesh62 Matt leather63 Matt sand64 Matt light grey65 Matt aircraft blue66 Matt olive drab67 Matt tank grey68 Purple (gloss)69 Yellow (gloss)70 Matt brick red71 Satin oak72 Matt khaki drill73 Matt wine74 Matt linen75 Matt bronze green76 Matt uniform green77 Matt navy blue78 Matt cockpit green79 Matt blue grey

80 Matt grass green81 Matt pale yellow82 Matt orange lining83 Matt ochre84 Matt mid stone85 Coal black (satin)86 Matt light olive87 Matt steel grey88 Matt deck green89 Matt middle blue90 Matt beige green91 Matt black green92 Matt iron grey93 Matt desert yellow94 Matt brown yellow95 Matt concrete96 Matt RAF blue97 Matt eggshell98 Matt chocolate99 Matt lemon

100 Matt red brown101 Matt mid green102 Matt Army green103 Matt cream104 Matt Oxford blue105 Matt Marine green106 Matt ocean grey107 Matt WWI purple108 Matt WWI green109 Matt WWI blue110 Matt natural wood111 Matt uniform grey112 Matt tarmac113 Matt rust114 Matt Russian green115 Matt Russian blue116 Matt U.S. dark green117 Matt U.S. light green118 Matt U.S. tan119 Matt light earth120 Matt light green121 Matt pale stone122 Matt pale blue123 Satin dark sea grey124 Satin petrol blue125 Satin U.S. dark grey126 Satin U.S. medium grey127 Satin U.S. ghost grey (light)128 Satin U.S. compass grey (dark)129 Satin U.S. gull grey (light)130 Satin white131 Satin green132 Satin red133 Satin brown134 Satin blue135 Satin varnish140 Matt gull grey (dark)141 Light sea grey (matt)142 Matt field drab144 Intermediate blue (matt)145 Matt medium grey146 Gloss aircraft grey

147 Matt light grey148 Matt radome tan149 Matt dark green150 Matt forest green151 Interior green (matt)153 Insignia red (matt)154 Insignia yellow (matt)155 Matt olive drab156 Matt dark grey157 Azure blue (matt)158 Interior green (matt)159 Khaki drab (matt)160 Ger. camo. red brown (matt)161 U.S. Marine Corps green (matt)162 Surface grey (matt)163 Dark green (satin)164 Dark sea grey (satin)165 Sea grey medium (satin)166 Light aircraft grey (satin)167 RAF barley grey (satin)168 Hemp (satin)169 Yellow facings (matt)170 Brown Bess (matt)171 Antique bronze (matt)172 Green (satin)173 Track colour (matt)174 Signal red (matt)175 Hellgrau 76 (matt)176 Neutral grey/light grey (matt)177 Hull red (matt)178 British scarlet (matt)179 French artillery green (matt)180 Red leather (matt)181 Glossy sea blue182 Black grey (satin)183 Grey (satin)184 Freight stock grey (satin)186 Brown (matt)187 Sand (matt)188 Chrome yellow (gloss)189 Insignia blue (matt)190 Blue Angel blue (gloss)191 Chrome silver (metallic)192 Blaze matt (fluorescent)193 Blaze gloss (fluorescent)194 Saturn yellow gloss (fluorescent)195 Dark green (satin)196 Light grey (satin)197 Lufthansa yellow (satin)198 Lufthansa blue (satin)200 Pink (gloss)201 Metallic black202 Fluorescent aurora pink203 Fluorescent signal green204 Fluorescent matt Saturn yellow205 Fluorescent matt fire orange206 Base white (gloss)207 Aurora pink (fluorescent gloss)208 Signal green (fluorescent)209 Fire orange (fluorescent)

Paint before or afterassembly?

I wonder why the models I see inFSM are built before being painted. Idon’t see how you can paint after thething is built.

– Mike Devine

A combination of painting interiordetail before assembly and exterior finish-es after assembly is the best way. Paintingafter assembly allows you to cover filledseams and gaps.

For an airplane, build and paint theinterior (cockpit) first, then paint theinterior walls of the fuselage halves.When the paint is dry, glue the cockpit inplace and glue the fuselage together.

Fill seams with super glue, add a touchof accelerator to harden the glue, thensand it smooth. Then glue on the wingsand stabilizers, filling seams along theway if needed.

Now you’re ready to paint the outsideof the model. You can stick a brass tubeup the tailpipe or into a hole for a pro-peller to hold the model while you paint.Find a way to mount the brass tube (withthe model on it) to keep from touchingthe paint before it dries.

Rough finishHow can I simulate crude, field-applied

paint (such as temporary white winter orsand-colored desert camouflage) withoutthe model simply looking badly painted?Should a model like this be placed in adiorama or can it stand by itself?

– Bryan Prima

Build the model and paint the basecolors as best you can. To simulate thefield-applied camouflage, try thinningthe paint and applying it with a brush oran eye-shadow applicator – a small,round, sponge-covered tool that, withpractice, can produce the rough hand-applied paint look you want.

The model wouldn’t need to be in adiorama if properly labeled, which is nota bad idea – not everyone who sees yourwork is going to know what it is. Itwouldn’t hurt to let your audience knowthe paint job is supposed to look the wayit does. The quality of your constructionand underpainting will show that youaren’t ham-fisted.

Painting tiny detailsI have problems painting details. Is

there a brush smaller than “0”? Also, howdo I keep a good point on the brush?

– Ben Goerz

Art-supply stores usually carry finerbrushes such as a 10-0. There aren’t manybristles, but they’re expensive.

No brush will keep forever, but a goodbrush will keep its point with proper care.Clean it immediately after every use witha thinner that will dissolve the paint. Dipthe brush in the thinner, but never let thebristles rest on the bottom of the contain-er; that bends them. Pull the brush alonga clean rag. Don’t scrub it or jam it intothe rag; that bends and even breaks bris-tles. You may need to dip and wipe severaltimes before the brush comes clean.

To restore the brush’s point, put a dropof saliva on your fingertips and draw thebrush through. This will hold the bristlesin place. Put a plastic-tube cap on thebrush and store it upright.

Spray mattersI’m worried about using Testor clear

coats over enamels and water-basedacrylics. Can I brush the bottled versions

of these clears onto color coats? Whatabout spray cans?

– Tony Simion

Testor Glosscote and Dullcote are lac-quers which, properly applied, can goover enamels and acrylics with no prob-lem. However, don’t hand brush them.The application will be too thick and thewet lacquer may eat through the underly-ing paint. You must be careful with spraycans as well.

Make sure the underlying paint iscompletely dry – wait a couple of days forflat enamels and acrylics, a week for glosspaints. Spray light coats of clear and waita half hour before applying another coat.If you build up the overcoat too fast it cansoften and ruin the colors below.

Airbrush these clear coats from thebottle with about 25 percent lacquer thin-ner. Dust on several light coats and neverallow the overcoat to puddle.

FSM

POPULAR MODELING SCALES

Scale 1" 1 scale 1 scale 1 scale Commentsequals foot foot (dec.) meter

1/4 4" 3" 3.0" 250.0 mm Flying models, live-steam trains1/8 8" 11⁄2" 1.5" 125.0 mm Cars, motorcycles, live-steam trains1/12 1' 1" 1.0" 83.3 mm Cars, motorcycles, dollhouses1/16 1'4" 3⁄4" .75" 62.5 mm Cars, motorcycles, armor1/20 1'8" 1 9⁄3 2 " .6" 50.0 mm Cars1/22.5 1'101⁄2" 17⁄32" .53" 44.4 mm G scale trains1/24 2' 1⁄2" .5" 41.7 mm Cars, trucks, dollhouses1/25 2'1" 15⁄32" .48" 40.0 mm Cars, trucks, armor1/32 2'8" 3⁄8" .375" 31.25 mm Aircraft, cars, No.1 scale trains1/35 2'11" 11⁄32" .343" 28.57 mm Armor1/43 3'7" 9⁄32" .279" 23.25 mm Cars, trucks1/48 4' 1⁄4" .25" 20.83 mm 1⁄4"-scale aircraft, O scale trains1/64 5'4" 3⁄16" .187" 15.62 mm Aircraft, S scale trains1/72 6' 11⁄64" .167" 13.88 mm Aircraft, armor, RC ships1/76 6'4" 5⁄32" .158" 13.16 mm Armor1/87 7'3" .138 11.49 mm Armor, HO scale trains1/96 8' 1⁄8" .125" 10.42 mm 1⁄8" scale ships, aircraft1/100 8'4" .120" 10.00 mm Aircraft1/125 10'5" .096" 8.00 mm Aircraft1/144 12' .083" 6.94 mm Aircraft1/160 13'4" .075" 6.25 mm N scale trains1/192 16' 1⁄16" .062" 5.21 mm 1⁄16" scale ships1/200 16'8" .06" 5.0 mm Aircraft, ships1/220 18'4" .054" 4.54 mm Z scale trains1/285 23'9" .042" 3.5 mm Wargame pieces1/350 29'2" .034" 2.86 mm Ships1/700 58'4" .017" 1.43 mm Ships1/720 60' .016" 1.38 mm Ships1/1200 100' .01" .83 mm Wargame ships1/2400 200' .005" .42 mm Wargame ships


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