Dipping Canopies

What I do is cut the canopy out, but like usual I dont put my sprue cutters right up to the canopy, I leave some sprue left. Then I dip it in there while holding onto the excess sprue with tweezers, move it up and down, left and right a couple times while still in the future, bring it out and set it down flat on a paper towel in the model box (as if the papertowel was the cockpit) , then put the lid on the box and leave it over night. I've done this with numerous canopies and it's worked for me every time.

Masking is a whole other can of worms for me, I just tried liquid mask on my last model and it's worked better than tape for me, but I still don't get nice clean lines of paint where the canopy frame is, maybe i need practice, maybe I'm doing something wrong....anyways everytime I do the future the way I explained it's worked out great for me. Good luck.

I believe the paper towl is the key here. It sucks up all the exess future and does not let it pool.

I use straifgt future, noe thinned at all.

I cut it from the sprue and dip it holding with a fine tip tweezers (just on the framing)

Yes the tape does dull it a bit, but I have then polished it with paper towl and re-applied future with a soft brush. Again used neat.

It does seem to level out a bit. I actually tilt and turn the model to let it "flat out" well and then I boost the cure time with a little heat from a hear drier - carefully!

Within maybe a few minutes it wil start to go hard enough not to run anymore.

Theuns

I rarely dip canopies in Future anymore.  I polish them with Novus and the results are fantastic.

Stop dipping your canopies in Future. Problem solved. ...but, if you must, to help hide a defect, then dip it in straight Future, then set it on a paper towel the way it would sit on the aircaft. Leave it there and don't touch it for 4 days or more. And yes, you can cover it to prevent dust.

Hey Blue, unfortunately Future is not what it used to be.  They changed the formula (and the name about 3 or 4 hundred times) and it's no longer conducive to scale modeling.  Use the Future, or whatever it's called now, on your floors as intended.  I concur with Fly's method and agree the Novus product is great.

Joe

Also if you can manage to still find this future,  its pretty much the last one that still works how us modelers intend to use it.

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I've had good luck dipping them in future with tweezers, then shaking off the excess and setting them on a paper towel inside a covered bowl.

Good points above. If you can achieve a good shine with some novus, that seems easier. Never tried that.

Here's a Swanny's article about Future: http://www.swannysmodels.com/TheCompleteFuture.html

One issue I had on a recent build was with paint adherence to the future, it just wouldn't stick.  I ended up scrubbing the whole thing with windex to get the future off, then I masked, painted, and then dipped in future and had no issues.  It also gave me a chance to clean off all the masking residue before I dipped the canopy.  I also just dip for a few seconds and then set upright on a paper towel.  That said I was doing F/A-18 canopies which are rather simple.

Groot

In the "Video" section of this site, under "how to", there is a demonstration of the dipping technique.

This is the bottle I have had for a few years. Works great.

When I do have to dip a canopy, and that is only to hide a flaw, I remove the canopy from the sprue, mask and paint.  Then I remove my mask, and as others have said, stir it around in the Future.  I then lift it free, allowing the excess to run off, and touch the corner with a kleenex a few times, until I've got a lot of the excess off.  What I do differently is take an old margarine lid, flip it upside down, and build a bed of toothpicks.  I do this in a crisscross pattern, kind of like a log house or the basis for a campfire.  I set my canopy on this bed and cover it with a clear bowl, flipped upside down, making sure the bowl is not sealed to the margarine lid (some air can move through it and allow drying).  I leave it there for three or four days.  Sometimes I'll hand brush flat varnish over the canopy frames really carefully, sometimes I just leave it glossy, depending on how much will show.  I add the canopy after all of the aircraft is finished (flat coated).  

I find with the canopy resting on the toothpicks (and I use round ones) it doesn't stick to paper towel or even the toothpicks, the surface area is so small, and the little remaining excess runs off nicely.  Generally, I only dip it if I've had to polish a seam line out.  

Hope that helps.

Strange.....I've always had great results using Future.

I completely remove the canopy from the sprue, and sand and polish the attachment point.

Using paper towels to absorb extra Future to prevent runs, and allowing it to dry under a small tupperware container always works a treat for me to keep dust off the canopy.  I've never had problems with Tamiya tape adhering to the canopy....and I normally use Bare Metal Foil for the canopy framing.  I've never had the terrible problems people write about here.  Just lucky, I guess.

I do tend to paint the canopy frames first, then dip.  Does give me a shinier canopy frame than the rest of the a/c, but I can live with it.  Ditto what everyone else said about letting it sit on paper towel to wick away all the excess.

leemitcheltree

...I've never had the terrible problems people write about here.  Just lucky, I guess.

 I'm pretty old school, but I just use toothpaste and a soft rag (usually an old cotton tee shirt) to polish canopies or other clear parts, like car windshields.

Mark

Since almost everybody here is pretty knowledgeable about future, can you use liquid mask on canopies that have been dipped in future?

Absolutely.  I've never had a problem with liquid masks.

Instead of dipping the parts I use a disposable paint brush and paint the future on.  Then wick away any excess with the corner of a paper towel.  Never had any problems.

Using liquid mask over future?

Sure. I use micro mask. It comes off very cleanly.

I've had problems with liquid masks marring the Future before.

This is a most interesting discussion! I have a bottle of Future repacked through Sprues Bros a few years back which I'm hoping is the real deal.

Has anyone used the dip method to apply a bright gloss finish to small painted parts or assemblies? I have had terrible luck with gloss fnishes over the years and have been thinking a Future dip might be workable.

Cheers, Mike

As an anternative to future, has anyone tried dipping humbrol Clear? I just ordered some a few days ago to try out, seems legit from what I've seen on youtube, etc.

I leave a small piece of sprue that goes in an alligator clip.

I don't use paper towels to wick off the residual Future as paper towels have lint filiments, I use white index cards.  The index cards have zero lint on them.  I dip, touch the corner to the card a few times over about 60 seconds then lie on a flat card or place in x-acto "extra hands" under a box to cover it from dust.

Most important after 24 hours I take it out from under the box to let air get at it and let it cure for 3-4 days.  I'm never in a hurry and generally have never had a problem doing this.  Whenever I start a kit I dip the canopy first.  That way by the time I need it it has cured for weeks.

I have completely given up on trying to use Future as a gloss and/or for dipping canopies. Looked like total crap every time. The only practical use for me is on the floor or right under decals, in place of a "setting solution".

I dip then place the piece on top 2 toothpicks place crosswise under it. I have yet to have any clean up from the contact areas. It drys so thin.

Then cover it overnight.  I use those clear plastic cake boxes for drying with paints that are closs I put few holes low and a few on top to bleed of fumes. Especially for oil base.

Fly-n-hi

I rarely dip canopies in Future anymore.  I polish them with Novus and the results are fantastic.

 

Which Novus do you use, number 1? Or 1,2 and 3? I see there is a Novus supplier in South Africa, I have contacted them for pricing.