fuselage seams

I use a technique that has worked incredibly well for me. Simply run a bead of Testors tube glue down the seam, then take your finger and make one fast even swipe down the seam. Let it dry overnight and repeat as many times as necessary until it is even. I have used this technique for the past ten years and have never had a problem with shrinking. The key to success is you can only touch the glue once on each application, if you try to run your finger over it a second time it will make a mess and you will have to let it cure and sand it down before you continue.

Thanks for the help
-nick

Fisch, I also use Swanny's method but have a follow up step which I feel helps me, and that is to get some Humbrol No. 1 Primer in the little tinlet and if there is any sign of a seam left after priming (for which I use the same paint, thinned a little), just brush some of this paint along the seam. Even though they call it primer I think it is just the light grey colour they are refering to as it brushes on and behaves like their normal enamels and is No. 1 in that range of colours. Anyway, after brushing it on leave it dry for a day then you can gently sand it back with some 1500-2000 grade wet and dry and your seam should be gone and stay gone. If not just repeat a couple of times to build it up in the seam. I usually do this after using Swanny's method just to make sure the seam is truly gone and doesn't come back as DaveB mentions in his post. As a spinoff benefit It also provides a perfect surface for your final coat as the putty suface has now been "sealed" by the enamel. Hope ths helps.

Cheers....Snowy.

I use Swannys "Fencing" method. You simply border the seam with tape, apply putty, remove tape, swipe down the putty with a qtip soaked in acetone based fingernail polish remover, then sand.

I will say one thing though, depending on the type of putty you use, some will shrink when they fully cure. So a fully filled and sanded seam can contract and youll have a seam line. So I find its best for me (Im using Squadron white putty) to do the fencing method then wait a couple days before I sand.

Almost every other time I did the fencing thing I had other stuff to do and couldnt get to the model for a couple days anyway. Recently I had a P-51 and too much time on my hands. I puttied and then sanded almost immediately afterward. After I painted it I found a nice filled in seam line! I kinda screwed the paint up anyway so I decided to strip it all using Castrol Super Clean. Right now Im back to the stage where Im getting ready to putty that same ol seam... this time it wont come back!

Fisch,

You can always go back and add more putty to the seam, then sand and re-prime.

Jeff

Check this site out: Let us know if it helps:
http://www.swannysmodels.com/Seams.html

although i havent used it yet the use of tape is a good idea and i will be using it on the next build.

joe

Thanks for the advice Jeff this is my first aircraft model. I've already glued the fusulage halves together with super glue. I filled the seem with putty and sanded it down. But when i applied primer their was still a seem line.

Fisch,

I typically use Tenax 7R to weld the seams together, this usually leaves a small bead of melted plastic which I slice with an X-acto... From there, I'll putty where necessary, then start sanding with 1200 grit wet-or-dry paper. This keeps most of the surface detail if you're careful. I also invested in a plastic scribing tool from Micro-Mark to replace panel lines that get sanded down, etc.

If there's alot of detail in the area, I'll sometimes use masking tape to protect the details from getting roughed up.

Jeff