Fuselage Sanding

Endless

Hi;

    I have found that if you are trying for that "Travel Agency" look ,You are in for no panel detail left. I did learn one thing though. Some of those you see are either solid Resin,Wood or Blow Molded Plastic.

 I never thought any model that wasn't large enough, ie. 1/32 or larger, needed panel lines anyway. Sure they look nice ,especially in Natural Metal( Foil Chrome) but otherwise they are actually too large really!

       What scale is your plane? I have a friend that collects by type in all materials. Most DO NOT have any panel lines at all. Most are 1/144 or smaller! One thing I do though is ignore lines when applying SprueGlue. I re - engrave them later, if they need to be there to keep continuity.

Other than the fact that the fuselage is made in four different countries, there should not be much in the way of panel lines. Unless you can see them in photographs, I'd skip them.

GMorrison

Other than the fact that the fuselage is made in four different countries, there should not be much in the way of panel lines. Unless you can see them in photographs, I'd skip them.

 

Agreed completely.

Even when the real airplane is left unpainted, the panel lines are all but invisible when viewed from just a few feet away. Disruptions of air flow result in less speed, even very small surface imperfections create drag, great effort is made to ensure the airframe is as "slippery" as possible.

Just me, but I think a model with a good overall finish and then colorful decals will be the focal points, panel lines and inspection panels almost seem to distract for an airliner. For WWII military, then fine surface details do seem to replicate realism. 

For the most part models have surface details molded in, in some cases nicely done, others have panel lines the scale size of rain gutters. Really uncomplimentary for a model, I just fill them in. Again, just my way.

Patrick

 

I agree with GMorrison and Patrick on not worrying about sanding away the panel line.

In answer to your initial question, the unfortunate answer is 'as many as it takes', very much like Don Stauffer's answer.

Finally, if one's goal is to sand whilst retaining panel lines, the best solution I've found ist to mask over the panel lines to protect them, and sand in between. I'm not sure this is practical in any scale less then 1/48th. I've never done a 1/72nd that I recall.

The material you use to fill is important.  I have better luck preserving detail by using CA mixed with dental alginate which hardens quickly, and then doing the initial leveling with a good fine flat file, a big one, not a needle file.  I do protect the surrounding area with Tamya tape.  If I want the panel lines where I have filled, the new material scribes very much like the original plastic. 

The problem with most fillers is they shrink and multiple filling and sanding processes are needed.  Everytime I sand I lose more detail.

Hi;

     What is Dental Alginate and where would a non Dental proffessional get it ?

patrick206

 

 

GMorrison

Other than the fact that the fuselage is made in four different countries, there should not be much in the way of panel lines. Unless you can see them in photographs, I'd skip them.

 

 

 

 

Agreed completely.

 

Even when the real airplane is left unpainted, the panel lines are all but invisible when viewed from just a few feet away. Disruptions of air flow result in less speed, even very small surface imperfections create drag, great effort is made to ensure the airframe is as "slippery" as possible.

Just me, but I think a model with a good overall finish and then colorful decals will be the focal points, panel lines and inspection panels almost seem to distract for an airliner. For WWII military, then fine surface details do seem to replicate realism. 

For the most part models have surface details molded in, in some cases nicely done, others have panel lines the scale size of rain gutters. Really uncomplimentary for a model, I just fill them in. Again, just my way.

Patrick

 

 

I agree that panel lines are a technique that is often overdone, on both painted and NMF finish planes.  Only time I worry about it is on heavily weathered ramp queens.

In fact, there are several techniques on scale modeling that I feel are often done in excess.  I recommend that serious aircraft modelers take frequent visits to airports and museums to study the appearance of full-scale airplanes.

 

In the age of composites, planes are pretty smooth.

OP I looked at some sprue shots online and if the lines are there, they are really faint. I'd get rid og the ones on the fuse.

airops,

Are you talking about getting a smooth surface to paint on, or a smooth, shiny finish once the paint is applied?  The reason I ask is that they are two separate things.

I'm sanding a fuselage right now. round three and counting If you really want the panel lines, then just re-scribe the missing areas after sanding is complete. Or better yet, re-scribe the lines after a coat of primer. It's easier to see and work with after a coat of primer, and you'll have a better sense of how deep and/or thick you need to go to match the remaining lines. The multiple sanding sessions are tedious but it's worth it to get that smooth gloss finish. 

Good coat of Future helps too!  

One way to avoid problems with filling and sanding is to take some care with assembly. If fuselage seams are an issue, then improve the fit of the parts by dressing the edges before assembly. Place the fuselage halves on a sheet of 320 or 400 grit wet-or-dry sandpaper and gently rub down the mating edges as if the parts were from a vacformed kit. You’ll lose the pins on one half, but most of those are usually mis-aligned anyway. To fill windows so as to minimize sanding, cover the windows on the outside of the fuselage halves with a clear packaging tape, making sure that tape curves smoothly over the window holes. Then fill the windows from the inside with your filler of choice. The clear tape will allow you to see if there are any bubbles in the filler. Allow the filler to dry, and remove the tape. Usually all you’ll then need to do is prime the window area and smooth it with fine sandpaper before applying paint.

Don Stauffer

 

patrick206

 I agree that panel lines are a technique that is often overdone, on both painted and NMF finish planes.  Only time I worry about it is on heavily weathered ramp queens.

In fact, there are several techniques on scale modeling that I feel are often done in excess.  I recommend that serious aircraft modelers take frequent visits to airports and museums to study the appearance of full-scale airplanes.

 

 

Tanker-Builder

Hi;

     What is Dental Alginate and where would a non Dental proffessional get it ?

 

It's the stuff dentists use to take molds of your mouth. it comes in powdered form, mix it with water and it becomes that disgusting tasting pink gel. Cures into a flexible mold with great detail. 

Taxidermists use it to cast fish, fish heads, reptiles, etc. and you can buy it from a taxidermy supplier such as McKenzie or Van Dykes. 

Just thinking, I wonder if you could add powdered styrene to CA instead of alginate? Might have to start sanding down some sprues and find out.

I didn't buy it a JoAnn's but this is what I am using that works well:

https://www.joann.com/perfect-series-28oz-perfect-mold/15381593.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&source=TIS-S&WT.srch=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9tbzBRDVARIsAMBplx_u-Rdc-KmNlIBuUBqhmz-38cvpohz8MkzhDmQkqi7eG_bOUpuNBx8aAoRiEALw_wcB

jeaton01

I didn't buy it a JoAnn's but this is what I am using that works well:

https://www.joann.com/perfect-series-28oz-perfect-mold/15381593.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&source=TIS-S&WT.srch=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9tbzBRDVARIsAMBplx_u-Rdc-KmNlIBuUBqhmz-38cvpohz8MkzhDmQkqi7eG_bOUpuNBx8aAoRiEALw_wcB

 

 

It's sold at Hobby Lobby stores too.  Same list price but I think you can get 40% off with their coupon.

     Nino

 

 

I like panel lines because it helps to keep the decals square. I work as a pilot for a cargo airline, and our freighters are very dirty. The dirt, oil and grime does get into the panel lines. 

jeaton01

The material you use to fill is important.  I have better luck preserving detail by using CA mixed with dental alginate which hardens quickly, and then doing the initial leveling with a good fine flat file, a big one, not a needle file.  I do protect the surrounding area with Tamya tape.  If I want the panel lines where I have filled, the new material scribes very much like the original plastic. 

The problem with most fillers is they shrink and multiple filling and sanding processes are needed.  Everytime I sand I lose more detail.

 

Don't you mean dental acrylic powder instead of dental alginate?

Hmmmm;

 Now that's an interesting Idea!

No. It's alginate but it's in powder form.  I don't know anything about dental acrylic.  I learned about the alginate from Paul Budzik videos.

jeaton01

No. It's alginate but it's in powder form.  I don't know anything about dental acrylic.  I learned about the alginate from Paul Budzik videos.

 

I thought Paul's video mentioned dental acrylic "powder." I guess I better watch it again!