Cleaning mold lines on small parts. How?

HEY,
Dont know what to tell ya, thats what i always do. ot much else you can do i dont think.

Randy

Yup, lightly scraping with an X-Acto is the only good way I've found. Maybe someone else will chime in with a better way & make us all happy.

Regards, Rick

You could try a fine riffler file. It works pretty well for me, and, if you're carefull, the marks it leaves are no worse than those left by an X-acto. Usually for me, it leaves marks like those left by 400-600 grit sand paper. Just make sure it's a fine file. I prefer round files over flat for flash removal. They make diamond grit files too which also come in fine grit and are fairly gentle on the plastic, while still taking the flash line down aggressively enough.

Several years ago I bought a set of small needle files (over all length 2 1/2 inches). The maximum width on the flat file in the set is about 1/8" with the other shapes being smaller. With these and a #11 blade in my knife I can get to most of the surfaces I need to get to on a 1/72 landing gear. My biggest problem is just me overlooking things. Don't remember where I got the files but think it was Micromark.

Just like what plymonkey said, use small riffler files, usually called micro-files. MicroMark sells them and I'm sure that your LHS does. They come in different cross-section shapes so that you can always find one fit for your clean-up needs. Or, you can make your own clean-up sander by gluing small strips of sandpaper (400, 600 or 800 grit) over the flat end of a toothpick, or around a used Q-tip shaft (take out the cotton) if you want a circular sander. Hope this helps.

Stephen, I recently performed the ame clea up on the Revell 1/72 Fw 190's undercarriage, and like pretty much everyone else has written, I used a series of small files, and my Xacto.

It is boring though.

Karl

Instead of "scraping" with your Exacto knife, try to actually "carve" the line off, you will notice that if you have a little patience and not that much pressure the mold line will come right off while the knife rides down the line.... removing it...

Thanks guys.

The micro file seems to be a good idea. Will look into that.

I tried "carving" once and almost cut the thing in half.

Something I find very useful, and depends on whether you can get them, acupuncture needles!

I scored some a LONG time ago, and while they appear round like a needle, the top of the shaft is actually squared off, and cuts like buggery.

Needless to say, they work great for mold lines.

I recently discovered scraping backwards with the blade of my knife works *very* well. Just my $.02.

I think its all been said but I generally use the knife much as RustyFord describes. I have also used a needle file and emery boards (the ones women use for their nails) and all work. Whenever possible I will also lightly sand afterwards to remove any blade or file marks.

Here’s I use a new blade and run it down along the mould line using the contours of he piece to guide me. Hope that helps


James

I use a small xacto blade, depending on the shape of the part I either carve down forward like RustyFord said, or scrape backward like someone else did. (I dont scrape toward detail parts, but away from them, on long stretches use very light pressure and carve it down)

I also have used 22 and 18 gauge hypodermic needles in the past. (I spent many long years as a Respiratory Therapist and they were freely available) The tip of the needle is precision laser cut and sharply bevelled so they slice things easily and because they are light and so small it is hard to bear down with them too much pressure and overdo it. Just turn the edge of the bevel at about a 90 deg angle to the piece and scrape. Practice on scrap first to get used to how much pressure and what angle to hold it at. It takes a while to whittle things down like this but you only touch the mold line and it's hard to carve out gouges in the plastic.

I'd recommend an 22 to 18 gauge (smaller the number the bigger the needle) for 1/48 up and 25 to 20 for 1/72.

Check with the pharmacist and if they won't sell them to you a livestock feed store should.

just keep your fingers clear of it when slicing and be sure to cap them when not in use... I've been bit one too many times by one of them for my pleasure...