cleaning parts before painting

Honestly, I stopped washing parts a long time ago.  It's a neat habbit, but I find it doesn't reallly do anything for me because I prime before I paint anyway.  If I'm priming, then there's no need to wash.  Plus it adds hours to the build time as you wash, then rinse and then have to let everything dry.

But I'm sure you'll get people who swear by washing.  I don't and I'm ok with that

-Fred

Some short run kits and resin accesories will have residue left on them usally a silicone based parting agent. it is easily removed with soap and water. I have not run across to many models these days that have any residue on them. I do like to wipe my models down with a paper towel with some alcohol on it to remove residue from sanding and handleing. i also like to wear latex gloves when handleing the model as much as i can to keep oil from my hand from getting on the model. The only time i have actually washed a model before painting happen just recently when i had to strip off a bad paint job with Dot3 brake fluid. i soaped it up real good and gave it a good rinse and had no problems with painting it after.

                                                                            Soulcrusher

I think it depends on the parts and on the paint.

You didn't mention what you paint with, but acrylics are more touchy about adhesion than enamels, so if you're painting with acrylics, washing is a good idea.

It sounds as though you're talking about plastic vs resin.  Resin parts will typically have mold release residue on them which will obviously impede paint adhesion, so if you're painting resin parts, washing is a good idea.

As far as a cleaner, at least one talented resin shipbuilder I know of uses a mild dishwashing detergent to clean his parts.  Ironically he also related a story in which he forgot to clean his ship hull prior to painting a masked camo scheme, only to have all the paint lift with the masking tape.

For me, my usual situation is painting enamels on styrene, and for that I don't bother washing.  The paint goes on fine and does not lift when masked, so for that situation washing is an unneeded step.

Andy

I wonder if scrubbing with alchohol prior to painting would be adequate with a styrene kit?

Dave 

djrost_2000 wrote:

I wonder if scrubbing with alchohol prior to painting would be adequate with a styrene kit? Dave

I believe that should do the trick. I simply soak the intact sprues in warm soapy water for an hour while studying a new build instruction sheet. Rinse and they will air dry in a couple hours.

EDIT: I do wipe down the larger parts with a paper towerl afterward. 

Namrednef,

I often wash parts in soapy water prior to the build also.  I'm just making sure if alchohol will take care of hand oils after hours of manipulating the parts.

TY,

Dave 

Now soaking the sprues is something that I could get into. Makes more sense and efficiency.

But I still wonder about these other products like Westley's Bleche-Wite and the O-D-X in the FSM ads?

Anybody using them? 

djrost_2000 wrote:

Namrednef, I often wash parts in soapy water prior to the build also.  I'm just making sure if alchohol will take care of hand oils after hours of manipulating the parts. TY, Dave

Yeah Dave, I'm cetain that alcohol would perform that trick. I'm Dave also!

Jake, I use simple dish detergent, washing parts underwater with just my fingers....that keeps things from snagging delicate places.....rinse with fairly warm water and dry on a Terrycloth towel. (I was seeing some annoying static dust after using paper towels)....after all is well air dried.....paper towel dust doesn't seem to cling.

Dave,

TY

Cheers,

The other Dave