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How do you guys mount a model to airbrush it?

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  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by Gigatron on Thursday, February 4, 2010 11:48 AM

Paint the inside/bottom first.  Let that dry for a few minutes, turn over and paint the outside.  To rotate, place on a small piece of cardboard (a bit larger than the model) and just turn the cardboard as needed.  No need for fancy holdin' tools - just need a though-out plan of attack.

-Fred

 

 

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Paris, Texas
Posted by Michael B on Thursday, February 4, 2010 9:32 AM

Mako,

Micro Mark sells a great holder for automobile bodys.  It's about a 2" wide piece of springy metal shaped in a "V".  It gives just the right tension to hold the body without distorting it.  I've used one for several years and never had one slip yet.  If I remember correctly they're less than $10.  You can get on their mailing list  micromark.com for catalogs and watch for sales.  Great service too.  For non-automotive subjects you just cannot beat formed wire coat hangers stuck in A/C landing gear holes or a dowell with masking tape wrapped sticky side out stuck in a jet exhaust nozzle.

I hope this helps 

Michael B.

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: South Central Wisconsin
Posted by Daywalker on Thursday, February 4, 2010 9:21 AM

Great idea Mike, I may have to build one of those myself!  I use blocks of styrofoam, with toothpicks, Q-tips, and what ever else the model up for painting.

Frank 

 

  • Member since
    May 2005
  • From: Left forever
Posted by Bgrigg on Thursday, February 4, 2010 7:41 AM

MIke, I have a very similar jig, only mine uses wooden dowels.

So long folks!

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Hayward, CA
Posted by MikeV on Thursday, February 4, 2010 7:20 AM

Sometimes I use a block of foam rubber that is about 3" thick and put a piece of paper towel over it and set the airplane on it to paint it. Other times I use this jig I made with plastic pegs that you can move to whatever spacing you need.

Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. " Charles Spurgeon
  • Member since
    January 2010
Posted by Mako72 on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 9:15 PM

To all, thanks for the replies. I've checked them all out and they have given me some ideas.  Thanks.

  • Member since
    May 2015
Posted by Gordon D. King on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 8:42 PM

I also use wire coat hangers.  I have them bend so that I can insert an end in each of the front and rear windows. End end of the hanger is covered with masking tape. When the paint is drying I hang the dryer in my paint booth.

  • Member since
    May 2005
  • From: Left forever
Posted by Bgrigg on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 8:25 PM

Here is my home made holder. I used a couple of clothes hangers and some scrap wood. A couple of simple bends and screw it into place. You want to be careful you don't make it so strong that it bends the body, but this works really well.

 

So long folks!

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Neenah, WI
Posted by HawkeyeHobbies on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 8:23 PM

Visit my blog, I've been running a series of How To: HOLD THAT MODEL articles. There is always the shielded Mk 1 left or right hand. That is your hand carefully wrapped in a glove. Stick out tongue

 

Gerald "Hawkeye" Voigt

http://hawkeyes-squawkbox.com/

 

 

"Its not the workbench that makes the model, it is the modeler at the workbench."

  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: Fullerton, Calif.
Posted by Don Wheeler on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 8:15 PM

Here's a video of a guy using the bottle trick.  Unfortunately, it doesn't show how the bottle is attached.  I don't think I'd trust tape.  Blue Tac might work.   Here's another one where a coat hanger is used.  Do a little searching on Youtube and you'll probably find more.

Don

https://sites.google.com/site/donsairbrushtips/home

A collection of airbrush tips and reviews

Also an Amazon E-book and paperback of tips.

  • Member since
    January 2010
How do you guys mount a model to airbrush it?
Posted by Mako72 on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 6:36 PM

I'm getting close to airbrush paint a white styrene 1/25 scale model funny car body. I'll be painting not only the outside but up underneath to get paint on the wheelwell lips etc. A friend suggested getting a old whiskey bottle and put double sided tape on top of the bottle. Then place the inside of the model roof onto the double sided tape and press down firmly. This way, you can rotate the body as you paint it and also tip it on it's side to spray paint up underneath the body.  The neck down on the bottle gives you access to spray underneath and the base of the bottle is pretty stable. Sounds good in theory but I can see it possibly falling off at some point. Keep in mind I don't have a rotating base or a spray booth. I'll be doing this out in the garage on the work bench. So how do you guys mount the body securely when you paint it...on the cheap! LOL.

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