How do you let a model dry after painting?

I cover it with the box lid from the model- it usually is big enough.

You can speed things up with a hand held hair dryer,at least until it looses it's tackiness

I'm lucky enough to have a converted utility room for my modeling space which includes a small 3x3 storage closet that I've set up with various shelves, pegs, and hooks.  When I finish painting something, I move it immediately to the closet for drying.  It's a big space, so big projects like a 1/48 B-29, 1/144 Seawolf sub, or 1/350 battleship all fit with ease.  With more space than fish tanks or boxes, and the fact that it stays relatively warm, drying time is the same or quicker than on the workbench.  And the best thing is, it's virtually dust-free (as long as I vacuum periodically).  If my room didn't have this closet already, I'd probably go ahead and build one into a corner of my modeling space--- it's just worked out so well, and saved so many paint jobs, I doubt that I could do without it now.

Tom 

I've just finished a paint drying cabinet and starting to use it.  I made a box from 1/2 inch particle board for the base. In the base is a lamp base with a 60 watt light bulb, and in one side I mounted a light dimmer to give me control of how much power is going into the bulb.  There are holes in one side, and in the top.  I mounted strips of cloth filters used for filtering hot air registers, to control dust.  Over the top I have inverted one of those plastic tubs we bring models to shows in.  The top, which has most of the center cut away (to let hot air flow through) holds the bottom (which is the area the model parts are put in).  That has a hole cut in the bottom (which is now the top), which I put a disk of that filter material over it.  The heat from the lamp causes a natural convective flow from the base through that top chamber.  Right now, I have calibrated the temp in the top chamber, set to 90 F.  Seems to work great and was quite cheap to make. The unit serves two purposes- a dust-free place for the model to dry in, and a heated area to speed up the drying a bit.

I have friends that use food dehydrators, but those run too hot, and some of these folks have had parts warp.  That is why I included the dimmer (I think it was six or seven bucks) to allow me to control the temp.

With Acrylics, just an hour or so is fine. Enamels, overnight, or at the very least a few hours between coats.

Here's a question for you guys. I coated my latest build with Alclad clear gloss..Two weeks ago. It is still somewhat tacky in some areas. I must've been a bit hasty between coats? I thought it might take a few days, at most. Arggh. Thanks!

Never thought about using a closet. There is a closet near my modeling area. I just need to empty a shelf. A drying cabinet w/ a dimmer is a brilliant idea.

My modeling to-do list keeps getting longer and longer

My wife made a sheer curtain (see through) for my paint booth. When finished painting, I put a folding lamp with a 60 watt bulb in the booth and close the curtain with the exhaust fan still running. Come back in a couple hours and the paint is dry. I have to wash the curtains once in a while as they act as filters and catch the dust in the air being sucked into the booth.

Jim

I just close the doors on my spraybooth after painting.

Bill

We use lacquer based paints at work, which dry quite quickly.  We have box fans on stands pointed straight up, and strips of 1/2" masking tape over them to keep pieces from falling through.  Set the fresh pieces on the fan (set to low) & 10mins later they're dry enough to handle.

Reid

I just put mine in the bathroom shower stall. It's the cleanest, most dust free area in my house (just be sure to post a sign on the door to avoid accidents!).