QUICK TIPS

Hi all,
I use Testors plastic liquid cement to thin out green squadron putty. You can make the filler as thin as you want for less sanding and you can use an old paint brush to apply it with more acceracy. I usually use an old 35mm film canister to mix the stuff, that way if you mix too much, you just put the lid on the canister and it will last for several days. Just remember to have good ventilation.

When I'm applying scenic grass or dirt to a diorama, I sprinkle on generously so I can pat it down into the glued surface. Then after a night of drying, I'll us a paint brush on the excess to break it up and follow up with a dust buster that has a nylon stocking over the end to suck up the extra. The Stocking keeps it all together so that I can reuse it. If for some reason, there is a mixture of grass and dirt together, I save in a seperate container to use on dio's that the landscape isn't so critical on.

If you're using a knife of any sort to trim/cut parts and the part is so small you feel that you absolutely have to hold it in you hand, for gosh sakes, where leather gloves. Even better would be knife proof gloves that many fisherman use. One day I was cutting a small part and while I was cutting I was thinking to myself, "this is du..." That was as far as I got before I sliced of a hunk of my right index finger. It healed, but the scar is still there and shows no sign of ever going away.

Don

Here's one that Petbat let me in on that I tried out and had great results at getting chipped paint look:

Make a little square out of a Scotchbrite scourer pad, and dip it onto a little metallic grey paint so that the paint only sticks to the parts of the scotchbrite that stick out (ie do not dip it completely) so it is not going to drip. Then gently push the scotchbrite onto areas where paint chips will occur - floor, stowage bins, supports, etc) You will be amazed at the result

Some very very good tips in here! I just read all 4 pages and would like to offer one of my own....

For the auto modelers out there need a dust free enviroment while waiting for that auto body to dry/cure...use a sterilite 4qt container...available at Walmart or even better Dollar tree....works great no dust....and they are cheap enough you can have several so you dont have to wait for one body to dry before you start another!

RadioShack has a small pair of wire cutters that is ideal for removing plastic parts from the sprue and are only $3.99 (At least in my area anyway). This is cheaper than any other cutters made for this job.

Lots of tips on using glass, here's another. I have a piece about 4" x 6" from an old photo frame that I tape some 400 grit paper to. Perfect for sanding flat surfaces.
For spraying very small parts drill a small hole in a mounting point and superglue in a small piece of wire the same diameter as the hole. The part wont fly off, you can attach a part on each end and when dry a good tug pops it right off.
Pieces of coat hanger wire with small alligator clips soldered to the end are great for holding parts for spraying (or the wire mentioned above).

Bacon.-The thin sheet of plactic that comes in it is a great palette for acrylics. When the paint is dry you can just peel it off. One side is smooth the other textured. Use the smooth side and the other side will be semi-non-skid. The meaty stuff in the box is edible when cooked

I actually use a surgical scapel a neighbor gave to me. VERY sharp and precicse. The handle is long but flat so it doesnt roll. However, a few times it has been accidentally nudged off the table and landed in between a few toes.

For easy washes: airbrush paint. Flows like water. See the link below

http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10977

There's been some great ideas here.
Here's one I learned a long time ago. I keep the packets that over the counter pills come in, the bubble type with the aluminum foil on the back. If you are very careful (or use a knife to cut the aluminum) you won't damage the bubbles. I use them to mix small amounts of paint and expecially to mix washes in. Plus they are disposable.

Possibly common tips:
Use sprues as stir sticks.
Use sprues as bases or holders when painting

For temp spray booth (cardboard box), use foam strips and tape to make it sturdy.

Don't know if anybody else uses this, but i use Glad's press and seal to mask canopies. Works exactly like Parafilm M, and you can easily buy it at your local Super market. All you have to do is to rip off a small piece, and just press it onto the surface of the canopy. Then just cut out the frames, and then paint. I also use it to mask off some areas for painting on the model it self.

Lots of modelers have extolled the virtues of 35mm film cannisters. Unfortunately, I'm one of the few people left that still uses an old Kodak that takes 110 film so I don't get those nifty 35mm cannisters, and even if I did, at the rate I take pictures, one roll can sometimes last six months. (Unless there's a model contest near Los Angeles, then I'm clicking away like the paparazzi at Michael Jackson's house.) So I use the little plastic containers that come with take-out food that hold hot sauce, Parmesan cheese or the like. Just make sure they're nice and clean and they have lots of uses from holding small parts to storage to mixing paint. (One caution if you use them to mix paint: On rare occasions, the paint might eat through the plastic where the walls meet the base; when I mix paint, I double the cups to prevent any leakage on the workbench.)

You can get the 35mm canisters at places like walgreens and such. I just go to the developing counter and ask the clerk if they have any extra. Last time they gave me a plastic bag full that has lasted me for over a year now Every time Ive asked for them, they have given them to me for free.

These tips are all fantastic ideas, and I 'd like to add my own....I was hunting for a container to mix my paint in, when I looked down at my 20 oz. soda, and realized the cap would be perfect.....after rinsing off the soda caps over and over, I realized that the same type of caps are found on many of the small (15 oz I believe) water bottles that everyone drinks these days, and you don't have to rinse them off before use!!! I now have a large bag of them, and I'm done searching for mixing "bowls".

These are really great tips. Here is one that I found to be very useful and inexpensive also. I like to lay paper down on my work surface to keep it clean. I found that if you go to the local U-Haul store and buy a box of their Wrapping Paper it is clean white newsprint type paper. The box is about 10lbs worth of paper, it is in 20" x 27" sheets and cost about $8.95 / box. It is also great to lay under my glass work plate.

Cheers
Thom

Am sure everyone has used cigar boxes for parts or whatever. Another useful item is the wooden boxes wine comes packed in. These are larger than cigar boxes and usually of quality construction. Check your local liquor dispenser or better yet, by a box for the better-half and score points.

I use a white sheet of bainbridge board (relatively inexpensive) as work surface.

A 12x12 mirroerd glass sample as a paint pallette and surface. There are a number of benefits from this, especially for figure painters.

ceramic tile samples make great bases for most small planes

Always cut away from your fingers.

For your flat glass needs try to find an old computer glass screen used to low the brightness of the computer monitor, I have found mine at work as a leftover....it has the perfect size and I works perfect fo me!