#1 - What is the best glue to use with photo-etch parts?
Most people use super glue. It comes in various viscosities. The thin super glue will flow around the part, while the gel-type super glue will be thicker. The gel-type comes in handy when you are trying to position a part or a combination of parts. With either type, once the part is in position, a touch of accelerator will fix it in place. You can also use white glue or it’s tackier counterpart (Sig Super-Weld - sold here). It is tacky, dries fairly fast and has flexibility, making it a little less likely that you will knock the part off if it gets bumped.
#2 - How do you make tarps for armor vehicles?
A1 – One way is to cut a small piece of thin aluminum foil to the size you want. Gently crumple the piece to make it look realistic as if it was wrinkled. Apply a light coat of olive drab, let that dry, then dry-brush with brown or a lightened olive drab. You can then form the foil to the shape you want.
A2 - Another way is to use pieces of tissue, glue tarp shapes with white glue, then paint with olive drab. You can also fold the tissue and paint inside and out. As the paint dries, the tissue holds its shape. Fold the tissue into the tarp shape and size you need while painting. Bed rolls and blankets can also be made this way, when they dry, they are ready to install on your armor or diorama.
#3 - How do I use decals from older or pre-owned kits?
I store water-slide decals in zip-lock food storage bags to keep the moisture away from them. Decals are best kept in a cool-dry place and out of direct light. Cracking is most likely due to a manufacturing problem or just plain old age. If you think a decal may crack, test on decal, you may not use and see if it shatters when dipped in water. If that happens, coat the rest of the decal sheet with microscale liquid decal film (it can be brushed on) when dry, you must cut around each decal because you now have an overall clear film. Yellowing on decals is caused by a chemical reaction in the decal paper. Yellowed decals can be cured by placing the decal face-out at a window that gets plenty of sunlight. The UV-Rays will bleach out the yellow in the clear film before affecting the colored inks. It may take a few days or up to a few weeks, so keep on checking the decal sheet.
Watch the How-To Video Below or Click to Watch on YouTube
#4 - How do I paint nice and even stripes on ordinance?
To make it easier, I put the bomb or missile in the chuck of a battery powered drill, run it at a low speed and apply the paint to the rotating part. It makes a perfect line, everytime.
#5 - How do I prep and paint resin parts?
Before you paint resin parts, you should prepare them. To prepare the pieces, sand, grind or file any excess casting material attached to the pieces. Then clean them thoroughly using a carwash soap. After cleaning, you can paint using acrylic (water based) or enamel (solvent based). I recommend starting with a primer coat to grab the resin and provide an even or smooth surface for the finished color(s). Remember when preparing the resin to work in a well-ventilated area and to wear a mask rated for painting or dusting.
#6 - What do you recommend as a replacement for Tenax 7R?
Now that Tenax 7R is no longer available we are looking for a comparable substitute.
Fusion or solvent glues form a bond by softening each piece and essentially welding them together.
Everyone has their favorite liquid cement. One is, good old Testor’s, which comes with a brush in the cap, another one, is the Tamiya Extra Thin Cement, it also comes with a brush in the cap, Plastruct Plastic Weld, a multi-purpose evaporative formula for bonding plastic, abs, styrene and acrylic to itself. All of these glues evaporate super quickly and can only be used when the pieces have already been placed in contact with each other.
Another type of a glue joint, is an adhesive.
Adhesive joints, like those created with super glues, silicone caulk, hot glue, wood glue and epoxy, mean that the pieces are not chemically bonded but are held together by the glue adhesive to each piece.
For clear parts, try using white glue (Sig Super Weld), gloss varnish or MicroScale Kristal Klear.