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Low Cost Modelling


ipaul321

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Hello everyone,

 

I'm new here and interested to know....

 

is it agreeable to use Poundland car spray paints. So much cheaper than any other option but.....?

 

Would it make me persona non grata here to use polyfilla rather than model filler for those hideous gaps & holes?

 

Thanks all,

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:welcome: aboard, and round here it's whatever works for you.  If the spray cans give you a decent finish, then have at 'em!  Just be careful they're not too "hot", as a thick layer of hot car paint might end up melting all your surface detail :S

 

I'm not sure about Polyfilla as a filler though, as it's inflexible and won't stick well to plastic.  I'm pretty certain it would end up cracked, and probably falling out of the join.  While I'm thinking about it, it's also very absorbent, so you'd have trouble covering it with paint.  You can avoid a lot of filler use by careful alignment of seams, and by using liquid glue to weld the parts together, using a firm press to squeeze a bead of melted plastic out.  Wait til that's dry, and sand it back flush.  If you really need filler, you could consider cheap super glue, just don't leave it to go off for very long, as it becomes harder than the plastic by next day, and therefore difficult to sand.  When I use it as a filler, I wait til it's visibly dry and then begin sanding.  Sometimes you can use the sanding debris to fill any deeper gaps, and it's ready almost immediately because of the fast curing of the glue.  No waiting round for the glue to cure before you can push on :)

 

Long story short, there are loads of ways of cutting costs when modelling, and you'll find plenty of advice on here.  Unlike mine, some of it is really good! :lol:

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10 minutes ago, ipaul321 said:

Hey Mije

 

thank you! Sounds like have a go and don’t expect perfection!!

 

Story of my life....

If anyone tells you their models are perfect, they're pulling your leg - that said there are a few on here that are pretty close, but all standards are welcome.  If you want some constructive criticism to try to improve your standards though, just remember to ask for it when you post your work :)

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Afternoon Paul, and :welcome: Just to add a little to what Mike said regarding spray cans, if you apply and let cure a coat of varnish before you spray your paint, this act's as protection for the plastic. Hope this is of some help.

Paul

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I've used Poundland grey primer, Matt black and alloy wheel silver sprays.  The silver gave a pretty good "High Speed Silver" finish.  The solvent smell is quite fierce though.  I've never had a problem spraying aerosol paint on models, even before acrylic sprays were available.  It's best to spray quick light coats whatever.

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If you want another saving, use the Poundland superglue.  7 or 8 tubes for a pound.  It works as well as the branded stuff but when, EXACTLY like the expensive stuff it dries up the third time you use it you're only chucking 15 pence away instead of at least three quid!

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Hey Mije

 

thank you! Sounds like have a go and don’t expect perfection!!

 

Story of my life....

Thank you.

 

nice advice too on spraying fast coats. Quite an art I am finding!

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On 10/05/2019 at 13:13, ipaul321 said:

Would it make me persona non grata here to use polyfilla rather than model filler for those hideous gaps & holes?

 

Mix talc with superglue for small holes.   It sets really fast so easy to build up,  too much and it give a fair amount of heat.  Thickness of mix is easy to vary.

Also, try scrap plastic, the kit runners and especially the tabs with manufacturers name,  or plastic card (many things are styrene sheet,  sim card holders, old bank card,  store cards etc) 

Using scrap kit plastic makes a uniformity of material as well.

 

I have only ever used pound shop superglue BTW.

 

And, try to minimise filling,  careful construction,  initial dry fitting,  with adjustment and scrape sand or shimming can greatly reduce filling and sanding later.  Not a bad idea to dryfit the major bits including canopies,  and deal with problems then.

Or look at things like adding upper wings to the fuselage before adding the lower wing,   or checking the alignment pins don't actually cause a misalignment, or adding a spreader bar, or in the case of some very precisely fitting new kits,  being careful about sprue nibs, mould lines or even a coat of paint causing a gap,  for example of ways to avoid having to use filler to start with.

 

As for paint, well, if you use a spray can primer that should allow you to use car paint.   But,  also worth asking,  is it worth stuffing up a kit for the sake of cheapness?  Suggest trying on a scrap kit for any new materials.

 

But, even given how 'expensive' some model supplies are,  don't spoil the ship for a ha'penny of tar,   your time and effort is worth something,  the hobby is pretty cheap as hobbies go already!

 

HTH

T

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You do need to be careful with non-model related spray paints. I wrecked the surface of a Hobby Boss F-86 when the paint melted and crazed the the surface. Luckilly it was a cheap model so not too great a loss.

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The spray video is great isn’t it!?

all the advice received with thanks. 

 

Im left here asking myself if common sense can exist for modellers? It’s more complex than a chap might think!

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Hello Mate. :welcome:

 

13 minutes ago, ipaul321 said:

common sense can exist for modellers?

Most of us are grown-ups who still play with plastic toy aeroplanes, I don’t think ‘common sense’ really comes into it!:D

 

I too use bits ‘n bobs from Poundland.

I picked up a few of their ‘Tommy Walsh’ superglue packs a couple of years ago, and have been using it ever since. I’ve found it just as good as any other superglue I’ve owned in the past.

 

Their car spray I’ve found to be quite good, I used it here: LINK  to undercoat some bases for wargame figures. It is, as Mike said ‘hotter’ than other primers I’ve used, so go easy and test it on a bit of spare plastic first before committing it to your model. It’s not as good as something like ‘Tamiya Surface Primer’ (which is my go-to spray can primer), but you can’t complain about the price.

 

The best things I’ve found to buy in Poundland are the many flashing battery or solar powered LED lights they have, especially around Halloween and Christmas. They are great for pulling apart and being re-purposed for modelling use (If you’re into that sort of thing!).

 

Mart

 

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If you're going to file or sand CA (superglue), you need to do it as soon as it's hard. For the Medium CA that I use to fill gaps, that means I'm filing about 30m after application--no more than a couple of hours. If you wait too long, like overnight, it will turn into a rock that cannot be worked.

 

BTW, to fill a gap, I just make a puddle of medium CA on some scrap foil or paper, then apply it to the gap with a small "stick", like a plastic toothpick or perhaps some scrap sharpened sprue. The goal is to get it to settle into gap, just proud of the surface. Don't build up too much, as that may cause a surface cure with the inside uncured. Then file it once it has cured.

 

You didn't say what you're going to build, but clear-drying white glue makes an excellent adhesive for any clear plastic, such as canopies or lenses. It can be thinned with water to apply it if you like. You can use a cotton bud dipped in water to clean up any excess.

 

Don't forget the cosmetics aisle for abrasive sticks and buffing sticks. You can usually find a 6 to a dozen abrasive sticks in a package.

 

Oh, and the caps from bottled water or soda make good "paint pots" when you're using a brush. Put some paint in the upturned cap, add a little thinner, and you're ready to go...

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Thank you! In fact I have been making a 1/48 Airfix Walrus. Never used white glue before, great idea! Do you use a mini drill for rubbing down?

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2 hours ago, ipaul321 said:

Thank you! In fact I have been making a 1/48 Airfix Walrus. Never used white glue before, great idea! Do you use a mini drill for rubbing down?

No.  I wouldn't advise it, mini drills are too fast and too hard to control without risking gouging or melting the plastic.

 

Another cheap and effective filler is melting pieces of sprue in a pot of liquid polystyrene adhesive (Liquid Poly type etc).  Apply with a screwdriver end or spatula.

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I make my own sanding sticks using the lolly sticks that I bought from the Works for £1 a pack. Just either superglue your required grade wet'n'dry paper to the stick or use a really sticky double sided tape for the job. You can cut down the lolly sticks to various widths for those hard to reach areas.

 

My favourite superglue is Green Jem (sic). I used to get it from my local farm shop (really!) at 99p for a 20g bottle. I found its consistency, strength and drying time to be perfect. These days I have to buy it off eBay, but it's still relatively cheap.

 

I made my own micro chisels using knackered, old jewellers' screwdrivers. Once the blades chew up (as they invariably do on cheap ones), I used a cut-off disc on my mini drill to grind the tip into a chisel shape. They work surprisingly well.

 

I also use the melted sprue filler, especially for areas that will need rescribing. Many fillers will "chunk" when you run a scriber across the surface, leaving an uneven, poor looking panel line. The sprue filler, if left to flash off fully, scribes just as well as the plastic on the model. I found that the harder styrene, such as that used by Hasegawa, works best and I dissolve it in a mixture of Humbrol Liquid Poly and Plastic Magic.

 

I have used mini drills to thin out the plastic on some limited run kits, such as a Ventura Spitfire. I used a grinding burr and set the speed as low as was practicable. It saved a huge amount of time and was controllable.

 

What else? The screw tops from plastic milk bottles make great paint mixing palates. Talc (not baking soda- it can react with the glue over time) makes a good filler medium for superglue. And cheap bulldog clips from eBay are great for holding small parts when you airbrush them, not to mention holding parts together while the glue dries.

 

Cheers,

Mark.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I built my whole diorama from corrugated cardboard, offcuts and cereal packets, so always a fan of cheap alternatives.  I use the luxury £1.99 spray cans from QD sometimes, although there isn’t a lot in them.  And P38 car body filler is great for filling and shaping.  Always keen to keep the cost down

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Mini-drills? MINI-DRILLS? For thinning plastic or buffing finishes? Goodness gracious no!

Try a cheap electric rotary toothbrush (AU$10 from Woolworths here in Oz) and superglue whatever grade of sandpaper (cut into the appropriately sized disks) to the end.

And welcome to Britmodeller from the Antipodes!

 

DennisTheBear

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