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Best Way To Clean Off Dusty Models?


GazB

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So something I've noticed a lot is when I put models aside, they're frequently getting coated with a layer of dust that seems to be impossible to remove. Short of buying one of those £20 Tamiya anti-static brushes (if they come back into stock), is there any other way to remove dust without potentially flicking parts off?

I've tried dabbing with blu-tak, makeup brushes, even a keyboard cleaning brush. Nothing seems to truly clean it off 🤨

 

Any help would be appreciated

 

Gaz

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17 minutes ago, bentwaters81tfw said:

I use a 15mm wide flat artist's brush. If it doesn't come off dry, dampen it. If your decals are sealed in, as they should be, you will have no problems.

Thanks, I'll give that a try :)

 

Gaz

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Gaz has pretty much summed this situation, above. Just to state the blimming obvious, if you have not sealed the decals under a clear-coat, don't use any dampness on the brush - it will likely remove your decals and ruin your model. 

 

Good Luck. 

 

Chris. 

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I use the Tamiya brush for light dusting - I thought it was a ridiculous price when I bought it (£17), but it is really good for dust. But it won't deal with any kind of grime.

 

I've recently been cleaning up some models that have been in the loft for years. After spending ages carefully wiping the surfaces with cotton buds and mild detergent ... and knocking off numerous parts in the process as well as managing to break nearly every stretched sprue antenna wire ... I decided life was too short and stuck the lot in the bath in warm soapy water. Some gentle agitation, a rinse, and after drying out they were much improved. And nothing fell off. Decals were protected by a varnish top coat or Future. In places where I had used Krystal Klear or white glue, the glue went milky (but didn't let go) and dried out perfectly clear. I was worried I might lose some charcol exhaust staining but that survived as well.

 

Obviously I wouldn't actually encourage any one to do this, as your particular paints, weathering, glue etc. may not survive - but might be worth trying out on a model you don't care about or would otherwise scrap.

 

CHeers

 

Colin

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4 hours ago, spruecutter96 said:

Gaz has pretty much summed this situation, above. Just to state the blimming obvious, if you have not sealed the decals under a clear-coat, don't use any dampness on the brush - it will likely remove your decals and ruin your model. 

 

Good Luck. 

 

Chris. 

 

3 hours ago, ckw said:

I use the Tamiya brush for light dusting - I thought it was a ridiculous price when I bought it (£17), but it is really good for dust. But it won't deal with any kind of grime.

 

I've recently been cleaning up some models that have been in the loft for years. After spending ages carefully wiping the surfaces with cotton buds and mild detergent ... and knocking off numerous parts in the process as well as managing to break nearly every stretched sprue antenna wire ... I decided life was too short and stuck the lot in the bath in warm soapy water. Some gentle agitation, a rinse, and after drying out they were much improved. And nothing fell off. Decals were protected by a varnish top coat or Future. In places where I had used Krystal Klear or white glue, the glue went milky (but didn't let go) and dried out perfectly clear. I was worried I might lose some charcol exhaust staining but that survived as well.

 

Obviously I wouldn't actually encourage any one to do this, as your particular paints, weathering, glue etc. may not survive - but might be worth trying out on a model you don't care about or would otherwise scrap.

 

CHeers

 

Colin

 

2 hours ago, colin said:

There's really only one way, but it can become expensive, and that's putting them in a sealed display case so you never have to clean them, even a unsealed one is better than just on a shelf

Thanks, Chris, ckw, Colin :)

 

Yeah, wish the display cases weren't so expensive. But I'll have a go with a brush to see what I can take off. 

 

Gaz

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I tried to remove dust with airbrush and brush, but nothing working well. So i tried to give a wash in soapy warm water and it was  successfully,  but note, my models are all sealed with a satin varnish, so my decals are safe.

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I have no other solutions than that already suggested. The solution I settled on was as put forward,  being the bath with mild agitation and blow dry. Best solution is what I do now and that is avoid the dust. Keep them in a sealed cabinet and, if not ready to go in, sealed container.

 

When I was a kid my my mother never called them "models" they were always "dust collectors" 🙂. I still think of them that way.

 

Ray  

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15 hours ago, Harry Callahan said:

I tried to remove dust with airbrush and brush, but nothing working well. So i tried to give a wash in soapy warm water and it was  successfully,  but note, my models are all sealed with a satin varnish, so my decals are safe.

 

11 hours ago, Ray_W said:

I have no other solutions than that already suggested. The solution I settled on was as put forward,  being the bath with mild agitation and blow dry. Best solution is what I do now and that is avoid the dust. Keep them in a sealed cabinet and, if not ready to go in, sealed container.

 

When I was a kid my my mother never called them "models" they were always "dust collectors" 🙂. I still think of them that way.

 

Ray  

 

8 hours ago, Bonhoff said:

It was always obvious when Mum had dusted my shelves as she'd hand me a pile of bits to glue back on 😂

 

IanJ 

Thanks Harry, Ray, Bonhoff. And lol, I've had that issue before with parts getting knocked off, only mine tried to cover it up :P

 

Gaz

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8 hours ago, Bonhoff said:

It was always obvious when Mum had dusted my shelves as she'd hand me a pile of bits to glue back on 😂

 

IanJ 


I always said my late Mum “killed more Spitfires than Herman Goerings Luftwaffe”

 

No easy solution though I found that moving out of the city to clean air rural living assisted greatly. A bit extreme perhaps 🤔 

 

The only solution really is to have them under cover. After that it’s what the guys have said

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I agree with everything above especially the whole ‘prevention is better than cure’ thing which is the main reason several of my models, both finished and work in progress, live in sealed Tupperware containers and only come out now and again. 
 

The only thing I can add is that KY gel (you know the stuff😳)is basically just ‘Thickened water’ with no really strong chemicals. Brush it onto the model and brush most of it off and - being very sticky - it will lift most of the dust. Then run luke-warm water  over the model to  dissolve and remove any remaining gel & then let the model dry. It won’t give a perfect result but it is quite an effective method in my experience.

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59 minutes ago, JohnT said:


I always said my late Mum “killed more Spitfires than Herman Goerings Luftwaffe”

 

No easy solution though I found that moving out of the city to clean air rural living assisted greatly. A bit extreme perhaps 🤔 

 

The only solution really is to have them under cover. After that it’s what the guys have said

 

22 minutes ago, dogsbody said:

Just chuck the dusty one and build another. 

 

Before the chucking, reduce for re-use.

 

 

 

 

Chris

 

18 minutes ago, Bandsaw Steve said:

I agree with everything above especially the whole ‘prevention is better than cure’ thing which is the main reason several of my models, both finished and work in progress, live in sealed Tupperware containers and only come out now and again. 
 

The only thing I can add is that KY gel (you know the stuff😳)is basically just ‘Thickened water’ with no really strong chemicals. Brush it onto the model and brush most of it off and - being very sticky - it will lift most of the dust. Then run luke-warm water  over the model to  dissolve and remove any remaining gel & then let the model dry. It won’t give a perfect result but it is quite an effective method in my experience.

Thanks John, dogsbody, Bandsaw.

 

lol, bit extreme on a move or chucking :P I've kept some in these pop up plastic shoeboxes for a while, but it seems lately as soon as anything comes out, instantly coated in dust for some reason 🤨

I even thought about those little sticky putty things they use for model trains and dusting. If only I could remember what they were.

 

Gaz

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  • 2 weeks later...

i use a can of air from the camera shop. they come with a thin pipe that can direct a very precise jet of air. with care i manage to clean them up rather well but it must be noted, i only build jets that dont have hf wires anywhere. and i dont aim it at canopies hinged open either, i gently hit those with a cotton bud.

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On 1/16/2021 at 11:13 AM, AltcarBoB said:

Never used one of these but looks useful

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/233655259138

Sorry, could have sworn I'd replied to this oO

 

I remember these though on the JML ads, heh. 

13 hours ago, DrumBum said:

i use a can of air from the camera shop. they come with a thin pipe that can direct a very precise jet of air. with care i manage to clean them up rather well but it must be noted, i only build jets that dont have hf wires anywhere. and i dont aim it at canopies hinged open either, i gently hit those with a cotton bud.

Hmm, interesting. I have wondered about breaking out my airbrush sometimes to give them a blast, maybe with a little bit of water. Never knew if it would have a major effect.

 

Gaz

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