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AFV Painting & Weathering
Answers to questions about the right paint scheme or tips for the right effect.
Hosted by Darren Baker, Matthew Toms
Fingerprints and how to avoid them
Tin_Can
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Florida, United States
Joined: January 26, 2002
KitMaker: 1,560 posts
Armorama: 0 posts
Posted: Monday, March 31, 2003 - 02:06 PM UTC
I'm interested in hearing other peoples tips regarding preventing fingerprints. For a while I would get frustrated because when handling a model after painting (for touch-ups, decals, adding gear, etc.) I would leave fingerprints in the fresh paint job from the acid or dirt on my fingers. To prevent this with the Gladiator I'm working on, I went and bought a box of vinyl surgical type gloves for handling. Now once the painting has started, I try and not to touch it with bare fingers. So far it has worked great.

Does anybody do anything differently?
Grasshopp12
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New Hampshire, United States
Joined: September 28, 2002
KitMaker: 757 posts
Armorama: 459 posts
Posted: Monday, March 31, 2003 - 02:54 PM UTC
A lot of the time what I do is leave all the wheels off until the very end. I handle the model by the arms which means any prints will be on the arms which will be covered when the wheels are put on the model. I also weather with pastels and handling the model leaves noticable fingerprints, so after I put the model down I take out a brush and smooth the area a bit.
brandydoguk
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England - North, United Kingdom
Joined: October 04, 2002
KitMaker: 1,495 posts
Armorama: 234 posts
Posted: Monday, March 31, 2003 - 03:52 PM UTC
I also leave off the main undercarriage on aircraft and glue pieces of sprue into the undercarriage bay. These provide Handles for me to hold. When everything is finished I "Snap" them off, touch up the area with interior paint and finally add the undercarriage. For armour I leave the turret seperate and handle the kit by holding the inside of the turret ring. Figures are glued to sprue on the underneath of the feet. I always wash my hands with washing up liquid before touching the model, as it seems to remove any grease better than soap.
Matrix
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Oregon, United States
Joined: October 24, 2002
KitMaker: 528 posts
Armorama: 0 posts
Posted: Monday, March 31, 2003 - 04:10 PM UTC
I use latex or thin lint free cotton gloves.
Kencelot
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Florida, United States
Joined: December 27, 2001
KitMaker: 4,268 posts
Armorama: 2,804 posts
Posted: Monday, March 31, 2003 - 04:13 PM UTC
I'm with Matrix, I have a box of latex gloves that I use when I absolutley need to touch the model.
PorkChop
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Wisconsin, United States
Joined: September 11, 2002
KitMaker: 3,179 posts
Armorama: 1 posts
Posted: Monday, March 31, 2003 - 04:38 PM UTC
Latex gloes here too. I use them until they tear, then find a new one (I use them one at a time and wear them on the left hand only -- my non-painting hand.)
I will also use Parafilm and wrap it around the legs of large scale figures, this protects the finish from finger prints but can cause a flat paint to become gloss after excessive handling.... or so I've found.

NATE
chip250
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Wisconsin, United States
Joined: September 01, 2002
KitMaker: 1,864 posts
Armorama: 727 posts
Posted: Monday, March 31, 2003 - 04:39 PM UTC
I leave the clear parts and landing gear off, airbrush/paint, then attach them. For fingerprints, I usually don'ttouch the model before and after painting. After painting I let the paint dry, and then if another coat needs to be applied, then I do it.

Thats how I do it.

~Chip
scoccia
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Milano, Italy
Joined: September 02, 2002
KitMaker: 2,606 posts
Armorama: 1,721 posts
Posted: Monday, March 31, 2003 - 06:34 PM UTC
I prefer cotton gloves; when it gets hot I have no sweat problems...
Ciao
shonen_red
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Metro Manila, Philippines
Joined: February 20, 2003
KitMaker: 5,762 posts
Armorama: 2,283 posts
Posted: Tuesday, April 01, 2003 - 01:17 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I'm interested in hearing other peoples tips regarding preventing fingerprints. For a while I would get frustrated because when handling a model after painting (for touch-ups, decals, adding gear, etc.) I would leave fingerprints in the fresh paint job from the acid or dirt on my fingers. To prevent this with the Gladiator I'm working on, I went and bought a box of vinyl surgical type gloves for handling. Now once the painting has started, I try and not to touch it with bare fingers. So far it has worked great.

Does anybody do anything differently?


Hmmm.... I guess, that's the hardest part. What I do, I just let it live alone for a moment. Think about it, modeling really requires lot of time. I do also have problems with mine
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