Greetings,

Here I am again, inquiring about fairly basic stuff from more experienced fellow modellers. This one has got to do with painting.

After going through an initial "come back kit" (Tamyia old mid production Brummbär), and now that I'm moving on the [equally old] Tamiya M5A1 Stuart, I decided that next kits would be built and painted into subgroups. I feel this will give me greater control when it comes down to priming, pre-shading, base coat, and initial weathering steps (à la Adam Wilder, as per his excellent article on ML).

My question to you, then, is how do you handle the parts your painting ?

I've seen some pictures of parts glued on rods and the like... it seems an excellent idea, but I have yet to find the proper adhesive (that will hold the parts firmly in place, but will be easily detached after painting).

What I'm looking for is ideas to get maximum control over the parts I'm painting, and more generally those tricks that makes your life easier during this process. I especially want to keep that nice, sweet coat of base color entirely free of unnecessary handling...

Your input, as usual, will be greatly appreciated.

Best

JV

Well, I have a simple inexpensive way of holding parts when I am painting. I use paper clips. I unfold the paper clip and bend it into a triangular base stand with one long straight piece pointing up. Then (depending on the piece), I heat up the paper clip and insert the hot paper clip into the plastic part. this works well on figure torsos and legs etc where you can insert the hot paper clip into an area you wont see the hole in when the model is assembled. When your done painting, just remove the paper clip. Now, if your going to make smaller sub assemblies try using alligator clips or such, and hold your sub assembly in an area you wont be painting (like the back for example), and go to town with your paint brush You can go to your local hardware store or NH Northern and get yourself a set of "helping hands" to hold your parts too. They are just a heavy metal base with a rod and two alligator clips on either end. I have a couple of sets of these, they come in handy.

Two words; Poster Tack. The blue play-doh like stuff that holds up posters on the walls. You can stick anything with it nd hods pieces for painting.

cheers

For me, the only real problem is the road wheels. I tape them to a flat piece of cardboard with masking tape. Holds them long enough to get a primer and finish coat on.

The really small detail work I use a brush, or build the model in a way where small items are painted with the model. To prevent a glop of paint from appearing when I get in close for full coverage in the cracks and crevaces, I use very little paint. Multiple passes to build up coverage with out over painting the item.

That's the stuff I was using up to now... I must have been doing something wrong, because I had some parts falling from what I initially thought was a good bond. That's because I handle the parts when painting, and I guess I should try to keep them from being handled. I'll have a closer look to that.

I like Gary's paper clip idea, and I just tried a variation of it with poster tack instead of heating it trough the part. It looks promising.

I realize what I want is a firm spot to put the part/subassembly on, and leave it there for the entire painting/handling/drying process, up to assembly time on the model.

Thanks for your ideas guys. Keep 'em coming.

Cheers

JV

For wheels, I use wooden or bamboo Kabob skewers. Most all wheels will fit on them, paint the wheel tire black first, wait to dry then use a circle template to paint the hubs. Masking tape holds all the rest. By the time I spray paint or airbrush, I usually only have two peices. The turrent and the hull. For turrents I double loop a peice of tape over the top of a spray can or something similar in size. The hull can just be held through the turrent ring openinf and twisted around to get all the hard to reach spots.

half of the stuff in my utility drawer have some sort of overspray from being utilized at some time for painting something. I use 3M blue tape to hold everything though. If I'm painting open holed wheels or dozens of 1/350 aircraft, I love all the pretty little pictures it leaves on the tape I can think of a thousand answers though. On most models I will do the subassemblies in the base colors and dry fit parts that need the shading to be consistant for follow up coats.

I try to paint in the smallest number of sub-assemblies as possible. For a tank it would be track, running gear and turret. I put on most if not all of the tools etc. This gives the most consistant paint finish and least chance for glue spots post painting. I use toothpics for suspension parts and I use CA to glue a large rod under the AFV and inside the roof of the turret. Then snap off easily when painting is done.

HTH

Nice one John... This is an idea that will be used from here on in

For roadwheels I leave them on the sprue but cut off on e segment, then just touch this bit up when fitting to model. Or you can use BlueTac ona cocktail stick.
For the hull and turret I use a latex glove (get them from work ) and put my fingers in the turret hole to spray and also the hole in the hull. I can manipulate the pieces and just throw away the glove afterwards.
Tools I do the same as the wheels. I just find it easier to leave on the sprue, keeps it all together and I don't touch the parts I'm painting.
Cheers
Tony

Let me build on this discussion. I usually paint and then assemble the main vehicle parts. So, I do my road wheels then paint the hull then attach the assembles for example. Problem, the glue and the paint . I note that numerous folks (Epi and the fellow who just did the Puma 234/2 build) assemble the entire model then paint it. If this is correct, how do you paint the tools and water cans? If you mask them, what do you use?
thanks

For road wheels I use oversized wooden toothpicks.

The tapered ends of the toothpicks allow the wheels to be snugged down onto the pick and then the picks are inserted in rows into a long rectangular block of styrofoam I pulled out of a shipping box.

If I am painting only one surface of fairly flat items I use the toothpicks to pin a length of masking tape, sticky side up, to the block of styrofoam and then stick the parts to the tape.

Let me build on this discussion. I usually paint and then assemble the main vehicle parts. So, I do my road wheels then paint the hull then attach the assembles for example. Problem, the glue and the paint . I note that numerous folks (Epi and the fellow who just did the Puma 234/2 build) assemble the entire model then paint it. If this is correct, how do you paint the tools and water cans? If you mask them, what do you use?
thanks