This might be some real basic information to most of you.
My hope is that every one might at least learn some thing.
Here are some techniques that I have pick up form all different places and just doing it.
Mold Lines
Cleaning up mold lines I use the back of my hobby knife blade #11 blade there are two designs of blades (Picture A) I like to use the straight back (needle point) and a drop point I really like the blade with the drop point at the back of the tip it is a shorter edge to scrape with. Tighter spaces I go with the needle point blade it is nice if you have a fit in small tight places.Picture A
Pictures B
Mold Lines
The way I remove the lines is to scrape them at a slight angle to the mold line I do not fallow the line I am working on with the blade but rather pull it toward my self at the angle letting the contour of the model guide my direction. (picture B) If it is cylindrical like a leg I work the blade over the crest of the cylinder. I have found that fallowing the the line in a straight down will sometimes create a flat line taking down the curve. This is not always possible to do on. For longer straight flat lines you can fallow the line. I will also do this when filing down a mold line.
Seam Scraping.
Another thing I do is what I call seam scraping if I am butting two pieces together that you do not want the seam as visible. I will scrape the seam at a angle pulling crossed the seam. Then pull two pieces apart then glue them and put them back together and run the blade over it again one its set . It make a tighter fit and helps to hide the joint if it is not supposed to be seen.
Sanding filing
A little back ground on sanding about,Wood Shop is where I first learned about sanding the rule was sand with the grain of the wood if not you would ruin the wood most cases it would not be flat and smooth.
Some years later while I was in automotive classes,I took a couple of body classes and learned how to sand metal ,plastics, filler (bondo). The thing with these is to not just sand in one direction start in one direction and then turn 90 degrees and sand in that direction it is similar to drawing a cross hatch(see picture below). It is not always possible but I can usually do this 90% of the time. whole reason is to avoid creating a grain in the metal or plastic just sanding in the same direction will start cutting lines in to the model.
Cross hatching
Brand and Type of Sandpaper
The type of sand paper to use I normally just buy the Testors brand it comes with five sheets per pack each each sheet is a finer grit. . It is a flexible wet dry film,if you bend it the grit doesn't fall off and because its wet dry film you can rinse it to help clear it if you clog up the grit. Tip cleaning any sand paper I use what is called a art gum eraser to clean out clogs they make some thing similar for belt sanders. Fun facts about sand paper… The higher the number the finer the grit.the number is based on how much grit is in a square inch on the backing medium. If you did not know now you do. Did I mention I worked in a woodshop and took auto motive classes …
Coming soon part two Priming….
Any thing you do different let me know I am always looking for better ways of doing things Leave comment below.
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