Mary goes over the Basics of Cleaning a Model!
October 29, 2014 by HamsterCageStudio
The difference between great finished projects and mediocre ones start with the preparation. Some very well painted minis have lost contests due to a missed mold-line so I’m going to share some tips for cleaning and prepping plastic, metal and resin models. As with any job having the proper tools is key and will make easy work with the best results.
What You Will Need
* Tip for using the instrument of evil for mold line removal is to hold the blade at approximately a 35 degree angle with blade edge facing away from you and drag it in the opposite direction as shown in the pic.
First you will need a pair of sprue clippers, X-acto knife and an assortment of files to get started. From left to right:
- Sprue clippers. These can be picked up at any hobby store and are used to obviously remove sprue from your minis. When using on resin models be particularly careful of some types of resin are brittle and damage can occur to your mini if you get over zealous with this tool.
- X-Acto knife. Used to remove mold lines and flash from your model. Be extra careful with this instrument of evil and not fall victim to its blood thirsty ways.
- Assorted metal files also known as needle files. These come in various shapes and abrasive grades and are great for getting into tight places that the X-Acto is restricted.
- Sanding sticks. I used these for those last annoying spots that are in unusual places that even the needle files have difficulty
reaching. They are somewhat flexible as well and come in high(gray color), medium(blue color) and low(white) grit texture.
A couple of other tools which I find handy with cleanup are a good bright light and magnification.
Cleaning Mold Release
Removing mold release and smoothing out rough surfaces is a very important step which seems simple enough but surprisingly is taken casually and can impact the quality of your paint application. I have found that fine steel wool, like what is used for furniture finishing works great on metal models for smoothing out rough spots and removing stubborn mold release. It is gentle and can be manipulated to reach difficult places. Good ol’ Scotch Brite is excellent for resin especially.
* Tip: When sanding resin (which is a polyurethane epoxy) it is best to wear a mask due to harmful chemicals (toulene and diesel) that are often in resin products. I have a separate place outside in the garage for sanding and prepping resin models.
For Resin, Clean Off the Diesel
An additional step for working with resin models that have been cut with diesel in the casting process is to pre-soak them in water for a week or in some cases as long as a month to remove the diesel. The diesel will appear as an oily film on top of the water. Not all resin is cut with diesel and the type that is has a very distinct smell . Here is a Forge World Eldar Phantom Titan getting a bath before cleanup begins.
Give It A Good Clean Rub!
Next, scrub your minis thoroughly with a good detergent and an old toothbrush. Make sure to use very warm water and rinse them well. Let them dry or dry them with compressed air (from your airbrush) or a blow dryer set on a cool/warm setting if you are in hurry. Once dry scrub them gently with rubbing alcohol and dry. This removes any oils that may have been missed with soap and water and leaves a super clean surface ready for primer. Avoid touching the model with your fingers prior to priming as well.
Hope this yields some useful information and helps get you started toward many hours of modeling fun.
