Working with Resin Model Kits

[Ginfritter]

CLEANUP
Your model will look better if you spend some time cleaning up mold lines with a file or sand paper and filling the inevitable air bubbles. For larger holes, 5-minute epoxy works better than putty, curing in a few minutes and not shrinking as modeling putties do. After it sets up hard, the epoxy can be shaved or filed off level with the surrounding area. For shallower holes, cut the surface of the area to be filled with a hobby knife to give the putty or epoxy something to adhere to, as it does not stick well to shiny resin surfaces. When filing or sanding, please wear some kind of dust mask to prevent the urethane dust from getting inside you. It's not good to eat or breathe.

GLUES
A two-part epoxy is recommended for assembling these models (Devcon 5-minute epoxy is good), but if you are in a hurry, super-glue can be used. The super-glue bond isn't as strong as an epoxy bond,but will generally work.

PRIMING
WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU SCRUB ANY NEW RESIN MODEL WITH DISHWASHING DETERGENT (DAWN DISHWASHING DETERGENT IS GOOD!) AND A STIFF SCRUB BRUSH. There are always some residual films left behind from the molding process that may inhibit the paint from adhering. When it comes to a choice of primers, we strongly recommend an enamel or lacquer based primer. It will cut through any residual mold release and bond to the resin. We especially recommend Krylon brand Sandable Gray Primer. (In general hobby primers do not have the required solvent strength.)

VERY IMPORTANT: Mist (spray very lightly) a light primer coat and let it dry completely (at least half an hour) before spraying heavier primer coats.

PAINTING
Spray can colors are probably the best for base colors (if you can find one in an appropriate color), after which you can shade or add detail with figure paints.

REPAIRS
The polyurethane resin that the models are made of is very tough, but when it does break, it usually does not shatter, but breaks cleanly. If a piece should break, repair the break with a very small amount of thin cyanoacrylate super glue. After the glue dries, simply retouch the paint in the affected area.

WARPAGE
Beware of leaving your models in the car on a hot day! These models are plastic after all, and will soften in a car sitting around in the hot sun, just like normal plastic models will. To rebend a warped piece heat, the area to be bent with a hair dryer, gently bend back into place and set the resin by putting it under cold tap water.

STRIPPING PAINT
Any commercial paint stripper can be used to strip the paint off of a resin model (the resin is much more solvent resistant the styrene plastic).

[Basiroux]

For stripping paint, I use Original Pine-Sol (Household Cleaner)
I let the resin soak in the cleaner for 24 hours and then brush the resin with a toothbrush under hot water.
The paint comes right off.

- Bas

[ArmorcastMatt]

Thanks for the tip Bas,
Gin has this concoction he uses that takes paint off of just about anything safely. Even 80's vintage GW plastic bits.

[NightLife]

I prefer a product called Simple Green. It works great on acrylics and most primers. However if you're using something like a flat enamel then you're going to need the pine-sol.

[mike]

Though it is a 2 day process I personally use a combination approach. The first step is the pine sol trick. As anyone who has done this knows, it tends to generate a goobery paint snot that gets all over everything and doesn't come off very easily. To solve this I hit it with a second round of simple green. All the goobers will become more rubbery and flaky and clean off with ease. For plastics though you cannot beat castrol super clean brake cleaner. Beware though its nasty stuff and should only be used outside and in a well protected environment.

-Mike

[Basiroux]

Which Simple Green product do you guys use ?
All Purpose Cleaner, HeavyDuty Cleaner, Cleaner Foam... There's so many of them...
I'm just curious !!!   

- Bas

[NightLife]

The all purpose works for me. I haven't tried the SG products as they're not available in my area.

[paxrebellion]

I used Simple green hand cleaner (comes in a tube)
"this stuff easier to paint w/ less B.S. / less "extra" resin  than some other companies"
(vanilla over lt. grey anytime)
you might known what I mean

[Gorlak]

Hi all,

I've got an old Armorcast Eldar Revenant Titan and having repainted it twice when I was much younger its in much need of some stripping. I'm in the UK, so picking up Simple Green ain't so simple. I've emailed the Simple Green UK website to ask if they sell it in any major stores but does anyone here have any suggestions as to what is safe? I used to use the very powerful Nitromor's Paint & Varnish Remover, but this would destroy the plastics I tried, so presumably Armorcast resin as well...?

Any advice would be greatly appriciated before I dunk my precious model...!

Cheers
G

[Ginfritter]

I would suggest Windsor & Newton has a brush cleaner / paint remover that is available at art supply stores. But with most resins you can not let the pieces soak for very long or it will leach out the hardeners in the resin. Since Winsor and Newton are made in the UK it should be easy to find for you.