Greetings Armor Neighbors,
I picked up some 1/35 .30 cal air cooled machine gun barrels from Adler’s. I’m puting these on .30 cal machine gunbs that will be mounted to a landing craft LCVP. I’m visiting the armor world today to get some ideas on the best way to finish these beautifully turned barrels. Thanks in advance for your help.
Dave
All I ever do with metal tubes or barrels is put a light primer coat on them and paint as if they’re plastic. I haven’t had any trouble with them as far as flaking or anything.
I agree…I have never had any trouble painting metal barrels after painting them using my “normal” techniques…however, I have taken the time to ensure they are clean as they are even more susceptable (IMO) to oils from your skin, etc. than styrene is…in fact, I NEVER have washed styrene or resin to clean them of mold release agents, etc…
Has ANYONE out there NOT washed their plastic parts and had a bad experience with painting, etc.? Is this a hold-over from the early days of modeling or just an urban,myth???
i’ve never washed my parts either MR, that’s why i asked what was the purpose of it when everyone getting ready for the GB. i do say that i sometimes give my metal barrels a light sanding just to help the paint stick, but noting major.
I always wash the completed kit in dishsoap and warm water before painting. I dont know about the mold release thing, but my parts get heavy handling when building so i wash to remove skin oils as well as sanding dust.
I wash some models and not others, mostly depending on how lazy/ambitious I’m feeling.
I do always wash junky resin figures (Verlinden comes to mind…) because they’re still quite well coated in RTV Rubber mold release, an even worse enemy of paint than the release agents used for plastic parts.
Actually I don’t even wash my kits prior to assemby or painting and I have never really encountered any paint problems. As for metal barrels, I have done a few and I just painted them the usual way, too. So far no paint flaking problems.
…hmmmmmmm, begining to think this “mold release agent gremlin” is just a myth…
I do use automotive primer on the metal barrels before painting them the basecoat of the kit. I didn’t on a T-62 I did and I easily scraped the paint off. After that I primered them and have never had another problem. Greg.
I got into the habit of washing my models just prior to painting years ago - although now it’s more for getting any remaining dust and body oils off the model - I once spent a fair amount of time getting an Airfix Lancaster together - removed all the rivets, added detail etc - When I applied the first coat of enamel, this gorgous rendition of a thumb print appeared on the RH wing tip - so now they get a bath and bare hands don’t touch them until the finish is completly done and cured.
[quote user=“Manstein’s revenge”]
I agree…I have never had any trouble painting metal barrels after painting them using my “normal” techniques…however, I have taken the time to ensure they are clean as they are even more susceptable (IMO) to oils from your skin, etc. than styrene is…in fact, I NEVER have washed styrene or resin to clean them of mold release agents, etc…
Has ANYONE out there NOT washed their plastic parts and had a bad experience with painting, etc.? Is this a hold-over from the early days of modeling or just an urban,myth???
[/unquote]
I think it’s a holdover, I’ve NEVER washed a model.
Steve