I am a little confused on the step process for applying future to canopies or any clear parts. I have read here in the forums that dipping the canopies in future it the best way. Cool I get that.
The confusion lies here… what about masking? If i have to mask the canopy for painting, am I running the risk of damaging the future coating? If it does get damaged can it be fixed (after it has been painted)? Or, do I just have this process all wrong?
I am probably making a big deal out of nothing (I’m known for that).
I have never had any issue at all masking over CURED future. Dipping the canopy is the very first thing I do when I open the box. By the time I am ready to mask (Could be a couple of weeks to a couple of months) the future is good and cured. I have masked with all sorts of stuff and I leave my masking on for a loooooong time since I build so slow, and had zero issues with it. Now where did I leave that wood to knock on.
Same here, I do the Future-dip as soon as I think to, protecting it from glue fume damage when it comes time to attach. Then I’ll mask, paint etc over the cured Future, never had any problems with it.
One time I did have a problem. I left Tamiya tape on the canopy for a very long time (months) and it left the canopy cloudy and it had odd lines where the edges of the tape was.
The problem was easily solved by carefully removing the Future from the clear panes with a Q-tip and a microbrush dipped in Tamiya X-20A Acrylic thinner.
Yeah, what Hercmech said - be SURE you put the canopy in a dust-free place to dry. It is amazing how many tiny particles of dust, lint, hair, fuzz, you name it, are attracted to a freshly-Futured canopy. And if you don’t discover them until the Future is dry, your only recourse is to clean it off by dipping in Windex window cleaner (or any ammonia-based window cleaner) and starting the whole process over.
Now I have question for both of you. IF it ever came to that where I would have to remove the future and start over, what of the painted surface? It was painted over the initial future AND can the canopy be re-dipped with the paint still on the canopy. Or… do I have to try and remove all from the canopy and really start over?
Thank you guys for your patience… I will eventually get this right.
Joe, all of the above recommendations plus, I set my clear parts after dipping them with Future on a clean piece of paper towel. It helps absorb the dripping. I have masked clear parts after 24 of dipping them with no problems at all. I recently tried dipping a canopy from a Eduard La-7 in Alclad2 ALC-600 AQUA GLOSS and worked like a charm. It is thinner than Future making it perfect (IMHO) for those ‘‘greenhouse’’ canopies with fainted frames.
Joe,
If you dip the Futured and painted canopy in windex EVERYTHING will come off, paint included. Then you simply start over. You could dip again after paint if you wanted glossy frames.
I masked a Futured Hase A6M3 canopy with Tamiya tape for a friend of mine four years ago. He was stalled on the kit and it was my way of helping him along so he wouldn’t have to mask the green house.
Four years and one move later, he finished that kit this last June. The tape was still perfect, didn’t bleed under, and when he pulled the mask the canopy was perfectly clear, not a mark on it. Unbelievable product, that Tamiya tape.
In my case, it was after I had decaled, clear coated, etc. I really didn’t want to remove the canopy if I could help it.
I was able to carefully remove the Future only from the “windows” and avoid the painted frames. I used the Q-tip for the center and the microbrush for the edges and corners.
It came off very easily with the Tamiya thinner, but did require a little pressure and rubbing with the applicators, so the little bit of thinner that got on the frames didn’t hurt anything.
Come to think of it, I may have also used a toothpick for the tight spots.
One other time, I noticed I had a run in the Future before I started painting the canopy. In that case I dipped the whole thing in a cup of “Simply Green” cleaner, soaked it about 30 min, wiped it off with a soft rag, rinsed off with warm water and then started all over again.
I always dip the canopy first thing as well, but it always seems to be too thick when it cures. All the detail is gone and I’m flumoxed to find the frames. I sometimes hand paint and sometimes mask, but always have trouble finding the frame’s edge (seeing and feeling).
Any way to get it thinner short of using my airbrush?
You may have to touch a corner to a napkin or other absorbing device to pull off the excess future. If you don’t do this, it will pool in the corners and you will not be able to find the frames at all.
I set my dipped canopy on a folded napkin inside a clear box. seems to work good for me.
I dip them in future, set them on a clean cloth, then put something over them while they dry to keep dust away. A jar, box top, whatever. I’ve also screwed up paining them (acrylics) and had to start over. Spraying windex or using a cotton ball soaked in alcohol to carefully take off the old paint and future. I’ve never had an issue with tape taking off the future, so long as you let it cure a few days.
I use an old blank CDR container…the one with the lid that twists off. I line the base with paper towel…its round and a bit of a PITA. Once dipped, I wick the excess off with a qtip or corner of a paper towel and place them on the base. I put the cover on and twist to lock it closed. Never had a problem with foreign material settling on my drying canopies while inside. I sent this into the mag as a builders tip but they didn`t use it…oh well!