Hello guys,
I’m sure I’ve read somewhere that you can use some kind of thin glue painted on kits which when dries, gives a rough steel/thick metal effect. Is this true or did I dream this? If it is, then what kind of glue do you use, and is it a case of just painting it on and letting it dry? Can you use this method for 1/72 kits? I wasn’t sure to post this here or in the builds section but as it’s applicable to armour I thought I’d stick it here. TIA.
Rich
Do you mean applying glue to plastic parts to impart the look of cast metal pieces? If so then all you need to do is apply liquid cement to the part in question. Let it set for a few seconds and then stipple it with the cut down bristles of an old paint brush. After everything has thoroughly dried, go back with some light sandpaper to smooth out some of the pointy bits.
I think cast texture in 1/72 would be invisible. I wouldn’t do it.
You can also do this with Mr. Surface 500.
Just apply to the area to be textured then stipple it with rough brush.
But as Roy said, if this is for 1/72 scale, those texture will be invisible. But that is up to you.
Ben
I would basically agree with Roy’s assessment that you really shouldn’t see the cast texture in 1/72. I you did want a hint of roughness for when you post highly magnified photos or when looking at the model with magnifiers, use Roy’s method for liquid cement, but substituting thick paint for liquid cement.
Hi gents,
Many thanks for your replies. I guess the general concensus is “don’t bother”, which is OK by me. Thanks again, at least it’s saved me another job.
regards,
Rich
I’ve just finished building a Dragon 1/72 M4A2(76)W ‘Red Army’:
It seems to me that the texture of the cast surfaces is very slightly rougher than the rolled plate ones, but I may just be imagining it.
If you felt the need to try to represent cast texture in 1/72, then you could try paintng the plastic with liquid poly, and pressing 600-grade wet&dry into it while the plastic was still soft, removing it immediately, and waiting for th plastic to dry. Depending on how this comes out you might then want to reduce the roughness with gentle sanding of 600- and maybe 1200-grade wet&dry.
I’d want to test this on something cheap and disposable, such as an Airfix Panther or Sherman, first.
I once tried to reproduce cast texture on the mantlet of a Revell Germany 1/72 Tiger II by coating it with liquid poly and then stippling the surface with a stiff brush while it wes still soft, and then sanding the edge off the surface. I think I overdid it rather badly:
Cheers,
Chris.