I haven’t worked with PE parts before and have to ask how to handle these pieces before painting. Do they need a acid rinse with like white vinegar before painting? Do you paint them on the tree then snip them off?
Tug Guy
I have not found that it is normally required to clean brass before painting it, most brass comes clean. Unless, that is, you have been fondling it with your pizza-grease stained hands. I have had little problem spraying a light coat of enamel, either straight out of the rattlecan or airbrushed. If I am painting with acrylics I will most likely shoot a light coat of primer (PlastiCoat from WalMart or American Tradition from Lowes) before airbrushing.
Spray the parts right on the fret. I’ve tried the route of forming them before painting – and it was twice the hassle.
Use a pair of draftsman’s dividers to measure the run of brass which you need. Find logical end points - bulkheads, ladder spaces, gun tubs, etc. Transfer the measurement to the brass and cut (measure twice - cut once). Work in shorter lengths 2 to 3 inches tops. Resist the urge to attempt to put the railings on an entire side of a ship, just because you have a piece of brass long enough. That is a sure recipe for a wavy railing.
Use a new #10 Xacto blade (that is the curved one) and cut on a piece of glass or bathroom tile. Cut with a rocking motion, like a paper trimmer. Use a fine sanding stick to remove any remaining nubbins. Go back later after the brass is attached and hand touch up any cracks or nicks in the paint.
Use a white glue to tack the rails in place. My favorite is Aleene’s Tacky Glue from the craft store. Put a pin-point drop of glue at each end and every 1/2 inch or so. The white glue will grab, yet allow the railing to be adjusted. Once the white glue is dry - go back and run a bead of CA along the bottom rail to firmly cement the rail in place.
After you make your hand touch ups, overspray everything with a flat coat to kill the shine of the CA and to blend everything together.
EdGrune thank you for this information. The PE is still in the plastic bag untouched by my hands. I feel better knowing how to proceed with this type of part.
Tug Guy
I have found that when using acrylic paints it is best to give the PE a bath in white vinegar first. I don’t like to use enamels so I take the extra step of the vinegar bath to avoid a coat of enamel first. The paint seems to hold on much better when being shaped and handled to apply to the ship.
Well, the one time I didn’t give the PE fret a vinegar bath, the paint refused to stick, be it enamel or acrylic. I must have gotten a rouge fret, because I ended up rinsing it in acetone after the vinegar failed to give the brass any tooth.
After reading all the posts I figure it can’t hurt to use white vinegar on the PE parts before painting them. Better safe than sorry I guess. Thanks guys for all the help in this.
Tug Guy
Personally for GMM ship railings, which I’ve used for instance on the large Tamiya Enterprise. I will attach unpainted then use MM enamel with a brush.
As posted here… work in smaller segments … I feel it does take time in learning how to super glue these without over doing it. I cut the pieces off with a Xuron fine snips, not a blade, and have various small pliers to get the bends correct.
They really add to a model. the GMM radar on the Big E is a masterpiece!!!
I agree with you about the GMM radars on top of the Enterprise’s island, Wilbur … but I have to say, by the time I got done with all four of them, I was about ready for the rubber room. Especially the SPS-49, which I already had deep emotional scars from after my Perry-class frigate build.