I recently read somewhere that it’s recommended to wash the pieces prior to assembly to get rid of manufacturing oils, dust, etc. Does anyone actually do this?? I never have… [%-)]
It is a very good habit to get into Kevin, expecailly if you are building any kits that come from Eastern European manufacturers or any AM resin parts or kits.
I don’t wash every kit I build but some I do for sure like any ICM kit or any resin kit.
I have started washing all kits when I get them.
I didn’t wash the exhausts on my Revell Ar555, and ended up with a bad case of fish eye in the paint. This is usually the result of moulding residues.
Karl
I started about five years ago and seem to get a much evener paint job. You just have to be very careful draining the sink, I’ve had a few small parts come off the spure in the prosses.
thanks. the next question, what’s the best way to wash and avoid pieces falling in the sink? I’m thinking a spray bottle with soapy water and a light rinse from the faucet.
I just put the drain stopper in the sink and fill it part way with warm water with some Dawn dishwashing liquid in it. If there are parts that are falling off the sprue trees or are loose in the box then I put them in a small metal strainer and wash them seperately.
I wash one sprue tree at a time and then rinse it and set it on a towel off to the side.
I move the soap suds into a corner of the sink so that I can see into the water and make sure I didn’t drop any small parts.
That spray bottle idea might be a good idea too but since you have to rinse it off in the sink anyhow you are still in the same predicament of watching to make sure no parts fall into the sink. [;)]
I was wondering how it would work to get a small piece of plastic screen door material and cut it to fit the sink bottom? Then when you pulled it up out of the sink it would have every part that fell off sitting on it and you would never lose a small part in the sink again. What do you guys think of that? [8D]
Mike
Besides getting rid of the manufacturers oil dust, mold release, etc it will also get rid of the oily residue that your fingers leave behind when touching the parts.
This is especially true for Resin & Vinyl Kits. [;)]
I sometimes wash certain parts multiple times:
- When I get the Kit
- After sanding the Kit
- After certain assembly steps
- Prior to priming the Kit
Once a Kit is primed it is strictly surgical gloves for me when I need to touch a part or the Kit.
Mike, the screen idea sounds good to me. Make a little box kind of like archeologists use for dirt sifting. 
Hey let’s patent it and we’ll split the profits! [:D]
Mike
I borrow my wife’s trays that she uses for hand wash. I set one up with warm water and a little Joy dishwashing soap. I scrub everything but the clear stuff with a toothbrush. I use a second tray filled with water out of the tap (room temperature) for a rinse. That way I don’t risk losing anything down a drain. After the rinse I place the sprues on paper towels and dry with a hair dryer set on low. I wash everything before I start assembling and use plastic prep just before painting.
Good way to do it. Thanks!
Hey Mike,
Good idea on the screen in the sink. My heart has skipped a beat or two watching the water drain out and realizing there’s one small piece that fell off the tree!!
Kevinb, as for your question, it is a good idea and an easy insurance policy against paint problems. Some of the recent kits I’ve worked on have had lots of putty work and sanding involved, so I didn’t bother washing them (I figure the other stuff will take care of anything that could harm the paint). As an alternative, I often give the plastic a wipe-down with an alcohol pad before I put the first coat of paint or primer on. Seems to work well, but washing thoroughly is likely a better option.
For car/auto bodies (where there isn’t usually much body work/prep), I definitely wash the body up in soap and water before any paint hits it.
Murray
Another workable idea: Get one of the sizzers type wire-mesh tea balls, desprue the small parts and place them in the ball, swish them in the detergent water and then rinse under flowing water. VOILA…clean and safe parts.
Randy
I’ve been using those cheap plastic tupperware bins to wash my parts in, the best part, is I can put the lid on, and move the bin aside, and let the parts soak for a while.
Go to Wal-mart or the Dollar store and get you a tea strainer. it has a handle and a screen cup on the other end and its available in different sizes…cheap too![:)]
I always wash before starting…sometimes I’ll wash an assembly after it’s done or if it has been sitting for a while collecting dust…
Wash after sanding!
I had read an article in FSM last year about washing resin parts in Westley’s BLECHE-WITE. It’s found in Auto Parts stores and is normally used for cleaning tires. I’ve lost the article and am in a quandary about if I should dilute it or not. Has anyone seen the article?
Rick
Also you can go to the Dollar store or Wal-mart to auto sec and buy a bucket to put parts in and soak.Digger[:)][C):-)][:)]