The Ship Model Forum

Hi all,

Prior to jumping into my build of Myles C Fox (DD(R)829) I decided I needed to get my modeling 'chops' back up to speed before jumping in with both feet....

I've been away from the hobby since pre PE and wide spread use of acrylics so I thought I would tackle something I know how to build....a 1/72nd scale B-17F. I got some PE 'kits' for the Fortress and figured I could practice on and learn a bit about PE before jumping in to a more complicated build like the Fox.

Anyhow....One of the 'kits' of PE for the Fortress was a self adhesive type. In my reading and study I noted that people tend to clean PE prior to painting. I tossed all but the SA into a warm soap bath and ran a soft bristle brush across them....rinsed and dried.

My question though is how do you clean the self adhesive type? You obviously can't toss it in a bath...... Would denatured alcohol work....would the acrylic primer stick after a cleaning with the alcohol?

Thanks.....

SC

For what it is worth, I've never cleaned my PE before painting and I've never had a problem with it holding paint. I don't prime it either. That being said, I should note that I use Colourcoats enamels almost exclusively, and Model Master enamels as the back up.

Bob Melvin

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Give me a fast ship, for I would like to get out of harm's way!

Thanks Bob....I am experimenting with acrylics and in my reading I picked up on the need to 'clean'.....don't know if it was just for prep for acrylics or just some people going the extra mile to ensure the acrylics 'stick'.....seems they are a bit finicky in that regard.....

In the past I've used enamels exclusively and never primed them.....but as I understand it there is significant need to prime to get an acrylic to 'stick'.....

So far I'm a bit nervous about using acrylics.....so many examples in my reading of problems..... But the idea of easier clean up and the claims that they don't 'cover' detail as much have me willing to give it a try..... I might run back to my old standby, enamel, if this doesn't work with my 'practice' 'Fort' build......

Carl, I hope you'll post some pics of your build progress. I love forts. All I could do not to go all in for H-K's big B-17G. BTW, my LHS guy told me they are coming out with an F model, which I think was the most aesthetically pleasing version, even if not the ultimate version. That one might tempt me but darned if I know where I'd put it. To me that's one of the inherent problems in large scale kits, ships or planes. They take a heck of a lot of room to display, especially something like a B-17 where you have to factor in wingspan. I'm yet to be convinced bigger is always "better".

Bob

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Give me a fast ship, for I would like to get out of harm's way!

Bob.....well I settled on 1/72 scale as a compromise. I would love to have all my aircraft in 1/48 but I run into the same problem that you had. Back in my military days I used to build models and take them and hang or display them in the day room or training rooms.... They always drew a lot of interest so I had a great place to spread them out to display them. Now...I'm going to struggle to find a place for the 3 I have on my radar right now..... I would put some out in my shop but it's not air conditioned or heated.....and I live in the south....so I don't figure they would last long in the temp extremes.....

Funny you should mention this topic....I have been thinking for the past few days about this. Now that I've been bitten by the 'bug' again it has dawned on me that there's a limiting factor called space now that I no longer have an alternate place for display..... Maybe I should have gotten my N-Gauge trains back out instead!

Perish the thought, sir! Ships, ships.

Bob

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Give me a fast ship, for I would like to get out of harm's way!

Easy - switch to O (1/48) and then put them all under your B-17's. Then do a 1/48th Queen Mary loading up a division or two heading for Europe... You might need an old hangar for the diorama! (I can wish, I suppose...)

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... Brian