I was reading in the Mike Ashley book "Building & Detailing Scale Model Ships" and he recommended, for my situation, that I "form-fit the railings, paint them, then attach them after painting the hull and deck." Then attach with super glue.
I have never used super glue on a model. Never having done a PE equipped model before I'd just always used plain old Testors.....
So my question is this: If the hull and PE railings are already painted....how well does the super glue work, paint to paint?
It works fine, we all do it, in addition to using white glue. Since superglue and white glue don't "melt" the plastic like plastic cement, they don't benefit much from direct contact with the plastic or brass.
I mean, if you're purposely yanking the railings from the model, then sure, the glue will pull the paint off the model and that's bad, but I doubt you plan on subjecting the parts to that kind of force.
If this is you're first time you will find a pair of dividers http://images.ffx.co.uk/tools/STR83A12.JPG like these almost indispensable for doing railings. Ie; transferring the needed measurement to a length of railing. Also fine tip mini pliers for bending the railing, and long fine tweezers (forceps) for placing railing, and other PE bits, among many other specific tools you will eventually find you need.
IMHO PE is both a blessing and a curse. It can add a great level of detail that simply cannot be rendered in styrene and can really make a build "pop". By the same token, depending on how much you want to use, and how many tiny, fiddly bits of brass you are prepared to deal with, it can suck the joy right out of a build. Personally, I try to strike a balance between using enough to get a nice looking finished product, but not so much as to totally kill the fun of the project. I do try to constantly improve my ability to work with the stuff (I can't tell you how many Model Master Oerlikon's I trashed before I mastered them), but it can be a slow and tedious process. I admire the guys here who are true artists with the stuff. BTW, I often paint as much of my PE as possible while it is still on the fret, depending on the camo scheme I'm using and can't tell I've ever had an adhesion problem with either CA or white glue.
It does make railings a lot easier to work with if you measure out a specific length using your dividers, not too long, then glue that down, repeat until you have the whole length of the railing applied. This can also help in doing turns in the railing, like 90 degree angles, etc.. And, if you are dealing with a curved length of railing, I've always found it easier to deal with a smaller length to curve than a longer one.
Hope this helps some. Oh, and by the way, I've also discovered that the exercise of a fine vocabulary of swear words can be most useful in dealing with PE at times.
Bob Melvin
Give me a fast ship, for I would like to get out of harm's way!
Thanks for the responses guy..... As I read through I did have 1 question..... I notice the reference to white glue AND super glue.... Is that just personal preference as to which to work with or are there times when you should choose 1 over the other?
Super glue dries faster, and has a stronger grip; however, it is more brittle, and is vulnerable to material expansion/contraction due to temperature changes. White glue, on the other hand, has more flexibility, though not as tough and takes a little longer to dry. The more you work with the two, the more you'll get a handle on which is better for which situation. You can even mix the two together, one on each surface or on top of each other depending on your needs.
Personally, I use CA all down the length of my railings and have never really had a problem with them popping loose. I only think this would be a problem if your models are displayed in an area subject to significant temperature changes inducing significant expansion and contraction. I do know of some modelers that use CA to tack railings at intervals, then go back and use white glue to run down the length. Take some white glue and put it in a small container, I use pop bottle lids, and then with a moistened brush pick some up, this will dilute it slightly, and run the brush with the white glue down the length of the railing, putting more on the moistened brush as needed.
Bob Melvin
Give me a fast ship, for I would like to get out of harm's way!
Thanks again for the tips guys.... I'm venturing away from my trusty old orange tube of Testors with this PE stuff.... I'm evaluating doing the same with the model as a whole..... Seems like, from what reading I've done, that is the trend.... I am wondering about the fast drying times though.... I guess the thick CA is a compromise in that area though.....
