This is slowly growing with great ideas. Thanks to everyone for helping.
Model Car Tips & Advice
- Thread starter Old Tired Rebel
- Start date
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dge467
Well-Known Member
Great tips! And when you buy those already built kits and want to strip the paint off, I've used Easy Off oven cleaner yellow can or Castrol Super Clean. Wear gloves and have some good ventilation!
Dart_Doctor
Asa style
good ventilation is a must
dge467
Well-Known Member
Oh yeah, after you get the paint removed, I clean the body off in the sink with warm water. Use an old tooth brush and some dish washing soap.
Dart_Doctor
Asa style
noted thanks
shafer
Well-Known Member
cool idea i will have to try that
jamesdaytona
Well-Known Member
I use a mixture of pine-sol and water to strip paint . Works good and masks the paint fumes in the winter when I'm forced to paint inside the house . Mix about 30% pine sol to water , and let it soak for a couple of days , or if its an older paint , sometimes it will take a week . Even works with laquer and clearcoat .
340john
Well-Known Member
It's kind of dangerous to to that, I use regular stranded wire. I cut a piece of wire, strip off the insulation and take the strands apart. The wire can be wound around a pin, nail, or whatever is the diameter of the coil you want. The strands can also be used for brake lines, fuel lines, oil pressure lines etc. They are rigid enough to hold the shape you bend them into, just make them a little longer than what you need and drill a hole in the part to accept the wire. That way you dont have to glue the "line" from the visible side and it looks more realistic.
71dartswinger
Well-Known Member
bleach white also removes chrome , use elmers glue to fill gauges after you place decals or paint to make a lens. dullcoate paint on chrome to look like aluminum.
just a few i will think of more to post
just a few i will think of more to post
jamesdaytona
Well-Known Member
Some of my more recent ones I'm doing . The 69 Charger has 5 kits bashed ( so far ) , its not done yet , I can't stop thinking of more things to do with it . The paint , believe it or not , is off the shelf Rust -oleum . That stuff isn't like it used to be . It goes on as good as my airbrush does !
How did you do the vinyl tops?
this is not exactly a model tip but rather for guys who can't draw or know how to use 3D programs, if you want to do a DRASTIC modification to your car but want to know how it would look before...... buy some modeling clay and a plastic model kit...... hardware store paint and masking tape... it's saved me from making a lot of horrible mistakes... of what may look good on paper won't always look good in reality, but on a plastic model its almost 1:1 of what it would look like on your car.
lou3500
Fla. Cuda Guy
Good luck with this hobby Cliff i used to build model cars way back when i was 10 when i started and built them till i was 17 and dabbled around till a few years ago can't see shakey hands so had to quit. I never went to the extreams as some fellas don't have the patence to do all the little details the make them ribbon winners. These are a few pics of my collection over 180 pieces spanning 35 years [most were built 25 years ago].
Nice Collection,a little of everything.
lou3500
Fla. Cuda Guy
Here's a few more from the collection.
jamesdaytona
Well-Known Member
Ok , get ready . Buy a roll of 1 1/2 inch masking tape , paint it the color you want the top , and lay it down . The 1 1/2 inch is the perfect fit . Run your first piece right down the center . Then just barely overlap the outer pieces , and trim it up . You now have a vinyl top ! Anybody out there know where I can get a Mod Top design ? I want to build my old Super Bee and thats the only thing I can't figure out ! OTR , I am going to build another one soon , I will take pictures of each step , and put them up if you want to see it in progress .
bad440
everything,all the time..
i have a very cheap testors air brush cost 15 at walmart as long as you keep it clean it works ok,as for paint try nail color thin 1 to 1 with acetone then clear with good clear spray bomb.works for meView attachment P1040953.jpg
That would be great. But doesn't masking tape peel off?
jamesdaytona
Well-Known Member
Not if you buy the good stuff . Then clear coat it after you get it on , and trimmed up .
Flip over the cap from a paint spray can and you can put a small round or square bottle of paint in the center so it won't tip over and spill
coat your chrome tree with Future Floor Wax (or equivalent) and let it dry then the chrome won't rub off from your fingers when you are working with the small parts
coat your chrome tree with Future Floor Wax (or equivalent) and let it dry then the chrome won't rub off from your fingers when you are working with the small parts
Great tips keep them coming
jamesdaytona
Well-Known Member
Ok Reb , you want to do vinyl tops ? I got one here , and I'll go through the whole process with you . Its one I had promised to do for a guy at my last car show anyhow . Be patient with me . I only work on them a couple hours a night when I can . First , paint your car . I wouldn't clear it yet , just get the paint how you want it . Next , take a strip of inch and a half masking tape and paint it the color you want your vinyl . I have to stop here , because I just did it , and my paint isn't cured yet . We'll call this Step 1 . More to follow .
Thanks I am following along. Does Krylon paint have metaflake in it?
jamesdaytona
Well-Known Member
Not this one . Its the flash on my camera .
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