Shipmates,

I have started to work with PE and 'multimedia" (wire, brass, foil) and have a couple basic questions before I use them on my WIPs:

1. Vinegar bath for PE sets - this is done to "scratch" the surface for paint to "grab', or general cleaning of the fret? I put a small PE fret 5 min in general purpose white vinegar, glued in place... enamel paints did not 'stick" to the PE.

What is the proper sequence? I dont want to 'gently" scratch the PE fret with sandpaper, I tried that and bent 2 small parts.

Does it matter what type of PE? I have been reading that various PE makers have different thicknesses to their PE frets.

2. Do you "prime" your PE or multimedia (metal, alum, brass, etc) before painting? I use testors/model masters enamels almost exclusively, thinned in MM thinner for the Airbrush or hand painting. I could use Krylon grey primer to give the metals a better surface for paint to adhere?

3. Gator's Glue - I love the stuff! in combination with CA works great.. quick question.. how long till the glue hardens to the point of no return? meaning, how long can a PE part be "glued" with Gator's glue and you can still clean up the excess glue with a moist brush? I have been trying to clean up as much of the glue as possible, but sometimes end up dissolving all the glue... ???

4. Any special considerations when using foil? (the thick type found in wine bottles)

Sorry the long winded questions, I wanted to be as specific as I could!

Thanks all!

I usally use isoproply alcoholl to clean PE parts with before installing. As for primer i use Krylon primer on all of my models, have never had a problem with it. Yes i prime all of the parts you have mentioned. Have had no experience with Gator Glue. have seen a lot of people use lead foil from wine bottles. Seems to work well for them. If you prime your parts you should have know problems with the paint sticking.. Just make sure it is clean before you paint. Spray it good with Windex and rinse well and let dry.

James,

When removing excess Gator Glue, you want a damp brush, but not one full of water. I clean my brush and then squeeze most of the water out of it before I start taking off excess glue.

Kenny

Ahoy James,

Cleaning PE is a good idea, the chemicals used in making the stuff sometimes have an adverse reaction to some paints. Either wash it in alcohol or good old soap and water. Etching the etch with vinegar as you tried works as well. Usually a primer is a good idea to help the paint stick even more. What type you use is up to your pocketbook and availability. Just use a light coat if you use the ratttlecan stuff, don't want to fill the openings up or thicken the parts unecessarily. The primer also acts as a final check before painting to see if you need to do anymore work to straighten up any problem areas. Also the primer and paint coats help to seal all the multimedia parts to the model, adding a gloss clear coat to help decal adhesion and application and act to help the flow of any washes that you may want to apply to further detail the model. A final sealing of those washes and detailing filters would put that multimedia and PE under enough of a seal to keep them from parting ways from the model.

Can't add much more to Gators' own suggestions other than to say to rinse the brush out often when using it to sop up the excess Gator Glue. Keeping the brush clean insures that you remove the glue instead of smearing it around.

Painting that PE before application sometimes works out but also leads to having the paint come off when you fold it up so just be ready to have to touch it up.

Andy, Kenny, Jay - Thanks for the great input... I have changed my SOP and look forward to bending/gluing more PE and foil this week on my current WIPs... cheers

PS - Jay - Yes, one "priming" with rattlecan convinced me it laid down to thick. I now decant the rattlecan into a small glass jar and then airbrush the primer. More work, more time but makes a huge difference with the end product.