Plastic models and melting mold lines

[PG_Arma]

Hi guys,

One thing I like to do when working with plastic models is, once the model is cleaned up I often a apply a coat of liquid poly (plastic cement) or sometimes just airbrush cleaner to melt and smooth the marks left by craft knives and to melt away some of the plastic waste than is still attached to the model.

I've tried a few products on the PP plastics but they refuse to melt. As per the guide for the Bastions in NQ, I use superglue to attach the models together.

Anyone any ideas? Don't fancy an ultrasonic cleaner or excess time spent on clean up!

[Cannibalbob]

Plastic cement, or many other commonly used chemicals for standard plastic models will not work on the Privateer Press plastics. An ultrasonic cleaner also won't do anything other than clean some dirt off the models.

If you want to get rid of the mold lines then you are gonna have to get a sharp knife and do it by hand. I really detest these plastics due to the difficulty in working with them. Another thing to be aware of is that they do not work as well with files as harder types of plastic do. This means that if you are going to use files on them you need to be very careful. The plastic has a tendency to "burr" instead of file and without care you can make a mess of things. This is even worse if you use a low-speed dremel - which I do not at all recommend for this type of plastic.

[tonyzahn]

I'm pretty sure Privateer's plastics are PVC based, so you might be able to use a PVC solvent on them.

As usual when playing with solvents, do so in a well ventilated area and be careful not to melt your toys into little puddles of grey goo.

[Aldarionn]

The PP "plastics" are actually more like a resin. If you have ever worked with a resin kit you will know what these plastics are like. It does make them a bit harder to work with but rein holds paint quite well and is pretty strong. I like the PP kits to be honest.

[LaBambaMan]

Man, reading this is making me kind of happy there's no plastic Merc kits or plastic Circle stuff.

[Valander]

Man, reading this is making me kind of happy there's no plastic Merc kits or plastic Circle stuff.

Yet...

Anyway, the PP plastics aren't polystyrene, as has been pointed out, and they're not really resin, either. I think they're ABS, but I'm not 100% sure. Either way, I do know that Plastruct's Plastic Weld does work on these things (it's how I assembled most of my Cryx Heavy, other than the magnets which were superglued into place for what should be obvious reasons).

This is the stuff you want. It should let you do that trick, but I haven't tried it yet.

[Rabid Bunny]

A good set of Needle files will help out, some of the mouldlines are in awkward places though, like the massive bit of sprue on the Helljack.

[LaBambaMan]

Yet...

Anyway, the PP plastics aren't polystyrene, as has been pointed out, and they're not really resin, either. I think they're ABS, but I'm not 100% sure. Either way, I do know that Plastruct's Plastic Weld does work on these things (it's how I assembled most of my Cryx Heavy, other than the magnets which were superglued into place for what should be obvious reasons).

This is the stuff you want. It should let you do that trick, but I haven't tried it yet.

I doubt Mercs will be getting any plastic kits anytime soon. And considering my Circle army will be construct based, I don't think I have to worry about plastics anytime soon.

[PG_Agamemnon]

I am glad to have plastic kits... very glad. they clean up just fine and they are pretty easy to do minor alterations to since you only have to heat the plastic with water and then cool it in the position you want.

[Cannibalbob]

I am glad to have plastic kits... very glad. they clean up just fine and they are pretty easy to do minor alterations to since you only have to heat the plastic with water and then cool it in the position you want.

Try the fennblades... Cleaning the flash from those models has made me swear off ever buying another plastic infantry unit from privateer.

[Mod_Redphantasm]

I find needle files work great on getting rid of the mold lines. You need to work very lightly though, using only your fingers. Just think like you were buffing silver, rather then grinding steel.

[PG_Arma]

I was working on the Fennblades heh I only ever use a knife on plastic kits and SOMETMIES sandpaper (but around 600 grade). My main problem is the small bits (??) that are sometimes left on the model.

I'll give plastruct a try Thanks

[Morgan Coalburn]

When I clean up plastic kits (and metal ones too, sometimes), I often just scrape them with a scalpel blade (a rounded one for preference, and not too hard). That tends to get rid of the mold lines very quickly and efficiently.

[Linkdead]

Yet...

Anyway, the PP plastics aren't polystyrene, as has been pointed out, and they're not really resin, either. I think they're ABS, but I'm not 100% sure. Either way, I do know that Plastruct's Plastic Weld does work on these things (it's how I assembled most of my Cryx Heavy, other than the magnets which were superglued into place for what should be obvious reasons).

This is the stuff you want. It should let you do that trick, but I haven't tried it yet.

I've tested Plastruct "Plastic Weld" (red label) and Plastruct "Bondene" (white label ABS formula) and neither react with Privateer Press plastics. I have almost every kind of glue known to man in my workshop and I've tested them all. By far the best glue for Privateer Press plastics, Resin models, or Pewter minis is rubberized (black) CA, followed by regular CA.

[Cannibalbob]

I find needle files work great on getting rid of the mold lines. You need to work very lightly though, using only your fingers. Just think like you were buffing silver, rather then grinding steel.

My main problem with the fennblades is the positioning of the mold lines. The models I got all had a fair amount of mold lines on them (I remove every trace of mold lines - i hate them so much) and the positioning of the mold lines was not conducive to using needle files in many areas due to the shape of the models. For other plastic models (like GW models) or metal models, I often use a low-speed dremel to do a fair amount of clean up. I then follow behind with a knife/needle-file. I hate the plastic material that privateer uses because both low speed dremel and needle files generally result in raising burrs from the model which then have to be cleaned up (by either super-fine sand paper or a knife). I simply find the material to be a total pain to work with compared to plastics from other companies.

The Fennblades were mostly annoying due to how the mold lines were on the models. A number of them have the mold line going right down the face. Others have injection points on detailed areas such as the part of the sword guard that has the gems/rivets. The other lines went down detailed areas that are tough to reach.

[Valander]

I've tested Plastruct "Plastic Weld" (red label) and Plastruct "Bondene" (white label ABS formula) and neither react with Privateer Press plastics. I have almost every kind of glue known to man in my workshop and I've tested them all. By far the best glue for Privateer Press plastics, Resin models, or Pewter minis is rubberized (black) CA, followed by regular CA.

Weird, because my plastic helljack's shoulders and legs are held strong together, and that is the stuff I used.

Edit: In fact, I tested it before even trying it by cutting off the blob off the carapice, cutting that in half, then using that stuff to put it back together. It didn't react as visibly as you might see with styrene kits, but it most certainly did bond.