Newbie gluing advice

[JohnnyPark]

Hi all,

 

I am a neophyte, both to aircraft modelling and this forum, so please forgive me for my elementary errors. I am trying my hand at the Airfix Spitfire MK1A starter kit, and am at the stage of adding the top of the wings to the underside. However, on gluing the second wing-top, I used too much glue (specifically, Revell Contacta, which I had lying around), and, on attaching some rather cheap clamps (responsible for the red marks), this glue seems to have created a bump in the rear panel line, as highlighted in my photo below.

My question is: is there anything I can do about this, short of trying to hack it away using a sharp blade? I'm not too worried about getting this model right, but instead want to improve my skills. So if there's something I can do, I'd be very happy to hear it; otherwise, if I just have to avoid this kind of mistake at all costs, I'd like to know that, too.

And if you happen to spot any other glaring errors in either my description or picture, please let me know. I am trying to soak up information at the moment!

 

Thanks,

 

/media/tinymce_upload/550f38880024b3cc379255f91cfc131a.jpgJP

[david_hughes2]

I would let it dry completely and then sand it level with the surface detail.  Go from course to fine and remove as little of the rest of the model as possible.  If you are new to modelling you may not have sanding sponges, but they are a great investment.

Reintroduce the gap between the wing and elevator.  A razor saw or rescriber would do this, but again you may not yet possess these.  A sharp blade used very carefully would do it.

Some people love the cement type glues.  Personally my model making was transformed when I swictched to the really thin types, like Tamiya Extra Thin.  These use capillary action to 'weld' joints together and dry very quickly.

Good luck

[JohnnyPark]

Thanks very much for your advice. I looked up gluing via capillary action and it's a revellation! If I understand it correctly, to glue via capillary action entails holding the two pieces together and then applying a very thin cement over the join, so that it flows into and bonds over the gaps in that join. This seems intuitive when attaching thin parts (e.g., the top and bottom of an aircraft's fuselage), but can you apply the same technique to larger, flatter joins (e.g., the top and bottom of a Spitfire's wing)? At the moment, my instinct is still that such large surfaces require a thicker join--am I wrong?

And thank you for the suggestion regarding my foul-up. As it happens, I bought a Mr Hobby modelling saw, though I think it is likely to be too thick for the panel line. So I shall look out for a sanding sponge and a scribing tool when hunting for some extra thin cement.

One last question, if I may: if one joins different pieces by the capillary technique, does this tend to reduce the need for filling and sanding?

 

Thanks again!

[peebeep]

I use regular and thin cements on a horses for courses basis. Once you've tried out thin cements and bonding by capillary action then you'll develop your own ideas which is best for particular joints. I tend to use regular cement on large flat surfaces where you can't guarantee capillary flow, or on old fashioned slot and tab joints where the slower set gives a stronger bond (IMO). I try to use the cement sparingly to avoid oozing and you can still use thin cement to flow into joints as a backup where there might be any gaps. You can also use thin cement to smooth out any squidges of regular cement that have oozed out, although I wouldn't recommend trying it on your Spitfire wing. Using a saw or scriber is your best bet. Thin cements can reduce the amount of filling and sanding but you can't bank on eliminating it. Any joint is only as good as the parts fit and that is down to how well the kit fits and on how you approach prepping components prior to assembly.  

[dogsbody]

 As for removing that lump, might I suggest covering any nearby details with some tape, like masking tape. This will protect the details from inadvertant sanding. Ask me how I know!

 

Chris

[david_hughes2]

Johnny

Agree with all the advice here.  If you are going on a shopping spree I would recommend a few glue types.

Extra thin is a must but it dries very quickly, so a slower action glue is also useful for bigger jobs.  When gluing wings halfs I will use Tamiya cement (a thinner cement) on big areas and then go over the joins with extra thin.

A super glue (eg Zap Ca) can be really useful.  I used it recently on an Me262 (terrible kit)  for instant grab on the inside of a fuselage with a large gap in the seam.  Superglue is also available in various thicknesses for modelling.

Finally, a PVA glue (eg Micro Kristal Klear) is useful, particularly for clear pieces as it will not 'fog' the clear part and dries clear itself.

Good luck

[JohnnyPark]

Thanks, everyone, for such good advice--given my prior ignorance of these different products and uses, your posts are equivalent to years of trial and error learning. I haven't had a chance to return to this yet--children and work--but, when I do, I think it behoves me to provide a follow-up picture, to show what I achieved (on that panel line, at least).

 

Looking beyond preparing the model, I am planning to paint this by hand with enamels. (A shopping spree was indeed in order, but alas at this point can't extend to an airbrush and compressor.) I am planning to spray the model, initially, with Humbrol's grey primer, and then put several thin coats on top. I saw something about a coat of varnish (e.g., Clear) in between coats of paint to improve the finish on the final coat; would any of you second that suggestion? Or is it a waste of varnish?

 

Again, thanks for these generous comments. I look forward to having enough experience to offer my own advice one day. And, Chris (if I may), just how do you know about the importance of masking tape when sanding...?

 

JP

[david_hughes2]

Johnny

I have never heard of coats of varnish between coats of paint (that doesn't mean that it isn't done though).

The normal sequence is:

• Primer
• Paint
• Gloss (surface for decals)
• Decals
• Matt or Silk coat to finish

 

As you get more comfortable you can add stages as you like, so for example on my latest plane (Me262) I did the following:

• Primer
• Pre-shade panel lines in black
• Paint
• Gloss
• Decals
• Gloss
• Dark dirt wash for panel lines
• Silk coat
• Weathering
• Matt Coat to finish

Hope that helps

[Peter s]

Hi David,

I often use a few light coats of varnish as I go along. Partially I find it adds a bit of protection to the coats when masking off and partially it can even out variations in "shine" between different colours. Its not the first time I've done something like a spitfire and got quite a matt finish to the green but a more satin dark earth and I prefer them to both look the same when I shade/weather etc. Its not essential by any means just the habit I've got into. In part I used to use a nastier type of acrylic varnish and I had a few bad reactions between varnish and paint so I tended to get the varnish on early knowing if there's going to be a problem I find it earlier. I switched to Vallejo spray varnish and never had an issue again.