Dust: What tricks do you use to remove it?

[Matt308]

Okay. The bane of all modelers. Dust.

So other than a soft brush, hours of painstaking work, broken aerials and antennae, re-gluing broken ordnance, etc., - How do you remove dust from your models?

 

[ndicki]

Airbrush on full blast! 8)

 

[Matt308]

Still doesn't get most of the dust up. And all that tends to do is just circulate it into the air.

 

[horseUSA]

Okay. The bane of all modelers. Dust.

So other than a soft brush, hours of painstaking work, broken aerials and antennae, re-gluing broken ordnance, etc., - How do you remove dust from your models?

Just to let you know the plural of antenna is antennas, when you speak of the device to radiate em wave. antennae is for the bugs antenna.
English is great

 

[Matt308]

Thanks Horse. Just f'ing off trying to be cute. I deserve the correction when my humor is so obscure that only I get it.

Appreciate you establishing this forum.

 

[Wurger]

How do you remove dust from your models?

To be honest there isn't any way to remove all dust from models especially, when they are exhibited on free shelves.We can use an airbrush like Ndicki has suggested.But it is often not enough.I think that it is better to use glass boxes or simply cases to prevent models against the dust.But it is my opinion only.

 

[Matt308]

Unfortunately, Wurger, I agree. However ,for those who can't afford the space or wish to hang them up with string/wire this is a constant problem.

Perhaps there is not a perfect answer?

 

[Wurger]

I agree with you,propably there isn't any solution for this matter.

 

[DIOGENIS]

hi matt,
why don't you try a wet cotton swab in water you use in ironing (don't know the word in english) .

 

[Wurger]

Do you mean a sprinkler?

For me it isn't a good idea to clean them with water. Models of WW2 aircrafts are mostly painted with matt enamels and varnished with matt or semi-gloss varnish.Therefore surfaces of the models are always rough and some particles of dust are still there.As a result the small pieces of dust are gathered in all cavities and cause that a model looks like a dirty one.

 

[Matt308]

hi matt,
why don't you try a wet cotton swab in water you use in ironing (don't know the word in english) .

Thanks for the idea. Dry cotton swab works in small areas, but wet just turns the dust to mud making a bigger mess.

 

[Wurger]

Hi Matt !!!
Could I ask you a question? What is it dry cotton swab? Could you explain?

 

[Matt308]

.

 

[Wurger]

Thanks mate.I couldn't find it in my dictionary.Good explanation

 

[Matt308]

 

[Wurger]

Could you tell me how often you clean your models?

 

[PETERTHEEATER]

Having read other posters responses, it occurred to me that a lot of household dust particles are attracted to ornaments (including models) through static electrical charges. I feel sure that somewhere out there is a company that manufactures an electrostatic brush that will, in effect, suck dust from surfaces. I am busy on another project right now but a quick Google found this product.

Electrostatic Dust Clothes

Someone with more time to surf may find a brush. The key words are 'electrostatic' and 'dust'

Good luck,

regards,

Peter

 

[k9kiwi]

10 points.

Many bleems ago afore joining the military I was an electronics technician for the telephone company (yawn) but a few things were learnt.

Dust gets attracted to certain electrically charged things like magic.

This helped way back when I was doing 1/35 work.

A vacum cleaner about 2 = 2 1/2 feet from the model going to work, and an airbrush "On full noise" as suggested earlier did wonders.

Airbrush shifts dust. vacum cleaner and static attraction draws it towards nozzle.

Very soft brush for small places use very carefully.

Done in a dry not damp or humid environment (that would be silly).

Do not put the vacum cleaner too close, we all know the carpet monster that eats parts, well the vacum cleaner monoster is truely evil.

Do not try it just with a brush and the vacum cleaner closer. see above.

 

[Wurger]

Thanks for your replay to my question BlackWolf.

As far as electrostatic charges are concerned,I agree that these small parts are mainly responsible for dust on our models ( and not only).Certainly, we can use an anti-electrostatic liquid to clean models but I've already tested the solution with a small success.It has been working for a short period of time only.It have to be mentioned I've kept my models in a glass-case.And I don't have to clean them very often.For modelers who store their models on a ceiling the solution could be not enough.In the case a modeler should clean the models regularly with cosmetic brushes like these in the included pics for instance.But it is my opinion opinion only.

 

[pbfoot]

I give them to an apropriate kid in the neighbourhood because by this point if they are not enclosed some bits have fallen off some how or other and I'll build anew and better one