Protective varnish coats.

[Ron Pearcy]

As I build my kits and following the primer coat I seem to have a habit of scratching/ chipping the paint after my first colour coat.
After I have airbrushed the bottom of the plane would it be advisable to give it a coat of varnish to protect it whilst I work on the top.
Stupid question possibly but any help would be appreciated.

 

[Wurger]

The scratching and chipping depend on the coat type. The oil enamels are more resistant to the type of damging usually. Contrary to that the acrylic paints are more sensitive to. To be honest the coat of varnish , even if it is a clear one but is of the acrylic one, may be not enough to protect the botom surfaces. What is more , a such applying is a double work I would say. The same you have to do for the top one. As a result you have to change the sprayed coats at least four times and each time you will have to clean the airbrush removing the residues of colours.

Majority of guys here use special supports that can be buy in local hobby shops or via the net.
Persanally I use a pices of a styrofoam as a base for painting. For handling of a model I use a round file put into a hole in the nose of a model where the spinner/prop shaft is going to be attached. In the way I can operate the model easily and work on each of sides. When I need to put it away I use a cardboard box ( it can be the one of the kit ) and gently put it upside down in the way the model wings are supported by the top edges of the side walls of the box until the coat of the undersides is cured fully. Then I can work on tops still handling and operating the model with the file. If I need to put it away again I just gently put the model on the box supporting the wing undersides at the edges of the side walls.
The procedure for the models of larger scales is a little bit different...

1. I mask all details that don't need to be painted firstly ....

2. I push a couple of toothpicks into slots for landing gear legs or other available holes there ....

3. Then I apply the colour of undersides and put the model away impacting the toothpicks a little bit into the styrofoam. In the way I get the support of the model without the risk of damaging the bottom surfaces ....

4. Moreover , I can rotate the stable :standing" model with the base together and work around tops ....

5. Sometimes I use a roll of a masking tape as the support , overlain with a soft paper towel. This allows to rotate the model as well ....

6. When model is coated I wrap the fuselage at its rear area with a clean soft rag. It allows me to handle and operate the model securely ....

 

[Ron Pearcy]

Brilliant answer. Thank you.

 

[Wurger]

My pleasure. One thing more.. the general rule is the gently operating and putting the model away either on the support or soft surface eg. rag or paper towel. Also it is helpful if all the space around the painted model is clean and free of rubbish and dust we have on the workbench usually.

 

[fubar57]

Agree with Wojtek. This is what mine looks like. The tops are lines with rubber bands but I may replace them with felt strips later. This is also handy for placing fuselage decals as well. Move the wing supports in the full out position as shown and the model sits at about a 45° angle

 

[Ron Pearcy]

Very kind and informative. I will see if I can get hold of one here in Blighty.

 

[Crimea_River]

I don't use any special supports, just the cutting mat. Yes, acrylics are prone to damage so I have successfully gloss coated the underside as a protection but have also added tape to bearing points:

 

[Ron Pearcy]

Good idea.

 

[MIflyer]

When I built my 1/32 F3F I found you simply had to turn it upside down and that this invariably broke the antenna mount off the top of the tail.

After numerous regluings of the antenna mount I belatedly realized that I could have cut a thin tapered sliver of Aluminum from sheet I have in large quantity, then drilled a hole in the tip of the vertical tail and inserted the aluminum replacement, with Superglue, which probably would have lasted forever.

So if you have thin breakable items you might consider that approach.

 

[TheRealMrEd]

I build a lot of NMF aircraft, and after the paint starts going they are laid on an old hand towel I keep for this purpose, and they are only handled while I'm wearing white cotton gloves. All antenna, landing gear, pitots, etc. are added at the end of the build, after decalling and topcoats are applied.

Ed

 

[Ron Pearcy]

Cheers for the advice Ed.