EHeise | 15 Sep 2014 3:36 p.m. PST |
I recently purchased and am pleased with some Milicast resin WWII vehicles. I've never worked with the tiny resin bits before and after nearly destroying the tracks on my M5 (yikes) need some tips in working the small, and larger bits free from their resin sprues. Any advice is appreciated. |
Rich Bliss | 15 Sep 2014 4:36 p.m. PST |
It's a real pain to be sure. My best advice is to use a exacto saw blade or, failing that, a very sharp knife (change blades often). Also make sure the piece is on a flat surface before cutting. Remove any flash with a needle file or by scraping the knife blade across the surface. Definitely work very slowly. |
EHeise | 15 Sep 2014 6:23 p.m. PST |
Thanks Rich! Managed to get the M5 and a jeep together tonight. |
ccmatty | 15 Sep 2014 9:18 p.m. PST |
EHeise Looks like you and I are jumping into 20mm at the same time. Keep me posted on your progress. I just ordered a SDKZ 251 from Milicast. Can't wait to see how it looks. |
yankincan | 15 Sep 2014 9:54 p.m. PST |
When cutting up a resin kit for assembly I like to use an exacto with number 2 blade. Just be patient and whittle a bit away at a time until youre down to the kit part. Also I dont use a saw for anything resin. I am too worried about resin dust, thats just me though. Have fun and remember patience is key. |
Hornswoggler | 16 Sep 2014 6:47 a.m. PST |
I am too worried about resin dust… I think you are right to be concerned. You can never really be sure what nasties are in resin compounds as there are just so many variations out there… |
nazrat | 16 Sep 2014 7:12 a.m. PST |
CC-- The 251 from Milicast looks quite nice, but it is the one model I have gotten from them that I didn't like the look of with my AB figures. The vehicle is just too small to my eyes. Every other tank looks great (and I have a LOT) but the 251s left me cold. I have a platoon of them I need to sell… |
RayHaskins | 16 Sep 2014 2:04 p.m. PST |
They are really designed for modellers,so take your time. I have been building scale models for 40 years,started out on Aircraft and moved onto 1/35 AFV's scale and i still get the odd kit that causes a few oaths to be uttered lol. And buy a few good modelling tools,pin vice,a fin saw,and when working on resin always wear a dust mask. tnkmodels.com |
EHeise | 16 Sep 2014 2:09 p.m. PST |
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rct75001 | 16 Sep 2014 8:06 p.m. PST |
i use a fine saw to take track pouring blocks off – slowly with not too much pressure and wet / almost under water. then any residual cleanup with knife. also use wet and dry paper again with model very wet and washing residue off under running tap. the dust coagulates / clumps together |
Cardinal Hawkwood | 16 Sep 2014 8:49 p.m. PST |
shoot yourself is my advice.
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yankincan | 17 Sep 2014 2:03 a.m. PST |
Really? I suppose you may be right. Lung cancer is kind of under rated. |
Cardinal Hawkwood | 17 Sep 2014 2:27 a.m. PST |
I wouldn't use milicast for wargaming is the subtest of my post .I actually think more than1 part to a kit is one part too many. |
War Scorpio | 17 Sep 2014 11:42 a.m. PST |
I've built some resin models from Attack and Mars and while they came out nice, they were a pain to build. The small parts are brittle and I don't like the resin dust as some others have commented, having to wear a mask while modeling. Between resin, plastic, and metal I choose metal and have standardized for the most part on that. Easy to work with, they look great, and I love the weight. MMS is the standard but you do have a lot of detail parts. Cardinal Hawkwood would hate them. SHQ has a huge line, and the old Skytrex was good but bought out and now a combination of resin and metal. You have to be careful of scale also. Metal for the most part is 1/76 while everything else is 1/72, except for Milicast which is 1/76. You can mix and match scale but not with the same tank. If you do work with resin, I think Rich Bliss has it right. |
Blacky750 | 17 Sep 2014 9:36 p.m. PST |
I have a few Milicast kit's, have known Tom since he and Gordon Brown brought Eric Clark Models and renamed it Milicast back in 1986. Personally I love Milicast, especially now he has the Battlefield kits, but as much as I would love to get his new Diamond T's and Mack NO's I believe they are beyond my ability. Stick with them, they are worth getting and persisting with, just have a nice sharp blade, a clean flat benchtop and a steady hand |
Hornswoggler | 18 Sep 2014 6:23 a.m. PST |
Some interesting comments here… Must say, I have never gotten the hang of this 'wet sanding' caper. When working with resin I not only wear a dust mask (a decent tradesman type one that fits properly, not those rubbish paper things with a single bit of elastic), but I also work outside for obvious reasons – probably another reason why I generally avoid resin unless it's to fill a gap for which there is no viable alternative in plastic. |