| Planes and Punting | 01 Jun 2016 4:24 p.m. PST |
I have always had this problem with planes containing windows in the past, but always felt as if my lack of skill painting made it unnecessary to bother with it. However I have a 1:48 B-17 Flying Fortress that I have been working on lately and it has turned out extremely well if I do say so myself. While finishing up the windows, turrets, and the like I'm terribly clumsy and always manage to somehow produce a nice glob or smear of glue on at least one or two of the pieces of clear plastic. Besides running down to hobby lobby and picking up a bottle of solvent and then being extremely careful not to pull the whole window off with it, does anyone know of any other ways to clear up the white streaks or unnatural looking globs of glue? |
Joes Shop  | 01 Jun 2016 4:38 p.m. PST |
Use a q-tip with 91% Rubbing Alcohol and gently rub it out; you might have to do this several times. Then polish the canopies with a clean cotton t-shirt, rag, etc. Tip: prior to gluing canopies/windows dip them in Future and carefully set aside to dry. Use White Glue to both affix canopies/windows and as a filler between the canopy and surrounding plastic. If the glue raises above the seam just wait awhile and use a q-tip moistened in water to smooth it back down. |
| Mako11 | 01 Jun 2016 5:01 p.m. PST |
Yea, white glue is the trick. Only found that out after a number of issues. |
| BuckeyeBob | 02 Jun 2016 10:50 a.m. PST |
Wow!!! Wish I would have known this trick 52 years ago when I assembled models as a lad. Every clear piece always got a smear or blob of glue. |
| BelgianRay | 02 Jun 2016 11:17 a.m. PST |
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| Mako11 | 02 Jun 2016 10:51 p.m. PST |
There are also clear craft glues, sold in places like Walmart, Joann's, etc. that will probably work too. I use toothpicks to apply the glue to the rim, in a thin layer. Works well. |
| Joes Shop | 03 Jun 2016 5:42 a.m. PST |
Good point: when I'm building for an IPMS contest I use watch makers cement (available from Micro-Mark). Expensive, but a single tube lasts years. I still use White Glue as a filler for the canopy fillet. This works especially well with models with 'bubble canopies'. |
| Planes and Punting | 03 Jun 2016 11:50 a.m. PST |
White glue, never would have thought it! This kit came with some clear plastic cement and I decided to give it a try since the glue i usually use was about empty and it worked pretty well except for the smudges on the windows, which were entirely my fault anyway. I'll keep the toothpick idea handy though for the next build. Will post the B-17 after finished also. |
| Planes and Punting | 03 Jun 2016 12:12 p.m. PST |
Oh and this is the B-17 currently
which just makes me angry because the two center windows are the main ones that I had trouble with and they were the last two to go in. I messed up the one closest to the cockpit first, put it in upside down(the curve in the plastic is not that obvious) and then I was overly cautious with the window towards the nose and in doing so smeared most of the glue before I even put the window in. |
| Bunkermeister | 03 Jun 2016 1:03 p.m. PST |
link Use Testors Model Master Cement and Window maker. It's good glue and dries clear. You can even make windows with it. Buy it at your local hobby shop. Mike Bunkermeister Creek
Bunker Talk blog |
| King Cobra | 17 Jun 2016 2:28 p.m. PST |
For any clear piece needed in the side of a molded plastic piece (such as the JU52's windows, B17 windows, etc), I always use transparent packing tape on the back side of the window. It's fantastic. Very clear, never a smudge (and allows a redo). I don't use it on canopies, turrets or the nose of bombers because they're typically glued on after the fuselage is assembled. And like BuckeyeBob, I wish I knew this 52 years ago! |
