How do you remove seam lines?

[Ian Aylmer]

Hi all,

 

I am making the stores for my A10. Having glued togther the 2 halves, there is a noticable seam down the middle. Please tell me what is the best method for removing this seam so that the 2 parts appear to be ' as just one' solid fuel tank for example?

 

Many Thanks

Ian

[AndyB]

Everybody has found their own way I suppose, but it depends if you have a close fit or not. If there is a big step where the join is I'd sand with decreasing grades to get back to level (I have been known to use a fine file with huge steps ), and then use liquid glue to give a 'flat finish', then very fine grade to blend in. You can rescribe any lines lost later. If its just a case of covering a barely showing seam then treat it like you did the fuse.

 

If there are gaps you may want to use filler to bridge.

 

Either way, its all about patient careful sanding I'm afraid, and mastercasters sanding sticks do the job perfectly.

 

A good primer will show up faults, and you will almost certainly lose detail (small stores-hard to sand between panels/section joins).

[Ian Aylmer]

If its just a case of covering a barely showing seam then treat it like you did the fuse.??????

 

Hi Andy,

 

Thanks for the tips.

 

What did you mean by above quote and what is liquid glue, sorry, I am very new to all of this and some of the terms still don't register.

 

Thanks

again

Ian

[Smokinguns3]

I personaly use Pro Weld to assemble my parts and after its dryed i sand it i seldom need filler. Each person has there own tastes so there are many whys to do one thing.

[Chris Hannover - Germany]

Hi Ian,

 

if i have a big gap with a wide whole or slit or how this is called in english, i fill in plastic cards. Super Glue works also fine for me. In the past i used simply sand paper for sanding, but i really fall in love with the Master Casters Sanding Sticks (LSP Jay). They do the job much better and the result is: Nothing... nothing to see from the gap anymore!

 

just my 2 cents,

Chris

[Derek B]

Quote:

 

"Hi Andy,

 

Thanks for the tips.

 

What did you mean by above quote and what is liquid glue, sorry, I am very new to all of this and some of the terms still don't register.

 

Thanks

again

Ian"

 

Hi Ian,

 

Liquid cement is used to glue plastic together, in a similar manner to your tubed glue, but it comes in a small bottle with a brush applicator. This is because liquid cement is water thin, and is desinged to be applied to the model in a different way to tube glue.

 

First of all, the parts that you intend to glue together should have mating halves that are flat, flush, and close fitting. The idea is that you load up the supplied brush (although most modellers prefer to use a fine paint brush for this, as it provides you with more control than the supplied brush) with liquid cement, then run it down the joint of the two halves of the kit part you are joining together, applying pressure to the parts at the same time.

 

Because the glue is so thin, it actually runs along, and into, the joint line of the parts of its own accord (this is called capilliary action). Also, due to its thinness, the liquid cement evaporates fairly quickly, so bonds quicker than normal tube glue. Once you have applied the glue, use masking tape or elastic bands/cloths pegs to hold the kit parts together under pressure until the parts have fully dried (anywhere between couple of hours to overnight, depending on how much liquid cement you have applied, or the area it has had to cover).

 

The beauty of using liquid cement is that its thinness leaves very little or no glue residues at all, so no unsightly glue blobs or runs. This makes it perfect for attaching those smaller, delicate parts of the kit. One word of warning though, as capilliary action will draw the liquid cement into the tinest of joints and crevices, so also shall it be drawn under your fingers if they are in the way of the glue when you apply it...so unless you want finger prints embedded on the surface of your model, keep the finger tips well away from the liquid cement when applying it to your model seams.

 

HTH

 

Derek

[AndyB]

Sorry for the delay in replying Ian, work got the better of me.

 

Derek, Chris and smoking gun seem to have cleared up my rather trite posting anyway

[stevegallacci]

Over and above the obvious fill the joint process, I then turn the pod/bomb/whatever with sandpaper to get the item round again to remove, at least the apperence of, a now flat-sided or oval sectioned thing. Depending on the subject, leaving curcumfrencial sanding marks may match tooling/spin forming marks on the orginal. Otherwise, smooth with your favorite abrasive.