First time resin builder

[OHCRJ900]

I am very experienced with plastic kits, but I have never built a resin. 

I went with an Authentic Airliners 757-2 and it will go in USAir colors. 

I have a couple of questions: 

1. What is the best paint to use to get a high quality polished aluminum finish? Any special preparation such and wet sanding? 

2. What is the best adhesive to use? 

 

Any other tips are appreciated. 

Thanks

[dnl42]

Paint.

I prefer Mr Color as my primary paint. The are also burnishable Mr Color metallics. These can be airbrushed or brushed with hairy sticks. Airbrushed can be left as-is. Either application can be gently burnished to a high shine.

Thinned Mr Surfacer is a fine primer to airbrush atop anything. There is a Mr Resin Primer if you prefer rattle-bombs. 

 

Adhesives.

I use CA for resin-resin joints IF AND ONLY IF I can perfectly align the parts before bonding.

 

I use epoxy for resin-resin joints otherwise. If I can clamp, I like J-B Weld because I can get quite a thin bond, but it needs 24 hours to set. Otherwise a 15 minute epoxy will do.

 

I use CA for PE-resin joints for an edge-surface bond. For a surface-surface bond, I prefer an acrylic glue such as Gator's Grip or Formula 560 Canopy Glue due to their flexibility. The longer explanation for this is resin and CA have different thermal expansion rates. The flexibility of the acrylic glue means that I don't risk rupturing the bond along CA's weakest orientation, which is shear. This is also true for PE-plastic joints.

 

HTH

-- 

dnl

[The Underdog]

2 hours ago, OHCRJ900 said:

I am very experienced with plastic kits, but I have never built a resin. 

I went with an Authentic Airliners 757-2 and it will go in USAir colors. 

I have a couple of questions: 

1. What is the best paint to use to get a high quality polished aluminum finish? Any special preparation such and wet sanding? 

2. What is the best adhesive to use? 

 

Any other tips are appreciated. 

Thanks

 

If you know and understand the risks associated working with Resin products, you'll

be okay. "The best possible advice I can share with you is this."

 

Polyurethane resin is a type of polymer that results from the chemical reaction when an organic isocyanate is combined with a compound containing a hydroxl — which are components of bases, acids, phenols and amphoteric compounds. The chief health hazard associated with polyurethane resin is the presence of isocyanates; these are highly toxic and can have adverse health effects if proper precautions are not taken when working with the product.

 

When polyurethane resin dries, it often requires sanding, which produces a fine dust. Exposure may cause severe eye irritation, and skin may experience redness, swelling and blistering if exposed to the dust for an extended period. Polyurethane resin dust also poses danger when inhaled, and can irritate the respiratory tract or contribute to rhinitis and asthma, according to the European Agency for Health and Safety at Work.

 

Risk of inhalation can be mitigated by taking certain precautions. When sanding polyurethane resin, use wet sandpaper to reduce the amount of airborne dust, and always wear a filter mask and safety goggles. Gloves and a long-sleeved shirt are also a good idea to reduce skin exposure. The room in which you are working should be well-ventilated. If you begin experiencing any adverse reactions while sanding polyurethane resin, you should contact a physician immediately.

 

Bottom-line, protect yourself from breathing and being contaminated with the Resin

Dust, and all is well... stay safe and happy modeling!

[dylan]

as for the polished aluminum look I highly recommend using alclad paints.  find a micro mesh polishing kit,  polish everything that you want in bare metal. any scratches or sanding marks will be amplified by the metallic paint.

prime it with tamiya gloss black thinned with mr color leveling thinner then spray the alclad.
I used polished aluminum on the main portion of my f-104. oh and we all want to see pictures of the kit when you are done .

 

 

Edited April 4, 2020 by dylan

[Mike J. Idacavage]

Hi The Underdog

 

That is very good advice you gave on working with resin kits. I build a lot of resin kits or use resin aftermarket modifications as I tend to model the more unusual subjects. BTW, I also play a chemist in real life and coincidentally am currently involved in a commercial project that requires the use of isocyanates. They are as nasty as you mention.  I would like to correct one of your comments on the presence of isocyanates. It is VERY unlikely that there would be any remaining isocyanates in resin kit parts by the time a modeler gets the kit. Isocyanates are extremely reactive and the small amount that remains after the resin hardens would have reacted with the moisture in the air in a very short time. The big problem with working with resin parts is the dust that comes from cutting and sanding. The dust is not toxic by itself but will cause lung damage in somewhat the same way as asbestos and other fine particles. 

Have fun modeling!

Mike

🍻

"Polyurethane resin is a type of polymer that results from the chemical reaction when an organic isocyanate is combined with a compound containing a hydroxl — which are components of bases, acids, phenols and amphoteric compounds. The chief health hazard associated with polyurethane resin is the presence of isocyanates; these are highly toxic and can have adverse health effects if proper precautions are not taken when working with the product."