Berkut Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 (edited) So i am building Tamiya P-47M and while it is obviously a great kit, Tamiya sure likes their ejection marks. Including ones on the wheelbay doors and such. Those wheelbay doors have raised rivets and other details. Are there any recommendations for the best tools to deal with the putty after filling ejection marks in areas like these? In areas like these it can be hard to use a sanding stick, even skinny ones. I have a glassfiber brush and it works fine (last i used it, which was ages ago now) but having strands of glassfiber around isn't optimal. Then there are diamond files and modeling chisels and such, but neither seem optimal either. Any other recommendations for other tools or any i have listed? Quick and bad pictures of mentioned areas just as an example; Edited August 28, 2020 by Berkut Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ElectroSoldier Posted August 29, 2020 Share Posted August 29, 2020 I roll with a more precise application of filler so I dont have to sand. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cruiz Posted August 29, 2020 Share Posted August 29, 2020 Hello Berkut This is what works for me; cut the tip of a toothpick with a shape and an angle that fit the space you want to sand but also give you room to make a sanding motion; put a blob of cyano and glue a piece of sandpaper, when it's set, cut the sandpaper to the shape you need (the blob of dry cyano allows you to have a hard edge on the sandpaper). I usually make them with 400 and 600 grit. Hope this help Carlos Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mstor Posted August 29, 2020 Share Posted August 29, 2020 For some areas I use a scraping tool like this: https://www.hobbyzone.biz/alec/alec_fv6.shtml and remove the surrounding plastic instead of filling in the ejection mark. This tool is similar but better with curved surfaces: https://www.hobbyzone.biz/alec/alec_rv6.shtml Hobbyzone has a number of very useful, albeit somewhat expensive tools. I've always found, though, that good tools are worth the money and good tools make work easier. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Berkut Posted August 30, 2020 Author Share Posted August 30, 2020 On 8/29/2020 at 10:02 AM, ElectroSoldier said: I roll with a more precise application of filler so I dont have to sand. Very helpful advice, will read again. 20 hours ago, cruiz said: Hello Berkut This is what works for me; cut the tip of a toothpick with a shape and an angle that fit the space you want to sand but also give you room to make a sanding motion; put a blob of cyano and glue a piece of sandpaper, when it's set, cut the sandpaper to the shape you need (the blob of dry cyano allows you to have a hard edge on the sandpaper). I usually make them with 400 and 600 grit. Hope this help Carlos Hi Carlos! Yeah, i remember solving this issue same way many years ago. 🙂 So it is indeed a solution that works, but would just like to find a more sustainable and precise way of doing it with better and more "uniform" tool(s). But i guess it is worth a try for this specific case on P-47, thanks for reminding me of this. Longer term, would like to find a more precise tool. 19 hours ago, Mstor said: For some areas I use a scraping tool like this: https://www.hobbyzone.biz/alec/alec_fv6.shtml and remove the surrounding plastic instead of filling in the ejection mark. This tool is similar but better with curved surfaces: https://www.hobbyzone.biz/alec/alec_rv6.shtml Hobbyzone has a number of very useful, albeit somewhat expensive tools. I've always found, though, that good tools are worth the money and good tools make work easier. Hmm, those are interesting, but quite pricey indeed and unsure how well they would work in tighter areas like in my second picture. I will look for alternatives but if there are none that are as good i guess i will bite the bullet on them. Thanks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ElectroSoldier Posted August 30, 2020 Share Posted August 30, 2020 11 minutes ago, Berkut said: Very helpful advice, will read again. Yeah fair play. Sorry buddy 🙂 I mask the areas up and apply the putty in layers until its filled then there is little finishing needed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
spejic Posted September 1, 2020 Share Posted September 1, 2020 I just hold little bits of sandpaper in tweezers. It is useful for many sorts of fine or awkward applications depending on how you fold the paper. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
southwestforests Posted September 1, 2020 Share Posted September 1, 2020 3 hours ago, spejic said: It is useful for many sorts of fine or awkward applications depending on how you fold the paper. So, basically sanding origami? 🙂 Hmm, Sandigami, that sounds like it could be either a model manufacturer or a Japanese ship. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bob Beary Posted September 2, 2020 Share Posted September 2, 2020 You could also cover the defect with thin plastic sheet material. Cut it to whatever shape seems appropriate for the area and bevel the edges.. It would look like a panel of sorts and seem likely to belong there. Bob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChernayaAkula Posted September 2, 2020 Share Posted September 2, 2020 I was about to suggest something like what Chuck suggested. One idea to adapt it better to your specific problem is to glue a small length of styrene rod or sprue onto the area that held the bristles before. You could get a sanding area that's really just the diameter of whatever rod you use. What could also be useful are the mini sanding sticks by Alpha Abrasives/Albion Alloys/Micro-Mesh. I use them all the time. They have a thin foam backing, so are slighty different from cruiz' DIY option. The DIY option with the hard backing may actually be more useful in this case, though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ichitoe Posted September 4, 2020 Share Posted September 4, 2020 (edited) Recently picked up one of these sanders: http://www.davidunion.com/search/label/DAVID 400 Happy with it so far.... Edited September 4, 2020 by Ichitoe Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ReccePhreak Posted September 6, 2020 Share Posted September 6, 2020 I use the Trumpeter Model Chisels to carefully scrape away the excess putty. https://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/trp09923.htm https://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/trp09924.htm https://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/trp09925.htm Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KenK05 Posted September 6, 2020 Share Posted September 6, 2020 The David 400 pen sander looks promising. But before I spend $100+ on one I'd like to hear a bit more about it from folks who have used this tool for modeling. One of my concerns is that you have to cut the sandpaper to fit the head you want to use. That may sound easy enough, but past experience with cutting adhesive backed sandpaper has shown it can be a bit tedious and troublesome. Especially if the pieces are small and need to be precise. So if any of you folks can elaborate a bit on your experience with using this tool, it would be appreciated. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mstor Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 Micro-Mark also sell a powered pen sander. Theirs uses precut self stick sanding shapes. https://www.micromark.com/MicroLux-Micro-Sander Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ESzczesniak Posted September 9, 2020 Share Posted September 9, 2020 On 9/6/2020 at 5:21 PM, KenK05 said: The David 400 pen sander looks promising. But before I spend $100+ on one I'd like to hear a bit more about it from folks who have used this tool for modeling. One of my concerns is that you have to cut the sandpaper to fit the head you want to use. That may sound easy enough, but past experience with cutting adhesive backed sandpaper has shown it can be a bit tedious and troublesome. Especially if the pieces are small and need to be precise. So if any of you folks can elaborate a bit on your experience with using this tool, it would be appreciated. I picked one up as well and am liking it. The sandpaper packs that came with it had some templates and cutting them out didn’t seem to be any trouble. It’s seeming to work very well smoothing/flattening large flat areas where it can be easy to get a valley or leave a ridge with sanding sponges, sticks, etc. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ichitoe Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 On 9/6/2020 at 3:21 PM, KenK05 said: The David 400 pen sander looks promising. But before I spend $100+ on one I'd like to hear a bit more about it from folks who have used this tool for modeling. One of my concerns is that you have to cut the sandpaper to fit the head you want to use. That may sound easy enough, but past experience with cutting adhesive backed sandpaper has shown it can be a bit tedious and troublesome. Especially if the pieces are small and need to be precise. So if any of you folks can elaborate a bit on your experience with using this tool, it would be appreciated. I echo what ESzczesniak says. WRT the sandpaper, I cut up a supply of the sizes I typically use. Removing and replacing the sandpaper is easy. The sandpaper does not need to be precisely cut. Head over the LSP for more feedback from folks who have one. It's been one of the best tool purchases I've made for this hobby. It has definitely made sanding a lot easier. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KenK05 Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 17 hours ago, Ichitoe said: I echo what ESzczesniak says. WRT the sandpaper, I cut up a supply of the sizes I typically use. Removing and replacing the sandpaper is easy. The sandpaper does not need to be precisely cut. Head over the LSP for more feedback from folks who have one. It's been one of the best tool purchases I've made for this hobby. It has definitely made sanding a lot easier. It sounds like a winner! Thanks to you and ESzczesniak for the hands on information. It was just what I was looking for. I have a question regarding your post that will probably show my lack of computer and forum knowledge. What are you referring to when you say "head over to the LPS"? Is that some other part of this forum? Thanks again for the info. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ReccePhreak Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 19 minutes ago, KenK05 said: It sounds like a winner! Thanks to you and ESzczesniak for the hands on information. It was just what I was looking for. I have a question regarding your post that will probably show my lack of computer and forum knowledge. What are you referring to when you say "head over to the LPS"? Is that some other part of this forum? Thanks again for the info. I think he is talking about the Large Scale Planes Forum: https://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?/topic/84303-new-tool-for-sanding/&tab=comments#comment-1191458 Larry Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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