SPA Modeler

I use anything and everything that I have at my disposal. I usually start with sprue cutters to snip off the really prominent parts. A dremel with a fine grinding stone is handy for grinding down ribbing. Coarse sandpaper to even everything out and do any required thinning. In some instances, I'll employ my curved x-acto blade to shave off layers of plastic.

jkim wrote:I use anything and everything that I have at my disposal. I usually start with sprue cutters to snip off the really prominent parts. A dremel with a fine grinding stone is handy for grinding down ribbing. Coarse sandpaper to even everything out and do any required thinning. In some instances, I'll employ my curved x-acto blade to shave off layers of plastic.

So useful, especially with those last images as a guide. Sincerely. Thank you, John and thank you, Kari for starting this thread!

jkim wrote:On the flip side of dealing with resin... do you know what I hate more than cutting off thick pour blocks?

Removing the molded details from the kit parts to make room for the resin... yuck.

Yup! And more so when yet even more plastic has to be removed and yet more resin has to be shaved for those AM resin "upgrade" parts to fit right. I've been through that mess SEVERAL times.

mustang1989 wrote:

jkim wrote:On the flip side of dealing with resin... do you know what I hate more than cutting off thick pour blocks?

Removing the molded details from the kit parts to make room for the resin... yuck.

Yup! And more so when yet even more plastic has to be removed and yet more resin has to be shaved for those AM resin "upgrade" parts to fit right. I've been through that mess SEVERAL times.

Oh, yes. Shaving down styrene is on the list of “hairy” modifications necessary for using resin upgrades. I am actually considering scratch building the ICM wheel wells with sheet styrene. Someone actually did it, and they took photos, too.

speedgraflex wrote:
Oh, yes. Shaving down styrene is on the list of “hairy” modifications necessary for using resin upgrades. I am actually considering scratch building the ICM wheel wells with sheet styrene. Someone actually did it, and they took photos, too.

This is why I don't use resin upgrade sets. That and another reason: anytime I use resin parts, or build a resin model; I invariably bury the Exacto blade to the hilt inside one of my digits. Most painful!