Newbie Questions

[Richard Trilling]

I'm a newbie to metal kits and I'm having some standard beginners problems. Thought I'd ask a bunch of newbie questions on the "Limber". My feeling is these questions would apply to other kits and the answers to these questions might help me and others.

I live in an apartment, my only access to tools is essentially a Dremel with its attachments and a rivet-snap, perhaps an airbrush to use on my balcony, if that would become necessary.

What I would like to be able to do is end up with a finished kit, an all silver metal kit (bare?), with the copper rivets showing copper.

Some of my problem steps are:

1. Degrease everything
How about the steel parts (box base 405, tray 425,...)? The slightest drop of water makes them rust.

2. Polishing
Small parts (white metal such as wheel rims)
I've polished them with the wire wheel of the Dremel. Is this the best way?
Steel parts
What's the best way to get the rust off of the steel parts (box base 405, tray 425,...); to then polish them and prevent the rust from coming back.
Larger parts
Such as the side, top plates & doors, not at all sure what to do in order to polish them.

or doesn't one try and polish them (steel & larger parts). If not should I spray some sort of substance on them?

3. Rivets
Some of the rivets need to be cut down in order to fit into the holes of the door plates,... What is the best way to do this, with a cutting blade or a grinding attachment on the Dremel?

Any help would be appreciated.

[Adrian Harris]

As the owner of probably the shiniest Tiger in the world, I would have to say I do like the look of a bare-metal model.

http://www.armortek.co.uk/Forum3b/viewt ... 48&p=32834

Unfortunately, all the polishing was done by the previous owner, so I don't have first hand knowledge of how this effect was achieved.

It should be possible to wash and dry the steel parts without them rusting. Probably best to force the drying with a hair dryer or similar. I've stripped paint from a number of models and used hot soapy water to remove the chemicals, with no ill effect. To retain the finish I would have thought a clear coat of varnish or lacquer would be suitable.

I would be careful using a wire wheel on white metal, as the friction may be enough to melt the surface and ruin the detail.

Also, using a cutting disk to shorten the rivets sounds like a recipe for them being fired around the room, either in parts or whole

Hopefully some of the limber builders will be able to comment on the specifics of the build.

Adrian.

[Richard Trilling]

Adrian,

That's what I would like my limber and 25 lbs to look like.

If I can get them polished I was also thinking along the lines of a clear varnish or lacquer. The problem for me is the polishing.

I haven't had any problem with melting surface using the wire brush on the hub rims, but that technique works well only on the small parts. The top, side panels and doors, which have much larger surface areas, is a different story.

I agree with you on using a cutting disk is a good recipe for having them fire around the room, grinding appears to me to be the same sort of recipe, ergo my question.

[Adrian Harris]

How about side cutters for the rivets, then finishing the end with a file. At least that way you can aim the waste part into a bin or a bundle of cloth or whatever, to catch it.

Adrian.

[Richard Trilling]

Adrian,

Works like a charm, many thanks. I'm a bit embarrassed, should have thought of that myself.

Now all I have to understand is how to polish .

Richard

[Walter Mackinnon]

Richard
I use wire wool which is good for large surface areas, you can get it in 3 grades, it cleans without scratching.
Walter.

[Eric Ho]

The S100 motorcycle or bicycle cleaners are good for standard degreasing. Post wash I would dry with a clean cloth, hair dryer, or paper towel immediately. If the parts were to be polished and not painted, I would use a little auto wax to coat and stop further tarnishing, especially with the steel parts. Post polishing, the wax would also help, I find it hard to clearcoat a well polished surface, especially steel.

I've also started to use a gun blue or black (Brownells, Birchwood Casey)to treat or colour the steel parts, it seems to passivate the steel and resist rust a little better.

[Richard Trilling]

Eric & Walter,

The S100 motorcycle or bicycle cleaners are good for standard degreasing. Post wash I would dry with a clean cloth, hair dryer, or paper towel immediately. If the parts were to be polished and not painted, I would use a little auto wax to coat and stop further tarnishing, especially with the steel parts. Post polishing, the wax would also help, I find it hard to clear coat a well polished surface, especially steel.

Thank you for your advice.

I've also started to use a gun blue or black (Brownells, Birchwood Casey)to treat or colour the steel parts, it seems to passivate the steel and resist rust a little better.

I looked them up on the Internet but i think I'd like to keep the bare metal nice and shiny, if I can, with the the copper rivets showing nice and copper.

I use wire wool which is good for large surface areas, you can get it in 3 grades, it cleans without scratching.

I'll try the wire wool. Once that's done on the non-steel parts with large surfaces, should I use some type of clear coating for the finish?

One of the problems being in France is that I don't have access to a lot of the model/engineering tools that are available in the UK. The Loctite I had to order from Germany, nobody had ever heard of rivet snaps here (mine came from the UK), Brownell perhaps I can find it in a gun shop in Paris and as far as the steel wool in concerned I'll have to first translate it into french and see if I can find it in a hardware store.

Oh well that makes life interesting

Thanks,

Richard Trilling