SPA Modeler

Almost forgot about this one!
I miss it!

It's been a year...what gives???!!!

So Thomas, tell me more about this waxing spatula contraption of yours. How does it work and how do you use it? I'm trying to get an understanding on how you did the process of filling the gaps. A cool device I may add.

I almost forgot.. Wow!!! So many details to see in the cockpit. Coming along for the ride...

What's next?

tigrazor wrote:Whaaaat, no PE belts here, but the panels are full of them? What happened?

I not necessarily have to do what other think they have to do...
Decided to be happy with the moulded-on ones.

BlackSheep214 wrote:So Thomas, tell me more about this waxing spatula contraption of yours. How does it work and how do you use it? I'm trying to get an understanding on how you did the process of filling the gaps. A cool device I may add.

Well, that´s a device a friend of mine invented for modeller´s use and is selling for decades now. It´s a rather cool device: you set the heat to a spatula that melts dental wax. There are different kinds of wax available but I so far stick with the green one.

You meld some wax with the spatula and apply it to the gap to be filled. The wax then cools down and hardens. Any excess is easily removed with a knife or any other appropriate tool. The wax doens´t do any harm to the plastic surface, so all detail stays unharmed. All in all it took me about five minutes to fill the gaps on both sides! Final cleaning and degreasing is down with a rub of alcohol.This here is a prime example for this wax spatula device!

Here is the link to the shop site: Click me!

The Skyraider build itself has come to a sudden stop when I got the test shot sprues of the Zoukei-mura Horten I had to build for the Concept Note book... Meanwhile I got this many new and interesting kits that may work space is crowded with at least three kits now... Some day this Navy fighter will be back!

Thomas -

I watched the video on the site and it is simply brilliant! This product has the potential to put an end of sanding and finishing using putty.

A few questions though.

Would the blade tip melt the plastic as you apply the wax to the kit? What is the needle shaped tip used for?

Is it actually a wax similar to candle wax? Or is it some type of plastic wax used especially for plastic kits?

What is the long term effect of the wax over time? Will it shrink, turn brittle and break apart as it ages on the kit?

Are the different colored wax (ie: grey, tan, and green) used for different modelling situations?

Why do you prefer the green one over the other colors?

What is the purpose of degreasing the wax after finishing?

Other than that, I certainly wouldn't mind owning on myself.

BlackSheep214 wrote:Thomas -

I watched the video on the site and it is simply brilliant! This product has the potential to put an end of sanding and finishing using putty.

Don´t think it will make an end or even replace conventional puttying and sanding. But it complements those basic tools IMHO. I could have closed those gaps with conventional tools but it would have taken much longer and the putty might have spoiled or damaged surrounding detail. So it was the perfect solution for me here.

A few questions though.

Would the blade tip melt the plastic as you apply the wax to the kit? What is the needle shaped tip used for?

The new device as shown here can be set to a higher temperature than mine. So you also might Zimmerit a tank kit, for example. Yes, if set high enough you could melt plastic. But I never did with the setting that melts those waxes. The temperature needed to do so is much lower .

On the needle shaped tool the website says: "These new adapter (order no.: 01-017) allow accurate placing and dosing of the wax."
I never needed this one.

Is it actually a wax similar to candle wax? Or is it some type of plastic wax used especially for plastic kits?

As mentioned before those waxes have their origin in dentists use. Candle wax is something completely different. Dental prostheses are modelled with those waxes, the shop owner once worked in a lab that did such prostheses.
So, those waxes are not really especially for plastic kit use, but so is Future!

What is the long term effect of the wax over time? Will it shrink, turn brittle and break apart as it ages on the kit?

Nothing of this you mention has happened so far on my builds over the decades I use this tool.

Are the different colored wax (ie: grey, tan, and green) used for different modelling situations?

It´s all given in the links here, as shown on the website:

http://www.rai-ro.de/product_info.php?p ... 8ef3f43319

http://www.rai-ro.de/product_info.php?p ... 8ef3f43319

http://www.rai-ro.de/product_info.php?p ... 8ef3f43319

http://www.rai-ro.de/product_info.php?p ... 8ef3f43319

Why do you prefer the green one over the other colors?

That´s the one I got with my device when I bought it. So far it did all I had to do so I never bought another type.

What is the purpose of degreasing the wax after finishing?

Degreasing improves the paint sticking on waxed spots. I degrease and the get some Alclad primer on before starting with paint.
Of course paint may come off waxed spots if you treat it with a tool and try to remove it. But why should you do so after painting?

awww man, I want to see MORE!