Hi, Aggie, I'll post my answers after each question...
...THe pinning technique that you speak of sounds interesting and makes a lot of sense. However, I am not equip to do that as of right now. Would I have to get a special drill? Or just special...small....drill bits??
My advice is to get a pin vice, which consists of a metal handle with a chuck (the part that holds the bit) at one end (some have a chuck at either end, for different ranges of bit sizes). You fix the bit in the pin vice, then drill the holes by hand. It may sound tedious, but it gives you a lot of control over the speed and pressure. You could chuck a bit into a rotary tool, eg, a Dremel, but the amount of speed and power, and the delicate nature of the bits--even milled out of steel, we're talking about thin shafts--and any pressure out of the direction of the drilling can put undue stress on the bit and break it, resulting in shrapnel. Most rotary tool manufacturers make drill press stands, which gives you more control, but it's a lot more fuss. And drilling white metal alloys, or lead, with a pin vice and a drill bit really only takes a minute or so.
If you have a local hobby shop, I'd stop in and ask about the vice and see what bits they carry. X-Acto makes a pin vice, as does Tamiya, Squadron, but you can also find them at places like Harbor Freight. As for bits, I have 3 sizes that I use all the time: .064" diameter (#52), .038" diameter (#62) and .025" diameter (#72). I think those numbers are consistent. The .064 and .038 are the ones I use most for pinning, because the corresponding diameters of brass rod or steel wire are of good diameter for pinning.
If there's not a hobby shop nearby--and that could even by HobbyTown, Hobby Lobby, craft stores like Michael's or AC Moore, or even specialty hobby stores, like a model railroad shop or radio control-check online, too. I get MicroMark's catalog, and you can order via their website,
www.micromark.com. Also, try Squadron,
www.squadron.com. Their store and warehouse are in Carrollton, too, don't know how far that is from where you are.
If (over-time, with just glue) the joints would start to crack...isnt that an easy fix? I mean, could I not simply re-glue the arm back on, if it were to fall off??
Sorry, when I said "crack", I meant, "broke". One of my Prins August soldiers kipped over, and his arm fell off. Granted, the lug was really just a ball that fit into a socket, so it was weak to begin with--that's where a pin would improve things, by the way. I had another one get knocked over, and his head popped off; the head had a good-sized shaft that fit into the neckhole, too. But the glue had become brittle over time. The point is, if the join breaks, it's not just gluing it back together, but you'll probably have to touch up the paint, maybe there'll be some seam work requiring putty, in short, there could be a lot of work. Even the commercially available finished figures are liable to break, as evidenced by the number of posts in our forum about repairs. So, I like to start with the strongest possible bond at the very beginning. If I could solder and not risk melting the figures, I'd use solder for more joins.
Finally, thanks for the glue recommendations. I see you recommend CA Glue or Epoxy...does that mean you do NOT recommend super glue??
Thanks again!
(Going from plastic to metal is more complicated that it seems...haha)
I wouldn't say, "Don't use superglue", it can be useful, especially for fast repairs in a pinch. A lot of guys who paint figures for shows include a tube in their travel kits, or if they didn't bring any glue, they'll use superglue as something available. But if you have the time, it's worth it to buy a glue formulated specifically for hobby use. And CA glue can be used to flow into seams or joints and fill them, too. Plus, it has the advantage of being quick-curing, so you don't have to worry about holding the piece for a long time till the glue sets. You do have to be careful not to glue your fingers together, which we've all done. Acetone dissolves CA glue, by the way, so it pays to keep a can of it on hand, for emergencies, or if you decide you need to disassemble some parts. It's the active component in nail polish remover, but I buy mine at the hardware store. For one thing, I'm a guy, so I'm not buying nail polish remover. For another, nail polish remover will tend to have scents added, and to be a more dilute strength solution, than what you'll find at the hardware store. Also, acetone can be used to clean your brushes, especially if you use enamels. I use mineral spirits for regular cleaning, then dip the brush in acetone, or even lacquer thinner (automotive supply store), when there's a build-up. Acetone can also be used to thin putty, if you use it for filling gaps (I use Squadron white); lacquer thinner can also be used to thin some putties.
Actually, moving from one material to the other isn't too complex--describing it takes a long time
But almost all, if not all, of the supplies and tools can be used for plastic or metal. Like I said, I'm also a scale modeler, and I use all of the same tools, and most of the same paints, for a Stadden figure or for an old Monogram P-51B
This is just from my own experience, too. I like to say, for questions like these, that we'll have just about as many answers as there are painters
Prost!
Brad
