About Holding parts with stick

[avd]

How does everybody hold the parts on a stick to get ready for paints? I used alligator clamp to hold parts but I have to paint again after I remove alligator clamp which pain in the ass. What ya using to hold it?

[griffin-gt40]

Depends on the part. Some parts can be left on the trees pending on where they are fixed. Some I glue to a skewer, stick to a skewer with http://www.blutack.com/ or for a body I use one of these http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tamiya-Spray...item35cadc57ca . The skewered parts I then stick into a piece of floral foam which has enough density to prevent it from toppling over.

David

[avd]

Well I got that for the body stand. Just trying to find out to hold it. I don't think I have blu-Tack in America

[griffin-gt40]

Blu Tack is one of the official brands. Go to a dollar store and ask for the stuff. I know I've gotten it in the States at a dollar store in the past. It'll likely be in the craft or school supply section. Basically its blue plasticine strips that look like chewing gum. Cheap, reusable, even after being painted.

David

[blubaja]

Blutac works great. And it's seemingly endless in the amount of times you can reuse it.

[avd]

I never knew blutac carry in dollar store. I better check it out.

[avd]

Okay, I went online of dollar store and see if they have blutac but doesn't have it. I went walmart online and found this http://www.walmart.com/ip/Duck-Poste...-Pack/17811787. I don't know if the same or not.

[griffin-gt40]

I'd say "yes" its the same stuff just a different colour. I myself have never used that brand, but for the $1 and change for a small pack, buy it and see. If it works buy the large 5 pack for $10, likely that will last you a year or more pending on how much you paint. And if it doesn't work, you're out $1 and change, no huge loss.

Not sure what stores are available to you in your area but Staples has
http://www.staples.com/poster+putty/...997_2_-1_10001
also very cheap. Good luck.

David

[avd]

Okay cool. Thanks, I'll stop by and get it tomorrow

[circuitR]

I just use modeling clay, you can pick it up at most craft shops. I've had a big block for over 10yrs and haven't used a quarter of it yet.

[willimo]

I can usually find a spot to hold the part that will be hidden when the build is done. There are usually positive locator pins, or the holes they go into, which can either be held by a stick or by aligator clips. And often, one part will end up two colors. A steering column, for instance, will be interior color and the switches for the lights and wipers and lights will be black, so I will hold it from the switch. One of my favorite ways to hold stuff is by using 3M trim tape (for 1:1 cars) on the end of a stick, holding it by the hidden side or the side that will be used to attach it to another part - it's sticky enough that just a little bit of surface will hold a small part solidly. It's expensive though, and works just like blutack, so maybe that's a better start.

[Specie]

Toothpicks tape and Styrofoam.

If a part has a hole in it you can probably fit a toothpick through to hold it. You can then stick them in Styrofoam meat package trays to hold them upright between coats. It works great for wheels, engine blocks and suspension pieces. Just be careful it doesn't fly off from the air pressure. If the whole is too big for a toothpick just put tape around the toothpick.

When painting car bodies I often just tape some toothpicks to the inside door area like table legs and prop it on a Styrofoam tray so I can rotate it. I have even lashed together toothpicks together with thin pieces of tape to make a mini scaffold to hold on to.

Another trick I use is to just glue a long piece of sprue to an area that wont be seen and hold the sprue when painting

If you have small drill bits (0.75mm or so) you can drill a hole in an hard to see area and glue a plastic rod into the hole to hold it. When you are done painting you trim the rod flush and touch it up. I use this trick on rear wing main planes a lot.

Lots of creative ways to hold stuff.

[CrateCruncher]

I use cheap masking tape on the end of bamboo skewers. I twist it around the stick once, then reverse the direction so the adhesive is on the outside. Sometimes I scrunch up the tape to give it volume to conform into tight spaces. I'm going to try that blue tack stuff too.

Whatever you decide to use make sure it is secure. What could be worse than a wet painted part getting blown off the holding stick by an airbrush.

[willimo]

Oh, and like Specie said, drilling a hole for a thin plastic rod, I do that tons. Great advice!

[avd]

Wow ya got so many ideas lol. I got the styrofoam already. I'm just figure it out a way to hold parts on tooth pick or a stick. I already used on alligator clamp for certain parts but must other parts I can't used because I need to paint in full that you will understand what I'm talking about.