Switch Theme:

Better tools for removing flash?  [RSS] Share on facebook Share on Twitter Submit to Reddit
»
Author Message
Advert


Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:
  • No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
  • Times and dates in your local timezone.
  • Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
  • Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
  • Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.
If you are already a member then feel free to login now.




Made in us
Been Around the Block






Boy oh boy do I hate removing flash. Scraping with a knife is slow, error-prone and doesn't always result in the best finish. There must be a better way to do this. Are there any power-tooly ways to do this better? Like some kind of very gentle Dremel deal? I would sure love to be able to produce better results much more quickly. Suggestions?
   
Made in gb
Stalwart Veteran Guard Sergeant





UK

Anything motorised, whilst probably quicker, will most certainly resolve in your ruining the model. Just too much power for a delicate job.

The tool that changed everything around for me, because using a knife is dangerous on the details hence taking a long time, is GW's flash remover. It comes with a useless brush (toothbrush is better) but the tool is great.

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?prodId=prod1380022a


   
Made in gb
Rotting Sorcerer of Nurgle





Portsmouth UK

Have to agree that the GW tool is pretty good.
I do use it on conjuncion with a knife & file to get the best results though.
Sometimes I even use wet & dry paper too if I'm feeling particularly anal.

Check out my gallery here
Also I've started taking photos to use as reference for weathering which can be found here. Please send me your photos so they can be found all in one place!! 
   
Made in us
Gargantuan Gargant





Binghamton, NY

I've heard generally good things about the MicroMark Seam Scraper. The triangular cutting head lets you lay a face against the surface behind the leading cutting edge, keeping a proper angle to shave away the mold line (like the shoe of a plane stabilizes the iron). Problem is, you need a reasonably flat surface for that to work and mold lines on most troop and MC models are in more precarious positions. Even if it's an improvement when it can be used, you'd still have to resort to the usual method for the tricky spots (which could end up being more than half of the model, depending on the sculpt).

Rotary tools, as Rusty Robot says, are generally overpowered. Anything that can abrade away a mold line can also abrade away nearby surface details and quickly. Many bits would also leave a rough finish, requiring further cleanup that negates any time and effort saved. Really, though, the difficulty in controlling them with the necessary degree of accuracy makes is what makes their use for the task a fool's errand, as far as I'm concerned.

Honestly, I don't think there is a faster, easier way to go about it than the classic knife/files/emery board route. Practice increases speed and quality of finish, of course, but there's a limit. I think you just have to grin and bear it. Since mold line removal is so widely held to be the single most odious task in the painting and modelling process, I would imagine that if anyone found a much better way, we'd all have heard of it, by now.

The Dreadnote wrote:But the Emperor already has a shrine, in the form of your local Games Workshop. You honour him by sacrificing your money to the plastic effigies of his warriors. In time, your devotion will be rewarded with the gift of having even more effigies to worship.
 
   
Made in us
Morphing Obliterator





San Francisco, CA

I can vouch for micromark's seam scraper. it's a great little tool. it works much the same way that using the back of your hobby knife does, but the scraper is much more rigid (better control) and doesn't dull like knife blades do. the point on the scraper is so fine that you can get it anywhere you can get a hobby knife. what I normally do is use a hobby knife to remove any big chunks of flash and to smooth out the bits where it was connected to the sprue. then I go in with the scraper and clean up the other mold lines. for larger, more prominent areas (thighs on a space marine, top of the helmet, etc) I'll hit them with a couple different grades of sandpaper to make sure they're extra smooth. it's a slow process, but I'm super anal about cleaning up mold lines.

Night Lords P&M Blog: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/502731.page
Salamanders P&M Blog: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/436120.page

"Sternguard though, those guys are all about kicking ass. They'd chew bubble gum as well, but bubble gum is heretical. Only tau chew gum." - MajorStoffer

"Everytime I see someone write a message in tactics saying they need help because they keep loosing games, I want to drive my face through my own keyboard." - Jimsolo 
   
 
Forum Index » Painting & Modeling
Go to: