Working with the clear parts of a plastic model aircraft or vehicle can be very
frustrating at times. Scratches, glue fogging and paint over spray are just some of
the problems you can encounter with that aircraft canopy or car windshield piece.
Here are a few tips for working with the clear plastic pieces of any scale model
kit.
Gluing the Piece:
- White glue is the usual method for simply attaching the clear piece to the rest of
the model. It doesn’t mar the clear plastic and it will dry clear. It is also water
soluble so a damp towel can wipe up excess before it dries. You can get this glue
anywhere.
- Lots of detail sets in photo-etched metal are available to detail canopies and
windshields. So now the problem becomes gluing metal to the inside of a clear piece
without marring or fogging. Here the recommendation is watch crystal cement. This
cement dries clear and is slightly flexible. It’s mainly used by jewelers to, you
guessed it, cement crystals on wristwatches. This glue is harder to obtain, but you
should be able to find it at a jeweler’s supply house or Website.
- Clear enamel, painted on the part being attached to the canopy will work also, just
wait until the paint is tacky and place into position.
Fixing Scratches:
- First, get some “wet and dry” sandpaper in a variety of grades from medium to super
fine. Start with about 600 grade and gently sand the piece progressively using finer
grades (800, 1000, 1200, 2000). You can get progressively fine sheets from
automobile supply stores as the sheets are commonly used in body work. The sheets
may also be available in super fine grits at your favorite hobby shop or craft store.
Remember to keep the area you are sanding lubricated with water so the debris does
not scratch further, ideally do the sanding under a running water tap. Continue this
process until you cannot see any scratches when you dry the part.
- Next the clear piece will need to be polished with a high quality plastic or metal
polish. Any brand of toothpaste with a “brightening” capability can also be used as
a fine grit polish. Apply and polish using a soft clean cotton cloth like a white
t-shirt. Polish until you get a nice shine.
- Finally you can enhance the gloss with clear acrylic floor polish. Wash and dry
your clear part and dip it in the floor polish and allow the polish to coat the
plastic piece. Lightly touch the corner of a paper towel to any excess polish and it
will draw it off. Let it dry undisturbed on a clean surface. The clear floor polish
will flow into any finite scratches left from the sanding and polishing. It will
also keep the clear piece from fogging when used with chemical glues like super
glue.
- By the way the same techniques can be used to gently sand away any errant paint or
over spray on the clear piece.
Tinting a Clear Part:
- Need to tint the windshield or canopy of your kit? How about the headlights, tail
lights or running lamps? No problem. Several of the major hobby paint manufacturers
offer clear tints now. Probably your easiest solution. However if you are in a jam
for green, yellow, red, or blue tints–just grab the liquid food colors out of the
kitchen cabinet! These are easily mixed to color the clear acrylic floor polish we
used to apply that final shine. If you just need it in certain places just brush it
on.
These tips for working with clear styrene parts on your model kit are really very
simple. However, please try them out on some old clear pieces or clear sprue for
practice first. Then, once you have the hang of it, dress up that prized kit!