Preparing Fine Resin Models

Creating a finely painted and modelled tabletop army requires patience and time. Many of the leading modelling companies have moved from metal to plastic to resin miniatures, as resin tend to cost less and had better detail. Injection molding is becoming more popular and is now one of the leading methods of manufacture. Injection molding consists of injecting resin into a finely crafted mold and allowing it to set.

However resin requires more than just a bit of glue in order to prepare it for painting. This quick guide will tell you how to clean the model and remove unwanted excess mold lubricant and 'flashing' and how to begin the early stages of painting.

When you first get your resin models, they'll probably be attached to a sprue, which holds the individual parts together in one place. Using a sharp pair of modelling clippers, or a blade, remove the individual components from the sprue. Due to the nature of injection molding, there is often waste resin known as 'flashing' which forms at the point where the liquid is poured into the mould. Sometimes, you may also find wafer thin excess resin too, which surrounds the model. Using your clippers, remove this byproduct and clean it up as well as you can. Any holes can easily be filled in later with modelling putty.

Now take a fine modelling file or a moldline remover and file/scape off any mould lines that have formed. These will look like ridges that run along the outside of the model and show where the mold fits together. You now have a miniature that has been cleaned of excess resin and is ready for cleaning.

To help remove the models from the casts they are covered in, a special type of lubricant that can interfere with your painting and make it difficult for the base coat to stick. Take your components and put them into a bowl of warm soapy water and gently scrub each part with a very soft toothbrush. This will remove the residue that often makes the model look glossy, so you'll know the model is clean when it dries with a slightly matt finish. In the water, you can gently reposition any part of the model that is bent too, just my holding it in place and letting it cool.

Now you're ready to glue. Use a good superglue once the model is dry, followed by a coat of primer spray paint to allow the base coat to adhere to the model.


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