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If your painting something WHITE with a spray then spray it BLACK first. leave overnight and then spray white

What's the best way to get pins out of joints?
I'm planning on repainting 2 dotm Sideswipes as G1 Sideswipe and SunStreaker.

SkyWarpsGhost wrote:What's the best way to get pins out of joints?
I'm planning on repainting 2 dotm Sideswipes as G1 Sideswipe and SunStreaker.

Very gently, and very carefully, tap them out using a small nail and a hammer.

Hi all

I'm finishing up a repaint of Impossible Toys Medic (which I got in BBTS clearance) as Arcee. This is the first figure, or anything for that matter, I've actually repainted in any seriousness and I'm just about done but was wondering about a sealant.

Since her body is only held together by about two screws and the rest are tiny little clip/hinges I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for a sealant that would work well for the tiny moving parts, or if it will make any difference at all.

And if it's an option (I have no idea) a low gloss or unnoticeable finish to suit the classic figures better.

Thanks in advance

fotfom wrote:Hi all

I'm finishing up a repaint of Impossible Toys Medic (which I got in BBTS clearance) as Arcee. This is the first figure, or anything for that matter, I've actually repainted in any seriousness and I'm just about done but was wondering about a sealant.

Since her body is only held together by about two screws and the rest are tiny little clip/hinges I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for a sealant that would work well for the tiny moving parts, or if it will make any difference at all.

And if it's an option (I have no idea) a low gloss or unnoticeable finish to suit the classic figures better.

Thanks in advance

Testors Dullcoate is about as good as it comes. However, if the moving parts you mention rub on each other, even a sealant won't stand up to too much movement. Check for paint rub issues before you seal it.

Hotwire Customs wrote:Testors Dullcoate is about as good as it comes. However, if the moving parts you mention rub on each other, even a sealant won't stand up to too much movement. Check for paint rub issues before you seal it.

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll give this a shot, I'm just hoping not to restrict the movement by adding too many thick layers on these smaller parts, I don't sit and transform my figures all day but at the same time don't want the paint rubbing off the second I look at it, so hopefully your suggestion will serve me well.

Thanks again.

Planning is the most important

I've been trying to remove the pins from the lower leg of Tomahawk, but the pin won't budge (even after hammering). Should I heat a bit the plastic (with a hairdryer) before hammering?

I need advice on preparing a figure to paint. I'm a real amateur at repaints...dont have a lot of time, just do it for fun. I want to paint RID Powerizer Prime as his paint apps are just awful...In the past I've had trouble getting the figure to take the paint. I've read about washing with warm soapy water but I'm wondering about sanding that I've heard about.

It would make sense that it would allow the paint something to hold onto, but wouldnt the figure show scratches from the sanding?

Thanks,

For the pin removal, try heating the pin using the tip of a soldering iron. Be very careful not to touch the surrounding plastic as this could harm the figure beyond repair. First, figure out which end of the pin see threaded. Then heat the pin for a few seconds. Once its heated, push from the other end. When the tip pokes out, grab it with your needlenose pliers, and pull it out. Go slow, don't rush. If you melt the plastic too much, it's ruined.

As for prep, it all depends on the paints. For most of my work, I lay down a base of Krylon Camouflage Ultra Flat Black as a primer, then go over that with Testers enamels. You can sand it to promote adhesion, just be sure to use a 1200 grit paper or higher so as not to gouge the plastic. Also a good idea to transform the figure while in the primer stage to find rub spots and then sand those down using an emory board first, to remove the bulk of the material. Then use progressively high grit sand paper to smooth the finish. Go slow at this stage as you can always take away more plastic but, you cannot put it back.


I hope this helps you guys. Another word of advice, practices these tricks on junkers! That way, if you mess up, no harm done to your project.