Removing Flash from Plastic Figures

Plastic soldiers and models are usually made using molds composed of two big pieces of steel that fit together.  Molten plastic is injected into the mold under pressure to insure all the cavities are filled with plastic.  When the two halves don’t match up exactly some plastic will leak out.  This leaves some amount of excess plastic along the mold line, or seam, of the model.  Companies expect this “flash” as it is called, to be removed by the consumer.

If you can’t see the flash well, it’s difficult to remove.  I like to use an Ott light; they provide a very bright natural light that’s designed for people who craft or hobby projects.  It makes a huge difference when you can see the flash clearly.

Use the proper tool for the proper job.  Don’t use a cheap sprue cutter.  Don’t use nail cutters, wire cutters, or even knife blades to cut troops off the sprue.  That extra bit of a nib you have to remove from each soldier is just that much more work.  Spend some money on a Tamiya sprue cutter.  It's about $25 or more.  It's expensive, it's worth every penny.  I have every brand and every version of sprue cutter, all of them, the Tamiya is way better for cutting troops and bits off the sprue.  

The Tamiya sprue cutter is very thin and one side is very flat.  It will allow you to get right up next to the part when you cut it from the sprue.  Often no more trimming is necessary because the cut will be perfect.

However, don't cut anything except plastic with it.  You will ruin it if you cut metal, even once.  I keep an extra pair of wire cutters nearby when cutting model parts or troops off the sprue in case I need to cut a piece of wire.  The metal used in a sprue cutter is soft and will deform if you cut metal with it.

Then use the trusty #1 X-Acto handle that takes the old standard #11 blades.  But the old #11 blade is obsolete for cutting off flash.  I use Model Master #11 blades or the X-Acto Z series Gold Blade.  Like the sprue cutter they cost more, but you get more value for them.  They are very sharp and worth every penny.

I replace them frequently but I save the old blades.  Old blades get put on old handles
for rough work on metal figures or other projects where a perfectly sharp blade is less critical.  Change blades after every hour to keep them sharp.  A sharp blade is a safer blade.

One final note, don’t work for more than an hour at a time.  Get up, walk around, drink some water or juice and take a break for at least 15 minutes.  Your eyes need to rest. Your mind needs to be sharp because those blades are sharp.  

My best friend, Randy, from Fidelis Models puts out a newsletter from time to time and I wrote this article originally for that newsletter.  I have reposted it here because I have had people ask me about flash removal.  https://fidelismodels.com/ 
 https://www.redbubble.com/people/bunkertalkwar/works/30633204-world-war-two-era-us-army-lee-tank-with-soldiers?asc=u 

Check out the cool Bunker Talk gear at:  

Piano

Scratch built bench.

Man seated on bench.

Man seated on bench at scratch built piano.

Ready to play.

1/72nd scale grand piano.

Scratch built as part of my WWII German Berlin embassy project.

OC Fair

I visited the Orange County Fair this summer.

This model of a mission won a prize.

It is 1/48th scale and included Pegasus Mission Indians.

The courtyard was particularly nice I thought.

This small diorama used 1/72nd scale figures.

It was WWII US vs Japanese.  Pretty interesting to see main stream use for models.

1938 US Army

This is one of the Tootsie Toy 37mm AA guns.  The barrel was broken off.

Drill out the remaining barrel with a pin vise.

I stripped the plastic off a small paperclip, the same diameter as the hole in the barrel.

Insert the wire into the hole.

I use this very liquid CA type glue to hold the wire in the hole.

Soaking the Paint Off

Caesar Miniatures made a line of figures for the recent Beijing Olympics. I got a bunch of them but don't really care that much about the Beijing Olympics. I have been trying to remove the paint so I can re-paint them. For decades we have been waiting for a paint that will stick well to soft plastic figures. This paint sure is it.

First, in deference to my friend Tom, I tried Simple Green. Soaking overnight, they were just as painted as they were before. Despite vigorous brushing with a toothbrush, the paint just barely removed. So, I tried my favorite, EZ Off oven cleaner. It did no better. Then I tried paint remover. After about fifteen minutes, I took out the sample figure and the paint was coming off, but the figure was melting too. Okay, I want the paint off, but melting the paint and the figure is not a realistic solution.

Finally, I tried brake fluid. It soaked for a couple hours and with a bit of toothbrush work, there was some paint removed. Then I added a few more figures and let them soak for 24 hours. The figures were in perfect shape and a bit more of the paint loosened up. Now they have been soaking for 72 hours and I will try again.

Surplus Vehicle Uses

Sometimes when purchasing large numbers of models I mis-count or I buy a collection and end up with a couple surplus items. I like to have unusual items in my collection so when I find myself with an odd item, I like to find a use for it rather than trade it off or sell it. The US Army Air Forces used the B-17 bomber all during World War Two. They were an old design even at the beginning of the war and by then end they were declared obsolete, and most were sold and scrapped.

Some of the B-17 were converted into executive transports and used for years afterwards. That would be an easy conversion, remove all the guns, plate over the holes and paint it in fancy gloss colors. The Korean War and Cold War meant that Generals and other high priority passengers needed to travel around the world quickly. Some were used as air / sea rescue planes and a few even carried a whaleboat that they could drop into the water. Air operations remained at a high tempo even after the war due to transition to jet aircraft there were many crashes.

Other B-17s were used as target drones. The development of air to air missiles led to the need to fly large targets to simulate Soviet bombers. While some B-17s were expended as targets, others were used as target and drone controllers.

Military equipment often has multiple lives, as first line weapons systems and then often later as test vehicles or even in civilian life. The B-17 is just one example I can name. Sherman tanks were used post war, even now, for lumber crews and other civil users. Before you dispose of that surplus vehicle, do some research and find out if there are other uses for that seemingly surplus vehicle.