Help with sprue connections

[Darkn3ssF4lls]

I can't seem to figure out how to get the little piece of sprue that's on the model end off. I saw you should use a xeacto doesn't seem to be very effective.

[Jarl of Wulfen]

Can you be more specific? What model, what piece. I find using clippers with a flat side allows for snipping out the pieces closer to the model.

[Gurth]

Use a sharp, pointed hobby knife — you should be able to get that to the little remaining nub and trim it away. Hold the part down onto your work surface to keep it steady, which should go a long way to getting the knife to go where you need it.

 

Alternatively, you can file it down with a needle file, but in 35 years of building plastic models I don’t even remember ever doing that (I suppose I must have for some parts) because a knife is usually all I need to remove the excess plastic.

[Peredyne]

I use Testor's Model Masters' sprue cutters. GW makes a similar tool. Even with those, you will need either a needle file or an Xacto knife to get it smooth and flush with the surface.

[Darkn3ssF4lls]

I'll take some picks but I'm just scraping away and In one cases damaging the edges like on a boo edge and the middle is a sprue location. The boot edge starts to taper out and than I question my xacto scraping.

 

DV set models atm

[Ovidius Incertus]

Which DV sprues?  Most of them are all slotta bases at the feet, and the injection point is into the slotta base, not the feet.  Are you trying to remove the slotta base so you can attach them to a regular base?

 

If that's what you're trying to do, I'd cut the majority of the slotta part off with sprue cutters, then hold the mini against your cutting surface and cut down with your hobby knife (sharp!) to remove the majority of what's left.  Then do final clean up by taking little shavings off at a time.  It works fine, even with delicate feet like Dark Eldar.  Even then, the DV slotta bases all attach to the bottom of a foot, right?  Should give you lots of safe cutting without messing up a visible surface.

[CommodusXIII]

Taking a fresh sprue, I cut around the parts with wirecutters. Each section of sprue hangs by a single connection. A quick twist and pull it away. There will be some plastic to scrape down with your knife, but it's a very clean method. Don't use it on antenas, gun barrels or any other fragile parts.

[Grotsmasha]

Clip from the sprue with Clippers, flat side against the model, and if there's still a little un-eveness use a fine hobby file (GW sells some) to finish itoff.

 

Cheers,

Jono

[Space Truckin]

if you are just starting out the Tamiya Basic Tool Kit is a pretty  good deal.

Clippers, file, tweezers and exacto.  The screwdrivers come in handy with other projects.

 

http://www.tamiyausa.com/images/product/510/74016/custom_head.jpg

[BetterOffShred]

I'll just echo what others have said.  I use the GW trimmers, but any small nose Flat sided trimmer will work, I use a small hobby file set I bought from home depot for 10 bucks, and I use X-acto knives, I like the one with the larger red handle (I have big hands) and I use the smaller aluminum job as well. 

 

I clip the stuff off the sprue with the trimmers, file any leftover unevenness,  and then use the X-acto to scrape mold lines and clean up the "hairyness" from the file.  :)

 

I dislike the method of clipping the piece out leaving a small piece of sprue attached and then twisting it off.  I've done this multiple times and had the twist pull out a little of the surface of the actual piece and it had to be filled and smoothed with green stuff. It just doesn't work out for me personally.

 

Happy Trails :)

 

-Brett