Removing mould lines from plastic, resin & metal

[Dosjetka]

Hello all,

 

I'm looking at getting some sandpaper to remove mould lines from my models and get a cleaner finish. Until now, I have used my hobby knife to scrape them off and it does work well enough for me to continue using this method on plastic. However I find that on resin it leaves a certain unevenness while on metal... well it doesn't work that well.

What I'm trying to figure out is what type of sandpaper I should be looking at for resin and metal. For resin I should be looking at very fine grit but does anyone have any number suggestions? And what about for removing metal mould lines?

 

Or do you perhaps have an alternative way of removing mould lines that works? If so, do share!

[Jolemai]

I just use a needle file. Failing that, doesn't GW have a tool for the job?

[Raztalin]

I just use a needle file. Failing that, doesn't GW have a tool for the job?

This one?

[Jolemai]

I just use a needle file. Failing that, doesn't GW have a tool for the job?

This one?

Yup. Anyone taken the plunge on that and would care to review it? (Or have a link to a review on here?)

[Dosjetka]

I'm sure that's fine for plastic and perhaps resin, but I doubt it'll be any good on metal models. Or it might work, but you'll still need to go over the area with some sandpaper needles to get a smooth finish.

[KJB]

I just use a needle file. Failing that, doesn't GW have a tool for the job?

This one?

Yup. Anyone taken the plunge on that and would care to review it? (Or have a link to a review on here?)

Seriously, it's the greatest thing I have ever bought from GW - So much better than using files/scalpel blades

Never tried it on metal, but on resin and plastic it's great

[Raztalin]

I just use a needle file. Failing that, doesn't GW have a tool for the job?

This one?

Yup. Anyone taken the plunge on that and would care to review it? (Or have a link to a review on here?)

Seriously, it's the greatest thing I have ever bought from GW - So much better than using files/scalpel blades

Never tried it on metal, but on resin and plastic it's great

Couldn't agree more. I first used one at Warhammer World open day, and went and got one the next visit to the shops. Its brilliant.

For metal - well its been too long for me to comment, i think when i last used metal minis i just ignored them ><.

[NovemberIX]

I've used diamond coated needle files on metal minis and it works like a charm, and I have few complaints about using them on plastic or resin. If there's any grooving (from filing too much in a single direction) I might run an exacto over it to scrape any peaks down flush.

[Arkaniss]

Huh! I thought it was a pointlessly specific tool but with these rave reviews maybe I should get me a mould line remover myself!

For metal I use a file (the old GW ones) or a knife. Just scrape the mould line away just be careful not to press too strongly. The older metal models can be a bit soft* I've found.

*relatively speaking!

[Ovidius Incertus]

For resin and plastic I work with anywhere between 600 and 10000 grit sandpaper. You can find sheets of most at a hardware or autoparts store, but they'll be big sheets. Hobby stores will have sheets precut to smaller sizes and often in a variety pack of grits. Auto sandpaper is often good for dry or we sanding. I'm starting to wet sand resin a lot more often to keep down dust.

[White Wolf]

Have a look at Albion Alloys (UK Company) Flex i File system. I use this for resin, metal and plastic. The system has grits up to about 2000 - used for polishing effectively. You can cut the strips in half long ways and get very thing sanding strips. As the system is based on a metal frame you can detach the sanding strips and thread them through parts of the minis to get to hard to reach places.

http://albionhobbies.com/abrasives

ATB WW

[ronin_cse]

I took the plunge on that GW mould line remover as well and I haven't regretted it for a second. Easily one of my best hobby tools and much better than using a hobby knife.

[Chaplain Raeven]

I use the mould line remover as well, works better than a knife. Although It sees more use to remove dried paint out of my lids.

[Soldier of Dorn]

Maybe it's just me, but I started out using the scraper like the one that GW sells and later on started using a knife, and I find I much prefer using a knife. It's simply more effective in my experience.

[marine7312000]

I'm not sure how well it would work on metal but I'd think it would work well. The scraper portion is one solid piece of metal with no edge to dull like a knife so I'd imagine that you'd be able to buy the tool only once and never have to worry about buying another. I alternate between the scraper and a knife. The knife is used to take off the sprue connection points and then the scraper is used to smooth that area down and remove any mold lines.

[Strength 10]

Is anyone that's using the mouldline remover left handed? I read on a blog post that someone thought it might not work very well for left handers because of the shape of the blade. Thanks!

[marine7312000]

Is anyone that's using the mouldline remover left handed? I read on a blog post that someone thought it might not work very well for left handers because of the shape of the blade. Thanks!

The blade is exactly the same on both sides. The only difference is that your hand would cover the Citadel marking on the handle instead of your fingers doing so.

[Subtle Discord]

Personally, I swear by Swiss-made Grobet jewelers files. Seriously, don't underestimate just how superior a good file is for mould line removal as well as other hobby jobs. They can deal with all manner of plastics and resin, and also have no problem with pewter and other softer metals, but they also perform flawlessly on any kind of sculpting materials like greenstuff or milliput.

 

You can get them through any well stocked jewelry tool supplier; I get mine online at Contenti. (Also the best place for razor-thin Jewelers Saws and replacement blades in many sizes; another 'must have' in my opinion) They are a few dollars more then cheaper hobby files (in fact I've seen cheaper inferior hobby files being sold for the same price and more at retail) but they are well worth the investment and if you treat them well they'll last for at least 10+ years; they are cutting tools after all, and will dull after time depending on just how much you use them.

 

http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j332/SubtleDiscord/From%20the%20Wastes%20Blog%20Photos/Top3_Files.jpg

If I could only choose three I would get a #4 Half Round,  a #4 Full Round, and a #2 Equalling (Rectangle); these will cover 98% of the jobs you'll encounter.

 

Every once-and-awhile you'll run into a job that could benefit from some of the other shapes (and it may be more often if you have a particular job) but these three will rarely let you down. With perfectly formed teeth and sharp crisp edges, these files work perfectly and can get into even stubborn places like corrugated hose with no problem. Look closely and you can't deny how good they are.

 

http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j332/SubtleDiscord/From%20the%20Wastes%20Blog%20Photos/GroberFiles1.jpg

A #6 on top, a #4 in the middle, and a #2 on the bottom.

 

Like buying good brushes, these won't suddenly make you better at building, but they will perform perfectly every time you use them so you don't have to worry about the tool damaging something you're working carefully on. With a light touch these files will polish a surface to a primer-ready state, and with some modest pressure (especially with a #2) they can easily chew through material quite quickly. And with the Round and Half Round you can deal with almost any shape or contour you might run into.

 

Edit: and for the record I have the 6.25" length ones and they are a prefect size for me. I'm not certain if the 4" would be slightly smaller for smaller jobs, but I might get a few to see someday.

[Tyberos the Red Wake]

Most hobbyists like to pay as little as possible for their hobby tools, but I would recommend something like Subtle Discord's files. I bought those cheap files because "they're just files", but they're all sorts of greasy, gross, pig metal. I'd much rather have a clean, pristine set of files with very fine and well-crafted teeth patterns, even if it costs a lot more money.

 

It's because of crappy cheap files that I don't enjoy filing miniatures and prefer to shave with a knife or sand with sandpaper.

[Major_Gilbear]

Subtle Discord is spot-on with his post. I use files of this type (they've lasted me... Oh, well over 20-odd years!), and I would suggest dusting them from time to time with a little bit of white chalk as well. The chalk helps to stop the files from getting so gummed up when filing metal models, and therefore preserves the cutting faces for much longer.

 

I would also recommend having a look at emery boards for doing your nails with in your local supermarket/pharmacist/general store. These are great for cleaning up bigger areas on models (especially metal and resin) that are rough or which aren't flush, and often come in very fine grades which are excellent for finishing with. They are cheap and disposable too, so just chuck 'em away when they get tatty.