Cleaning your models?

[Green_Elite_Cab]

I try not to handle them at all, but if I do, it is near the running boards, and not/never on the shells. As a result, my engines develop a coat of dust over time, but if I do happen to touch them, it isn't a sticky sensation, just dry paint. Also, except for weathering with acrylic washes, I don't paint at all.

For getting rid of dust, I use my breath and/or a clean, dry artist's brush with longish bristles. I flick the brush gently over the item and blow at what is raised by that action.

It goes all over the layout, but a later sprtiz with water and a bit of isopropyl alcohol over any dusty ground foam will soon have it looking prety good again. Or, you can try a gentle vacuuming over the ground foam, but be prepared to have to add a touch up layer.

-Crandell

yeah, i to tend to only pick things up by the frames, or the bottom of the fuel tanks and the roofs (usually in a convenient spot), and i always try to minimize anytime my bare fingers touch the model. this is also just in case the shell isn't on properly.

That said, the model in question was being handled by someone else, who put their hands all over it trying to bend a couple trip pin in place. the model had been in a box for couple months prior, and he claimed it felt a little sticky. being dumb, i touched it to, but i don't think either of us left a print, but it worried me that it was feeling like something was on it after i put it fresh into it's box and it has not been touched for months. its only a small area on the long hood that feels like paint that is not quite dry., but dry enough to appear finished. the worse i found was a whitish look (its a black locomotive), and even that only shows in certain light. Still, i wanted to give it a good cleaning. I know some of my other models look like they could use a cleaning.