Focalplane
Western Thunderer
Jim McGowen (Connoisseur Models) suggests soaking a new brush in PVA and let it dry before using. The brush lasts a lot longer so presumably fewer shards come loose when being used. A win win concept!
Coming to terms with fibreglass brushes
- Thread starter Richard H
- Start date
All I got from soaking them in PVA was something that felt like rubbing a twig on the model - lots of friction, no abrasion.
The pain of the shards is not too bad and disappears after a few days. Try forgetting you've just cut chilli peppers and going to the loo if you want pain.
The pain of the shards is not too bad and disappears after a few days. Try forgetting you've just cut chilli peppers and going to the loo if you want pain.
Pencarrow
Western Thunderer
Possibly too much PVA in the mix? I use a mix with c60-70% water.
Richard Gawler
Western Thunderer
I bought some 2mm diameter refills from Eileen's and soaked them overnight in Wilko PVA. After they had dried out I tried one and it shed bits and wore out just as quicky as ever. Then I soaked it in Evo Stik Resin W and it ended up rock-hard. Took a while to get it to start and then it worked really well, fewer shards.
A few weeks later my clutch pencil flew apart, sending its cap and spring in opposite directions.
I have bought a burnishing stick from Halfords. This is like a 4mm diameter version. It doesn't shed bits but it doesn't seem to cut into solder much either. I am using wet and dry paper now.
A few weeks later my clutch pencil flew apart, sending its cap and spring in opposite directions.
I have bought a burnishing stick from Halfords. This is like a 4mm diameter version. It doesn't shed bits but it doesn't seem to cut into solder much either. I am using wet and dry paper now.
Max M
Western Thunderer
Simon, I use a micro torch to solder which doesn't leave too much to clean up and minimises the need to use the brush.
Then it is down to a scraper to remove the majority of the solder and finally I try to keep the length of fibre as short as is practical.
What tends to come off is more dust like rather than longer fibres.
Focalplane
Western Thunderer
Arrived on Monday, Southern Pacific Class P-14 (HO brass by Hallmark), body off and attacked with glass fibre brush. Embarrassed to say I didn’t get one shard in my leathery hands! This is a first pass, more work needed in the corners and behind the handrails etc. I may use a small brass wire brush in my Dremel for this.
It looks as though the model has not been used much, just sitting in its box as so many of these models do. I feel I got a bargain. More details will be here.
It looks as though the model has not been used much, just sitting in its box as so many of these models do. I feel I got a bargain. More details will be here.
simond
Western Thunderer
I do get the "don't put more on than you need" approach - sometimes I'm really good at the invisible solder, other times...
I think the difficulty I face, and suspect I am not alone, is that the fibres need to be long enough to prevent the ferrule scratching the detail, so its difficult to keep it really short.
I have tried, and use, scrapers of various shapes and sizes, and I have also tried the PVA technique, both of which seem to help.
My approach is to use the dread brush over the sink where I do my jiffing and ultrasonic cleaning. Hopefully the dust and shards get washed away and do no harm that way. In particular, it prevents them getting trapped in the rough mdf at the edge of my workbench, and thence embedded in my forearms, which I particularly dislike.