How are they holding up?

[moon puppy]

How are your old completed models holding up over time?

I don't have a display case, just a shelf down in the garage to store the old stuff on. I was showing some of the old things to my 14 year old nephew and discovered my Tamiya Mustang is not faring well. Dust seems to have settled in hard on the upper surfaces. I attempted to dust it and found the finish coming off. Shocker right, considering the issues I had with that build?

There's some others that are doing better than this one, dust just comes right off, flat finished ones are fine also.

So how are y'alls holding up?

 

[MrT]

I keep mine in some sort of box so they are protected from dust and sunlight, but even with that glue weakens over time and paint will chip and crack.

B)

 

[Paulw]

The wife gave me an old make up brush that I use to dust them off every so often. It doesn't lift the finish so easily.

 

[ausf]

This is why I don't finish anything...

 

[Jeeves]

This is why I don't finish anything...

I have a handmade case that I keep finished stuff in and I still get dust on them... :facepalm :idonno

 

[SA Dave]

I have an old shaving cream brush that really gets rid of the dust (and missiles and antena wires and ......)

 

[moon puppy]

The wife gave me an old make up brush that I use to dust them off every so often. It doesn't lift the finish so easily.

I used a wide paint brush, it's like this dust has eaten into the finish, it's embedded. Still think there was something screwy with that paint job. Think I may pull it out one day and strip it down and do a mulligan. I noticed that the blue and black stripes clean fine, it was just the NMF spots.

On the other hand, I got another NMF bird sitting right next to it and dust just rolls off.

 

[Tojo72]

I have mine in cases in my basement,they are pretty tight as there is little dust that I can find.I clean them maybe 3 times a year,and once in awhile I will knock something off,but otherwise,my oldest are about 15 years old and no problems.

 

[Old Dog]

Dusting models was one of the things that drove me to build a display case before I got back into modeling again. I still have a dozen or so models that I built in the early 70s. Most have been boxed up for nearly 40 years. Other than the glue giving way and small parts getting knocked off most have held up quite well. Two things haven't, the first being decals, many have yellowed, curled up or just flaked off. The other is the Testors Dullcote I used back then has yellowed over time in spite of being isolated from the sun and light. This is quite noticeable especially on the lighter colored bottom sides as I almost always applied the Dullcote before attaching the landing gear doors and they still show the original underside color while the rest is much darker from the yellowing.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

This is one of my oldest models, The Hasegawa 1/72 He51B. I built it somewhere between 1986-88. It has stretched sprue for all the rigging and the only thing busted or missing is the 4 point radio antenna that goes from the 2 wing tip pylons and the vertical stab. (it was also stretched sprue but very fine) It popped in the middle and I finally removed it. Other than the decals having a slight touch of yellow it is in great shape considering it went to several contests back when and through 8 moves.

 

[moon puppy]

Very nice Paul, done well on that.

I guess I need to break down and get display case to store the things I'm proud of. Still thinking of striping that Mustang just to see what happens. :hmmm

 

[Skinny_Mike]

My biggest problem was from the move. I was able to fix most of them but almost everything sustained some sort of damage. The display case is nice, but what do you do when its full????

 

[moon puppy]

My biggest problem was from the move. I was able to fix most of them but almost everything sustained some sort of damage. The display case is nice, but what do you do when its full????

Do what PhantomII did, get another case.

 

[Flyingbabydoc]

Hello all,

I prefer a glass cabinet(I have one, after MUCH discussion with the wife). Otherwise, just plain wooden shelves. What does a lot of good is washing the models at least 3-4x a year with a spray we use in the hospital to clean ultrasound devices - it has a strong antifungal and antibacterial component that really prevents the decals and paint from getting yellow over time. Besides, I noticed that a lot of the dust was actually not dust but rather spores and fungal components. Right now the models I have built 6-7 years ago look almost exactly like they were build yesterday (horrible, of course, but that is just because I am such a terrible modeller).

I have no older models, all got lost in the moves across continents...

Here is a pic of the product we use:

Cheers all,

Alex

 

[moon puppy]

Thanks Alex, the stuff on the Mustang do look like they are spores as they are kinda grouped up together, I know there's a scientific term for that but I work IT...what do I know.

I wonder if there's a commercial brand name of that stuff we should look for?

 

[Tojo72]

My biggest problem was from the move. I was able to fix most of them but almost everything sustained some sort of damage. The display case is nice, but what do you do when its full????

Right now I have four diffrent cases,that part of the basement is pretty much mine,but yes they will get full eventually.some of my older stuff is just filling space no up to present standards,those will go in the trash or the spare parts bin eventually.

 

[Flyingbabydoc]

Thanks Alex, the stuff on the Mustang do look like they are spores as they are kinda grouped up together, I know there's a scientific term for that but I work IT...what do I know.

I wonder if there's a commercial brand name of that stuff we should look for?

Do you mean the hyphae? If you have seen that indeed they are contaminated by fungii. I will look into a commercial brand, at lease here in Germany you can actually buy that bottle in a pharmacy.

Cheers

Alex

 

[phantom II]

Does it come in gallon containers ? Got a few models here :frantic

Even in cabinets, the dust seeps in over time but I must say I have sealed the cabinets fairly well and I's been a long time since I've cleaned anything .

Even the windows have gotten something on the insides.

Cheers, Christian B)

 

[moon puppy]

Thanks Alex, the stuff on the Mustang do look like they are spores as they are kinda grouped up together, I know there's a scientific term for that but I work IT...what do I know.

I wonder if there's a commercial brand name of that stuff we should look for?

Do you mean the hyphae? If you have seen that indeed they are contaminated by fungii. I will look into a commercial brand, at lease here in Germany you can actually buy that bottle in a pharmacy.

Cheers

Alex

I google the name, it seems to be the company name, what is the stuff in the bottle?

Had to google Hyphae..no it's not like branching out but more like a colony. Doesn't dust off. Thinking now I should be worried about what's growing in the garage. :frantic

 

[Sharkmouth]

I wonder if there's a commercial brand name of that stuff we should look for?

I get it for free since my wife is a Physical Terrorist but this is the brand and the bottle is available for $10USD shipped via eBay:


Regards,