Ferrari 156 Sharknose: Prep work

Preparation for these kits is crucial. First step was to sort all the bits, especially the white metal bits, into a partitioned storage case, as few pieces are on a sprue as in styrene kits. This allows a count of things like brake parts, engine parts, suspension parts and so on to take place, and to get a feel for the various bits.



Next is to put all the white metal bits through a bath of acetone (a.k.a. nail polish remover). Five minutes degreases the parts and removes any mold release agents that might have been used but not removed by the factory. This is followed by a rinse in hot running water and air drying, first on paper towels then in the hot afternoon sun.



These steps all took place without losing anything to the Carpet Monster, or, worse yet, the drain in the sink. Metal bits won't float so they can be rinsed under running water in a loaf pan or equivalent; small resin or styrene bits need to be rinsed in a mesh-bottomed vessel to avoid losing anything.



The next step should be some sort of polishing of the metal bits. This is always a bit tricky as the parts are all easily bent. Several people I know of online use magnetic jewelry tumblers, which are for cleaning and polishing jewelry, but there is the cost of the gizmo ($300 and up on Amazon) and the bench space required. Plan B is to prime and paint everything, although pitting in the surface of the part will show through. Plan C is some sort of manual process with Brasso or equivalent, but this will require another dip in the acetone. Decisions, decisions. I'll look it all over, and probably go with a mix of Plan B, with added hand-polishing as in Plan C where needed.



Separately there is debate online over proper cleanup procedure for the resin bits. These are actually some form of polymer, not the porous urethane stuff used in less expensive kits, and they come on a sprue, implying the raw mixture flows easily in fairly narrow tubes. Perhaps the mold is also pressurised, as in some form of injection molding? Anyway there will be mold release agents here as well, although not the same as the ones in the white metal molds. One correspondent recommends 5% vinegar, diluted 3:1; I have used a quick isopropyl alcohol bath in the past. Here I used the dilute acetic acid approach, followed by a wash in warm water and lots of Dawn dish detergent. While the resin bits air-dry, I'll head over to the hardware to get more primer.

Stay tuned!