Reddit reviews Cutters - Xuron Professional Sprue Cutter 2175ET

Frosting - any white marks on models after post-curing are usually due to residual IPA or water left on the print. If you make sure they are completely dry before putting them under the UV lights you will get rid of most of this (I use an airbrush or compressed air can to help speed things along.

For fixing divots etc you can try to remove most supports before post curing as the resin will be softer and less likely to fracture (leading to divots). Otherwise you have to look to tips from plastic modellers and use putty and glue to fill and then sand. The tools you use are also important - proper modelling sprue cutters (side cutter and tweezer types) put less stresses on the resin and lead to cleaner cuts. Final clean up can be done carefully with a sharp new blade in an xacto knife (a magnifier of some sort helps). 99% of the time I remove supports after the IPA washes and before post-curing (use gloves!). Tamiya Sprue Cutter & Sprue tweezers

The shininess when you do not wash in IPA is the extra resin on the model hardening to a smooth finish. When you wash it off the layers and 'pixels' in the model are more apparent and your get the matt finish. I have not experimented much with this but you can try adding a clear coat over your model at the end of the process to restore some clarity.

Things I've learned starting out:

Wash the miniatures. I found the easiest way was those little ziploc plastic containers. Warm dishsoapy water in them, throw a few minis in, scrub them with an old toothbrush, rinse them off and toss them into a second ziploc container filled with plain water. Then drain and refill that a few times to get all the soap out. Be careful you don't dump them down a drain.

Take them out of the warm fresh water and put em onto a plate with a paper towel or something to dry. I like to organize them into which model belongs to what at this point.

I invested on a sprue cutter and it has been WONDERFUL for me to remove pesky mold lines and the bigger tags sticking out of models. Also an xacto knife helps.

I got some cheap needle files from Harbor Freight and they've helped get the flash lines flush without any weirdness.

After your stuffs all pretty and moldline free I tend to toss it into a sonic cleaner because I work at a lab. It might be placebo but the industrial strength badass one at work seems to get clean and I mean... why not? But you can do the water and rinse again. Or even just do it once, after the mold line removal. (Side note: sonic cleaners are PRETTY RADICAL for removing paint from miniatures with some simple green. I love it. Saves me a lot of scrubbing.)

Anyway once its dry I personally use this glue and some stuff called green stuff to fill in gaps. Heres a tut showing the basic idea

Once they're assembled I use some good ol elmer's white glue on the bases and dip em in sand and shake them off. Tutorial that shows that

Then prime your stuff. Tons of tutorials about it and tons of everyone saying which is their favorite primer, spray or brush on, different types of primer, different brands. Some stand by Army Painter or Citadel. I've had good results with Rustoleum Ultra Cover 2x White primer. I've recently picked up some TAMIYA WHITE which I hear good things about. Trying them on some Morats tomorrow.

Lots of other good info has been posted too! I also just started probably, shit, 6 months ago, so this is stuff I've had to pick up and learn as I go.

Side cutter nippers.

https://www.gunpla101.com/review-god-hand-ultimate-nipper/

There's a range...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001TMZ7QA

Been painting a few years and lurking here forever, here's my advice:

> Mixing Brush: I am told that you should not mix paint with your primary brushes. Where can I buy a cheap brush for mixing, and anything special I need?

If I'm already using a "larger" brush (1 or higher) I'll mix with my good brushes and just be mindful of how far up the ferrule I am or use the back of the brush. If I'm using a detail brush I'll use a super cheap synthetic 2 or 3. Look on amazon or at a local art chain (Michaels) for cheap student grade packs of round brushes. You'll end up using these for terrain, PVA glue, and all sorts of other things.

> More Brushes: My kit came with a 2 flat and 0 round. What other brushes will I need, and what in your opinion is a good brand to buy? Any set that covers all the basics? Although I am new to painting, I'd like something that will last me and be quality. They sell SoHo brushes in my local store, which look like they are great quality. Any users here?

This topic can get pretty involved. Brushes have a lifespan so if you're new to the hobby I wouldn't recommend dropping money on higher end Kolinsky brushes like W&N Series 7 or daVinci Maestro. For a new painter I recommend Winsor & Newton's University series and Army Painter's Wargamer brushes. The W&N University brushes are higher than average student quality acrylic brushes that can be abused. They're great for basecoating with thicker mixes. The Wargamer brushes are a cheap intro into real sable hair so you can get started at layering with thinned paints.

> Primers: This is a big ? for me --- Spray primers, basic black white and grey? Which ones, what brand, etc... Really unsure what is recommended here, as in a store there are so many, but hoping /r/minipainting can help as we are all painting the same stuff. Would love some specific product recommendations here.

For the most part, you have three options: spray cans, brush-on, and airbrush. I can't really recommend spray primers - they require ventilation, have trouble with humidity, and can only be sprayed at one consistency. Many of the hobby spray cans advertised for basing your minis aren't actual primers. Brush-on primers are the most economical but run the risk of losing detail on the mini if applied heavily. Airbrushing is my preferred method using either Mr. Hobby's Mr. Surfacer 1500 thinned with Mr. Color Leveling Thinner for highly detailed minis, or Vallejo Primer for tabletop quality minis. Vallejo Primer's are acrylic and polyurethane so they're more protective but can sometimes take away detail.

> Finish: I saw a few videos where they spray some 'protective' finish on a product, I believe there are matte finishes as well as gloss finishes? Can I get any 'matte/gloss finish' product, or are there certain ones for miniatures?

Same three options as priming. If your minis are going to be handled often, I recommend a glossy coat then a matte coat. Glossy varnishes are stronger than matte varnishes, so this combo will give you the most protection. You are more likely to lose some detail this way. If your minis are for display only you can skip the varnish and just be careful. Dried acrylics are basically thin plastic so they have some durability on their own. Brand-wise I airbrush using Liquitex Professional gloss and matte varnishes, thinned with Vallejo airbrush thinner and a drop or two of Vallejo flow-improver. Vallejo varnishes are also good but Liquitex offers the best bang for your buck.

> Mini Holders: I found this product which looks amazing, but is not available until late 2017 since the Kickstarter has ended. Are there any similar products that someone could recommend, or should I just go with something very simple? Would love to hear some ideas.

I use an old Citadel paint pot and white poster tack to stick to the bottom of the base. If you want to paint individual parts, heat the tip of a needle/pin with a lighter, press it gently into the glue joint of the mini (the hole will be hidden later), then press the other side of the needle into a wine cork or similar.

> Brush Care: I got a "masters" paste from a store that I was told to rinse and swirl my brushes in after painting. Any other tips or is this okay?

Master's is the best option, just make sure you follow the directions and use warm water for best results. You can also get a small bottle of W&N Brusher Cleaner and Restorer to have on reserve if you accidentally let paint dry on one of your better brushes. If it's a cheap or synthetic brush you can clean it with original Windex (WITHOUT Ammonia-D) or Vallejo airbrush cleaner, followed by a wash with Master's.

> Carving/Scraping tools: I know some minis need to be cut from a sheet and some have mold lines that need to be cleaned. How is this done and what tools are needed?

Get a decent pair of sprue cutters - I recommend these. You should be able to find these for $10 at a local hobby store. For plastic minis you should be fine with just an X-acto or similar knife for getting rid of mold lines - just run the blade mostly perpendicular to the line and "shave" it gently.

> Storage Box: For all the little things that come along with painting, what do you use/recommend to store everything in?

A coffee mug works fine as a brush holder. You can try a hardware store for all sorts of containers if you're traveling with paints. Otherwise desk space and some imagination (spice racks) or money (official paint stand) are all you need.

> Paint Agitators: I was told to get some steel balls and put them in every paint bottle I have. It's okay to leave them in there. Would these work, or any concerns?

Please do not use steel ball bearings. You can attempt to buy "marine grade" ball bearings but unless it's reputable and expensive they are still likely going to rust and ruin your paint. I use hematite beads for necklaces for my paints. 4mm for dropper bottles and 6mm for pots. You can get them cheaper at Michaels w/ a coupon and they're inert so they won't stain your paints.

> Flow Improver: Thoughts? I was told to mix this into my washes. How much should I add, one drop? Is this product okay, or is this only for airbrushing?

Flow improver is generally used for airbrushing to extend the drying time and prevent clogs. Fluid retarder in the form of actual art supply from W&N or Liquitex, Vallejo's Glaze Medium, or Games Workshop's Lahmian Medium are what you're looking for. These can all be used to turn a normal paint into a wash (heavy dilution), or can be used to extend drying time for wet blending (light dilution). I can't give you exact ratios as each paint company, each color, and the age of your paints will dictate that. Trial and error is the only method here.


One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is a wet palette. It will save you a lot of headache when learning to wet blend and will let you save mixed paints for many days. You can get one for cheap and use either the papers that come with it or kitchen parchment paper. Both will yield different results so play around with both. Be sure to use distilled water or you're likely to get some funk from mold after a couple days.

If going the spray can route, I'd also recommend one of black paint, as the Redstone, Saturn Ib, and Saturn V all have large chunks of black.


Sprue cutters would also be a good investment, too.

http://www.amazon.com/Tamiya-74016-Basic-Tool-Set/dp/B000BMYWXI/

This is the only basic tool set I know of.

That said, I would recommend getting a nice spruce cutter:
http://www.amazon.com/Xuron-2175ET-Professional-Sprue-Cutter/dp/B001TMZ7QA/

X-acto knifes are essential, such as the #2 large blade which is probably the most essential tool you will need.
http://www.amazon.com/X-ACTO-Knife-Cap-Silver-X3602/dp/B000V1QV7O/

Other miscellaneous tools you should get: Q-tips, fine and regular for cleaning tools, weathering with pigments, etc. Fine-tipped tweezers are also very useful. I recommend using Tamiya's extra thin cement, as well as regular cyanoadhesives for painted parts on your model. You will also definitely want some sanding tools, I recommend going to the Dollar Tree or w/e and getting a bunch of medium and fine nail filing sticks. They are cheap and work excellent on models. Tamiya also makes a line of very fine grit sandpaper (1,000, 1,500, 2,000, 2500, etc.) that can make a nice polished surface, as well as sand down thick paint.

All good advice you've received so far.

I'd also get some sprue cutters (also called flush cutters) - they are like wire cutters except one side of the blades is flat so you can cut near to the part and leave little or no attachment point. If there is one, file it off as /u/warlock27 suggests.

You can usually find cheap ones online or in a hobby shop, here's some on Amazon so you know what I'm referring to:

https://www.amazon.com/Xuron-2175ET-Professional-Sprue-Cutter/dp/B001TMZ7QA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478566221&sr=8-1&keywords=sprue+cutter

(sorry for the long link)

Otherwise a hobby knife is good for part removal too, and cleaning up any parts.

It will snap together fine, I've built a couple of similar models and am surprised how well they fit and click together. But can't hurt to get some plastic cement - Tamiya Extra Thin is usually the top recommendation.

Plus may be an idea to get some small needle-nosed pliers and tweezers for handling small parts - again either from a hobby shop or most electronics, craft or hardware stores will have something (or chemist/drugstore for tweezers).

I first use a really good "sprue cutter" like this one from Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Xuron-2175ET-Professional-Sprue-Cutter/dp/B001TMZ7QA/ref=sr_1_3?crid=25ZM1ZKGISST3&keywords=sprue+cutters+for+plastic+models&qid=1558789186&s=gateway&sprefix=Sprue%2Caps%2C196&sr=8-3 Then I use el cheapo Harbor Freight files and fine sandpaper like others have mentioned. This is your first one? Nice job! Bet it will clean up nicely :)

He said good price guys lol. If you're coming from nail clippers and just want a cheap, but legit set of nippers look on Amazon for xuron like these. They are the ones I have. But if you really want cheap ones xuron make cheaper ones as low as like $10 but they might not have a spring open or cut perfect.

I use the xuron ones for initial removal from the sprue, then some Gundam planet nippers for the close cut. But if you're just getting started don't worry about them. I will say though that for the price, the Gundam planet nippers are amazing. But don't feel like you have to save up and skip out on an HG or 2 to get these amazing nippers. But if you're flush and want the best, they're what I'd recommend.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001TMZ7QA?me=&ref=olp_product_details

There's some sellers offering $18-19 with free shipping.

I use the Xurion 2175et. They make really clean cuts with minimal effort. Easily the best clippers I've ever used.

Back again with another question.

I'm still working on my second gunpla, and I feel like I'm spending an exorbitant amount of time sanding, and I'm wondering if I'm cutting the nubs too long. I have to spend a moment with 400 grit sandpaper just to get them down to a manageable size.

I've tried to cut down a bit closer to the gates while still leaving the part undamaged, but my cutters often will slip down as I cut and sometimes will mar the plastic. [These] (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B001TMZ7QA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) are the ones I'm using, I'm not sure if its a technique error or the cutters.

[Here] (https://i.imgur.com/XD2RAqc.jpg) are couple examples of parts that I cut out. Any thoughts on if I need better cutters (I hope not!) or if there is some element of technique I'm doing improperly.

Its somewhat frustrating me because as I sand down the nubs sometimes one of the others on the part will get bumped by me somehow and due to the size of the nub and the leverage on the plastic it will snap off and leave a really bad mark just as if I snapped it off the runner.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001TMZ7QA I think you can use pretty much anything for the first cut, just be careful that you're not stressing the plastic below as you cut. Before I got the Xurons I used wirecutters (the Xurons are a big step up). But I'd say that first cut is usually thicker plastic (and there's more tension, don't know if that is relevant), so it's going to wear your nippers more. If you're asking whether GP or Tamiya work well for both cuts, I can't speak to that, but I think any tool you use for both is going to wear faster. In that case maybe be prepared to sharpen your nippers (I just sharpened my Xurons after ~9mos and I notice a difference).

For the same money almost you can get one that's meant to cut sprues. I don't have a pair yet myself but I've heard good things.

https://www.amazon.com/Xuron-2175ET-Professional-Sprue-Cutter/dp/B001TMZ7QA/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1527554871&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=sprue+cutter

You need a sprue trimmer my friend.

http://www.amazon.com/Xuron-2175ET-Professional-Sprue-Cutter/dp/B001TMZ7QA

Here is the desktop version of your link

I use Xuron -- they're awesome. First set lasted me through years and years of Warhammer minis, followed by gunpla. I just replaced that original set with their 2175ET which has a slight blade off-set to reduce strain on the plastic, thus reducing white stress marks. And they're cheap! Best option IMO.

Did you know the Xurons are Made in the USA? thats actually pretty cool, and in my book another excellent reason to buy.

I just got mine in today, and i noticed it has a lifetime warranty? Might be interesting to check out what that covers... never buy cutters again?

Edit: Found these also, which may be good for small parts on busy tree's http://www.amazon.com/Xuron-2175ET-Professional-Sprue-Cutter/dp/B001TMZ7QA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372196644&sr=8-1&keywords=2175ET

Just to play devil's advocate, you could justify the cost of the new tools if they are very well designed. The tools you've recommended are definitely good tools and I think any hobbyist would be happy with them, but that doesn't mean there isn't a reason to pay more. As an example, the side cutters you've linked are good cutters. But Tamiya does make a set of really nice side cutters that gunpla builders really like and recommend if you have the money that costs about $30:
Tamiya 74035 Sharp Pointed Side Cutter

I'm not as familiar with the other tools so I don't have any links for them, but if they have to quality to back them up there is a reason for the cost.

That being said, unless you to take the modelling side of this hobby super seriously, there is no reason to spend that much on tools unless cost really isn't an issue. And to add to that I'm skeptical that these tools are going to be any better that offerings that are already out there. Xuron makes a set of side cutters with similar features except that it has a plastic handle (which since I own a pair can say it's a really good handle) which is cheaper:
Xuron 2175ET Professional Sprue Cutter

TLDR: GW tools may be worth if the quality is there and you can afford them, but I doubt that this will be true.

The mini's aren't too difficult to build, though I understand it can be overwhelming. There are official build guides (build.kingdomdeath.com). To get started on building you'll need 3 things:

• Plastic Glue
  
• Clippers
  
• Files
  
  You don't need those exact ones, those are just examples. The most difficult model was the Phoenix probably, but some, like the antelope, are only like 5 pieces.

I just picked up these sprue cutters: http://www.amazon.com/Xuron-2175ET-Professional-Sprue-Cutter/dp/B001TMZ7QA. So far they are great, and actually cut the plastic rather than break.