Tackiness

[matt56]

I just received some new Shapeways planes (in FUD) this past week, and my two Fokker DIIs have a tacky feel to them - I initially thought it might be because they had been put into bubble-wrap packs straight after printing, so I left them out to 'dry' - but they're still as tacky today as they were when I received them. The other plane I received is fine.

Has anyone advice on how to get rid of it? Will simply priming them suffice? Should I wash them in soap and water first? I didn't think any sort of 'mold release' was used in their manufacture... Perhaps some sort of thinner/acetone/nail polish remover rinse would be better?

Any advice would be most appreciated.

All the best,
Matt

[Flying Officer Kyte]

I would start with a detergent and warm, not hot, water wash and see if that does the trick before engaging on any more harsh treatment Matt.
Rob.

[ReducedAirFact]

After they are printed, FUD models are put in an oil bath to remove leftover wax substrate. But I find the surfaces almost always still have a bit of that oil left over. So, yes, warm water plus detergent is an excellent way to get them clean before priming.

Here is Shapeways' explanation of FUD material:

This material is printed using the Multijet Modeling (MJM) process. Molten plastic is deposited onto an aluminum build platform in layers using several nozzles, essentially like a large print that sweeps across the build layer. As the heated material jets onto the build plate, it solidifies instantly. After each layer is deposited, it is cured, or polymerized, by a wide area UV lamp. The next layer then applied, and through this repeated process layers of thermoplastic build up into a model. When printing is finished, we remove the models from the tray and put them into an oven that melts away the wax support material. Next, we put the models into an a ultrasonic oil bath to remove any remaining wax residues, and then a ultrasonic water bath to remove any oil on the model. Finally, we inspect the models and dry them by hand.

[matt56]

Thanks for the input, Rob and Daryl - I shall try the soothing warm bath with suds on the little Fokkers this evening and let you know the results!

All the best,
Matt

[matt56]

Well, warm soapy water and scrubbing with a soft toothbrush seems to have taken away some of the tackiness, and one feels less tacky than the other...I'll try it again later today and see if it helps more - perhaps letting them soak for a while might be wise.

All the best,
Matt

[matt56]

Well, the tackiness is less, but it's still mildly there. I think I shall prime them with my standard grey figure primer and see what happens.

All the best,
Matt