Detail Plastic (FUD) Surface Preparation

[ReducedAirFact]

While FUD and FXD material is used for WoW/WoG less often than WSF (because it is brittle and more expensive), it does have its fans, and it also works well at smaller scales like 1:285. It requires a little bit different handling than WSF -- for instance, it is immersed in hot vegetable oil after printing to remove the support material and -- even though Shapeways does a first pass at washing -- you want to make sure none of that oil is left on the model.

Let's gather all the FUD tips in one sticky thread. If you have wisdom to share on this topic, please follow up here.

You might also find some tips on the Shapeways forums under Finishing Techniques.

[Macrossmartin]

Greetings all,

Having something of an addiction to FUD / FXD for my 1/285 and 1/400 Gundam projects (I won't go off-topic here, but you can find more if you seach for me on the leadadventureforum if you're interested), I've done quite a bit of clean up on prints in these materials.

Here's what I've found...

1. First thing to do when you unpack your print is to give it a good blast of UV light. Frosted plastics are 'fixed' on the printer by being exposed to UV, but sometimes the process leaves soft or unformed patches (although these are usually measurable in the fractions of millimetres, so don't panic). If you have a day of good sunshine, leaving your print outside for a few hours on a sheet of white card (to bounce the light in under the print) will do the trick, otherwise you might want to consider a sunlamp, and a watchful eye.

2. Frosted Detail plastics are very much like any resin - they don't take too kindly to any sort of solvent or caustic cleaner. In fact, I would urge you to stick with nothing more offensive than perfectly common dishwashing liquid and medium-hot water.

3. A battery of stiff-bristled implements such as new toothbrushes and old paintbrushes with the hairs trimmed flat about 4-5mm long are what you need to convince the support material and oil out of any crevices and crannies. Oh, and patience. In family-sized buckets. That stuff likes to hang around.

4. Only when your print is completely air-dried should you undercoat, and only with water-thinned acrylic. Trust me when I say that anything from a spraycan will damage your print. How well I know... There's some evidence now that FUD / FXD sometimes leeches a crystalline substance months or even years after painting, possibly as a result of chemical interactions with enamels or thinners. (The jury's still out on the exact cause.)

5. Once your acrylic undercoat is on, you should be safe to paint in whatever medium you prefer.

I hope this info is of help to you all. I certainly prefer the superb, sharp and well-defined detail of FUD/FXD over WSF. With Shapeways offering free shipping on Black Friday, I'm intending to invest in some 1/144th FXD planes, to add to my flightline.

All the best,

- Martin