Pendraken Miniatures Forum

Wider Wargaming => Painting & Modelling => Topic started by: Norm on 01 July 2016, 06:06:14 AM

Title: Do you wash your lead before painting?
Post by: Norm on 01 July 2016, 06:06:14 AM
Just wondered. I do, but wish I didn't

I do soapy water in the sink and with a toothbrush (not mine :-) ) everything gets a quick scrub, especially vehicles and then a cold rinse and left to dry off.

But I find it fiddly and have read comments from others that this is not necessary - does anyone know the 'real' answer?

I use Vallejo airbrush primer (hand brushed).
Title: Re: Do you wash your lead before painting?
Post by: FierceKitty on 01 July 2016, 06:10:10 AM
I've never troubled to do it. A good priming and later a fixative seem enough.
Title: Re: Do you wash your lead before painting?
Post by: Leman on 01 July 2016, 06:16:58 AM
I do it with 28s but nothing smaller.
Title: Re: Do you wash your lead before painting?
Post by: Fenton on 01 July 2016, 06:42:57 AM
No never bothered
Title: Re: Do you wash your lead before painting?
Post by: Leman on 01 July 2016, 06:45:51 AM
Crossing from another thread, does Techno wash his doggy's lead before painting?
Title: Re: Do you wash your lead before painting?
Post by: fred. on 01 July 2016, 06:56:45 AM
Generally no.

I have washed some figures when they look to have release agent or other 'stuff' on them, but not routinely.
Title: Re: Do you wash your lead before painting?
Post by: fsn on 01 July 2016, 07:04:12 AM
If they're new I tend not to. My theory is that the Casting Dwarves operate in sterile conditions (i.e. they're eunochs) and so when they arrive with me they're largely untainted by skin oil, slobber or Max Factor Skin Revitaliser for Mythical Creatures (because you're worth it). .

I also leave them in the baggiues until needed, and get them onto a painting stick ASAP so that they're not handled that much. 

Having said that, I wish the paint would fall off some of my earlier efforts.
  :(
Title: Re: Do you wash your lead before painting?
Post by: petercooman on 01 July 2016, 07:17:01 AM
No, never bother.Not even with plastics.

Only things i wash are resin scenic items, and that's part to get rid of the release agents, and part for getting rid of the 'flakes' after tidying the model up.
Title: Re: Do you wash your lead before painting?
Post by: paulr on 01 July 2016, 07:36:28 AM
I seem to be in the minority. I always was in warm soapy water with a cold rinse. I don't brush them though.
Title: Re: Do you wash your lead before painting?
Post by: SV52 on 01 July 2016, 08:51:59 AM
Not unless they been filed, filled and sweaty handed a lot.
Title: Re: Do you wash your lead before painting?
Post by: Duke Speedy of Leighton on 01 July 2016, 09:09:11 AM
No
Title: Re: Do you wash your lead before painting?
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 01 July 2016, 10:31:02 AM
wot 'e squeacked

IanS
Title: Re: Do you wash your lead before painting?
Post by: FierceKitty on 01 July 2016, 10:58:08 AM
Quote from: paulr on 01 July 2016, 07:36:28 AM
I always was in warm soapy water with a cold rinse.

Sounds physically impossible.
Title: Re: Do you wash your lead before painting?
Post by: Poggle on 01 July 2016, 02:18:20 PM
I leave my figures to soak in soapy water for a few hours but don't brush them. A rinse in cold water after, leave to air dry then onto the painting block.
Title: Re: Do you wash your lead before painting?
Post by: d_Guy on 01 July 2016, 02:40:52 PM
Went through a two month period when I soaked them (with a mild stirring) in warm soapy water, cold water rinse and air dry. Have noticed NO difference between these and the ones that were directly primed. So no longer bother. I don't do plastics so that might be a different proposition.

One batch of highlanders were placed in a paper cup and had pipe music played at them for over an hour (this was done quite by accident mind) - again no descernable difference in outcome.
Title: Re: Do you wash your lead before painting?
Post by: FierceKitty on 01 July 2016, 02:46:32 PM
Good to see a proper regard for control and experiment procedure there. :)
Title: Re: Do you wash your lead before painting?
Post by: John Cook on 01 July 2016, 03:39:54 PM
Yes, I do, after they have been cleaned of flash etc., particularly larger castings, to remove any filings and 'grease' from handling.  Preparation is fundamental to a good finish, and this includes undercoating.  It is even more important with resin and plastic, particularly the former, if you are using water based acrylics. 
Title: Re: Do you wash your lead before painting?
Post by: d_Guy on 01 July 2016, 03:58:18 PM
Quote from: FierceKitty on 01 July 2016, 02:46:32 PM
Good to see a proper regard for control and experiment procedure there. :)
Thanks! With one more data point I'm considering submitting a paper to:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/13504177
:D
Title: Re: Do you wash your lead before painting?
Post by: Subedai on 01 July 2016, 05:38:57 PM
With metal, no. However, plastic figures still on the sprue always got a bath of washing up liquid and water and a quick going over with a nail brush. A quick shake to dry, lay on kitchen roll for a while and that's it, done.

MickS
Title: Re: Do you wash your lead before painting?
Post by: Bodvoc on 01 July 2016, 06:42:21 PM
I do the same as Subedai, he is obviously a wise man :)
Title: Re: Do you wash your lead before painting?
Post by: Zippee on 01 July 2016, 06:59:35 PM
Almost universally no but . . .

I have found the occasional few that benefit from it - easily discovered whilst priming, if there's release agent on the item, paint just slides off, leaving unsightly pools of bare metal. Very much an oil and water thing. If that happens I just give them a quick rinse. I've experienced this with both GW (plastic and metal) and Essex. Never had a problem with PD or any others that I can recall.

It occurs that this happens with acrylics - I haven't used enamels since I counted my years in single digits but it occurs that the oil and water thing may be the other way round with enamels, making it more common. It was certainly one of those things oft advised in the 60s and 70s, along with baking and banana oil. Then again I daresay not only metals have changed dramatically but so have release agents and other contaminants.

I've also found that some metals benefit from a scrub before supergluing - Otherworld are a case in point, my Loctite won't bond them unless I wash the metal first. Just Otherworld, no-one else.
Title: Re: Do you wash your lead before painting?
Post by: HPFlashman on 02 July 2016, 10:02:54 AM
I have washed the ones I have painted up untill now, will try the none wash method for the next ups, PD Sudan forces, hopefully starting next week. They have been hibernating for some years now, as has the rest of the lead pile.  :-[