Author Topic: Cleaning torsos the Tahra-way  (Read 18161 times)

Offline tahra

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Re: Cleaning torsos the Tahra-way
« Reply #30 on: May 05, 2016, 08:22:47 »
As for the pen rubbers, they're a thing of the past here. Unless there is some specialty store that has them, supermarkets, stationers don't carry them anymore. I'm surprised they were still made after correction fluid (twink) came out. I only used them a couple of times and they were really bad on the paper surface.

When I was little there  was not such thing as "correction fluid" - my age showing...  :P

Everyone used the pen erasers, with the expected amount of success. Maybe that is why we still had several...

Offline Hadoque

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Re: Cleaning torsos the Tahra-way
« Reply #31 on: May 05, 2016, 15:40:47 »
I'm surprised the pencil rubbers work, but I have used them to clean up after using the pen rubber so I guess they do have some sanding property.
Though, when you say awhile, how long are we talking about - ad break, tv episode, movie, marathon evening, days, weeks... ;D

It really depends, I mostly use them to remove relative small prints on legs, torsos, headwear, chest-armour, jackets, etc.
The time it takes really depends on several factors, but let´s say a break for TV-ads will usually be too short (certainly when watching non-commercial state TV) and a movie way too long.  ;)
A good way to start trying pencil gums would be cleaning off f.e. large skull-prints that come of some of the pirates´ bandanas or their bicorne-hats, that will give some indication how much time it will take to clean off larger prints from torsos.
The brand of the pencil gum also plays a role, they are somewhat harder ones and other ones that are softer. I prefer to use those from Staedtler.

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Offline Macruran

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Re: Cleaning torsos the Tahra-way
« Reply #32 on: August 12, 2017, 23:14:16 »
I tried the pen eraser method with a Faber-Castell 7016-40 on a black torso. I found it left unacceptably many scratches. (I have three extra of these erasers if you want one.)

I tried a magic eraser on a different torso - white paint on brown - and found it really slow going.

:(
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Offline Klickteryx

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Re: Cleaning torsos the Tahra-way
« Reply #33 on: August 13, 2017, 05:07:17 »

I tried a magic eraser on a different torso - white paint on brown - and found it really slow going.

:(
It is, especially on anything larger than a line.
I use magic eraser to remove the falcon crest off the dark grey breastplates.
That print is on thick. I scuff it up a bit with very fine grit paper then use the sponge stuff. Still takes awhile but gets the job done.

Offline playmo73

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Re: Cleaning torsos the Tahra-way
« Reply #34 on: January 22, 2018, 20:49:01 »
thanks!

Offline bml87

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Re: Cleaning torsos the Tahra-way
« Reply #35 on: January 28, 2018, 11:21:31 »
Thanks Tahra for this amazing hack! And thank you Birdie for sharing it! The last couple of days I did some experiments. The trick with the blue eraser works really good, but like most of you mention it leaves a dull (not so shiny) surface. So, I bought a transparent matt varnish (the gloss varnish would make it too shiny), which you can use on plastic, such as Playmobil. I used two layers; let the first layer dry for 20 minutes and put a second layer after it. The result looks really good! The only thing that gives away it has varnish, is the feeling of the surface. Tadaaaaaaa:


Click the picture to zoom or go to: https://i.imgur.com/R4Kcw8q.jpg
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Offline Hadoque

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Re: Cleaning torsos the Tahra-way
« Reply #36 on: January 28, 2018, 23:06:30 »
I find spray-varnish a bit extreme for this purpose...
Sometimes just water with soap and polishing with a clean piece of cloath brings the shine back, depending on what material / which method used to get the printing off.
There are also several kinds of polish-products for synthetic materials, f.e. those used in model-building. These are packed smaller & more handy and they work just fine. But make sure to pick one suited for plastics, ABS plastic preferably. And they might not all be good for use on more brittle/softer plastic, like coats & cloaks.

I tried the pen eraser method with a Faber-Castell 7016-40 on a black torso. I found it left unacceptably many scratches.

You could use a soft (white) pencil eraser instead of a (hard) pen eraser.  Goes even slower though, so mostly good for removing small prints with (a lot) of patience. But: no scratces and the shine comes back easily with a bit of polishing.

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Offline bml87

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Re: Cleaning torsos the Tahra-way
« Reply #37 on: January 29, 2018, 15:13:56 »
I find spray-varnish a bit extreme for this purpose...
Sometimes just water with soap and polishing with a clean piece of cloath brings the shine back, depending on what material / which method used to get the printing off.
There are also several kinds of polish-products for synthetic materials, f.e. those used in model-building. These are packed smaller & more handy and they work just fine. But make sure to pick one suited for plastics, ABS plastic preferably. And they might not all be good for use on more brittle/softer plastic, like coats & cloaks.

Thanks for the trick :) I will try this next time!
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Offline Hadoque

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Re: Cleaning torsos the Tahra-way
« Reply #38 on: January 29, 2018, 23:44:21 »
Below one of the latest longcoats. It comes with the just released Playmo-Friends figure 9334, a Western Sheriff.
The brownish colour is quite to my taste, and of course I want to use it for my Renaissance-era klickies.

For such coats / jackets, I use the soft, white pencil-eraser from "Pelikan" to remove (some of the) printing.
Sometimes I pick the one from "Staedtler", that one is a little harder and lasts longer, but I can´t always find it in shops in my area.

Don´t use "Paint-remover for plastics" on Playmo jackets & coats, such product "eats" a very little of the plastic you use it on, and on thin plastics like jackets & coats that could sometimes cause them to rupture / break.


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Offline Tiermann

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Re: Cleaning torsos the Tahra-way
« Reply #39 on: January 30, 2018, 00:39:26 »
What a great looking figure Erwin!