Hobby No-Nos-the sequel

[SteamFreak]

If you keep your CA in the fridge, opening the bottle after it warms up can lead to a bottle conveniently attached to your hand, when the increase in pressure forces anything still in the nozzle up and out.

Not that it's ever happened to me.

[SteamFreak]

Paint foam only with acrylics, or water base paints, otherwise you will witness the incredible disapearing mountain.

What a great way to simulate the erosion process. After all, the mountains on the east coast were once as big as the Rockies...

[arkansasrailfan]

never superglue your hands together "accidentally" oops, that gave it away, ho hum.

[jackn2mpu]

I use a 12" pipe wrench to open stuck paint bottles.

Dave 

Now we know for sure Tim "the Toolman" Taylor is into model railroading!

I've not used a 12" pipe wrench, but have used 2 pair of medium sized curved jaw channelock pliers (one to hold the bottle and one for the cap - sometimes my arthritis makes it a real problem to hold onto either bottle or cap). Have never broken a glass bottle. 

[Kenfolk]

I use a 12" pipe wrench to open stuck paint bottles.

Dave 

Now we know for sure Tim "the Toolman" Taylor is into model railroading!

 

 

[tankertoad70]

If you airbrush, always do a completed breakdown and cleanup of your airbrush after you have completed your painting.

[Arjay1969]

Regarding CA:

The use of gloves is often a good thing when opening a stuck cap, but do not under any circumstances wear cloth work gloves for this.  Always use rubber gloves.  Just don't ask how I know this.

[Trynn_Allen2]

This process works for both Acyrilic and Oil based paints.  If the cap is "glued" down and wont budge, rather than impaling one's self with jagged, sharp and usually very small pieces of shrapnel, take out water for your acyrilics and paint thinner for the oil based, turn the paint bottle over in question and gently brush the water or thinner into the gap between the cap and jar.  Repeat, process can take 10 or so minutes.  I have done this on numerous occasions and have salvaged all but 2 bottles (my nephew didn't sit the cap down tight).  Once the cap is off continue brushing the coated jar and pour thinner in the cap and let sit.  Don't sit next to fan blowing into you when doing this, it causes headaches, if you use oil and thinner.

On a more humorous note, the roll of paper toweling that you need is always more than three inchs further than you can stretch your body to reach.  This is also applicable for any means of extending your reach, it will always beyond the combined reach of you and the yard stick.

The finer the part the likely it is to break or fall to someplace that one can not find it until you have manufactured a replacement part yourself.

The part that one finds in a kit the most, is the part least likely to be used in the kit (applies mostly to Walthers kits)

[Flashwave]

Before I switched to spraycans, Mom and I used a rubber grip to help the opening process. It would also intercept shards before they got to hand.

 And speaking of paint, I should also warn you that when moving models to the cdrying rack so you can get to the painting shelf, one should remember that they will ALWAYS land on the wet side, leaving patterns in your wet paint...

[DavidGSmith]

Great tips here. I use a 12" pipe wrench to open stuck paint bottles. Come on its close by, never had a bottle break but now you all have me worried. Opening a new CA containor be ready keep your fingers spread wide for a while til it dries. There was a tip in one of the RR mags a few years back from a guy that made a powered paint mixer using two rollers. It came on every time he turned on the lights in his work room and kept the paint mixed ready for use. If I only had room for it in my 12 square inches of working area.

Dave 

[markpierce]

It must have been a week or so ago.  A toothpick (one of those solid round ones) must have fallen on the rug floor beneath my workbench (also serving as a dining table).  Last night (this is 2 a.m. Friday) my foot was impaled by said toothpick.  I can't remember ever screaming louder in pain.  It is fine now.  Hope the Neosporin works.

Mark

[Redbeard]

CA glue is only instant when skin is involved.

[Oakhurst Railroad Engineer]

After warning folks about the dangers of opening stuck paint bottle lids with pliers, I just had one shatter in my hand and cut the crap out me two days ago.

Lothar

Run the cap under hot water when it is stuck on the bottle.  Helps quite a bit even when using channel Lock Pliers

Of course, you could always clean the threads of the bottle and the cap completely so that no paint remains and then put a thin layer of vaselene on the rim of the bottle and maybe even a small piece of plastic wrap over that to seal out any air.  But then your bottle would open easily every time and your paint would last for years and all the adventure would be gone from using old paints.

I've had pretty good luck turning the bottles upside down for a few minutes.  The solvent in the liquid paint starts to disolve the dried paint in the threads, which loosens up the cap.  Usually this frees the cap without having to use excessive force ...

[MAbruce]

Never rinse out your left-over plaster of Paris down the drain.

If you do, have a pipe snake handy...   

[Kenfolk]

Let the strong northwesterly wind die down before trying to unload and carry the 4 x 8 foam sheet from the truck into the garage.

    Note: This applies to various colors of foam equally. Likewise, thickness.

 

 

[Rangerover]

Great Thread...just bumping!

 

[stokesda]

If you really want that new Athearn D&RGW SD40T-2, go ahead and pre-order it for $70, because once they hit the shelves, they will NOT be easy to find, and they WILL be more than $70.

Fortunately, I learned my lesson the last time and the model rr gods have given me a second chance... My new "second run" SD40T-2 will arrive this fall from Caboose Hobbies

[galaxy]

1) Never, I repeat, never, open a container of weathering powders when it sits between you and a blowing fan or a/c vent.

My face is already naturally weathered, my hair already going "gray" (lol), and the furniture doesn't want to be weathered. Blowing "grimey black" or "sooty" or "grimey gray" out one's nose  for a while is not much fun either.

2) For similar reasons, don't open a bottle of CA when it, too, sits between you and a blowing fan or a/c unit. The fumes are, er, um, rather potent when blown directly into one's nose and eyes.

3) Never, I repeat, never, whip out the credit card at the hobby shop when you discover you don't have the cash to cover what you want to buy.

The bill can be shocking later, and your budget may be blown. Stick with what you have the cash budgeted for, lol. (like that works! ;-) )

-G

[loathar]

After warning folks about the dangers of opening stuck paint bottle lids with pliers, I just had one shatter in my hand and cut the crap out me two days ago.

Lothar

Run the cap under hot water when it is stuck on the bottle.  Helps quite a bit even when using channel Lock Pliers

Of course, you could always clean the threads of the bottle and the cap completely so that no paint remains and then put a thin layer of vaselene on the rim of the bottle and maybe even a small piece of plastic wrap over that to seal out any air.  But then your bottle would open easily every time and your paint would last for years and all the adventure would be gone from using old paints.

This was a clean, empty spare air brush bottle that the lid was stuck on. That's why I didn't take precautions like wearing a glove of hot water first. Surprised the heck out of me when it shattered!

[Packers#1]

While you're waiting for your soldering gun to heat up, don't test it with your fingers if you think it isn't getting hot!!

I thought that was common sense. Oh wait, the average man has no common sense.

Here's a good one: Bachman standard line belongs on either A) a gun range, B) at a golf club, or C) on a bomb range. ;]

[markpierce]

Of course, you could always clean the threads of the bottle and the cap completely so that no paint remains and then put a thin layer of vaselene on the rim of the bottle and maybe even a small piece of plastic wrap over that to seal out any air.  But then your bottle would open easily every time and your paint would last for years and all the adventure would be gone from using old paints.

What? And give up the annual ritual of tossing out $50 of solidified-in-the-jar model paint every year.  No way!

Mark

[Randall_Roberts]

While it may look fascinating, whatever you do DON'T start a layout.  In fact, DON'T even start up in this hobby!  It's a highly addictive pursuit that can easily drain your finances, swallow up all your spare time, and test the limits of your sanity.

Run away while you still have a chance.

There's no hope for recovery once you start.    

  

Do you know the signs of addiction?

How to Tell if You're a Model Train Addict 
 

[Randall_Roberts]

After warning folks about the dangers of opening stuck paint bottle lids with pliers, I just had one shatter in my hand and cut the crap out me two days ago.

Lothar

Run the cap under hot water when it is stuck on the bottle.  Helps quite a bit even when using channel Lock Pliers

Of course, you could always clean the threads of the bottle and the cap completely so that no paint remains and then put a thin layer of vaselene on the rim of the bottle and maybe even a small piece of plastic wrap over that to seal out any air.  But then your bottle would open easily every time and your paint would last for years and all the adventure would be gone from using old paints.

[Jumijo]

Don't lean directly over an open container of CA glue. The fumes can sting your eyes pretty good.

[phatkat64]

No cats in the train room...

Couldn't agree more with that one!!!

[loathar]

No cats in the train room...

[mustanggt]

Keep the ROW far enough away from the edge of the layout so that your new SD26 doesn't plummet a scale 400 feet....along with 2 delicately detailed Athearn boxcars

Never be stubborn like my father and insist that certain things are good enough. Some big examples of this are horn hook couplers, train set transformers, pancake-motored locomotives, and brass track, among others... He didn't even have any tyco trains when he was a kid...

But I do thank him for getting me into this hobby

Dave 

[AltoonaRailroader]

If a rail joiner won't slide on easily DO NOT try to jam it one. Either the end of the rail you didn't file down or the rail joiner will make a nasty little puncture hole in the end of the thumb or forefinger. OUCH!!! 

[FerroEquinist]

 

Don't sand the drywall patching plaster without covering every thing with a plastic tarp unless you like re-cleaning everything within sight. That dust can get into almost everything. Also shut off the a/c system and any fan you might have in the room. I know this from experience on other home related projects.

[MAbruce]

While it may look fascinating, whatever you do DON'T start a layout.  In fact, DON'T even start up in this hobby!  It's a highly addictive pursuit that can easily drain your finances, swallow up all your spare time, and test the limits of your sanity.

Run away while you still have a chance.

There's no hope for recovery once you start.