# Interior tubs



## NTRPRZ (Feb 23, 1999)

Folks
I started out building AMT car kits back in the mid-60s and while I don't do them very often anymore, I still dabble. I'm working now to restore a 1959 Mercury Park Lane.
This was molded with all of the interior as one piece except for the dash. Naturally, that makes painting the seats and other details particularly difficult.
Other than making judicious use of masking tape, do you have some suggestions? The details are so tiny that even using a paint pen can be problematic.
This model was a real disaster and it's looking much better, so I want to have the interior look just as good as the exterior soon will.

Jeff
PS - somehow I can't see someone using this actual car as a stock dragster!


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

I always went with the one color interior with those tub designs. A #0 #00 #000 are about the only way to paint the details cheaply. But they do make smaller sized brushes for more $


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

If you want to paint tiny details then you could dip the end of a tooth pick into the paint and apply I've done it for lug nuts on wheels after I have removed the chrome and painted the wheels a green or what ever color I'm painting the body.


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## Andy Oldenburg (Feb 16, 2021)

Hey Jeff,

painting and detailing the tubs can be finger-bending and nerve-recking. I went to a drastic but very effective way of handling that problem. I cut off the sides before I do any paint work or gluing. For this I use a micro circular saw with my minitool. With some patience you can also use a fretsaw. After the sides are down, painting the seats and doors and applying small parts and bare metal is MUCH easier. When the work is done, it only takes some masking tape and a few drops of glue to get everything in place again. Once inside your model, no one will see a thing.


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

Turned out nice!

How thick is your mini tool circular saw!?! It doesnt look like you lost very much if any material by cutting off the door panels!

Did you also cut away the console and glove box? Or is it a new dash? The one in the first picture looks very different than the 2nd photo?


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## Andy Oldenburg (Feb 16, 2021)

The saw is about paper thin and 18mm in diameter. It´s great for plastics but I have to be careful because it gets hot after a few seconds and the cut starts getting messy. If I stay in a spot too long, the styrene starts melting. It´s crude, but efficient. 

The parts are all the same. Must be the angle of photography. The dash is very slanted towards the footroom.


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## Andy Oldenburg (Feb 16, 2021)

Hey Milton,

thought I owed you a photo of my saw. The tool is about 40 years old now but going strong. Small and handy and runs with 12 Volt. Came with a lot of accessories like grinders for different materials like glass, metal etc. Great for drilling too but very fast. If I don´t watch out, the speed heats up the plastic and the holes get messy. The saw is VERY useful with cutting up structures and carefully removing parts. Had to cut off some exhaust pipes today to get the engine in, glued them back and it does not show. Have to be careful not to break or lose it though, because I have no idea where to get a replacement saw.


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

All of my rotoary tools are by Dremmel and it looks like their tools and attachments will fit the Stichling brand you have. Does yours have a variable speed option? 🤙


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## Andy Oldenburg (Feb 16, 2021)

Unfortunately not, just on/off. I think I have seen Dremmel Stuff at a DIY in town. I´ll take a look.


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## Alien (Sep 5, 2001)

I am a big fan of these mini saw blades too. I use them with my Dremel and I do recommend using the slowest speed that you can when cutting styrene. Otherwide they can heat up the styrene, catch and potentially jump out of the cut slot and come and seek out your fingers.
Dremel did not make their own circular saw blades for quite a few years because of the potential harm that they can cause. I think they only sell one today and that is not really styrene friendly.
The ones I use are made by Proxxon, a German company that also makes rotary hand tools like Dremel (I guess Dremel is German too, now being owned by Bosch.)


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

I thought i was going to slow with my variable speed setting but I will try slowing it down a bit more the next time I cut stuff up.


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