Most elaborate prep?

[Norman D. Landings]

It occurs to me that I’m a complete lightweight in the preparation stakes.
I’ll trim and file, but once that’s done - paint gets put on it.
I know our august membership employ a wide variety of prep techniques - what’s your most painstaking/elaborate/OCD pre-paint regime?

[Purple]

And we shall all await Essex Boys post...

[BaronVonWreckedoften]

Actually, I think Timmo probably scores highest on this:-
(1) clean to remove mould release agent,
(2) file/trim/de-flash,
(3) de-grease,
(4) apply etching primer
(5) apply undercoat.

And that's just his hands before he takes the figures out of the packet.

[Jeremy]

Yes, Timmo does take all the credit. No one comes close.

[Norman D. Landings]

What’s the difference between the cleaning and the degreasing?

Why doesn’t a clean also degrease?

[BaronVonWreckedoften]

It probably does, but bear in mind that he subsequently handles the figure when cleaning off excess metal. As I understand it, he washes in warm soapy water, primarily to get rid of the mould-release agent, but also any other detritus that has attached itself for the figure in transit. Then, after "smartening up" the metal with files, clippers, etc, he gives it a bath in an acidic solution (he uses a proprietary brand, but vinegar is equally efficient) to get all the natural oils from his hands off the figure, as well as removing any of the "swarf" after the clean-up, prior to applying the etching-primer. Note also, that he distinguishes "primer" from "undercoat" as the former is specifically designed to provide a "key" for the later layers of paint to grip on to, whereas the latter is "just another layer of paint". The primer is so efficient, that I understand he never varnishes his figures.

For the benefit of those who don't know him, Timmo is a professional artist (in the Holbein/Constable sense, not the Peeler sense).

[Norman D. Landings]

When I opened this door, I didn’t realise what lay behind it...

[Essex Boy]

And we shall all await Essex Boys post...

I'm saying nothing, but I think Timmo has a considerable edge on my prep efforts.

[Purple]

Isn’t a prepper, an American hobby of survivalism. Planning for the big zombie apocalypse that triggers Simon so much, etc.

I can be awful at cleaning figures. Anyone else think they’ve done a banging job and then after priming discover hulking great mould lines? What’s that about.

[goat major]

And we shall all await Essex Boys post...

I'm saying nothing, but I think Timmo has a considerable edge on my prep efforts.

Don’t you count basing and rebasing your figures 5 or 6 times before you actually use them a form of prep ?