Hi guys,
Would you have any advice for a newbie trying his luck with resin parts for the first time?
I have a Special Hobby model of F2A-2 Buffalo fighter in 1:72 scale that I think I will try to build next. It comes with several resin parts, mainly cockpit interior. I never worked with resin parts before. Is there anything I should watch out for? Do they break easily? Does the paint stick? They are attached to rather massive casting blocks. Would you recommend any special techniques in order to cut them out to avoid any accidental damage?
Thanks
Shrimp

After a while they become second nature. Razor-saw them off the blocks and then sand a clean surface. Many wash them to get some sort of mfg. or molding residue off of them. They must be glued with "crazy glue." Like any injected part, should be primed with your primer paint of choice prior to painting.

Resin dust is toxic, so wear a good dust filter mask (Painters' masks are not sufficient protection; you need one of those Darth Vader types). Make certain to vacuum up the dust afterwards

Resin is more brittle than polystyrene, so be careful not to bend it too much. If it does snap, you can glue it back together easily enough. Work slowly because it's also much softer, and you can sand away your part in a heartbeat if you're not paying attention to what you're doing.

Epoxy is another adhesive which works well with resin, and tiny parts which won't be subjected to stress can be 'glued' in place with a drop of paint.

I wouldn't recommend this seeing as this is your first time using resin. A medium thick CA (Superglue) is probably the easiest to use. Cut the casting blocks off with a razor saw with a little bit of room between the cut and the part and then sand the rest.

As far as paint sticking goes - Resin parts regularly have a mold releasing agent on them when you get them. Wash them all in some soapy water and you won't have any problems

Thank you guys for the tips, I really appreciate this. I have to admit I feel a little bit intimidated by the intricate detail of the resin parts. I would hate to ruin the model.
I have just got a Tamiya razor saw, just arrived today. I have expected a tiny saw the size of a hobby knife, but the thing is huge, the blade is about foot long. I have no idea how am I supposed to cut out those tiny pieces with that huge saw, it looks more like a gardening tool. Did I order a wrong thing or is it supposed to be that big? I'm probably making a fool of myself right now, but I simply don't know.

Razor saws come in all shapes and sizes. It sounds as if you got a large one. Using that one for small pieces, it may be easier to hold the saw stationary, edge up, and run the piece gently against the blade using your other hand. You'll find you have better control over it that way.

I always wet my sanding paper and sticks to keep the dust to a minimum.

And preferably and if possible, i sand and cut them outside, because of the apparent toxicity of the dust. But on the other hand, i suspect that it only becomes problematic for your health when you are exposed frequently to it (like smoking), but of course you can't be careful enough.



Jelger

I use Trumpeter's razor saw set with 3 different blades, it is very good for such purposes. Here it is:
https://www.emodels.co.uk/trumpeter-mini-razor-saw-for-the-pro-modeller-09909.html

There are other brands though like X-acto, Olfa or others, possibly you can find these in art supply stores as well.